Mary Henry (Independent)

The Cathaoirleach and other Senators may have heard on radio this morning that Fr. Peter McVerry has published another report on the deplorable state in which people leave our prisons, particularly St. Patrick's Institution, and that they are more likely to become involved in crime after they have been in prison than they were before they went to prison. I have asked the Leader — I know she has tried — to arrange for a debate in this House on the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention's report for 2005 and the reports of the visiting committees.

More than 20 years ago the Whitaker report recommended that St. Patrick's Institution be closed. It is deplorable to think there is still no training or education provided there. It costs the taxpayer €86,000 per person, per year, to keep people there and Father McVerry says they come out worse than when they went in and I agree with him.