Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's point is well made. There was a time when prison officers were targets and were shot. In one case that we know of, a prison officer lost his life. Therefore, there was a time when it was needed. The number of high-security prisoners is now in single digits and they are of a certain age and so forth, so the necessity that was once there is no longer required. Therefore, the optimal deployment of the Defence Forces must be our prime agenda and objective.