Frank Collins (Co. Cork) Hunger Strike: 68 Days

Monday November 17, 2003 12:17

by Concerned

Frank Collins of Ballinspittle, Co. Cork has entered the 68th day of a hunger strike. His health has deteriorated and his weight is down to 10 stone; Mr Collins weighed 17 stone at the commencement of his hunger strike.

Mr Collins says he undertook the hunger strike in protest at what he considers to be a campaign of harassment by gardaí over a period of thirty years. Mr Collins has engaged in three previous hunger strikes; on the third occasion, the Garda Commissioner, Pat Byrne, and the Minister for Justice, John O’Donoghue, persuaded Mr Collins to end his hunger strike with a promise of an enquiry into his allegations. However, according to Mr Collins, the enquiry failed to materialise.

Mr Collins says he fears for his safety and will continue his hunger strike until he dies unless his grievances are addressed by the Minister for Justice.

A report in Thursday’s Irish Times (13 November 2003, p. 10), headlined “Minister cannot assist man on hunger strike”, stated that the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, “is not in a position to assist a man who is reported to have been on hunger strike for the past 63 days because of his grievance over the outcome of court proceedings, the Dáil has been told.” Mr McDowell’s statement was in response to a question by Labour’s justice spokesman, Joe Costello. According to the report in the Irish Times, Mr McDowell “stressed that because of the separation of powers ‘it is not possible for me as Minister to attempt to influence or second-guess the courts in the way in which they exercise their functions.’” Mr McDowell also stated that inquiry “into wide ranging allegations against many serving and retired members of An Garda Síochána as well as staff and officials of Cork County Council, members of the legal professions and members of the judiciary in Cork concluded that there was no credible evidence to support and sustain the allegations.”

Mr Collins, however, is aware of no such enquiry, and intends to maintain his hunger strike until an enquiry is undertaken.