Deputy Andrew Boylan has been given permission to raise the recent escapes from Loughan House, Blacklion, County Cavan, in particular two separate incidents in the last ten days when personal property was stolen or damaged and what action the Minister for Justice intends to take to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
Adjournment Debate. - Escape from Detention Centre.
I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this important matter this evening and I thank the Minister of State for coming in to debate it.
On Saturday evening last five prisoners broke out from Loughan House; it was the second incident in the last ten days. Loughan House was a monastery until recently, occupied by an order of monks called The White Fathers. As their numbers decreased they decided to vacate the property which was then acquired by the Department of Justice. There was great disquiet in Blacklion, west Cavan at the change of ownership from the sedate White Fathers to the Department of Justice so that the premises could be used as an open prison.
I am delighted that over a number of years a good relationship was built up between the prison and the residents of the area. The prison governor and his staff are excellent people and have done great work to integrate the prison into the local community. An excellent understanding was built up to the extent that there was deep involvement by the inmates and prison staff in the local community. They became involved in the local football club and other activities.
What happened last Saturday evening set back a lot of that work. I must lay the blame at the door of the Department of Justice because the Minister abused the purpose for which this prison was opened. This prison was for minor offenders, people on short term stay. It was designed as an open prison where generally young people could come to a tranquil scenic locality and would gradually be reintegrated into the community. Indeed, local residents, farmers and business people on numerous occasions used the services of the inmates, of their own free will, to help in hay making, turf making and in local business when the season was busy. They praised the young people they were able to employ from Loughan House.
The premises was not built for the type of offender who escaped. I refer to a headline which has caused a lot of disquiet. I do not blame the press; they were correct in reporting and describing the type of prisoner now being sent there. The headline in the Irish Independent of Wednesday, 15 May, ran “Killer on loose after prison escape”. One can readily realise the effect of that and the fear that has instilled in the community. I understand the escape has not yet been apprehended.
It was never intended that a hardened criminal sentenced to eight years in prison for manslaughter would be sent to Loughan House. It is wrong that because of scarce accommodation these people should be sent to a prison where such excellent work has been done. That is a backward step and must be condemned. I ask the Minister not to allow such people to be sent to Loughan House because it was never intended for them.
In relation to the recent break-out, these people made their way to a local farm and took a jeep, which they crashed, causing damage in the region of £4,000. I hold the Minister's Department fully responsible for the repairs to the jeep although it has been intimated to the owner that there will be no coverage by the State and he does not have insurance cover. The responsibility must lie with the people who sent those prisoners in the first place to a prison which was not designed to hold them. I do not attach responsibility to the staff, they carried out their work in an exemplary manner but their work is frustrated by the Department of Justice who see fit to send people to an unsuitable prison. Will the Minister give a clear undertaking to the people of the area that this kind of hardened criminal will not be sent to Loughan House and that there will be full compensation for damage to private property? I would appreciate that — the people of the area would appreciate it — and it is the least to which they are entitled.
The people in the area accepted a prison which was totally out of line with any developments or activities in the region, they worked with the governor and the authorities and an excellent relationship has been built up. I hope that we can rebuild that relationship as a result of the undertakings in this House.
I am pleased to have an opportunity to respond to Deputy Boylan's contribution on the Adjournment Debate pertaining to Loughan House.
The House will appreciate that, as many of the matters referred to by Deputy Boylan, may result in criminal proceedings, I am constrained from commenting in detail on some aspects.
I can say initially, however, that I am fully aware of the distress which incidents of this kind understandably cause local residents. It has always been the practice on the part of the authorities at Loughan House to encourage good relations with the local community and there are many successful examples of that. I would, of course, be very concerned that incidents of the kind referred to would tend to undermine these relations. I agree with Deputy Boylan that we have an excellent governor, management and prison staff in Loughan House; they are a credit to the Department and to the State. The excellent community relations which have developed over the years are also a credit to the people of the Blacklion area and in County Cavan in general. We hope that the situation which has damaged those relations will be rectified and that they will again have good relations this year and in future.
Open centres play a very valuable role in the operation of a civilised prison system, and as much care as possible, is taken in selecting offenders whom it is considered are suitable for and would benefit from the types of regime available at these centres.
The open centres are designed to provide a relaxed regime for certain kinds of offenders which reduces some of the inhibiting effects of the closed institutions. They are suitable for offenders serving relatively short sentences or offenders serving sentences for the less serious offences.
Open centres are also suitable for offenders who are nearing the end of long sentences, because better preparation can be made in that environment for eventual release into the community. The risk of absconding from an open centre is, by definition, much greater, than that of escape from a closed institution.
That risk is part of the price to be paid for continuing to operate open centres. Any absconding is regrettable but particularly one of this kind, where damage to property was involved. It raises the question whether the risks ought to continue to be taken.
I am satisfied that, for the sake of operating a balanced prison system, ranging from the strict custody to the relatively open, the open centres should remain. I will, of course, take such steps as are possible to minimise the risks of absconding and their consequences.
I assure the House that operational arrangements at all the prisons and places of detention are kept under review and special attention is paid to any deficiencies which may come to light as a result of the investigation of particular incidents.
A routine conference of governors is due to take place in my Department tomorrow and I have arranged for issues relating to the operation of, and selection of prisoners for open centres, to be raised in that forum, particularly in the context of the type of incidents which have been mentioned in the House today.
In relation to those incidents, I am glad to be able to tell the House that all seven offenders, who absconded recently, have now been returned by the Garda, and have been transferred to closed prisons.
One of the seven prisoners to whom Deputy Boylan referred was serving an eight year sentence for manslaughter and was due for release on 8 November 1991. He was apprehended by the Garda last night and has been transferred to Mountjoy Prison.
It is not unusual to transfer a prisoner in this category who is nearing the end of his sentence to an open centre. The open centre provides a better environment for preparation for eventual release into the community and this was particularly relevant in this case because the prisoner came from an area reasonably close to County Cavan. Nevertheless, the drawbacks of this policy will be re-examined in the light of what happened.
With regard to the issue of compensation, any application which the persons concerned wish to make will be considered but, in saying that, I do not wish to be taken as holding a view one way or the other in relation to such an application. Full investigations into these incidents are being undertaken by the Garda, in the context of possible prosecutions, and by the governor of Loughan House, in relation to operational lessons, which might be learned from the incidents.
As I said earlier, I believe that the continued operation of open centres is necessary in order to maintain a balanced prison system. I hope I have made it equally clear, however, that I regard with great concern occurrences of the kind raised here this evening. I assure the Deputy that I will arrange to have the specific points made by him taken up with the relevant authorities.