Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will meet with a group (details supplied) urgently to afford it the opportunity of discussing its concerns at the selection of the site at Thornton Hall. [13810/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am advised that the group referred to by the Deputy declined the offer of an early meeting with the director general of the Irish Prison Service after the decision to relocate Mountjoy Prison to the site at Thornton Hall was announced. Officials from the Irish Prison Service did, however, meet with a group of representatives from the local school. All the relevant information about the Government decision has since been put in the public domain and has been made available to the group.

I understand that a person associated with a local residents' association has secured leave from the High Court for judicial review of the decision to select the site. In the light of this legal action, it would be inappropriate for me or the Irish Prison Service to have a meeting with the group at this point.