asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the number of prisoners, convicted for offences arising out of their being members of an unlawful organisation, at present detained in Mountjoy, Portlaoighise and other prisons; and whether he proposes to release them at an early date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unlawful Organisation Membership.
Mr. Boland
There are two prisoners in Mountjoy Prison, eight in Portlaoighise Prison and 24 in the Military Detention Barracks, Curragh Camp, who are serving sentences of imprisonment for offences arising out of membership of unlawful organisations. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
Would the Minister consider, in view of the releases granted to political prisoners in England and Northern Ireland, that it would be in the interests of human justice to release some of these men, now that the emergency is over?
Mr. Boland
This question is being kept in mind, but most of the people who are detained here can hardly be described as political prisoners.
What would you describe them as?
Then it is a sin to shout "Up the republic".