Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

We will return to that point later too. In the meantime, a Mr. James Dillon of Dillon Auctioneers of Dunshaughlin had written to the Irish Prison Service offering a site at Balrath in County Meath for consideration for the project. His first letter, dated 14 September 2004, showed that he was proposing to sell a large farm at Balrath to the Irish Prison Service for the new prison.

He had missed the entry date but Mr. Dillon's first proposal was turned down by the committee on 16 September 2004 and rejected as unsuitable. This rejection was minuted on that date and the producers of last night's programme had that minute when they dealt with this issue yesterday.

On 20 December, Mr. Dillon again contacted the Irish Prison Service offering another parcel of land, namely, the lands at Thornton Hall, Thornton, Kilsallaghan, County Dublin. He was referred by the Irish Prison Service to Mr. Webster, the expert adviser, and he spoke and wrote to him on 22 December confirming that the lands at Thornton Hall might be available, indicating, as Deputy Costello said, a price of €210,000 per acre. Initially Mr. Dillon, in the conversation, sought a much higher price but was informed by Mr. Webster that the site would not be considered unless the offering price was less than €200,000 per acre.

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