‘Serious drugs problem’ creating gangland feuds

SMUGGLED drugs are leading to gangland feuds in Limerick prison, with prisoners being put into 23-hour lock-up for their own protection, a report by the Inspector of Prisons has found.

The inspector, Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen, also said that a system brought in by Justice Minister Michael McDowell to combat the crippling overtime bill was not working properly.

Mr Kinlen said it was “incredible” the various ways prisoners were getting drugs into the prison. In one case uncovered by prison officers, heroin and cocaine was found stitched into a pair of runners.