A number of concerns from residents of Clanrye Park and Helens Terrace raised a number of issues with members of the Hughes Grant Watters cumann lately. The issues ranged from a general clean up of the area to traffic calming measures. The cumann was also to the fore dealing with elderly people from the area who had recently been broken into.
Coming out of the recent meeting was a committment from the council to reduce the size of the wall around Clanrye Park which will allow motorists and residents to be able to see oncoming traffic on Pig Hall Lonan. As well as this the council have agreed to carry out a major clean up of Clanrye Park which will greatly enhance the whole area.
Speaking at Hillsborough this morning at the announcement of a deal on the transfer of policing and justice powers from London to the North of Ireland Sinn Féin MP and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: “Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach, Príomh Aire na Breataine agus na páirtí uilig. “I am very pleased that we have concluded this agreement with the DUP. As everyone knows this has been a difficult negotiation. This is hardly a surprise given the reality that I am an Irish Republican and others here have a completely different view. I believe in a united Ireland. They want to maintain the union with England. “This should not mean that we are incapable of respecting each other, of treating one another as equals and proceeding on the basis of partnership, respect, fairness and equality. I am utterly determined to continue to work in good faith and with a good heart with my unionist colleagues. I want to work in harmony with Peter Robinson for the good of the entire community. “That is what Sinn Féin is about. We signed up for agreements on Good Friday and at St. Andrews and here today. We proceed on the basis of implementing these commitments. “We have agreed that the transfer of policing and justice powers to our power sharing government will happen on April 12th. We have agreed and put in place a process which will see the powers which oversee parades transfer to our administration before the end of this year. “We have agreed a process to progress the rights of Irish Language speakers and North/South aspects of the St. Andrews Agreement. Sinn Féin are in these political institutions to deliver for everyone. That’s what Sinn Féin Ministers and MLAs are here to do. I am a Minister for all citizens. “We are also agreed on the need to deliver for our community, it is what they expect. There are families and children living in poverty; elderly people feeling vulnerable and in fear. There are young families burdened by massive mortgages and in fear of losing their homes; people without jobs. “Our government needs to reach out to these people. It needs to deliver. We need to confront and defeat all kinds of hatred. With determined and courageous leadership we must continue to lead that shrinking minority out of the trenches of the past. In this I am confident we can be assured of the support of the vast majority of our people. We need to make life better for all our children and grandchildren. “That is what this agreement must mean in practice. Fully functioning political institutions operated for the people in true partnership and equality. Let us now all face into the future with confidence in ourselves and in the people who elect us.”
Blog From Gerry Adams
Maghaberry PrisonTwo weeks ago a Sinn Fein delegation, including elected representatives Caral Ní Chuilín, John O’Dowd, Paul Maskey and Raymond McCartney visited Maghaberry prison to view conditions and meet with prisoners. Coiste Na nIar Chimí representative Michael Culbert was also part of the delegation. I had already discussed the Maghaberry situation with Minister of Justice David Ford and asked for clearance for the Sinn Fein prison visit. At the start of this week Martin McGuinness and Raymond McCartney MLA also met with him on this situation. In addition Caral Ní Chuilín MLA has also met and had several conversations by phone with the Head of Prisons in the north Robin Masefield.The news on Tuesday evening that Liam Hannaway had ended his hunger strike was therefore welcome news. He had raised a number of issues with the Sinn Féin delegation when they met him two weeks ago. These were discussed directly with the prison administration and the Justice Minister. It was clear from all the conversations that have taken place that with the necessary political will all of the issues relating to Liam Hannaway, and indeed the wider problems in Roe House can be resolved.The fact that another prisoner Harry Fitzsimons, who had been held in the punishment block, had now been moved back into Roe House was also a welcome development.It clear that there are problems with the regime in Maghaberry. Maghaberry has been the focus of a series of critical reports over a number of years.In 2006, an inspection made over 155 recommendations but more than half were never implemented. The most recent inspector’s report made over 200 recommendations and concluded that the current situation in Maghaberry could not be allowed to continue. Last year, the prison governor and his deputy were dismissed and 13 members of staff disciplined following an inquiry into the suicide of a prisoner in August 2008. Subsequent reports were highly critical of the way the prison was being run and disciplinary procedures were taken against prison staff who it was alleged were surfing the net and watching television rather than being on suicide watch.Four