Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is very expensive to keep somebody in prison. If we are to look at it from a financial point of view, apart from the personal impact on prisoners and ex-prisoners, it amounts to €88,000 per annum. Dr. Regan has described what happens and the targeting of particular prisons. One can say that this is really quite strategic. Would the witnesses say there is more support for a prisoner in prison rather than out of prison, or is there a follow-through? Is there a policy shortcoming in this regard?