Over 3,500 weapons seized by prison officers in five years

The Irish Prison Service confirmed a total of 3,687 weapons were seized over the period.

The number recovered each year has declined from 1,126 in 2012 to a five-year low of 435 weapons in 2016.

Makeshift daggers - made by attaching blades or sharpened objects to small handles made from toothbrushes or pens - are among the most common weapon seized by prison officers.

The Irish Prison Service said it had introduced measures to limit the access of prisoners to weapons, for example through dedicated staff, security screenings, a canine unit, increased searching of cells and occupants, and the installation of nets over exercise yards.