Criminal calls RTÉ’s Liveline from prison cell

TÁNAISTE Michael McDowell has ordered a high-level inquiry into how a convicted criminal rang RTÉ1’s Liveline programme from his prison cell.

John Daly, described as a notorious and hardened criminal, participated in the live radio programme yesterday from his cell in Portlaoise maximum security prison, in an incident that was highly embarrassing for the Prisons Service.

Mr McDowell, the Minister for Justice, said he was taking the matter very seriously and was deeply concerned at what happened.

He said he had spoken directly to the Prisons Service and had ordered an immediate inquiry.

Speaking from the Garda Representative Association conference in Westport, Co Mayo, the minister said he expected the results in a matter of days.

He said that the SIM card used by Daly to make the call had been seized and the prisoner had been transferred from Portlaoise to Cork Prison.

He said Daly’s “remission was lost in what was a brazen and deliberate act”.

He added that it was not the first time phone calls had been made from Portlaoise and said he had to question whether there was complicity on the part of members of the Prison Service.

It the second time in recent weeks Mr McDowell has alleged that prison officers may be involved in procuring mobile phones or SIM cards for prisoners.

Fine Gael justice spokesman Jim O’Keeffe called on Mr McDowell to make a comprehensive statement on the incident.

“It is absurd that a notorious convicted criminal like John Daly can call a live radio programme from inside Portlaoise maximum security prison. This incident is highly embarrassing for Minister McDowell. However, it is a fitting epitaph to his stint as Minister for Justice,” he claimed.

Mr O’Keeffe also said Fine Gael would remove automatic remission for prisoners if elected.