Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has said he is concerned by the contents of a report into alleged unauthorised surveillance in the prison service.
The report, which was carried out by the Inspector of Prisons, is being examined by the Attorney General.
Mr Flanagan, who was speaking at the Prison Officers' Association conference in Sligo, said once it has been cleared by the Attorney General, he will make a decision on what action to take.
The investigation was carried out after a prison service employee alleged that conversations between inmates and solicitors had been recorded and that a tracking device had been put on a staff member's car.
It was also alleged that payments were made to third parties for that surveillance.
The Inspector, Patricia Gilheaney, had full access to all relevant documentation and Prison Service personnel and her report was delivered to the minister.
Mr Flanagan confirmed at the conference that he had read the report and was concerned by some of its contents.
The minister said he would make an early decision on what action to take as soon as it was cleared by the Attorney General but has not committed to publishing the report.
The minister also said he was satisfied that the advance technology to deter drones bringing drugs into jails would be available to the prison service.
The POA said 50 packages were smuggled into one Dublin prison in one week last month.
The packages were smuggled in by drone and various methods.
Irish Prison Service Director Caron McCaffrey said a new technology system will be introduced on a pilot basis in one prison to deal with the problem.
The General Secretary of the Prison Officers' Association John Clinton has said he is "deeply concerned" by the alleged surveillance in prisons.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Seán O'Rourke, Mr Clinton said that the alleged activity came to the POA's attention in November and it asked the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to set up a garda investigation into it.
Mr Clinton said that prison officers have been assisting the Inspector of Prisons inquiry into the matter.
Mr Clinton also said the problem of drones is very difficult for prisons to deal with, and he called for no delay in introducing technology to combat it.
In one week in March, more than 50 contraband packages were either thrown in or flown in to Wheatfield Prison by drones.
Mr Clinton said that in one incident, a drone with six mobile phones and a large package of drugs attached was intercepted in prison grounds.
He said the prisoners had set off an alarm so someone could try and fly the drone in through vents.
Mr Clinton said he hoped it wouldn't take ten years to deal with this issue and that it should happen quickly.
He added that more isolation units are needed to split up gang members in prisons.
