Feargal Quinn (Independent)

A suggestion was made to me in light of the decision of the Government last week to build a new prison in north County Dublin and I would like the Leader to pass it on to the Minister, namely, that a court should be located near the prison. My mentioning this has nothing to do with the site of the complex, wherever that will eventually be, but concerns the very high travel costs that are incurred. My attention was drawn to the fact that if a prisoner in Oberstown in north County Dublin had to attend a court in County Cork, a driver and two, or possibly three, gardaí would be required to leave Oberstown at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. to attend that court. They would not be allowed to leave again until 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. if the warrant had not been issued. The cost incurred by the State in such cases must be considerable. The logical suggestion is that a court should be built close to wherever the new prison is built.