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THERE WILL BE ‘riots’ when young criminal inmates are moved from St Patrick’s Institution to an adult prison in Dublin as rival factions battle for dominance, a senior prison officer has warned.
The inmates aged between 17 and 21 will be housed in Wheatfield prison in Dublin with senior members of gangs they are affiliated to which will lead to major tensions, the officer said.
He warned that mixing junior and senior members of gangs from places like Finglas, Crumlin and Limerick will cause chaos in an already overstretched prison system.
“This hasn’t been fully thought through,” he told TheJournal.ie. “All of the issues that already exist in Pat’s will be magnified ten times over when they [inmates] are put in with other gang members.
St Pat’s is the most violent prison in the country. Moving all the [inmates] will make for a hothouse – there’s no question. There will be riots in Wheatfield when they move in.
The officer, who works in St Patrick’s and who spoke on condition of anonymity, said all of the young offenders already belong to gangs in the medium-security prison. “They all have to prove themselves,” he said.
Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan visited Wheatfield Prison on Friday to see where the 17-year-old inmates will be held amid concerns over whether the west Dublin prison has the space or the staff to deal with the extra prisoners.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter has indicated that the youngest offenders will be held in a separate unit to the rest of the adult prison population. However it is not yet clear how long the 17-year-old criminals will be held in the jail before being moved to a special detention unit in Oberstown which is supposed to open next year.
Problems have persisted at St Patrick’s Institution, despite attempts to change the culture at the facility. The head of the Irish Prison Service said that the safety and security of offenders cannot be guaranteed during the announcement during the week that St Patrick’s is to close down.
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Thats a mighty fine sculpture there boss.. How much you say that weighed again..
Its a bit they had left over from the needle in dublin!
A ffs not another one of these so called art sh
@rowan hill: A tree would be nicer?
@Alois Irlmaier: It would, how long would it last though?
@Stephen murphy: You can but trees any size thes days? Still would end up cheaper…
No here is more proof that we are still wasting money on fluff. The money should have been spent on flood relief not backslapping. Unless you can push it over and row it next time it floods its pointless. This is in no way a slight on the artist just the waste of public money.
But you’ll be able to use it measure how high the flood waters came up. Functionality and art together – beautiful.
Class. Hadn’t thought of that.
I would really love to know what the red thumb brigade are thinking. I obviously thank them for spending time red thumbing my comment but I have no idea why? Are you saying we should we be spending more money on these types of installations?
@Bunny Johnson: No Bunny – Just that you should read the article. The funds were allocated for an art installation. Now by all means say you don’t like the art or thinks it’s a poor choice or whatever.
But your suggestion that the funds shouldn’t have been spent on art when that is what the money was assigned for is daft.
By your logic we’d never spend any money on the arts because of the health service, crime, homelessness or whatever.
So yes – we should be spending money of art installations and making out cities & towns more attractive, interesting, cultural places. If you want an economic reason – it helps boost tourism.
Councils having the ability to spend other peoples money, a farse.
@ Johnnie Sexton: what’s a farse? A fat arse? A cross between arse and farce?
A lightening conductor…
Cork Screw?
Completely agree with all the comments here: we don’t need nice. We don’t need art. We should also force people to sell any straitjacket or picture that have I in their houses, they have no need for them. Reduce paint choices and building designs to 1 color and 1 design: far more efficient and the money saved could be spent on other things. We want to live in a grey faceless world. But we’re happy.
@ Kieran Ryan: would you like to review the third sentence in your comment. I am really curious about what you intended to say.
Lol, I can’t remember. I think it was probably pictures or artwork. Who knows. Am attempt at sarcasm foiled by spellchecker. Oh, the life of a commentator.
21st century standing stones. Can’t see em lasting as long though.
More proof yet again that there’s nowhere near enough time, money or effort being spent to tackle homelessness. It’s an absolute scandal how stupid we are as a nation
If they were really looking to fill a hole with something, tarmac into some potholes would have been better.
The Phallus in Fermoy…
The dick in the sticks?
The d.ck / pr.ck in the sticks?
How much did it cost ?
No idea but it probabaly had a couple of extra zeroes tacked onto the end of its original price.
Notions again.
The pole on the other hole
Unbelievable waste of money
Okay let’s just get something straight as part of any public works over a certain budget either 0.5% or a set fee of total spend (I’m not sure of the maximum) is used for art displays that’s what all the art works are on the side of the motorways eg.the ball at nass , so it’s not like they set out to waste money ,it’s some brainchild of the 80s that we should waste money well into the future , I actually don’t mind these things in towns and cities but the ones on the motorways are a pure waste
Unbelievable waste of money ffs
Son of Dublin junkie needle
First Cork man in space soon ? Sure aren’t they better than everyone
@Finn Bowe: We have the potholes and craters, to mimic a moon landing and suitable ground for the Mars rover to operate in.
Junkies of the world , Ireland salutes you. Ffs, another joke. Are statues out of fashion..
How long will it last? How much?
Houston we have a problem
We’ll confuse the jackeens,..stairway to heaven..but without the stairs..
The Scud in the Mud
Looks like the “Skylon” from the Festival of Britain!
Unbelievable waste of money
Unbelievable waste of money ffs
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