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CAMPAIGNING BY THE Irish government to stop the RUC using rubber bullets in Northern Ireland was hampered by their continued use in Irish prisons.
The worries have been detailed in confidential documents from 1985, around the time their use was stopped in Portlaoise Prison and army involvement was restricted.
A briefing note from the Department of the Taoisech contains worries from the governor of Portlaoise Prison that the army would only be drafted in riot situations when “a prison security block had possibly been wrecked”.
During the course of the Troubles, 17 people were killed by either rubber or plastic bullets. Eight of these deaths were to children under the age of 18.
All but one of the 17 who died from ‘baton rounds’ were from the Catholic community in Northern Ireland and the Irish government had campaigned against their use. Because of this reason, it was felt that it was inappropriate for them to be used in riot situations in prisons in the Republic.
In February 1985, the military guard at Portlaoise Prison were instructed by their bosses at the Curragh that authority for the use of baton rounds for riot control was suspended.
Furthermore, the prison was later told that by army operations officer that the military could no longer be employed “in an anti-riot role”:
He indicated that troops armed with rifle and bayonet would continue to be made available in “aid to the civil power” on the understanding that they would only be committed as a last resort when the gardaí and prison officers had pressed their resources to the limit and failed to contain the situation.
The documents show that prison officials were not on board with government policy, indicating that it could be too late at that point for army involvement if “prison officers and gardaí had been beaten into the ground”.
The governor goes on to say that the removal of rubber bullets could make the use of live ammunition more likely, something that could potential have lethal consequences:
He foresees the possibility, if live ammunition were used, of death and serious injuries to gardaí and prison officers from ricochetting bullets. He also considers that there would be injuries and deaths among subversive prisoners, which would be used by Provisional Sinn Féin for political and propaganda advantage. He thinks that it is likely that the prisoners would make an attempt to take possession of the firearms from the army which, if successful, would result in the security block becoming a bloodbath.
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Great to see Australia crawling towards the 21st century.
@Kieran Conroy: one year after legalising, paddy be like, oh why can’t these barbaric nations be as civilised as us
@Kieran Conroy: “Australia and Ireland are now the only countries that have put the question of legalising gay marriage to a popular vote.”
Lay off the Aussies.
@Henry Fingleton: “paddy (small p) be like”?? Whatever are you on about? Which language is that? Oh dear.
@Kieran Conroy: you know what it all means, you’re just being a rascal for some reason. If it wasn’t for your sound Uncle Don we’d be taking tae now
@Henry Fingleton: That gave me a laugh! I haven’t heard ‘rascal’ said for,well, I can’t remember! Good one!
@Henry Fingleton: Methinks you’re from the Midlands!
@Kieran Conroy: I wish. Wouldn’t have this dirty big mortgage. Fine houses there going for a song
@Kieran Conroy: The 21st century began on January 1, 2001 for those using the Gregorian calendar, and that includes Australia. You’re welcome.
There is joy, celebration, validation and equality of esteem in these same sex civil marriages. It takes from no one and it just adds.
It may seem remarkable to some, just for now, but soon it will be unremarkable, expected and part of the everyday of life, harming no one and adding joy.
@Joe Black: so much negativity and anger there. You have a sad and bitter life if your comment is even half genuine.
@Joe Black: Do you not think being able to marry your long-term partner, after being unable to for so long, does not add joy to these couples and their families?
@Fiona deFreyne: Two great events happened yesterday , same sex couples were able to marry in Australia , and rape was proscribed in somaliland , although not Somalia proper .
@Joe Black: If you’re not a troll, then you surely will be able to bring up a rational reason why same sex couples shouldn’t get married.
@Joe Black: what brings joy to your life Joe?
@Joe Black: Wow. Has a heterosexual couple never murdered their child? Or has adoptive parents never murdered their child? What’s the point of your link?
What a scůmbag you are.
Excellent. The eagerness for these couples to finally be able to marry shows how much this was needed. May they all live long, happy, healthy lives together.
Wonderful.
Happy for them and once again the world hasn’t ended
All they need to do now is get rid of the wide-spread racism & sexism and they’re well on the way.
Well on the way to what? Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the Irish have been clambering to get into Australia for a few years now, while there’s not many aussies desperate to come the other way. They seem to be doing something right down there.
@Liam Doyle: You mean the young,easily-impressed,naive Irish are falling over themselves to go there.Probably first time away too,the way they run around with stupid “look at me,I’m Oirish,Bejasus” GAA jerseys on.A few days sunshine & they think they’ve died and gone to heaven.Bless.
Are Australian young people not impressionable then? The fact the migration trends are very much one way would seem to indicate we have little to teach the Australians, but maybe we could learn a thing or two from them. Or we could assume our moral superiority, dismiss our emigrants as foolish, and we can soon be completely back to the brain drain of the 80s, or the 50s and 60s, or the 30s. Great to feel morally superior though, right?
@Kieran Conroy: what is your beef with Australia? The only place I’ve seen people shout n**ger at black people is right here in Dublin. Australia is a melting pot of cultures and I never saw any form of racism there. I had no problem finding work or making friends. Wonderful country.
Great.. Now the sky falling is another thing that can kill them.. As if Australia wasn’t dangerous enough already.
@Rob Cahill: Maybe the extreme heat in Australia these days is because of same-sex marriage? It caused storms in the UK a few years back!!
@meatyslaps: maybe this summer we should influence more gay people to get married!!!
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