Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I refer to something Deputy Rabbitte said regarding a civil servant from my Department. I understood there is a convention in this House that people are not to be referred to who do not have the opportunity to respond. Deputy Rabbitte may say he did not attack a civil servant but on reflection, he may wish to consider what he said or what inferences he was making about the person in question. I have experience in several Departments and this Department is as good as the best I have been in, from what I have seen to date. I understand the civil servant was at a conference but Deputies referring to assistant secretaries being at conferences and what they may have said could very well constrain them from further participating in open conferences. I believe it is something that, on reflection, Deputy Rabbitte should consider. The reality is that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is very policy driven and is an excellent Department.

Thornton Hall is more than bricks and mortar. It is a regime-driven design and all prisoners will have access to work training, education, medical services, recreation and in-reach services. It is referred to as a super prison but it is not a super prison. The reality is that it is a prison on a super site.

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