3 days ago
'Cowboy steaks' and sugar-free Monster drinks among items hand-delivered to prisoners
'COWBOY steaks,' avocados, and sugar-free Monster drinks were among the items hand-delivered to subversive prisoners in the country's highest-security jail.
Special arrangements for inmates at Portlaoise Prison allow republicans to order any food or drink they like from local shops except for booze.
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The Irish Prison Service originally refused access to the records saying they could be used to identify the handful of remaining prisoners on the notorious 'E' block of the jail.
However, order sheets detail inmates who were often health-conscious with frequent requests for Liberte natural yoghurts, mixed berries, and frozen broccoli.
A popular dish on the subversive menu was Mexican cuisine with regular orders for fajita kits, with peppers, onions, grated cheese, and fresh chillies.
Carefully selected coffee was on the menu too with one order sheet seeking 'Frank & Honest Coffee Beans Only' along with a bag of Italian and Colombian beans.
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Other items ordered included a pack of Amber Leaf tobacco, a bottle of honey, a pack of Lemsip, and a farewell card.
On one occasion, the subversives wanted to celebrate a special occasion and made a request for a birthday cake.
They also had plans to make their own cake with an order for self-raising flour, yeast, bags of sugar, and three Terry's Chocolate Oranges.
Another sheet said the prisoners wanted a three-for-€5 deal on Dairy Milk Whole Nut, Caramel, and Dark Milk.
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A handwritten note added: 'Any bars will do if some [not available].'
On some occasions, the prisoners splashed out with one order sheet looking for 'four fillet or rib eye steaks.'
On the same day, they also looked for a pack of frozen onion rings, a box of Magnum ice creams, and a multi-pack of Pepsi.
The Irish Prison Service had, for the first time, refused to disclose the records under Freedom of Information laws.
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They said the number of subversive prisoners in jail was now so low that the details could make individuals identifiable.
A summary of their position outlined: '[The Irish Prison Service] said the subversive prisoners are high-profile prisoners and their names would be well known to the public.
'It added that these prisoners would be well known to other prisoners and prison officers within both Portlaoise Prison and the wider prison estate.'
However, in an appeal decision, the Information Commissioner disagreed saying there was no way to connect the information to an individual.
The decision said: 'It would not disclose precisely what items each prisoner ordered. The individual must be identifiable from the information disclosed.'
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said that subversives in Portlaoise had a 'somewhat different regime' to others in the system.
He said: 'The facility to purchase goods over and above what is available in the tuck shop is not a new concession and has been available to subversive prisoners in Portlaoise since 1973.
'It is important to note, additional goods requested by subversive prisoners are paid through their own personal money and not funded by the Irish Prison Service.'
