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Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Sunday World
Fourteen tattoo machines among haul of contraband seized in state's prisons
The revelation comes after fears were raised at the Prison Officer Association's annual delegate conference in Galway that a firearm could be smuggled by drone into an Irish prison Prisoners' tattoo pens were found in jails across the state, the Prison Officers Association's annual delegate conference was told Fourteen tattoo machines were among the massive haul of contraband seized in the state's prisons over the last year, the Sunday World has learned. The revelation comes after fears were raised at the Prison Officer Association's annual delegate conference in Galway that a firearm could be smuggled by drone into an Irish prison. Addressing this concern, Director General of the Irish Prison Service, Caron McCaffrey, said security of its staff is a top priority for the service. But she said the rapidly evolving nature of drone advancements has made technological solutions previously adopted often obsolete. This, she said, has led to the Irish Prison Service securing €5m in funding for steel nets over prison yards that cannot be burned through by drones. 'We have introduced technological solutions,' she said. 'Unfortunately, the rate and the scale in the pace of technological advancement means that no sooner have you a system that it becomes obsolete because technology has changed, so we're going back to basics, and the basics is metal netting over our exercise yards. 'We've done it in Portlaoise in the A Block which has been extremely successful. 'We've done in the D Yard in Mountjoy, and since we introduced that netting in the D Yard there hasn't been a single drone incursion,' she explained, adding that Wheatfield Prison will be next to have steel nets erected over its yard. 'On a regular basis we go internationally to look at what technologies are out there. 'There is not another prison service that we have found that has successfully implemented a system that can keep drones out. That's the issue and that's the difficulty,' she explained. One prison where a technological solution has been adopted is Guernsey Prison in the UK — where a system known as skyfence has been in operation since 2017. Speaking with reporters in January, the prison's governor John De Carteret said he's been impressed with the local system which has now been in place for nearly a decade. 'The prison skyfence has been a successful deterrent for Guernsey Prison since it was installed in 2017,' he said. 'It is still being used by the prison alongside other security precautions aimed at mitigating the risk of illicit items being conveyed into the establishment.' The drone defence system has been triggered intermittently, though not frequently, since 2017. 'I would, and have, recommended drone defence systems to other prisons, primarily because of the significant risk drones present to the safety and security of the custodial environment,' said Mr De Carteret. 'The system was installed as a pre-emptive security consideration due to the then emerging risk of drones to the prison. 'It was part of a larger security upgrade in Guernsey Prison at that time. 'The costs and continuing costs are commercially sensitive but it is invaluable in terms of proving adequate safety and security.' Contacted yesterday, a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said a wide array of technological systems had been reviewed. Emphasising he was not referring to any one system, he said due to the geographical location of many Irish prisons in built up areas, where drones disabled in the air could pose a danger to the public, such systems had been rejected. 'There are prisons across the estate located directly adjacent to housing estates, major road networks,' he said. 'There are no exclusion zones. 'Any system that could see drones being disabled and losing power outside the prison perimeter would be unsuitable for that reason,' the Prison Service spokesperson added.
Sunday World
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Sunday World
Minister warned prisoners could be delivered guns in ‘pressing' drone fears
General Secretary Karl Dalton also said the flow of contraband into Ireland's prison is now so bad, prisoners are having to stockpile drugs. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has been warned first hand that 'there is nothing to stop' criminals who use drones to fly drugs, alcohol and phones into Ireland's prisons from also sending in a firearm. Addressing the Minister at the Prison Officer Association's Annual Delegates Conference in Galway this morning, General Secretary Karl Dalton also said the flow of contraband into Ireland's prison is now so bad, prisoners are having to stockpile drugs. 'The level of contraband in our prisons is at unprecedented levels,' he said, 'to the extent that prisoners are now storing drugs and phones, such is the level of contraband already in circulation. 'Drone incursions into our prisons are, at the very least, a daily occurrence. 'The current netting that covers a lot of our prison yards is not sufficient, it has failed. 'These nets have been burnt through by firebombs dropped by the drones; in some cases, they have collapsed under the weight of snow leaving some prisons without exercise yards for prisoners. 'Drones are so sophisticated nowadays that the only way to stop the steady flow of contraband into our prisons is to stop the drones from flying past the perimeter walls of a prison in the first place. 'Prison officers are simply not able to intervene to what is essentially an external threat'. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Photo: PA Mr. Dalton described the dangers posed to prison officers by drones as 'unquantifiable.' 'Officers are putting their own health and safety at risk to retrieve this contraband on a daily basis. 'Minister, I am not here to sensationalise this issue but if drugs, phones, alcohol, and even weapons(knives) can be sent in by drone then what's to stop them sending in firearms? 'What is it going to take to ensure that the Department of Justice takes some sort of meaningful action to address this most serious issue. 'If it takes a legislative change and a review of interventions in other jurisdictions Minister, then it is your department's responsibility to make that change, irrespective of cost'. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan Today's News in 90 seconds - Thursday, May 1 Addressing delegates in relation to the drone issue, Minister O'Callagan said €5 million had been allocated for the erection of steel 'drone proof' nets. 'I am pleased to say,' he said 'that €5 million has been allocated by government for the installation of steel netting capable of withstanding fire-bombing by drones. 'This new netting has already been installed in Mountjoy prison and will be installed in Wheatfield prison shortly. 'I am aware that one of the most pressing issues affecting the security of yourselves and those under your care is the flow of contraband into prisons. 'You are dealing with the impact of this every day, and the Government, along with the Irish Prison Service and POA, are committed to doing what we can to reduce this flow.' Minister O'Callaghan also highlighted the effectiveness of 'Operation Throwover' which has resulted in the arrest and prosecution of multiple drug smuggling drone operators. 'The Irish Prison Service continues to work closely with An Garda Síochána on initiatives including Operation Throwover, which has had a lot of success in its goal to disrupt, interdict and prosecute attempts to introduce contraband into prisons,' he said. 'Earlier this week, I was pleased to witness the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the Director General of the IPS Caron McCaffrey and the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. 'This MOU will enable both agencies to collaborate more effectively across a range of areas including prison security, intelligence gathering, evidence preservation and data sharing. 'This collaboration will significantly help to prevent contraband entering prisons.'
