State to vigorously contest slopping-out claims

The Minister for Justice said today he would vigorously contest the compensation claims launched by hundreds of former and current prisoners for having to slop out.

Some 900 cases have been lodged against the Government by prisoners who claim they were traumatised by having to use a bucket as a toilet in their cells. The solicitor representing the prisoners, Mr John Devane, said he was taking the cases on the basis that their human rights had been violated.

However, Mr McDowell said today he was confident the Government could defeat any class action. "I do not believe that it is the case that any prisoner by virtue of the fact that he has a chamber pot and has to slop out has a case of action against the Irish State," he said.

"There won't be any settlements," he told RTE news. "As a lawyer, I will see them in court."

The prisoners' claims follow a recent Scottish court action in which a prisoner was awarded £5,000. Mr McDowell said today this was a "unique" case as it referred to a prisoner with a specific medical condition involving his digestive tract.

While he said he would contest all the cases, he accepted the practice of slopping out was unsatisfactory. It still takes place in Mountjoy, Portlaoise and Cork prisons."I have set my face against allowing that situation to continue. But it requires a considerable programme of investment to change our prisons so there is sanitation in every cell."

The Labour Party justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, accused the minister of "waffling" about the issue and failing to deliver on his promise to improve sanitary conditions in prisons. "Appropriate sanitary facilities in prisons would obviate the need for such legal action," he said.

It is understood that some of the State's most notorious criminals, including the "Real IRA" director of operations, Liam Campbell, and the drug dealer, Patrick Holland, are among those seeking compensation.

Around 35 prison officers are also suing. They claim they had chamber pots thrown over them by prisoners and this would not have happened had toilets been provided.