A man jailed for killing a convicted drugs smuggler has been ordered by the 'IRA' to leave a republican section of Portlaoise Prison following a drugs seizure.
Dublin native Sean Connolly was ordered off 'E block' in the Co Laois jail yesterday after drugs were discovered in a specialist search area last week.
A man in his 30s is due to appear in court in relation to the seizure next month.
It is understood the drugs included a batch of heroin, amphetamines and steroids.
Inmates aligned to the 'IRA', sometimes referred to as the ‘New IRA’, are currently held on the prison’s E3 and E4 landings.
In a short statement issued by the paramilitary group and signed 'T O’Neill', it said: “The Irish Republican Army have instructed its volunteers in Portlaoise Gaol to eject an individual from its landings with immediate effect.
“The Irish Republican Army has a zero tolerance in regard to drugs.”
The ‘IRA’ was formed in 2012 after a merger between the Real IRA, independent republicans and Republican Action Against Drugs.
The now defunct Real IRA was responsible for killing alleged drug dealers and since its formation the 'IRA' has also targeted people suspected of involvement in the trade.
In 2015 Connolly received a life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of veteran Dublin gangster Eamon Kelly (65) in December 2012.
A well-known criminal over four decades, it has been reported that Kelly was at one time close to the Official IRA.
He was jailed for 14 years in 1993 for smuggling a kilo of cocaine worth an estimated €500,000 into the country.
While E block in Portlaoise also houses non-aligned republican prisoners, it is expected that Connolly will not be accepted onto any other landing.
Anti-agreement republican party Saoradh last night welcomed the "frank, honest and public way" in which republican inmates had "dealt with this most serious of incidents".
Gardai last night confirmed that a man in his 30s “was found to be in possession of drugs at Portlaoise prison” last Thursday.
A spokesman said the man “has since been charged in relation to this incident and is to appear in Portlaoise District Court” next month.
The Irish Prison Service did not respond to a request for a comment.
