Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

There was also some concerns expressed about certain emergency exits being used by service and delivery vehicles and this is also addressed in the draft resolution by ensuring that the emergency exits will never be used for deliveries or service vehicles. Several people living in the immediate proximity of the prison are personally affected and alterations are also proposed in the resolution to alleviate their concerns. In particular, the depth of the existing planting area which runs around the outer boundary and which currently stands at 10 m, will be increased in key areas by a further 4 m to 10 m.

The planting of a number of mature trees will also greatly assist in screening the perimeter wall from residences in close proximity. This will require the main security wall to be moved further back from the boundary in some areas. Furthermore, a 3 m high timber fence will be installed around the car parks on the west side of the site. The parking level will be lowered and light fixtures will be kept below the height of the fence to ensure that the noise and light impact on adjoining residences is minimised. Visually conditioned concrete will also be used on the sections of the wall most visible to the public.

The resolution includes a number of conditions, the first of which is a statement that the development to be constructed must be as described in the environmental impact assessment and planning notice. As I have already noted, major concerns arose in regard to the use of roads, so the resolution imposes conditions requiring the new access route to be constructed first and makes it clear that heavy construction, delivery or removal vehicles must use the new access route rather than the existing R130 past the local national school. The perimeter wall is itself an important measure in mitigating the effect of noise and dust on those living in the area. Therefore, when general construction work begins, it is intended that the construction of the perimeter wall will be one of the first priorities. The resolution also requires that a construction environmental management plan must be drawn up by the primary contractor before construction work begins and it must address the mitigation measures already identified in the environmental impact assessment.

While not directly relevant to the issue of development consent for the prison complex at Thornton Hall, I wish to address the questions of a new Garda station for the area and the Central Mental Hospital. The Garda Commissioner has agreed that construction of a new Garda station for the area will be given priority. The station will serve the local community and will be accessible to the public from the existing R130 road rather than through the prison site. In addition to providing added local security, it will deal with any criminal offences committed within the prison complex. The construction of the Garda station is not covered by this development consent procedure and will be subject to the normal process as set out in part 9 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001.

Members will note from the maps and drawing before them that approximately 20 acres of the original Thornton Hall site has been excluded from the proposed prison development and reserved as a possible site for the construction of a new building to house the Central Mental Hospital. That project is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health and Children. The resolution before us has no effect on the future of the Central Mental Hospital.

Today we are in a position to make significant progress on improving the Irish prison system. This project will not only improve the lives of prisoners and prison staff but will also ensure an adequate level of secure and safe accommodation for the future, along with a tangible hope for improved rehabilitation work with prisoners.

Once development consent has been granted we will be in a position to finalise and sign the contract. A tender competition has already been held for a public private partnership to design, finance, build and maintain the prison complex at Thornton Hall. A number of consortia were formed and a preferred bidder has been selected. Negotiations are at advanced stage and the intention is to finalise matters after the decision on development consent has been made. While the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has no reason to believe that negotiations will not be successfully concluded, he has emphasised that he is determined to get the best value for money and that other options are available if the preferred bidder does not meet the necessary requirements.