Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to this House, as requested on a number of occasions in the past two weeks, to present his proposals for the reform and restructuring of both the prison service and the prisons? In light of the decision made by the Government yesterday to replace Mountjoy Prison with a new prison somewhere in Dublin, it is important that the Minister should keep us informed of changes he is making. Spike Island and the Curragh prisons are now closed and he has not come to this House to discuss any of these issues. The prison service is currently in a very serious state with one man dead and others injured in recent disturbances in prisons. It is imperative that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform himself should come to this House to present his proposals so that we can debate them.