Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Our concern is that matters will get worse unless the long-standing prisoner issues on which agreement was reached at the end of the dirty protest are addressed. A prisoner is chained to a police officer on leaving prison and the chain is not released until he comes back to the prison. He is strip searched both on leaving and returning to the prison. During the G8 summit in the North we saw the extent of the security operation and there has been no movement on the introduction of an alternative to strip searching. A prisoner was released recently on certain conditions. There is a six month period during which he cannot live near his home. The position will be reviewed and there is a possibility that the condition will be extended for a further six months. The person concerned has to wear an electronic tag for six months and there is a curfew between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. He cannot associate with people on a list, some of whom he does not even know. He is not permitted to hold a valid passport or make an application for one during the first six months of release. He spent four months in Maghaberry Prison because his licence was revoked. During the four years he was not interviewed by the PSNI and never charged with an offence, yet he faces the conditions I have outlined on his so-called release. I do not know the motivation of the Secretary of State and the Minister, Mr. Ford, but they are escalating dissident activity in the North. Nobody wants to see this happen, but nobody is trying to engage with them to find a solution to these matters.

See this speech in context