Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I am informed by the Prison Service that the same search regimes will be introduced to all prisons in the near future.

The newspaper reports that a particular prisoner in Portlaoise Prison has the use of four cells are a distortion of the facts. He has the same cell as all other prisoners. There are two unoccupied cells on the same landing that are used for craft and education. The reports are incorrect.

Despite comments in the media, much of the discontent in Portlaoise Prison is because of my recent decision to stop any chance of temporary release in the aftermath of the murders of the two British soldiers and the PSNI officer. As a result of that decision, there was a significant ramping up of agitation by prisoners in Portlaoise Prison to the extent that they went on a no wash protest for a number of weeks. That protest ended last week without any concessions.

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