Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

In response to the request from the Rolestown and St. Margaret's action group, we received this document yesterday. I assure the group that I hope to establish the liaison group as quickly as possible. The Prison Service has a good neighbour mission statement which supports active liaison with local residents. It covers the issue of communications, protection, security, safety and a number of other matters. I hope the liaison committee will respond to that.

In respect of the Central Mental Hospital, when the Thornton site was purchased the Government decided to set aside 20 acres for the development of the new Central Mental Hospital. Obviously, that is a matter for the Department of Health and Children. If it is to be built there, it will have its own separate entrance and will be distinct from the Thornton Hall prison.

In respect of the Dóchas centre, I cannot stand over a situation where, on occasions, the figures for occupancy in recent times have gone over 130%. I gave the figures for some other occasions. It makes no sense to leave a prison in effect on an island in Mountjoy in the middle of the city when these prisoners could be facilitated out in Thornton Hall. It would be better to move everyone out to Thornton Hall where they can share the services.

At any one time, there are between 3,500 and 3,600 people in the prisons. Obviously, we must provide the space for them. It is not us who decide how many people will be in prisons. We just react to what the Judiciary and courts determine in respect of who goes to prison and who does not. However, there are a myriad other possibilities which — to be fair to them — the Judiciary has used. We have a very low percentage rate of prisoners in respect of our population in comparison with similar types of societies, which is as it should be. I assure the House that we will make every effort, particularly in respect of restorative justice. We have already received the first report from the committee dealing with restorative justice. I told my Department that this is something I would like to push.

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