Call for British army to run NI prisons

A group representing loyalist inmates today called on the British government to bring the British army in to help run Northern Ireland’s prisons.

Frankie Gallagher, of the Prisoner Aid Networking Group (PANG), said the situation at Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim was at “exploding point” following the overtime ban started by prison officers last week.

“The government must bring in the Army before the situation gets any worse,” said Mr Gallagher, whose organisation represents the interests of UDA prisoners.

Mr Gallagher said if the situation continued prisoners’ families would take legal action against management of the Northern Ireland Prison Service and the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) which initiated the ban.

“The management of the Northern Ireland Prison Service no longer legally provides the duty of care to inmates in accordance with their statutory duty,” he added.

Last week, the chairman of the POA, Finlay Spratt said his members were considering a one-day strike to step up their protest against attacks on their homes by loyalist paramilitaries campaigning for segregation from republicans.

The officers are demanding increased home security to protect them from the wave of attacks.

Mr Spratt said they were considering holding a strike next Wednesday.

“They tell us that it’s unlawful for prison officers to take industrial action but we have our backs to the wall,” he said.

“The security of our families is more important to us than any law.”

Mr Gallagher, who said his group was lobbying organisations including the UDA in a bid to bring the attacks to an end, called on the POA to carry out the threat of strike action.

“The prisoners at Maghaberry and their families, as well as prisoners‘ welfare groups, would welcome Finlay Spratt and the POA fulfilling their threat to go on strike so that this situation can be resolved once and for all,” he said.