Revealed: Political lobbying for prisoners

POLITICIANS have lobbied for prisoners convicted of a range of serious crimes, including murder, drug-dealing and assault, documentation has shown.

Thirty-six politicians made more than 50 representations seeking early release, transfers or better treatment for inmates between December 2005 and July 2007.

Fianna Fáil TD Tom McEllistrim, who represents Kerry North, topped the request list, making requests on behalf of six prisoners.

Among his representations, he sought the relaxation of the supervision conditions for a man who was given a life sentence for murder in 1983 and released from prison in 1995.

The then justice minister Michael McDowell declined Mr McEllistrim’s request. Mr McDowell also declined a request from Mr McEllistrim that another convicted murderer who had served 10 years in

Limerick Prison be granted early release due to the “particularly tragic” nature of the case.

While most of the representations were not of such a serious nature, victims’ families and advocates condemned the practice. Peter Keaney, whose daughter Sheola was murdered in Cobh, Co Cork, in 2006, said the practice was an “absolute disgrace”.

Speaking on Newstalk radio, he said it was clear that “the prisoners are winning”. He went on to criticise the practice of early release from life sentences.

“Life should be life. They should be left in there to be honest with you, with no facilities. I have to wake up every morning and I have to face myself every morning without my daughter for the rest of my life,” said Mr Keaney. “They are [murderers] inside getting three square meals a day, doing what’s called educational services, recreational services, everything else,” he said.

Ger Philpott of Advic, an advocacy group for homicide victims, said the practice should not be tolerated.

“I don’t actually think that politicians should interfere with the due process of law,” he told RTÉ Radio.

But Mr Philpott admitted it was extremely unlikely that the Government would introduce any rule to prevent the practice. “It shouldn’t be a practice that is tolerated or encouraged, but I think that that’s probably not going to happen, so in the absence of that, we need protocols and guidelines to corral the practice.”

However, government chief whip Pat Carey and other TDs pointed out that many of the representations were made on humanitarian grounds.

They included requests for temporary release for prisoners whose family members were ill, requests for dental or medical treatment for inmates and requests for transfers of inmates to prisons where they would be nearer their families.

The documentation, released under the Freedom of Information Act to the Irish Independent, showed that the majority of requests were turned down by the Department of Justice.