Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The possibility exists for the use of those funds. That is something we will consider. I have already had discussions with the Minister for Finance about the use of the National Pensions Reserve Fund for the overall building programme. This Government stands on its record, in that since 1997 we have increased the number of prison places by 1,300, in total contrast to what happened previously when no places were added for many years. We are now adding another 400 places before the end of the year.

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