Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the clarification that charging prisoners is not Fine Gael policy because such a scheme was attempted elsewhere without great success.

The future policy of the Department and Government will be to build courthouses adjacent to prisons and it is hoped this will be the case with Thornton Hall. I will ask that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform reply directly to the Deputy by letter to confirm this as I do not wish to be too definitive. I understand that public policy is moving in that direction. I share the Deputy's view on prison conditions.

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