Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister has raised the issues with the Minister, Mr. Ford, MLA. We are very concerned about what is happening there at present. We do not agree with the assessment by the Minister, Mr. Ford, MLA, that progress has been made. In fact, the proposals which were put forward, not by the prisoners but by the International Committee of the Red Cross, have been stymied by prison authorities. We continue to come back to this mysterious threat scenario, but it must be put on record that there is no factual basis for any threats. Prison officers have been attacked in other parts of the prison, not in the segregated wing. Indeed, it is a fact that two senior governors were caught on closed circuit television, CCTV, on 5 November last falsifying a threat from a republican prisoner. This has been referred to the Prisoner Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and legal representatives.

This tactic is being used to delay and stymie the process. We believe a progressive system should be put in place, and obviously one that does not compromise security. I do not believe the Minister is being given the full version of the story. I will make a point later about the security forces, but I believe their hand is at play in this.

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