Old Army base to form temporary prison during G8 Summit
A TEMPORARY prison to house those arrested during the G8 Summit in Enniskillen could be erected at the old British Army barracks in Omagh.
The Impartial Reporter understands that the Police Service of Northern Ireland is working on a range of measures just in case they need to make a huge number of arrests during the event and that Lisanelly Barracks is one of the places they have been looking at for a temporary prison.
PSNI Chief Superintendent Pauline Shields wouldn’t comment on the location, but said: “Provision is being made regarding the possibility of it being necessary to make arrests and contingency plans in relation to custody suites are being set in place throughout Northern Ireland.
“The PSNI is exploring a number of options including maximising the capacity of our existing custody facilities. Within F District this involves suites in Enniskillen, Omagh and Dungannon. It is unlikely anything additional will be created in Fermanagh,” she said.
Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott says he has been told the temporary prison will be in Tyrone.
Mr Elliott, who sits on the Justice Committee at Stormont, said: “I have been informed that police plan to house prisoners at Lisanelly Barracks because they don’t have any other accommodation.”
This newspaper understands that police had to abandon plans to utilise the former Erne Hospital site in Enniskillen as a potential temporary prison as it is now infested with rats.
