Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Despite the current financial difficulties, in the past two and a half years a new wing has been built on Midlands Prison, construction is starting in Cork to provide a new prison, a new wing is being added to Limerick Prison and there has been a complete refurbishment of Mountjoy Prison. During the Deputy's party's time in government, we were told it was not possible, in any circumstances, to provide in-cell sanitation in Mountjoy Prison. We have provided in-cell sanitation in the majority of cells in Mountjoy Prison and it will be provided in cells in the prison by the middle of next year. An extraordinary prison reform agenda is being implemented and enormous changes, including the provision of an incentivised regime to encourage prisoners to behave well, have taken place over the past two and a half years. What the Government cannot do, however, is remedy instantly all the problems left behind by the failure of the Deputy's party during 14 years in government to ensure we had a modern and humane prison system.

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