Prisoners high on "moonshine" caused mayhem in a hospital Emergency Department over Christmas, it has emerged.
The patient overcrowding crisis at the Accident and Emergency department at University Hospital Limerick was compounded by three inmates been admitted on St Stephen's night drunk on 'prison hooch'.
The inmates who are serving sentences Limerick Prison were also allegedly drugged out of their heads on a concoction of prescribed tablets mixed with hand wash gel.
"They came in having consumed moonshine or something like that. I think they had made up some alcoholic drink in jail. They were drunk as skunks," said a hospital source.
"They had some kind of reaction to whatever they had drank. They are supposed to be in prison and they can get their hands on alcohol. It's crazy," the source added.
An investigation is underway by the prison into the prisoners' behaviour and use of illegal contraband in jail
