Northern prison officers 'treated with contempt'
Prison officers in the North have accused the British government of treating them with contempt following a series of loyalist attacks on their homes.
The Prison Officers Association said its latest meeting with British officials yesterday was a "complete and utter" waste of time.
The association said Jane Kennedy, the British government’s security minister for the North, refused to provide more money to help prison officers upgrade security at their homes.
Ms Kennedy responded to the criticism by insisted that the prison officers had adequate security measures. She said £20,000 (€29,000) was being spent on each prison officer’s home.
The POA has been threatening to go on strike because of attacks on their homes by loyalist paramilitaries.
The attacks have been linked to ongoing disputes at Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim, where the authorities are currently implementing the segregation of republican and loyalist prisoners. Fifty-five cells at Maghaberry were damaged in disturbances last night during which small fires were started and a the ground floor of one cell block was flooded.
