Mr. Conal McFeely:

We do not underestimate the particular difficulties in trying to manage separated wings within Maghaberry Prison. However, it is important to say that it is not a devolved matter in terms of the issue regarding people held in isolation. In that situation, we believe the current thinking is that the separated arrangements were established by the British Government and we now have a situation as a result of the Fresh Start agreement and a panel that met recently whereby there is talk of integrating loyalist and republican prisoners into the mainstream prison. History informs us that if there is forced integration at Maghaberry Prison of republican and loyalist prisoners, it will make matters worse within the prison. We can go back to further protests within the prison and that will spill out into the streets and the prisoners' old communities.

In terms of current problems, we have been told that when we talk about prisoners who are held in isolation that it is a security matter and, therefore, a matter for the security services. We ask if that is the PSNI. We are also led to believe it is the intelligence services. The intelligence services have a major role to play in what happens within the prison.

It is our considered view, as people who have been involved in this particular process for over six years, that it is possible to put in place what we would call a mutual respect policy. It would create a more positive environment within Roe House at Maghaberry Prison for prisoners and staff. We want to know whether there is political interference and that question still needs to be answered.