Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

That is essentially the same answer the Minister gave me when I asked this question six months ago. Is he saying that there have been no further applications received by his Department in more than six months? The figures given in the media have been double that. I would like to get some idea of a breakdown for the various prisons mentioned, so that we can get a proper picture of the situation there. The inspector of prisons called for the closure of the prisons due to a lack of in-cell sanitation in recent years. The Minister has still not published the last report by the inspector of prisons. Can he tell the House when he intends to do so? The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture also condemned Irish prisons. What advice has the Minister received from the Attorney General regarding the cases that are now being taken against the Government on this matter?

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