THE Prison officers' Association (POA) has criticised a Dublin TD who claimed the six prisoners involved in the Mountjoy siege last week told him they wanted to surrender shortly after they took five prison officers hostage.
Mr Joe Costello said that when he visited the prisoners last Saturday they told him that shortly after the siege began they had asked for himself and two other people to act as mediators and monitor the surrender, but this had not been arranged. "I think it's a fairly serious matter if it's true," he added.
"Mr Costello would be better off looking after his constituents in North Dublin," said Mr Tom Hoare, the POA spokesman. He said that no one should try to diminish the seriousness of what had happened at Mountjoy, and the safety of officers should be a priority.
About 700 POA members at Mountjoy are due to meet this evening to discuss the siege. Some are expected to seek a vote of no confidence in the prison governor, Mr John Lonergan.