prisoners have taken their own lives in the last 4 years in Maghaberry.A new governor, brought in last July to implement reform, faced open hostility from staff. Following his car registration number and name being found in a prisoner's cell the governor resigned amidst fears for his safety. Subsequently the Prisoner Ombudsman Pauline McCabe was asked to carry out an investigation when it was alleged that a member of the prison staff planted the note in order to intimidate the Governor. Earlier this year, increasing tensions between staff and prisoners culminated in protests by a number of segregated prisoners, including a 48-hour lock-in of prisoners during Easter. Recently relatives of some of these prisoners have been in contact with Sinn Féin representatives in relation to the situation in Maghaberry. The Sinn Fein delegation that visited Maghaberry on May 14th had access to the segregated wing and met with ten prisoners representing various groups within Roe House. The delegation also met with the current governor, Alan Craig, and other members of the administration. The prisoners raised a number of issues. They included complaints about a number of punitive actions such as the use of strip-searching as harassment of both prisoners and their visitors and a range of other conditions-related issues that were very familiar to the former prisoners on the delegation. The prisoners cited one clear example of this. Despite the fact that it was obviously unnecessary, prisoners appearing by video link for remand were being subjected to strip-searches. The proximity of dogs in the visit processing area, the presence of the PSNI in the visitors’ area, the public identification of those who are to be strip-searched, and visitors being threatened with arrest if they refuse to be strip-searched, were also raised. The delegation assured them their concerns would be conveyed to the prison administration, the Prison Service and to the Justice Minister – and they have.Republicans have a long experience of prisons and of hostile and antagonistic prison systems. It is our belief that prisoners and their families must be treated with dignity and respect. Prisoners have rights and the prison regime should reflect this. There is currently a review taking place into the prison regime. It is our intention to continue to pursue all the matters involved with the Minister of Justice and the Prison system.
Posted by Gerry Adams at
4:42 PM
The following is a statement from Sinn Féin delegation who recently visited prisoners in Maghaberry
McCartney details Sinn Féin delegation visit and ‘serious concerns’ about Maghaberry situation
Foyle MLA Raymond McCartney was part of a Sinn Féin delegation which entered Maghaberry Gaol last Friday. The delegation included Mr McCartney, Carál Ní Chuilín MLA, Paul Maskey MLA and John O’Dowd MLA. The Sinn Féin team was accompanied by Michael Culbert of Coiste na nIarchimí.
The delegation reported back to the Sinn Féin Assembly Team on Monday morning.
Speaking after the visit Raymond McCartney described the meeting with Roe House prisoners as “a very positive engagement” in which the men had outlined their concerns.
“A range of issues were raised by the prisoners. They included complaints about a number of punitive actions such as the use of strip searching as harassment of both prisoners and their visitors and a range of other conditions-related issues that were very familiar to the former prisoners on the delegation,” said Mr McCartney.
“It was clear that with the right political will that all of these issues could be resolved. The delegation discussed all of this with the ten prisoners we met and assured them their concerns would be conveyed to the prison administration, the Prison service and to the Justice Minister,” said McCartney.
A number of matters concerned with the harassment of visitors were also raised by the delegation. These included the proximity of dogs in the visit processing area, the presence of the PSNI in the visitors-area, the public selecting of who is to be strip searched and visitors being threatened with arrest if they refuse to be strip searched.
Prisoners also raised issues of access, particularly the practice of forcing segregated prisoners to eat their meals in the cells.
“The delegation also met with Liam Hannaway whose health has become a matter of concern. Liam outlined his concerns, all of which centred on prison conditions and procedures. It was the firm belief of the delegation that all of these issues could be satisfactorily dealt with by the governor,” said Raymond.
The delegation had requested to meet with Harry Fitzsimmons, a prisoner being held in isolation, but this did not happen due to a misunderstanding.
“Harry’s lawyer contacted me last Saturday to explain the situation and assure me that his client was not in any way snubbing the delegation. The delegation had sought to visit Harry after his family raised concerns about his health and well being,” said Mr McCartney.
It has also been reported that Harry Fitzsimmons has been subjected to physical assault by members of the prison staff.
“After our 3 hour meeting with the prisoners, the delegation met with the governor again to outline their concerns and suggestions. In the coming period Sinn Fein will meet with the director general of the prison service, with representatives of the prison administration as well as the Minister for Justice, David Ford, regarding our deep concerns about the current situation for prisoners and their families in Maghaberry,” he concluded.
