Prison officers are to ballot for industrial action following unsuccessful meetings with the Irish Prison Service (IPS).
The unanimous decision was made following a meeting of the Prison Officers' Association this afternoon. It appears to be in response to comments made today by the director general of the prison service, Brian Purcell.
Mr Purcell claimed that at least three quarters of the 400 prisoners in Mountjoy, were involved in workshops and programmes.
The POA last night said that the IPS agreed to approach the Department of Finance for additional funding for workshops and other rehabilitative programmes at Mountjoy, following a recent spate of violence at the prison.
The POA emerged disappointed from last night's talks, in which they were also requesting the reopening of the Curragh Prison in Co Kildare and Spike Island prison in Cork to deal with overcrowding problems.
Speaking after last night's meeting John Clinton from the POA said that there was "no acceptance from the official side that there was overcrowding in the prison service."
The talks followed the killing of inmate 21-year-old Gary Douch at Mountjoy, and two other separate stabbing incidents in the prison.
Yesterday two prison officers in Limerick required hospital treatment after being attacked by inmates.