Some of Ireland 's most hardened criminals are among hundreds of prisoners suing the state over inhumane jail conditions, it emerged tonight.
It is believed Real IRA terror chief Liam Campbell and drug dealer Patrick Holland are among those planning to fight for thousands of pounds in compensation.
'Dutchy' Holland was implicated in the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin in west Dublin in 1996 during a drugs trial six years ago, but he has never been charged in connection with the killing.
Lawyers said up to 40 prison officers are taking class action against the State over health risks at some of the country's largest jails.
The move follows successful action by Robert Napier, a prisoner in Barlinnie jail in Glasgow, who was awarded £2,400 over claims his human rights were breached after he was forced to slop out.
Mr Jim Mitchell, spokesman for the Irish Prisons Service, said they would fight any legal action over conditions in the country's jails.
"Four to five years ago we embarked on a fairly extensive prison building programme," Mr Mitchell said.
"That has made major inroads to the issue of slopping out, which is restricted mainly to the old Victorian prisons like Mountjoy in Dublin - We will strongly defend this action."
Mr Mitchell added that 'slopping-out' continued in only four prisons, and affected only a minority of inmates at Mountjoy, Limerick, Portlaoise and Cork.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice also said the claims would be vigorously defended.
Lawyers representing the serving and former prisoners said up to 400 plenary summonses have been launched with the courts.
And a further 400 are due to be processed over the coming weeks and months.
But legal sources said due to a backlog in the courts the cases will not be dealt with by the High Court until 2005.
It is also believed any pay-outs to prisoners could lead to a flurry of civil suits by victims of crime against their attackers.
Medical reports were being compiled ahead of a full consultation with barristers on the next step in the fight for compensation.
Lawyers for the prisoners said there were a number of high profile names and re-offenders who had decided to sue. And a number of people who were forced to slop out while being held on remand were also among those taking action.
Prisoners at every jail in the country are believed to be demanding compensation over the issue.
PA
Around 900 serving and former prisoners have claimed they were traumatised as a result of no in-house sanitation and slopping out.