Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The moneys which prisoners receive go into a fund and it is available for them to use in prison if they wish by way of the tuck shop or other expenditure. It is also open to them to have it transmitted to family members if they wish.

People are in prison for a particular reason. It is a privilege that in return for work done they receive some small additional benefit, if I could put it that way. Certainly, the State is not in a position - I do not believe there would be any public support of any nature - for large sums of money to be paid to persons convicted of offences and sentenced to terms of imprisonment. It is extremely costly to the taxpayer to keep prisoners in prison and in that context, some people would be of the view that prisoners should contribute to that cost by work they carry out in prison. What prisoners receive is a nominal gratuity on a daily basis which ensures that prisoners can avail of certain benefits or purchase certain items in the tuck shop which may not otherwise be available to them and which, in particular, impecunious prisoners would not be able to afford otherwise. Arrangements can be made and are made on occasions for family members to furnish funds to prisoners to assist them in that regard. There is no question of any nature whatever of this State putting in place, during the lifetime of this Government, any substantial payments to prisoners in return for work done. These are extra gratuities to allow prisoners to avail of certain basic items in prison that are additional to the food provided or to purchase cigarettes or whatever. There is no question of going beyond that.

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