Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

He has also rejected a call for an investigation of the matter to be carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Of what is he afraid? If he is so doggedly pursuing this and making statements like he did today, he should have nothing to fear from an investigation carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General. We welcome the closure of Mountjoy because the conditions there are appalling but it is a pity that its proposed replacement should be shrouded in such controversy.

In general, we will be supporting the area of advances in technology and video conferencing. We have reservations about other areas, as I have outlined. I will not dwell any longer on the Thornton Hall issue because the Minister knows my party's position on that matter. We all are in favour of a more modern and humane prison system in the country and we will support the efforts of the Minister and the Government in that regard.