Prisoners’ mobile phone ban ‘undermined by jail staff’

MOVES to block mobile phone use by prisoners is being undermined by senior jail staff insisting on bringing their handsets to work, Fine Gael warned last night.

The party’s justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan demanded a total ban on all devices in prison and insisted Government officials and jail management were playing into the hands of criminals by keeping their own phones.

The call came as 50 outside workers, such as builders, were allowed to bring mobiles inside the top security Portlaoise jail, said prison officers.