Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Obviously, when they are going to pull down the whole lot.

The Minister stated in his reply that the first phase of the project is going ahead. Does he not accept that delivery of what he terms the modernisation of the prison estate in this fashion will end up costing the State more in the long run, given the security concerns associated with returning to the site to build the rest of the project after the first phase has opened? Would he not agree that a fraction of the €42.46 million, if it had been invested in community restorative justice, probation and welfare services, links projects, detox beds, or even improvement of the existing prison estate, would have had a greater effect in terms of reducing the prison population?

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