Army likely to be withdrawn from guarding Portlaoise Prison due to dwindling numbers of paramilitaries in E Wing

Presence of soldiers at facility has seen it gain a reputation as one of the most secure jails in western Europe over past 50 years

The Army is likely to be withdrawn from guarding the maximum security Portlaoise Prison after almost 50 years due to the dwindling number of paramilitary inmates.

The prison’s E Wing, which is used to house republican paramilitaries, is all but empty, with just 13 out of 75 beds occupied. The majority of these prisoners are due for release within the next two years.

It costs more than €200,000 a year to house a prisoner in Portlaoise due in part to the strict security measures in place, which includes armed soldiers around the perimeter and on the roof. As a result, it has a reputation as one of the most secure prisons in western Europe.

Military officials are particularly keen to see the end of Defence Forces involvement in prison security due to the manpower commitments involved. About 100 soldiers are assigned to security duties at the prison at any one time. “This has a real drain on resources and really impacts training,” said one military source.

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Portlaoise security duties account for 74,000 work days for the Defence Forces every year, far more than any other aide to the civil power (ATCP) security function it provides. Soldiers also provide prisoner escorts for court and hospital visits.

Soldiers have guarded the prison since 1973. There have been several breakout attempts since, including one in 1975 when a prisoner was shot dead by a soldier. However, modern dissident groups are not believed to have the resources necessary to mount an escape attempt and, according to military and justice sources, a decision is likely to be taken shortly to withdraw the Army from the prison.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said in the Dáil last week that he wanted the Army presence at the prison “phased out”.

“I do not believe that it is either justifiable or necessary for the Defence Forces to have the presence they have in Portlaoise Prison indefinitely.”

In its report last February, the Commission on the Defence Forces recommended ATCP roles should be regularly reviewed and that some should be stood down entirely as they “no longer seem justified in the current security situation”.

A Department of Justice spokesman said that in light of this the Defence Forces’ presence at Portlaoise would “be subject to review” in consultations with other departments and agencies.

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher is Crime and Security Correspondent of The Irish Times