Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In response to Professor O'Donnell's point on political commitment, I was greatly struck by a paragraph in Dr. Warner's paper on Finland about the upward swing in the Finnish prison population from 1999 to 2005. It now has turned decisively downwards again as reducing prison numbers is a Government objective. It is a good example and one members must really scrutinise when visiting Finland and about which they must ask more questions.

Clearly a political decision was made and the numbers fell, as the witness said. So it does give us heart that where committees are pushing, governments can change political objectives and change prison numbers. There has been a drift, however, and I do not think there has been any discernible, decisive shift in policy at an articulated level. It has certainly drifted upwards.