Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy Howlin for his kind words of congratulation. The remainder of my answer to his question, which I was unable to read on the floor of the House, addressed the issues raised by the Deputy. However, as the answer has been put on the record, I will give the Deputy only a summary of its contents.

I agree that the death of Gary Douch was an appalling event and the circumstances in which he died are not defensible. For that reason, I asked Mr. Michael Mellet, who was secretary to the International Monitoring Commission and a former Secretary General in my Department, to compile a full report. He is currently examining a number of issues, while awaiting the pathologist's report and information on the decisions made in the Central Mental Hospital which resulted in the transfer of the apparent assailant to the prison system subsequent to his committal to the hospital. These issues are of the utmost gravity and ones which I regard as requiring a substantial explanation. I will take appropriate action to ensure that such events never recur.

It had been my understanding that holding cells were used to hold prisoners on committal from courts when there was insufficient time to process them. One of the immediate steps taken was to appoint the Midlands, Cork and Wheatfield Prisons as committal prisons in addition to Mountjoy. The purpose of that change was to reduce the pressure on Mountjoy but, as it turns out, a number of people in that holding cell appeared not to have come from the court system and should not have been in those circumstances. In my view, there is no excuse for keeping them in those circumstances. The holding cells in question have been closed and are being converted to other uses. The number of prisoners in Mountjoy has been reduced and two areas which had previously been mothballed, A2 and A3, are being brought back into service.

I was shown a haul of weapons, including some brutal implements, which were recently found in Mountjoy after a search arising from one of the incidents in question. These weapons are regularly catapulted into the exercise yards, with the result that new fencing and other arrangements are being put in place to prevent the smuggling of drugs and weapons. New screening provisions are being introduced for prisoners.

However, the Deputy, the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention and I are correct in calling for the closure and replacement of Mountjoy. It is an unsuitable prison and is incapable of acting as a place of rehabilitation and detention for sentenced persons. That is why the replacement of the Mountjoy complex is a priority for me and I will go ahead with that project.

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