Mr. Eoin Carroll:

The Whitaker report was published in 1985 but the lock-up times today are the same as they were then. Most would argue that society progresses and we have a greater understanding of what is and is not acceptable. The Whitaker report and several other reports, including Oireachtas reports, and the Irish Prison Service agree with the principle of normalisation. To me that means a person gets up in the morning, gets dressed, has breakfast, prepares for the day and go to work, training or education. Most of us work a seven hour day. Therefore a prison should model society.