Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would not defend the structure of Mountjoy but I would defend the good people who work there. I have been there on a number of occasions, once or twice with Senator Bacik. Slopping out and such things does not exist there anymore. Thornton Hall was a great proposal at the time of the Celtic tiger but it never really took off. Fianna Fáil was in government from 1997 to 2011, when Thornton Hall was purchased but the prison never happened. It will probably not happen now but it is a pity because it would probably have given people the dignity that society wants and which is in accordance with the international obligations to which we have signed up. It is probably nobody's fault that Thornton Hall did not happen and the aspiration was appropriate. It would be unfair, however, not to point out that there are very good people in Mountjoy who are doing their best to rehabilitate people.