McDowell rules out movingMcCabe killers
Justice Minister Michael McDowell tonight ruled out moving the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe to a standard prison without special facilities.
The four IRA members are serving sentences in Castlerea Prison for the manslaughter of the 52-year-old garda in 1996 while he was guarding a post office in Adare, County Limerick.
Mr McDowell, responding to a call from the Garda Representative Association, said he would not move them from the open prison.
“I’m not going to act in an arbitrary or capricious manner. They are where they are and I’ve inherited this situation and I don’t intend to change it unless there are events which would warrant it,” he said.
The four men – Kevin Walsh, Pearse McCauley, Jeremiah Sheehy and Michael O’Neill- are currently housed in a bungalow complex in Castlerea Prison in Roscommon, where they can avail of microwaves, CD players, televisions, videos and washing machines. They also have access to educational facilities and their own vegetable gardens.
Mr McDowell said the men were among other criminals like themselves.
“There are murderers and rapists and other serious offenders in their company,” he said.
He added that he would not hesitate to move them to Portlaoise Prison if events demanded it.
But at the annual conference of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in Kerry, president Dermot O’Donnell said there was anger about the special privileges given to the killers.
“Across the board members feel that people who go to prison for killing guards should enjoy nothing short of a normal prison environment,” he said.
He added: “Garda killers are Garda killers and belong locked up and not free to roam like kings in their own little compounds, let alone back on the streets of this country.”
The GRA wants the men to be moved to a standard prison, where they will not receive special privileges.
There was a standing ovation for Jerry McCabe’s widow, Ann, who was a guest of honour at the event.
Mr O’Donnell said the last 12 months had been exhausting for her and Garda Ben O’Sullivan, who was seriously injured in the attack.
“With the on/off – will/won’t – early release proposal, for those who killed the late Garda Jerry McCabe and seriously injured his colleague, Detective Garda Ben O’Sullivan – it has been a permanent torment,” he said.
He said the Government pledge not to give the men early release was welcome but added that it should never have been considered in the first place.
