OPPOSITION SCEPTICAL ABOUT PRISON UNITS FOR DRUG BARONS

Opposition parties are expressing scepticism about a government plan
to set up special prison units for gangland criminals.

Reports this morning say Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has
already approved a plan to keep people involved in the drugs trade in
special isolation units separate from the regular prison population.

The aim is to stop them orchestrating their illegal trade from behind
bars.

Labour TD Brendan Howlin says it appears a tough line is finally
being taken against crime gangs, but more detail is needed to assess
if the plan will have any real effect.

"We need to see specifics about what is proposed, how will this be
implemented, to whom will it apply and how extensively across the
prison system it is going to be implemented," he says.

Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keefe, meanwhile, has described this morning's
publicity for the plan as a PR exercise by Minister McDowell.

He said such measures should have been introduced years ago when it
was known that major drug dealers were continuing to do business from
their cells.