PRISON SYSTEM IN DOCK FOR FAILING TO ACT AGAINST ABUSIVE WARDERS

The prison system was in the dock last night for failing to take action
against staff who abuse prisoners.

Prison warders suspected of ill treating prisoners are still in daily jail
contact with them, a top international human rights agency complained
yesterday.

A report by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture
criticised the failure to take disciplinary action against wrongdoers.

"Senior staff (at both Mountjoy and Limerick) openly recognised the
existence of ill treatment by prison officers," the committee declared.

Last night, Tom Hoare, Prison Officers Association, said he had not seen the
report of the EU committee and consequently was not prepared to comment on
the matter.

The committee acknowledged that the vast majority of prison warders care for
prisoners humanely. The investigators, who visited prisons and Garda jails
between August 31 and September 9, 1998, did not find any actual evidence of
injuries upon prisoners.

But the concerns of the committee were evident. Reporting the words of a
high ranking Mountjoy official they said that they had been told: "We
recognise and know the rogue officers in the system."

The Strasbourg based human rights agency said they had also been told that
prison management lacked the necessary powers to punish any of those who may
have acted improperly.

"Therefore, Irish prison management find themselves having to reassign
suspect staff to duties which keep them far away from prisoners," the
committee said.

The Department of Justice rejected any suggestions that ill treatment of
prisoners is prevalent within the prison system.

"There is no systemic or intentional abuse of prisoners and such ill
treatment would not be tolerated by governors, senior staff or the Prison
Officers Association."