Vol. 513 No. 4
66 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if persons convicted arising from the death of a person (details supplied) are enjoying special category status at Castlerea Prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2579/00]
There is no such thing as special category status in the Irish prison system. The persons referred to by the Deputy are part of the PIRA group of prisoners who transferred to Castlerea Prison last December.
These prisoners are held in the part of Castlerea known locally as The Grove. The Grove consists of separate houses where inmates live in a domestic type environment distinct from the main prison but within the prison walls. The PIRA group of prisoners share The Grove with 17 non-subversive prisoners. Both groups have equal access to facilities and their regimes are identical.
The Grove was purposely built in 1996 with a view to transferring some subversive prisoners from Portlaoise prison. However, the breakdown of the first IRA ceasefire saw this proposal shelved. The decision to transfer the PIRA group to Castlerea last December reflected ongoing advances in the peace process and signified the Government's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.
I can inform the House that the transfer of these prisoners to Castlerea has no early release implications whatsoever. The Government's position on these prisoners is that they are not covered by the early release provisions of the Good Friday Agreement.
