Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I support my colleagues on the role of prisons and people being imprisoned for non-payment of debts. On Monday I visited St. Patrick's Institution, the prison for young boys aged between 15 and 21 years. Up to 60 children, aged between 16 and 17 years, are in prison there. How we re-integrate people who were in prison into society must be debated in the House. Last week, I attended a wonderful conference in Dublin Castle on re-imagining the role of prison in society, particularly with traditional forms of penalising people and a 60% recidivism rate.

I was, however, impressed by the changes brought about at St. Patrick's Institution. Thanks to Mr. Justice Dermot Kinlen, who valiantly stuck his neck out to challenge the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, there is a more enlightened approach to the treatment of young people in prison.

I spoke to 30 young people there who are being taught trades such as carpentry, as well as art, computers and music. Each person to whom I spoke had brilliant social skills. They were able to communicate with me much better than can many of their contemporaries who come from well-off families. These were children of gang members from Limerick and Ballymun. On an individual basis, I was very impressed with the governor, Mr. Sean Quigley, and the director of operations-----