Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Regarding the attractiveness of buildings, there must be a trade-off between solidity and durability and architectural appeal. Some aspects of Kilmainham Gaol are attractive such as the screen walls on the front. Likewise, Mountjoy Prison has some attractive architectural features, some of which may well be preserved. It is true that modern prison buildings are generally less interesting than old ones. However, I was struck by the attractiveness of the Midlands Prison. It is by no means the worst. One has to make a trade-off between practicality and aesthetics in all of these cases.

In Thornton Hall it is the intention of the designers that there would be a screen and earthworks to make the complex there generally invisible to the outside world so that it will not be a feature of the landscape. Some countries build their prisons upwards to three or four storeys and the experience is that the higher one goes, the greater the trouble. Enormous halls are created inside prisons that are noisy and difficult in terms of keeping control. It would be my intention that whatever is done in Thornton Hall would be extensive rather than vertical. The new sites for large prison developments should have place for football pitches, running tracks and exercise areas, and not just have inmates crammed into small spaces.

In Kilmainham Gaol there is a carving of chained serpents over the doors to frighten people going in. There is a Latin motto to the effect that one should be merciful to those who have been put down and equally to knock the corners off the proud. We would not propose to put such a motto above a prison nowadays. We are better off putting a mission statement inside a prison rather than putting up slogans with moralising thoughts for prisoners to read as they go in.