Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

All I can say to the Deputy is that I inherited the legacy of a prison that was inadequate in the context of the space provision available for women prisoners. Very early action was taken to provide additional space, and that additional space should relieve the overcrowding and address what is the current difficulty in a manner that is manageable within the funding available to me. The works started in April. We expect those facilities will be in full use by early 2012. It would have been impossible to have done anything quicker than that, and to have constructed a larger facility would not have been possible because of the absence of funding. This is a measure designed to relieve the difficulties created by overcrowding, and I have confidence that the governor of the prison will ensure that those spaces are adequately allocated and utilised. I agree with the Deputy that we need to take a large number of other measures with regard to adults - both men and women - who are imprisoned but it must be remembered that people are in prison for committing serious offences. There are many people who come from difficult social backgrounds who do not engage in offending and assaults, who do not burglarise or commit theft, and to take it to its extreme, who do not murder people. Prison has a role to play, but it is important we take a balanced and considered approach. I am looking forward to the work that will be done by this new review group to see what other options we can also deploy in addition to the current non-custodial options that are being deployed.

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