The Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, speaking on RTÉ's Six One news has said there are 'very serious problems' in prisons.
He added that 'the first step we have to take is to secure our prisons...prison officers are in the front line, we need a second line'.
The new officers will effectively operate as a 'separate service' within prisons, and many will not come under the supervision of prison governors, he said.
The Minister's comments came as the Cabinet agreed a wide range of measures to combat violence in prisons.
The new measures include establishing two new special segregation units for suspected gang leaders, the units will be located in Cloverhill Prison.
The cabinet also agreed to increase the number of prison officers by up to 178. A drug detection dog service is also to be established in prisons.
It is also planned to introduce security screening for all persons entering all prisons on all days, including Sunday.
The measures come in the wake of yesterday's fatal stabbing of an inmate in Mountjoy Prison.
But Minister Lenihan said the new measures were not a reaction to the death as they had already been planned.
Mounjoy murder inquiry
Meanwhile, gardaí investigating yesterday's murder in Mountjoy say they are following a definite line of inquiry in the case.
Twenty-four year old Derek Glennon got into a row with another inmate just before 6pm yesterday evening. He was stabbed in the side and pronounced dead shortly afterwards at the Mater Hospital.
Glennon was serving five years for escaping from custody while serving another sentence for manslaughter.
The part of the D Wing landing in Mountjoy Prison where he was fatally stabbed remains sealed off today as the murder investigation continues.
The Director of the Prison Service, Brian Purcell, has said it is virtually impossible to ensure a risk free prison regime.
Mr Purcell said the incident occurred 'out of the blue' and even though six or seven prison officers were at the scene within seconds they were unable to save Mr Glennon's life.
He said the prison service had to balance security with a humane prison system.
