Lisa McDonald (Fianna Fail)

I am happy to support the Government's proposal in respect of this project. We must face reality. Mountjoy Prison, which was built in 1850, is a Victorian institution which lacks adequate basic facilities such as in-cell sanitation. While the Irish Prison Service has made improvements at Mountjoy Prison, the reality is that conditions there still fall far short of what one would expect of a modern prison system. There is little space in which to facilitate education, work, training programmes and the provision of rehabilitative support.

We cannot expect the staff and others who work in our prisons to deliver a 21st century model of correctional excellence in a physical environment which dates from the 19th century. In addition, the location of the prison has clear security implications, with the necessity for constant vigilance on the part of staff and An Garda Síochána to ensure that contraband items, such as weapons and drugs, are not thrown over the perimeter walls and retrieved by prisoners.

We must be honest enough to accept the criticism of conditions in Mountjoy Prison that have come from independent commentators and prison experts. The Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment criticised the facilities and conditions at the Mountjoy complex following each of its visits in 1993, 1998, 2002 and 2006. Similarly, the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention has made frequent and strident criticisms in his reports of the facilities at Mountjoy.

The Irish Prison Service has examined various options over the years to improve conditions at Mountjoy, ranging from basic refurbishment to the complete demolition and redevelopment of the site. I am advised that these options did not prove feasible for a number of reasons, including the constraints imposed by the size of the Mountjoy site and its city centre location, with major housing developments located outside the perimeter wall. For any serious attempt at redevelopment to proceed, it would have been necessary to close or severely reduce the capacity of the prison during the project at a time when prisons are operating at very close to full capacity nationally. From any objective point of view, a move to a greenfield site presented the best option if the Irish Prison Service is to be allowed deliver the type of rehabilitation programmes for prisoners that one would expect in a 21st century prison, as well as a good work environment for staff and other support personnel.

It is clear the decision by Government to acquire 150 acres at Thornton Hall was not taken lightly. The recommendation in this regard followed the evaluation of approximately 31 sites that were offered to the Office of Public Works. It was decided that Thornton Hall was the most satisfactory site on which to build a new prison to replace those on the Mountjoy campus. In recommending the Thornton Hall site, I endorse the decision of site selection committee decision, which had the benefit of technical reports prepared by expert consultants.

The principal advantages of the Thornton Hall site are clear and include its size, the fact that it is located within ten miles of O'Connell Street, that it is some considerable distance from any significant population centre and that there is easy access to the national motorway network. The proposed new prison at Thornton Hall will comprise eight individual facilities which will be practically self-contained. Each facility will have its own unique and discrete regime and this will give members of the prison population housed within it access to the work, training, education and rehabilitative programmes and recreation areas and activities appropriate to them.

Contrary to what has been said by some commentators, Thornton Hall will not be a super-prison. The main accommodation blocks will comprise four wings, with two landings per wing. There will be a range of other types of accommodation facilities. Under this arrangement, there will be no more than ten rooms in each house in some of the accommodation units. All of these facilities will be located within the secure perimeter.

The Irish Prison Service will employ the latest technology, including CCTV systems and electronic alarms systems, to ensure the security and safety of the facility. The design will also make it more difficult for contraband to enter the prison over the perimeter walls. This will be achieved by means of locating recreation yards away from perimeter walls and thus ensuring a cordon sanitaire.

I commend the efforts taken by the Irish Prison Service to engage with and listen to the views of the local community. Many concessions have been made to local people. The process that has been followed is an excellent example of meaningful consultation. However, I support Senator O'Toole's excellent suggestion that the name "Thornton Hall" should not be used in respect of the prison. The Minister of State indicated that he would take on board the Senator's request that the name be changed.

I also support Senator O'Toole's suggestion to ensure proper development of the surrounding area, particularly because I come from a rural area. The Senator's contribution was similar to one I made recently in respect of the decline of rural Ireland in which I sought the provision of footpaths, cycle lanes, etc. These matters must be addressed in respect of all isolated areas. The residents of the Thornton Hall area are at an advantage now because they can request that money be diverted from the financial contributions that will be made to the local council in order to develop the area.

When the Thornton Hall site was purchased in 2005, the Irish Prison Service engaged a landscape architect to develop a boundary planting scheme. As a result, a 10 m boundary planting scheme has been undertaken inside the existing hedgerow to minimise the visual impact of the proposed prison development.

Following further discussions with the local community, it was decided that the prison accommodation or cell blocks would comprise two-storey buildings, thus minimising the visual impact on the landscape. In addition, a separate dedicated access road to the prison is being provided, which the Minister of State has outlined in his speech.

As a further assurance to the local residents that their quality of life will not be unfavourably affected by this development, it has been decided that a Garda station will be built at the perimeter of the development. It is an excellent concession that will be greeted favourably. Senator O'Toole has outlined that.

The key objective of this project is to accept the limitations of current prisons as highlighted by international experts and tackle them by raising the standards of prison accommodation to increase the chances of rehabilitation of offenders. I congratulate the Irish Prison Service on undertaking such a lengthy and meaningful consultation process. It is clear that many of the community's opinions have been taken on board. The reality is that some opposition would be met no matter where the new site would be located but, on balance, we have got it right and I am happy to support this vital long-term investment in our prison facilities which are central to the proper administration of justice in this country.