Deadlock as Real IRA protest hits 25th day

Ali Bracken, Crime Correspondent

Michael Fassbender in the film 'Hunger' portrays Bobby Sands during his dirty protest

A dirty protest at Portlaoise prison enters its 25th day today, with prison officers saying they see no signs that the six Real IRA inmates involved will soon end their demonstration.

The prisoners began their protests because periods of temporary release had been withdrawn by justice minister Dermot Ahern following the Real IRA murders of two British soldiers outside a barracks in Co Antrim in March.

"This is like a throwback to what we were dealing with 25 years ago. This could get a whole lot worse before it gets better," said a prison source. "[These are] horrendous working conditions. We'd like a lot more support from the Department of Justice on this. We'd like them to recognise we have a serious problem."

None of the six inmates involved are high-profile Real IRA members and the protest is confined to the E3 landing at the moment.

"They are the ones doing it; there's very little we can do to stop them. They have to make that decision themselves," said another prison source.

"There's been talk of others joining in too but at the moment it's still the six of them. These things happen in prisons from time to time but with these guys, because they're quite militant, we don't know when it will end and there's no sign of it happening at the moment. They have been spoken to about it."

It emerged last week that republican prisoners in Portlaoise maximum-security jail enjoy a relatively relaxed regime in which they hold military-style parades and have murals on the walls.

The six inmates' cells have been cleaned just once since they began their protest.

"They're saying they won't stop until the minister gives in to their demand," the source added. "People have been saying it's a relaxed regime at Portlaoise and that's unfair. It is a different type of prison that holds a certain category of prisoner."

Meanwhile, the blanket blocking of mobile phones is being phased in at Portlaoise prison and is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The introduction of new 'blocking' technology has upset prisoners but is not linked to the on-going dirty protest.

Following the introduction of the technology at Portlaoise, which is being introduced in stages across each landing, it will be rolled out at Dublin's Cloverhill prison before being implemented across all the prisons.

May 10, 2009

Comments

#1 andrew carrick commented, on May 11, 2009 at 11:48 a.m.:

I hope that temporary release is granted to the political prisoners before this situation gets any worse.

#2 sean commented, on May 12, 2009 at 10:42 a.m.:

Let them rot -

#3 Mike commented, on May 15, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.:

Sean i hope you rot, if it wasnt for these poor men you would not enjoy a Ireland free of opression, their only crime is that they love their country.
Give them all POW status.

#4 Rose commented, on May 15, 2009 at 12:08 p.m.:

Sean, I agree with you. They are murdering scum and this Country would be better off without them.

#5 Mike commented, on May 15, 2009 at 5:24 p.m.:

oh yes ROSE lets go back to being run by the British, you clearly have been reeled in by the Bertie Ahern propaganda machine. Well done. You what a true irish republican you are ..ooops sorry NOT

#6 David commented, on May 15, 2009 at 7:23 p.m.:

Surely Rose you are not suggesting that we allow the British to continue here ?
Were they not responsible for oppressing 53 countries? None called them terrorists. They killed -sorry - murdered millions of people worldwide and yet still they are bombing Afghanistan along with the Yanks who have just been held up for the deaths of hundreds of children.

So what's your definition of a Murderer ?

#7 Joe commented, on May 17, 2009 at 4:16 a.m.:

6 Scumbags protest????? Solution. Line them up and put a bullet in them.

#8 Rose commented, on May 17, 2009 at 7:22 p.m.:

David, I do not consider the actions of a soldier who is ordered into action by a legitimate Government to be a murderer. However, I do consider someone who goes out and shoots innocent people as cold blooded killers. The IRA are and always have been cowards. The wouldn't have the guts to go on the front line. No,their modus operandi is to shoot unarmed people or put a bomb under a car in order to kill as many people as possible. How anyone can justify their actions leaves a lot to be desired. Time for some Irish people to get over their hatred of the British. They have more than made up for any injustices. Remember all the Irish who were glad to get work in the Uk and send money home. The Irish Government were never very good at looking after their own. My goodness the British are even paying for our lighthouses.

#9 David commented, on May 20, 2009 at 10 a.m.:

Rose So are you saying that the British didnt work in the same way as the IRA , what about the british army collusion in the Dublin and Monaghan bombs that was admited by the british government, this happend 35 yrs ago, you still dont get the point if you are irish which the jury is out on that, then you wouldnt be here if it was not for the IRA, the black and tans would still be here...try and have a little respect for those who put your lives before their own. facts are the British army placed more bombes and killed more innocent people all in the past 50 yrs, and thats not even going into the 1920's and for 700 yrs before that. if you like the british sooo much go and live in england as your clearly NOT irish.

#10 phil commented, on May 20, 2009 at 7:56 p.m.:

What sane northern Nationalist would want to be part of a 32 county Irish republic when the people in 26 of those counties talk,think and act like BRITS!

#11 phil commented, on May 21, 2009 at 5:42 p.m.:

The brave volunteers who fought and died in the cause of Irish freedom

would turn in their graves if less than a century later their sacrifice did nothing to

broaden the tiny minds and world of the likes of Rose who obviously has no appreciation of Irish history,

the hardships suffered by her ancestors,and the oppression of a foreign occupation.

If this is the mentality of the new generation then may God help us.

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