TRAFFICKING SUSPECTS TO GET JAIL UNITS

The Irish Prison Service has confirmed it will soon introduce a special
prison unit for remand prisoners charged with drug
trafficking offences.

Under the plan, certain prisoners who are facing charges of
possession of drugs with intent to supply will be kept separate from
other inmates in a special unit so as to make it more difficult for
them to continue their businesses while in jail.

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has approved the move as part
of a number of new measures that aim to combat drug trafficking in
Ireland.

Speaking to ireland.com, Sean Sullivan, a spokesperson for the Irish
Prison Service, said that it was finalising operational details.

"It is the will of the Taniste that the isolation unit be introduced,
and we are working to have it up and running as soon as possible,"
said Mr Sullivan.

The first unit, which will be based at Cloverhill prison in West
Dublin, will hold 20 remand prisoners.

Mr Sullivan said a plan to open similar units in other prisons,
including Portlaoise, is being considered.

But the new plan has been met with scepticism by Opposition parties.
Labour spokesman on Justice, Brendan Howlin said more information
was

needed to establish whether the initiative would prove useful in
combating drug trafficking.

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