Mr. Eoin Carroll:

I do not want to take advantage of the time afforded to us. I understand that when members of the sub-committee travel to Finland, they will have an opportunity to meet Mr. Tapio Lappi-Seppälä who made a presentation at our conference last month. The achievement of political consensus is a central part of his thesis on how the prison population can be reduced. There can be no political consensus in the absence of a culture of acceptance that this is a real issue. Perhaps this committee might examine how best to foster a culture in which political consensus can be achieved. The recent report on St. Patrick's Institution highlighted cultural issues on the ground, at the highest management levels of the Irish Prison Service and perhaps within the Department. Mr. Lappi-Seppälä emphasises that the reaching of political consensus has been of great importance in Finland. The Minister has asked a new working group to review penal policy. While that is to be welcomed, I am concerned that the group will not have sufficient time - it is due to report back by mid-2013 - and that its composition suggests it is heavily laden with departmental appointees, especially by comparison with the group established on foot of the Whitaker report.