‘The committee wishes to express its concern at the nature of the arrest and imprisonment of Mr Taylor and his continued detention without trial’ – Kathleen Funchion TD

THE Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement has expressed “serious concern” about the matter of prisoner issues in the North, particularly in Maghaberry Prison.

Committee Chair Kathleen Funchion TD (Sinn Féin) said that, last November, the committee had heard from the Independent Assessment Team on conditions in Maghaberry Prison.

“A number of concerns were raised at that meeting concerning conditions for both prisoners and staff at Maghaberry,” the Carlow/Kilkenny deputy said.

More recently, at their request, the committee met the family of one of the prisoners held in Maghaberry, Tony Taylor.

Kathleen Funchion said:

“The committee wishes to express its concern at the nature of the arrest and imprisonment of Mr Taylor and his continued detention without trial.”

She said the committee is writing to Secretary of State James Brokenshire to request a meeting “as soon as possible to discuss prisoner issues”.

● The other members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement are: TDs Declan Breathnach (FF), Fergus O’Dowd (FG), Tony McLoughlin (FG), Maureen O’Sullivan (Ind), Seán Sherlock (Lab) and Brendan Smith (FF); with Senators Frances Black (Ind), Frank Feighan (FG), Mark Daly (FF), Denis Landy (Lab), Gerard Craughwell (Ind) and Niall Ó Donnghaile (SF).

◼︎ Earlier this week, Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA (pictured) spent a day observing Tony Taylor’s parole hearing in Laganside Court.

Afterwards the senior Sinn Féin said unequivocally:

“Tony Taylor should be set free and sent home to his family.”