Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is an area of considerable interest to members. One of the reasons we are not engaging more expansively with the Minister on this issue is that, as Deputy Daly indicated, the joint committee signed off this morning on a report on prison reform and sentencing. We will furnish the Minister with a copy when the report is launched shortly. I make a special appeal to the Minister to note our recommendations. They were carefully considered and unanimously agreed by members, as has been the case with all the reports the committee has produced. I hope he will be in a position to respond to the report after due consideration and indicate to the committee what actions he will take on the back of our recommendations.