An acutely mentally ill prisoner in his 70s, who has no previous criminal history, has lost an eye in a prison attack after being stabbed with a pen by another prisoner with psychiatric health issues who had been locked up in the same cell. The attack, which sources described as one of extreme violence even for a prison setting, is likely to put the spotlight back on overcrowding problems across the system. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) is now catering for unprecedented numbers.The IPS has maintained a policy of accommodating mentally ill prisoners in cells on their own. However, because of the chronic overcrowding, officers have been forced to “double up”, meaning two prisoners to a cell intended for one.The stabbing incident happened when the two men were in the same cell at Cloverhill Prison, Dublin, on Wednesday night. After the door of the cell on D2 landing – where mentally ill remand prisoners are housed – was locked, prison officers heard a disturbance inside.Officers rushed to respond but by the time they reached the elderly man, he had been stabbed in the eye and ear by the other prisoner, who is in his 30s. The injured man was on remand for burglary but has no previous convictions. He was taken to Tallaght University Hospital and later transferred for special treatment, but it is understood he lost his eye.The cell was sealed off as part of the Garda investigation.The suspect for the attack remains at Cloverhill Prison which is especially overcrowded with remand prisoners. He is also on remand on a burglary charge.The IPS declined to comment. Garda Headquarters confirmed, an attack had taken place and that it was under investigation.“A man, aged in his 70s, is receiving treatment for serious injuries, believed to be non-life threatening at this time.,” gardaí said.The prison population in Ireland first exceeded 4,000 in 2009 and reached 5,000 in 2024. There are currently more than 5,900 in the prison system, with some prisons at 160 per cent of bed capacity.About 530 prisoners are sleeping on mattresses on floors while 600 are on open-ended “temporary” release, a mechanism usually employed to free up space for new committals.