THERE were emotional scenes inside Mountjoy Prison last night after the ordeal of four prison officers held hostage by six inmates in its high security Separation Unit came to end. The men, reported to be safe and well, were later re united with their families.
"We were probably in the most difficult situation we have ever encountered in the prison service since the foundation of the State," said the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen. The release of the men had been a "victory for common sense, professionalism and competency" and praised the negotiators, prison officers, the Garda and the Army in bringing about the release of the prisoners, she added.
There had been "moments of very high tension" during the negotiations to free the men, according to the Minister and there had been moments "where people have undergone great stress and they held their nerve", she said. It had been an ordeal that no one could have envisaged.
The Minister arrived at the prison at about midnight, less than two hours alter the end of the hostage crisis had been signalled by the release of the first of the four prison officers. She spoke to staff in the prison and said there, had been" very emotional scenes inside."
"It has been a great trauma not just for the prison officers but for their families and also for the families of the prison officers, the police force, the Army backing up the team, ready to do whatever is necessary to save the lives of the prisoners," she said.
The Minister emphasised that no concessions had been made to the six hostage takers. "It isn't a case of conceding or giving in. It is a case of strong training and competency and professionalism that talked down the situation here and they achieved the result we wanted," she said.
"Obviously the prisoners who carried out this heinous crime will have to face the outcome of their own actions." The inmates had committed a crime by taking hostages and the gardai would take the necessary action against them, she added.
The Minister said there would be an inquiry into what she termed the worst ever hostage crisis in the prison service; "We will learn from the report if there are lessons to be learned, she said. The Minister said allegations made by the prisoners that they had been ill treated by prison staff would also be investigated.
Mrs Owen had kept in contact with the families of the prison officers throughout the three night ordeal. "I spoke to all the families earlier this evening just to assure them that everything that we could do was being done and asked them to be patient," she said.
The crisis showed the difficult job prison officers had, according to the Minister, who praised their professionalism and courage in the face of an extremely tense and difficult situation. "Their job as prison officers is an extremely difficult one and I think the public will have a better appreciation of what prison officers do now on behalf of the State."
The Minister added that her Department intended to renovate the Separation Unit next week and that it would be closed during the duration of the work.