Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied that the acquisition of 150 acres of land at Thornton Hall at a cost of €200,000 per acre represents good value for the taxpayer; his views on whether the sale of the 238-acre Grange farm four miles away at a cost of €26,000 per acre, the established market value for agricultural land in this area, shows that he paid €26 million too much for Thornton Hall; if he will reconsider the purchase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11199/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am satisfied that the purchase of the 150-acre site at Thornton Hall in County Dublin will prove to be excellent value for money for the taxpayer and I have no intention of reconsidering the purchase. To put it in perspective, a survey carried out on behalf of the Office of Public Works in 2001 estimated the cost of refurbishing the 20-acre Mountjoy site at €336 million. At today's prices, it would cost in the region of €418 million. With regard to the purchase price of the Thornton Hall site, I have received no advice from the OPW or the agents retained to advise on the matter that the price paid was in any way exorbitant. The Deputy can point to a particular site several miles away which is cheaper than Thornton Hall. Equally I would be able to point to many sites a few miles away which would be much dearer but that does not prove anything. Not all sites are suitable for a development of the type envisaged.

We were looking for a site that was suitable for the development of a major prison facility with sufficient open space for the proper recreation of prisoners, especially young offenders if they were to be sited there, to serve the Dublin area. Advertisements were placed in the national media inviting owners to put forward sites for consideration. All sites were examined on the basis of carefully prepared objective criteria. The site that met the necessary requirements and proved to be best value was selected.

The other site referred to by the Deputy was not offered to the Irish Prison Service as part of the formal selection process. In any event, I have been advised by the prison service that although a formal assessment was not carried out on the site, it would not have been considered acceptable from a number of important perspectives such as location, access and egress.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister accept that, at €200,000 an acre, he has purchased the dearest farm in Europe? Does he accept that this figure is eight times the market value per acre for a farm of that size? Does he agree the market value of the Grange farm was settled by a public auction? As he must be aware from his legal days, this is the true criterion of market value. I am not talking about suitability for a particular purpose, but about market value for agricultural land. The Minister was buying unzoned farm land. References in his committee report regarding land that was offered at a much higher price are not surprising as development land is bound to be offered at higher price.

Does the Minister agree this deal represented extremely bad value for the taxpayer and that the decision to buy the farm was hasty, panicky and completed without half of the committee having examined the farm? The deal was first brought before the committee on 18 January, immediately agreed and approved by the Minister and announced the following week. This is a crazy way to conduct business by a member of a party that prides itself on being a watchdog regarding public finances.

Is the Minister aware that it is now extremely likely that Thornton Hall, which he purchased so quickly, may be designated an architectural conservation area? Is he aware that the local heritage association has produced a major report, which has been in gestation for the past two years, which confirms that this is a major heritage area, as evidenced by hill forts, ring forts, ecclesiastical enclosures, churches, a castle, a castle moat, a stone cross site, medieval settlements, ancient roadways, a Cromwellian battle site and an execution site? This last site is possibly the only part that is appropriate. Is the Minister not aware that it is very likely, arising from this report, that Thornton Hall and the adjoining area will be classified as an architectural conservation area by Fingal County Council and thus become off-limits to building development? How will the Minister retrieve the €26 million out of €30 million that he wasted on the purchase of a farm if he cannot build on the site?

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The process was not rushed and took a considerable length of time.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I am talking about the process relating to this farm.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy is well aware that a great number of locations in Dublin and adjoining counties were considered so the decision was not rushed. The Office of Public Works and the expert auctioneers and valuers who were advising it did not make a mistake of the kind the Deputy is suggesting and did not buy a pig in a poke. When the institution is built the Deputy will be the first to recognise that this site was the right place to build and has the right scale. He will also realise that the other farm to which he referred would be completely unsuitable. I ask the Deputy to ask the neighbours of that other farm for their views if he still has doubts about the matter.

This site was inspected for any features of archaeological or cultural significance and none was found. It was interesting to hear the Deputy speak about the many interesting features of the site as I do not believe it has any. We will find out in the fullness of time who is right on this issue. The Deputy used very careful language when he said the area contained these features. He did not say the site I bought had any of these features. I am not aware of the existence of ring forts, monastic remains or similar features on the land in question.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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The area has these features.

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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If the Deputy was referring to features in the locality, he may well be right but I venture to suggest that the Office of Public Works was careful to have the land it was purchasing inspected and no such features were apparent to it.