Praise for unique project
By Eoin O'Broin
The Six Counties first prisoner-run drop-in centre, Tar Anall,
launched its new information pack in Springfield Training Centre,
West Belfast, on Thursday 19 June. The pack details the various
services provided by the group and introduces the centre's staff.
Established during the summer of 1995, Tar Anall caters to the
needs of republican ex-prisoners and prisoners' families.
At the launch of the pack, Tar Anall Project Coordinator Carol Ní
Chuilin spoke of the centre as ``a unique project''. Stressing the
themes of ``self-help, mutual aid, empowerment and reintegration
into the community'' Cullen told delegates that funding Tar Anall
was ``an issue of justice''.
Liam Shannon, on behalf of Prisoners Transport, welcomed the
information pack. He also thanked Tar Anall for assisting with
much needed funding and appealed to all funders present to ``take
a long hard look at the situation of Prisoners Transport'' with a
view to assisting the service in the future.
MP for West Belfast and former political prisoner Gerry Adams
also addressed the crowd. He congratulated all those involved ``in
making Tar Anall a reality''. Stressing the importance of
prisoners to the life of West Belfast Adams said, ``there isn't a
street in West Belfast where a prisoner, ex-prisoner, or their
family don't live''.
Adams also pointed out that ``what is most innovative about Tar
Anall is that they are getting to grips with the emotional aspect
of imprisonment, not just funding and management of services, but
coming to terms with the fact that released POWs and families
need counselling, help and love''.
He also said that ``there can be no peace settlement without the
unconditional release of all political prisoners''.
Congratulations came from a range of community groups including
Culturlann MacAdaim\O'Fiach, Falls Womens Centre, Falls Community
Centre and NIACRO.
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