An outside agency has been appointed to investigate a ‘retirement gathering’ that was held in the Midlands Prison during lockdown.
The Irish Times is reporting that the Irish Prison Service have asked an outside body to investigate the gathering from March 27.
This date, coincidentally, was also the day that visits to the prison were banned in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.
According to the paper, around 30 people attended the event to mark the retirement of Midlands Governor Ethel Gavin – who was, at the time, the the second most senior officer in the Irish Prison Service.
It is understood that the gathering of around 30 people occurred in the staff canteen.
A complain was subsequently made under a protested disclosure to the Irish Prison Service which has been assessed as admissible and passed onto the professional consultancy firm Mazars for an independent investigation.
The Irish Prison Service told the Irish Times that the “Director General gave clear instruction” to Ms Gavin that “any large gathering, or large assembly of staff, to mark her retirement . . . was not permissible.”
Ms Gavin has said there was ‘no party’ or ‘large gathering’ and maintains that she did not break any rules.
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