Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

I understand the motion re European Commission proposals on Schengen evaluation mechanisms is to be taken without debate this morning. Will the Leader arrange a full debate on the Schengen Agreement, perhaps when this evaluation has been carried out? Given that the common travel area between Ireland and the United Kingdom is the subject of major revision at present, it is important for us to reflect on this country's position on the agreement and on the EU free travel area. That would be an important debate.

The Government has announced that the construction of a prison at Thornton Hall is to be abandoned, in effect. When the Seanad debated this matter last year, we were told that it was full steam ahead. When the process of inviting tenders and selecting a preferred bidder has been completed, I do not understand how the selected bidder can suggest that the cost of a project should be allowed to increase by 30%. The Government's handling of matters of this nature - its failure to see projects through - is characterised by a certain incompetence. Costs tend to escalate after the procedure for selecting bidders has been completed and tenders have been announced. The Government is wonderful at announcing projects, but it is hopeless when it comes to implementing them. It seems that this project will go the way of the decentralisation programme, the PPARS computer system project and the electronic voting system. Perhaps the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, will ultimately be abandoned too. It is disappointing that we are great at making announcements, but not at implementing our plans.

Last month, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform gave the Dáil detailed figures setting out the extent of the overcrowding in our prison system. We know from the reports of bodies such as the prisons inspectorate that violence is rife in our prisons. Continued criminal activity within prisons is rampant. Illegal drugs are widely available. Almost a quarter of prisoners are under protective custody. It now seems the Government intends to abandon a prison-building project that was intended to resolve many of these issues. It is an example of incompetence of the highest order. We must have a prisons policy. Will the Leader arrange for the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to come to the House to outline where we will go from here in light of the Government's abandonment of this project at a cost of €40 million to date.