Castlerea Prison protest in support of separated father

MEMBERS of the National Men’s Council (NMC) are mounting a protest outside the gates of Castlerea Prison today in protest at the jailing of a man for non-payment of maintenance.

The separated man, who is a farmer, was sent to the Roscommon jail for three weeks, for failing to provide for his children. Hans Benner, secretary of the NMC, said that the man’s circumstances had changed and that he was no longer in a position to make maintenance payments: “He was receiving free legal aid and his representatives were supposed to prepare a new statement of means following his change in circumstance. They failed to do this, so the judge had no option but to jail him.”

Mr Benner said the NMC regarded the jailing as grossly unfair.