Mae Sexton (Longford-Roscommon, Progressive Democrats)

I thank the Minister for the extensive contribution he made in the House last evening. Rather than restating the points he made, although there are points that require repeating to nail the lie of impropriety in the purchase of the site, I will address three issues raised in the Opposition motion: the so-called haste and lack of examination of the deal; the so-called exorbitant cost; and the so-called unsuitability of the location.

I refer first to the claim that the process that led to the selection and purchase of the site at Thornton Hall was too hasty. The announcement that the Mountjoy Prison complex would be replaced was made at the beginning of 2004. Advertisements were placed nationally for interested parties to come forward with potentially suitable sites. A special committee was then established to review all submitted sites and make its recommendations thereon. This committee comprised representatives of the Office of Public Works, the Irish Prison Service and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. To provide added property expertise, the committee availed of the advice of the prestigious and highly respected firm of CB Richard Ellis Gunne, where, when necessary, professional planning and engineering advice was available and utilised. Details of the process followed by the committee are in the public domain and readily available on the Department's website. A contract to purchase the site was entered into in January 2005. That could not be described as "unseemly haste".

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