Dáil debates
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
3:40 am
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Tom McHugh was the assistant chief officer of the A-Block in Portlaoise Prison. The block houses the most dangerous criminals in the State. He was asked to investigate drug trafficking in the prison. He carried out his job and reported the information to the management. One morning, a prisoner, who was an enforcer for a well known criminal gang and was well known for knife crime, told the governor that three staff approached him and asked him to cut Tom McHugh up. The Naughton report vindicated that particular situation, but since then Tom has been living in fear. He has undergone a number of near life-threatening attacks and has received threats on a near daily basis. He is off sick and is unable to work. He is facing poverty. He has made a protected disclosure. He has been left to hang with no support from the State after serving it in a difficult situation. Will the Taoiseach make sure that he has an income until his protected disclosure case is heard?
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