Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 2 February 2017

Public Accounts Committee

2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 21 – Prisons
Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts Special Report No. 93: Annualised Hours of the Prison Service

9:00 am

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is very positive to hear. I think Mr. Donnellan or Mr. Waters mentioned recidivism - I can never pronounce that word - and the fact that it has seen a reduction to 45% and that the norm in the Nordic countries is 35%. These matters are all interlinked. If we are to go in the right direction, that is the way to do it. I am talking about the rehabilitation not just of prisoners, but also of the staff.

The story of the cash going missing in Limerick - the €10,000 - was like reading something out of a Flann O'Brien novel. The Comptroller and Auditor General does not reference what year this occurred. I know there were cash shortfalls back in 2009 and 2010, but the €10,000 in Limerick was a significant amount. I know from the Criminal Courts of Justice, CCJ, that if there is a bail officer, money is paid over and a receipt is given through a glass screen. Does Mr. Donnellan know if a receipt was given in this instance? Was an investigation carried out? It is a significant amount of money. Was it given in cash as opposed to a cheque?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.