FIRST PRISONERS SET TO BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK
First prisoners set to be released next week
By Julie O'Connor
UP to 20 Maze prisoners are expected to get letters from the Sentences Review Commission tomorrow detailing when they will be released.
They will be the first prisoners to be freed in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Peace Agreement.
A reduction in the number of prison staff as a result of the controversial release scheme, possibly before the end of this year, was also confirmed by the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
Robin Halward, the service's new director general, said "major change" was inevitable and threatening but it is a part of the modern world," he said.
The first batch of prisoners would probably be freed early next week, he said.
Mr Halward, who replaces Alan Shannon as head of the Province's Prison Service, said arrangements for a redundancy scheme for prison staff were being worked upon as the release of up to 400 terrorist inmates gets under way.
A prison officer at the Maze said last night: "It is inevitable people here will lose their jobs, we have been treated disgracefully. No doubt we will be the last to know.
"We have been taken for a ride, they are trying to utterly demoralise staff and they are making a good job of it.
"Nobody has officially said the Maze will close, we just read speculation everywhere.
"We try not to deal in speculation but it's the only thing we have.
"Nobody has the decency to tell us anything. We are lions led by donkeys."
In a separate move it was announced that relatives of the victims of terrorists involved in the scheme will be informed of their release before they walk free.
Victims Minister Adam Ingram said a telephone helpline had been set up and relatives will be able to apply for information about releases which may affect them.
DUP spokesman Gregory Campbell has lashed out at the releases labelling them as "an insult."
He added: "The probability of large scale releases of prisoners within the next few weeks despite the Omagh atrocity has raised the spectre of a further insult to peace loving people everywhere."
Campaigners for the two Scots Guards Jailed for killing a Belfast man in 1992 are hopeful that their two men will be among those who receive notification.
James Fisher and Mark Wright were sentenced to life after shooting 18-year-old Peter McBride while on duty.
Prisoners belonging to the IRA, the UVF, the UDA and the Red Hand Commando are eligible for early release under the scheme.
But members of the LVF, the INLA, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA are excluded.
The LVF and INLA have called a ceasefire and are hoping to be included in the group. It is believed Mo Mowlam may review the situation after Christmas.
The Real IRA has also "suspended military operations" after admitting responsibility for the blast in Omagh which claimed 28 lives.
The final decision on whether to release prisoners lies with the Sentence Review Commission.
Inmates serving a fixed sentence are set to have their terms reduced by two-thirds.
And life sentence prisoners will have their "normal" sentence reduced by a third.
By Julie O'Connor
UP to 20 Maze prisoners are expected to get letters from the Sentences Review Commission tomorrow detailing when they will be released.
They will be the first prisoners to be freed in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Peace Agreement.
A reduction in the number of prison staff as a result of the controversial release scheme, possibly before the end of this year, was also confirmed by the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
Robin Halward, the service's new director general, said "major change" was inevitable and threatening but it is a part of the modern world," he said.
The first batch of prisoners would probably be freed early next week, he said.
Mr Halward, who replaces Alan Shannon as head of the Province's Prison Service, said arrangements for a redundancy scheme for prison staff were being worked upon as the release of up to 400 terrorist inmates gets under way.
A prison officer at the Maze said last night: "It is inevitable people here will lose their jobs, we have been treated disgracefully. No doubt we will be the last to know.
"We have been taken for a ride, they are trying to utterly demoralise staff and they are making a good job of it.
"Nobody has officially said the Maze will close, we just read speculation everywhere.
"We try not to deal in speculation but it's the only thing we have.
"Nobody has the decency to tell us anything. We are lions led by donkeys."
In a separate move it was announced that relatives of the victims of terrorists involved in the scheme will be informed of their release before they walk free.
Victims Minister Adam Ingram said a telephone helpline had been set up and relatives will be able to apply for information about releases which may affect them.
DUP spokesman Gregory Campbell has lashed out at the releases labelling them as "an insult."
He added: "The probability of large scale releases of prisoners within the next few weeks despite the Omagh atrocity has raised the spectre of a further insult to peace loving people everywhere."
Campaigners for the two Scots Guards Jailed for killing a Belfast man in 1992 are hopeful that their two men will be among those who receive notification.
James Fisher and Mark Wright were sentenced to life after shooting 18-year-old Peter McBride while on duty.
Prisoners belonging to the IRA, the UVF, the UDA and the Red Hand Commando are eligible for early release under the scheme.
But members of the LVF, the INLA, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA are excluded.
The LVF and INLA have called a ceasefire and are hoping to be included in the group. It is believed Mo Mowlam may review the situation after Christmas.
The Real IRA has also "suspended military operations" after admitting responsibility for the blast in Omagh which claimed 28 lives.
The final decision on whether to release prisoners lies with the Sentence Review Commission.
Inmates serving a fixed sentence are set to have their terms reduced by two-thirds.
And life sentence prisoners will have their "normal" sentence reduced by a third.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/255
Published Date: 02-Sep-98
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