HC Deb 10 May 1976 vol 911 cc30-3
Mr. Powell

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any statement to make on recent entrances into the territory of the Irish Republic by security personnel on duty and on the escape of prisoners from Her Majesty's Prison the Maze.

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. J. D. Concannon)

In the early hours of Wednesday 5th May nine prisoners claiming affiliation to the Irish Republican Socialist Party escaped from Compound 5 at Her Majesty's Prison, The Maze. It appears that they had constructed a tunnel from Hut 28, which is only approximately 40 yards from the perimeter wall. The tunnel had a concealed entrance under a tiled floor inside the hut. It passed under the compound fence and a corrugated iron fence. a total distance of approximately 40 feet, leaving them with a 17-foot weld mesh fence and a 17-foot wall to surmount. They cut through the fence and other obstacles and climbed the outer wall with the aid of grappling irons constructed from metal furniture and ropes made from sheets and blankets.

Two of the prisoners were recaptured in the vicinity within 24 hours. Two more have subsequently been apprehended in the Irish Republic. Security at the prison is reviewed constantly. Inquiries into the escape continue.

On 6th May eight men of the Special Air Service Regiment entered the territory of the Irish Republic near Omeath. The circumstances were described by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army later that same day. Subsequently, as the House will know, these men were charged before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin with offences relating to the possession of weapons and released on bail.

From time to time members of our security forces and those of the Irish Republic cross the border inadvertently. It is the usual practice when the mistake is discovered for the units concerned to be informed and the troops to be returned. For example, two further incidents occurred on 7th May. These were at Carrickarnan on the main Belfast-Dublin Road and near Aughnacloy in Co. Tyrone. In both cases the matter was handled locally. In one case the border was crossed during an agreed change of escorts.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who visited troops in border areas on 8th May, is determined that the procedures in such cases should be reviewed to prevent misunderstandings. While the border is crossed occasionally by security forces despite all precautions, it is crossed time and again by the brutal criminals whom the security forces are seeking to apprehend. In the view of my right hon. Friend, this is the problem we really have to tackle.

The wider implications of the incident involving the SAS men are being closely studied. The House will understand that it is better at this stage that I should not discuss the matter further.

Mr. Powell

While I understand that the presence of the Secretary of State is urgently necessary in Northern Ireland, may I ask the Minister of State—who answers in his right hon. Friend's stead—whether he accepts that it is important and in the interests of good relations and co-operation with the Irish Republic that instances of this kind should be reduced to the minimum and that the standard of location, finding and map reading should be so improved that people should no longer be able to observe that those who do not know where they are themselves are unlikely to be able to find terrorists?

On the subject of the escape from Her Majesty's Prison the Maze, may I ask the Minister to confirm that specific measures are in contemplation to prevent any incident of this kind from ever being repeated?

Mr. Concannon

If I may take the last point first, I wish to tell the right hon. Gentleman that we shall take all methods open to us to prevent any repetition of incidents of this kind. The right hon. Gentleman and others will know from past experience that such people as these will always try to break out of prison in one way or the other. We shall try to do everything in our power to keep them locked up, because these brutal criminals should be locked up.

In the other instances, the Government are determined to improve cross-border security and co-operation. Thanks to the efforts of the Irish authorities, much progress has been made, and we hope that it will continue to be made.

Mr. Whitehead

If I may revert to the incursion of the SAS into the Republic, is it not abundantly clear that if the scourge of terrorists in border areas is to be adequately combated, a fresh approach must be made by her Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Republic concerning cross border patrols by the armed forces on both sides? Does he not agree that if cross-border patrols were carried out jointly by Republican forces and the British Army, perhaps these incursions would not be necessary?

Mr. Concannon

Security co-operation has greatly improved. Obviously there are areas in which we shall have to discuss these matters further, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be doing so.

Mr. Neave

Is the Minister aware that we fully endorse what he said in his statement? Is he also aware that the SAS is one of the best counter-insurgency forces in the world, is carrying out a tremendous job, and has already done much to keep the peace as a result of its presence in South Armagh?

Is he further aware that we are glad that he has confirmed that inadvertent crossings of the border by security forces are not all in one direction? Was the Minister referring to the case of two Irish Army officers, armed and in plain clothes, who were released last autumn? In regard to any future discussions, what machinery have the two Governments in mind to prevent further incidents?

Mr. Concannon

Up to the present these incidents have been handled locally, and with success. The latest incident puts the matter in a different light and my right hon. Friend will be discussing the matter. I readily agree with the right hon. Gentleman about the qualities of the SAS. The SAS is deployed in South Armagh where its skills are particularly valuable, and the force has played a valuable role in that area.

Mr. Gow

Since the soldiers in the SAS went into the Irish Republic inadvertently and were engaged on the same objective as that of the Republican Government—namely, the elimination of terrorists—is it not regrettable that the Republican Government acted in such a way?

Mr. Concannon

We are all the time seeking to improve cross-border relationships. This incident was a very recent one and we shall conduct talks about it. It is a continuing process.

Mr. Burden

Will the Minister say in how many instances Republican security forces have crossed the border into Northern Ireland in the past two years?

Mr. Concannon

As I said in my statement, there have been a number of incidents and, because of good will on both sides, they have been contained locally. Many hon. Members who know Northern Ireland well, as I do, will realise the nonsense of the border in geographical terms. It is possible to cross, recross and then cross yet again within a distance of 100 yards.

Mr. Goodhart

What procedures must be undertaken before we can secure the return of the two escaped prisoners from the Maze who have gone into the Republic?

Mr. Concannon

We have applied for extradition notices, but the criminal jurisdiction legislation does not apply. The legislation needs to be passed by the Parliaments of both countries. We hope that the commencement date will be within a few days.

Mr. Lawrence

Is the Minister aware that there is some astonishment in this country at the fact that although we allow the free movement of people from Southern Ireland into this country, the incursion over the border of SAS soldiers has caused such problems? Has the Minister received an explanation from the Prime Minister of Southern Ireland about what happened on this occasion?

Mr. Concannon

All contact has been through our ambassador in Dublin. Naturally this case is a matter of concern to both Governments, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is giving it close consideration.