‘SERIOUS MATTER’ | 

All-Ireland champ hurler Pat Ryan allegedly involved in Limerick Prison security breach

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has asked Irish Prison Service for report into alleged incident

Today at 02:30

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has asked the Irish Prison Service for a report into allegations that an All-Ireland winning hurler, who had been convicted of perjury, was involved in a security breach at Limerick Prison last month.

Ms McEntee has been told of allegations that three-time All-Ireland winner Pat Ryan drove into a secure area of Limerick Prison on May 22 and was then subsequently driven by prison staff in a private vehicle into a secure area of Limerick courthouse ahead of an appeal hearing, in order to avoid the waiting media at the front of the courthouse.

The allegations are outlined in a letter dated June 1 from Independent TD Mattie McGrath — who has previously raised concerns in the Dáil about a “cabal” operating in Limerick Prison — to Simon Harris, who stood in for Ms McEntee while she was on maternity leave.

A spokesperson for Ms McEntee told the Sunday Independent last week: “I can confirm that late last week, the minister received a correspondence from Deputy McGrath regarding an alleged incident at Limerick Prison. The minister has asked for a report on the alleged incident from the Irish Prison Service [IPS], and will consider that report once received.”

The IPS had earlier referred queries to the Department of Justice. A solicitor for Mr Ryan did not respond to calls.

Mr Ryan (28), is currently appealing the severity of a two-week jail sentence handed down in March for perjury committed during criminal proceedings in October 2020 in which he was accused of speeding.

The hurler falsely told Limerick District Court he had not received a summons for a speeding offence. ​

In his letter, Mr McGrath alleges that “a famous Limerick All-Ireland winning hurler who had been convicted of a criminal offence” — who he does not name — drove into a secure area of Limerick Prison car park on the day in question.​

It is understood the area in question can only be accessed by way of a prison staff ID card or if it is opened by a member of staff inside the prison.

It is alleged Mr Ryan then walked into a disused building in the prison, and was then assisted and brought to a secure area in the court “by prison staff in an unmarked private car owned by a senior member of staff”.

The distance between the prison and the court complex, which is also on Mulgrave Street, is approximately 200 metres.

Mr McGrath’s letter continues: “When the case was over, he was again taken through the secure areas without authority and placed back into the senior management’s car and taken away from cameras outside the court that were awaiting him.”

Mr McGrath’s letter describes the alleged incident as a “very serious matter” and asks for it to be investigated by an outside independent body and reported to An Garda Síochána.

He also asks in his letter that camera footage from the prison and the courthouse be preserved.

Mr McGrath told the Sunday Independent: “I hope the minister will act on this. I have nothing personal at all against this person but it is quite serious. Justice has to be delivered in public and this would seem to be an effort to suppress that.”​

Speaking in the Dáil in July 2021, Mr McGrath called for a “thorough investigation” into what was going on in Limerick Prison.

“I have a stream of people contacting me, whistleblowers too, about what is going on in Limerick. A cabal is operating there, I have said this before. They like to call themselves the mob. They terrorise families,” he said.

“It goes right to the very top of the Prison Service and right to the top of the prison officers’ union. There are many good people there, and officers who try to stand up, but they get silenced, intimidated, bullied and sullied.”