Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

It depends on how many cell spaces are put into the prison and its exact configuration. While I am not in a position to give an exact number at this stage, it would be substantially larger accommodation.

There is also the question of the Dóchas women's centre, which is a high quality facility but grossly inadequate in terms of capacity for the needs for which it was established. I am sorry to say the goals of the facility were overly optimistic even relatively recently. It is important to emphasise that I have no intention of downgrading or producing a facility which is of lower quality than that in place at present. An equivalent women's institution of an equivalent architectural quality would cost a significant amount of money to build. We must generate a public private partnership model for this. A design, build and finance model, including maintenance for a period, is what we have in mind to ensure we get good quality. The facility would be one which would be affordable within the prisons capital and current programme, which is substantial at present.

These issues will be fleshed out in the near future. There are other questions such as ancillary medical supports.

See this speech in context