Limerick jail sells cigarettes to 16-year-old

Limerick Prison has admitted today that cigarettes were sold to a 16 year old while he was being detained in the jail.

The prison has also confirmed that a “major investigation” is now underway to determine just how a person under 18 was able to buy cigs from the jail shop.

Prison officials said that they have a very strict policy of not selling cigarettes to people under the legal age. So how did it happen...

Well,It is believed that prison officials were given the wrong date of birth and believed he was over the legal age to be remanded in jail.

John Devane, solicitor for the minor (who else) said he is now threatening legal action against minister for Justice Michael McDowell and Limerick prison. He says he has asked the prison for an apology together with an undertaking that the prison will not sell tobacco to any person under the legal age.

He also said that his client was a minor and was detained in the prison"for a number of days in an adult prisoner environment and this is also against the law"

In a letter written to the Justice Minister Devane said, “It is an appalling thing to see that every shopkeeper, pub owner and hotelier in this country have to apply with the laws of the state but yet the State totally disregard them.

This isn’t the first time that John Devane has had issues with McDowell.
Last month Devane said he was bringing a case against the Dept of Justice after a client of his died in Limerick jail.