asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the great public anxiety and concern following the attempted break-out at Portlaoise prison on Sunday morning last and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Private Notice Question: - Attempted Break-out at Portlaoise Prison.
(Limerick East): I have already indicated in public statements on Sunday last a broad outline of what occurred at Portlaoise prison last Sunday when an attempted escape from the prison failed.
While the single most important fact is that the attempt failed it is, as I have already indicated publicly, deeply disturbing that prisoners were able to get from the main cell block of the prison as far as the main gate of the prison using duplicate keys. In the past the prisoners have used explosives and so on during escape attempts but this is the first occasion on which prisoners have used keys in this fashion or have had firearms in their possession.
The circumstances are under investigation by both the gardaí and the prison authorities and the House can be assured that every effort will be made to bring to justice those involved in this incident.
I have already publicly commended the security services at the prison for the manner in which they reacted to this incident and I would now like to say that the foresight demonstrated by those responsible for security at the prison is illustrated by the replacement early last year of a wooden gate by a steel gate which led to the failure of this escape bid.
Incidentally, I understand that RTE in the course of a purported reconstruction of the escape bid broadcast on Monday evening last, said that the prisoners could have taken keys from an officer and opened the gate which they attempted to blow up. If that were true there would indeed be cause for public anxiety but it is not the case as the gate in question required two keys to be opened simultaneously from either side of the gate.
As I have said, the principal feature of this incident was the failure of the escape attempt and I am confident that the prisoners, even if they had succeeded in blowing the gate, would have been dealt with by the Army because the Army, alerted by the general alarm, were by the time the prisoners reached the main gate deployed outside the gate in anticipation of the prisoners succeeding in breaching the gate. This aspect of the incident demonstrates again the degree of planning and thought given to all sorts of possibilities by those in charge of security.
Deputies will appreciate that a number of investigations have commenced and that criminal proceedings may ensure if the Director of Public Prosecutions so directs and I am, therefore, somewhat inhibited in what responses or information I can reveal to the House.
I should like to join with the Minister in complimenting the security forces in Portlaoise prison. Will he please inform the House in plain language how guns, explosives and prison officers' uniforms came to be in the hands of prisoners in Portlaoise prison last Sunday morning?
(Limerick East): That is what is being investigated at the moment. However, I think it would have been more appropriate if the Deputy had asked how duplicate keys came to be in the hands of prisoners who attempted to escape last Sunday morning. That is why the gardaí are now in Portlaoise prison carrying out a very serious investigation.
I agree with the Minister that the availability of duplicate keys is also a matter of serious concern but he must accept that the presence of firearms and explosives put the lives of the prison officers at serious risk. Is the Minister aware that the confidence of prison officers and their wives and families has been seriously undermined by what took place last Sunday? What plans has he in mind to endeavour to restore the confidence that has been undermined in men who are doing a totally dedicated job on behalf of the nation?
(Limerick East): Of course I am concerned about it and an investigation is proceeding and will continue into the matters raised by the Deputy. The danger of the contraband in the prison is dealt with in three ways. First of all, the prison staff act to prevent it being introduced to the prison. Second, they act to find it by means of search of prisoners and cells if contraband is in the prisons. Third, the vigilance of the staff and the security of the prison come into effect if contraband such as that linked with this case is used which has not been found in either of the preliminary steps. On this occasion there was failure to prevent the contraband entering, there was failure to find it in the prison, but the security measures taken to prevent escape succeeded admirably.
How often in the past has there been a review of security in Portlaoise? I have been looking into the position in prisons outside Ireland. For example, how often have the locks in the prison been changed so that the possibility of duplicating keys would be minimised? If there is not a regular change of locks in prisons it is very easy for people to produce duplicate keys. How often have locks been changed in the prison to avoid duplication?
(Limerick East): There is continuing security evaluation by the governor and his senior staff. On two occasions, one after the Maze escape and more recently before the Anglo-Irish Agreement, I asked my officials to review security in Portlaoise. After the Maze escape the review of security in Portlaoise led to the installation of the special steel gate which prevented the escape last Sunday morning.
The Minister did not reply to my question about replacement of locks so as to avoid duplication of keys?
(Limerick East): That is done on a reasonably regular basis. The locks are being replaced now, for obvious reasons.