James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fundamentally disagree that we do not care about those in prison. One only has to look at some of the progress on the work that has been done by this Government over the past four years. We have a very progressive head of the Irish Prison Service in Caron McCaffrey. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, organised a mental health task force jointly with the Department of Health and significant steps have been put in place regarding its recommendations. Along with the Minister, Deputy Harris, I am involved in the prison education task force which is making significant progress. A report was brought to the Cabinet very recently. The reality is that it is a matter for the courts to decide who goes to prison and how long they should serve for any offences committed. Increasingly, through diversion and restorative justice projects, those who can be diverted from prison are being diverted. The reality is that the population is increasing and those who commit serious offences need to be in prison to serve time for their offences.

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