Papal prisoner amnesty idea rejected over crime blitz fears

AN amnesty for prisoners to mark the visit of Pope John Paul II was put back over fears of a burglary blitz on the country’s empty homes, newly released State Papers reveal today.

Documents from theNational Archives also show the historic 1979 trip was nearly scuppered over a lack of preparations by theGovernment.

Dozens of jail inmates were freed early as part of the three-day celebrations 30 years ago while, behind the scenes, Cabinet ministers fretted about its potential for a crime spree.

Confidential files from then Taoiseach Jack Lynch’s office show moves to have the proposal referred to ministers charged with national security.

In a hand-written memo to Mr Lynch, an official warned against the Department of Justice’s plan overall but was particularly worried about freeing prisoners on September 29, the first day of the visit. “It would be risky to give the amnesty on the first day of the visit because of the threat to Dublin’s empty homes!” he cautioned.

The fears were incorporated into a policy memo circulated to all the ministers by then Justice Minister Gerry Collins. It stated: “It would be unwise to take the risk” of letting convicts out on a day when houses would be ‘virtually empty’.”

In the end, 78 prisoners – deemed unlikely to be dangerous to the public and due for release by the end of the year – were freed on October 1 as the Pope left Ireland.

Meanwhile, the StatePapers revealed strains between the hierarchy and the Government over the itinerary. When Pope John Paul II visited Poland in June of that year, the communists were in power and there were strained relations in organising his itinerary.

Although Ireland had the image of almost being run by the Church, surprisingly there were similar problems in organising the Irish visit.

The hierarchy was apparently unhappy with theFianna Fáil Government, which was in the process of legalising contraception.

When Archbishop Tomás O Fiaich of Armagh was elevated to the College of Cardinals in June 1979, for instance, Taoiseach Jack Lynch was pointedly not invited. Mr Lynch later took the extraordinary step of issuing a statement that he would have attended “had an invitation beenissued”.

By then, plans were well under way to bring the Pope to Ireland. The hierarchy made essentially all the decisions.

The Taoiseach’s office asked for the Pope to visit Cork and Jack Lynch would accompany him. However, Pope John Paul II never got to Cork.