Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

It was referred to as the Vatican but I will say no more about that.

When I visited the Magilligan Prison in County Derry, I noticed a sign which said, "Don't serve time; let time serve you". This was a very good message to prisoners. The loss of freedom is the most serious deprivation and it is a most chilling experience to visit a prison. One is aware that one could walk out but the prisoners were locked up from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Oscar Wilde's famous "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" describes what it is like to be a prisoner, particularly a prisoner such as Oscar Wilde who was charged with a crime which has now been decriminalised. I hope there will be a pardon for Oscar Wilde because he was one of our greatest writers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

To refer to a topic of local interest in County Roscommon, the Castlerea Prison experience has been very successful. It came at a time of terrible economic difficulties in the constituencies of Longford-Roscommon and Galway East. The Government of the then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, and Minister for Justice, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, made a Cabinet decision to locate the prison in Castlerea on the site of the former psychiatric hospital at Harristown, Castlerea. The project was mothballed and threatened to be dropped by the rainbow coalition Government, when Nora Owen was Minister for Justice, and this led to widespread street protests in Dublin. A campaign was launched and led by the Bishop of Elphin, Dr. Christopher Jones. Two Americans were overheard to remark in Tully's Hotel in Castlerea, "Gee, honey, are they protesting against a jail in Castlerea? No, honey, they are protesting for a jail in Castlerea. Well, in America, honey, we would be protesting against a jail."

Castlerea wanted a prison because of its economic benefits and this is what it has proved to be. It has a total of approximately 180 prisoners and the 150 staff all live in rural areas around Roscommon, Castlerea and into east Galway and are a great boost to the economy. The town of Roscommon has benefited as has Castlerea and all the rural towns. These are high calibre staff who play an important role in their communities. The policy has worked out very well.

I wish to allay the fears of those who worry about living close to a prison. It is one of the safest places to live. I appeal to anyone in north Dublin or Cork that they have nothing to fear but fear itself. One person at the time told me they were appalled at the idea of living next to a prison. There may be potential difficulties but the Garda Síochána keeps a very good eye on the outside and the prison officers keep a good eye on the inside and in general it works very satisfactorily. I hope the Minister can take the time to open the courthouse at Harristown which adjoins the prison. Instead of prisoners being brought to court at Roscommon or elsewhere, they can be brought there. The building was never officially opened and that is rather unusual because most Governments are delighted to stage such events to indicate investment in the area. I hope the Minister can take the time out of his busy schedule to do this. He will get a good welcome in Castlerea.

There was a fairly serious industrial dispute in the prisons in April 1988. However, that month lost to a strike is now affecting the pension rights of staff. It would be a nice gesture if the Minister could give this matter consideration. I am not saying that he can solve it, but the prison officers are prepared to repay whatever contributions were involved. They will now have to work longer to make up for that lost month. Let the past be the past. It did not happen on the Minister's watch.

I am fascinated by the new rules and regulations regarding the building of prisons. I accept what the Minister has put forward to ensure proper consultation, but it is in the national interest to have prisons. I note that the Minister is proposing not to locate the Cork jail on Spike Island. I have visited the old jail on the island and it is a beautiful location. I know there are difficulties with landing the boats and the cost of the bridge is prohibitively expensive. If that site is not used for a jail, it has great potential for housing. It is a historic island and would also have great potential for a museum. People can continue to use the ferries out to the island from Cobh. Being an island, the location is very secure and it is difficult to get off it.

Cork Prison, which I have visited, certainly needs replacing. I have visited nearly all our prisons and it gives me the opportunity to speak about them. Governor McCarthy in Cork Prison was the most enlightened and progressive governor I have met.