Ms Caron McCaffrey:

Just to clarify, moneys that are involved in the mess committee are not public moneys, rather they are staff moneys. It is money collected to reimburse the costs of the meals provided. This is not public money that we are talking about. I think the Deputy is referring to a staff recognition event that took place in Mountjoy Prison, for which the mess committee, from its own funds, purchased a small amount of alcohol. I would clarify that the mess in Mountjoy Prison is not within the confines of the prison. It is outside the prison, just inside the main gate. I will further clarify that there is not a provision in the Civil Service code that prohibits alcohol being consumed at an event. I can clarify that there is certainly no alcohol being consumed within our prisons. This was a specific staff recognition event that took place outside of work hours and the moneys involved were the staff's own moneys, not voted or public moneys.