Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to make one of two comments. I feel very affected by the witnesses' presentations and they have really put it up to us. I have not been a member of this sub-committee or a public representative for very long. I would have sat where the witnesses are sitting and like them would have an extraordinary commitment, passion and academic rigour but would have still felt a little powerless to bring about change such as the change they seek. As I am sitting on this side I still have a sense of that powerlessness but on the other hand somebody has to have the power. That is the way I feel right now.

The witnesses have put it up to us. We could take all their more extended submissions, and what is emerging from this discussion, and order the recommendations in terms of which are the most important and what should happen first in all the categories. My colleague, Senator Ivana Bacik, not unlike the witnesses, has extraordinary expertise in this area. We could bring her expertise and the political expertise of my colleague, the Chairman, Deputy David Stanton, and the other members and we could probably get the best set of recommendations within a very strong theoretical framework. However, the question is would that bring about any change and that is really what the witnesses are saying to us.

I like Dr. McCullagh's suggestion about putting it up to us and that we call for the immediate closure of Mountjoy Prison. At the very least, we should be able to say why we might not be recommending that and the other things we believe we could recommend that would bring about some change. I am relatively new to this issue and perhaps that is not such a bad thing because I have not drilled down on this to the level all the witnesses have. I know what happens when I do that in other areas in which I have some expertise. I thank the witnesses for what they have said and they have really put it up to us.