All political prisoners should be released

THE North’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, said at a recent meeting with Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond that the political landscape in Northern Ireland was changing all the time.

Few would disagree with that observation as things have indeed changed amazingly in recent years.

On RTÉ’s Saturday Night With Miriam show (June 16), the Taoiseach expressed similar sentiments when he said we can’t live in the past — we must move on. That is also true.

However, one aspect of political life hasn’t changed in Ireland. As I understand it, there are upwards of 100 political prisoners in jails North and South, with some also in England.

Although this is an unpalatable issue for many people, it needs to be resolved in the short to medium term.

Failure to heal this open wound has the potential to ignite an unwanted flame which may prove difficult to extinguish as long as it is allowed to remain unchecked.

Most republicans opposed to the Good Friday Agreement will agree that their campaign is over and that there is no popular support for it.

However, as long as there are IRA prisoners, they will have some support, however small. True, we must move on, but to do this the prisoners must be released in due course.

By the way, I support the Good Friday Agreement as well as the release of all political prisoners regardless of shade.

Micheal Ó Dochartaigh

Newhall

Ennis

Co Clare