Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 201: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if arrangements have been made to purchase additional lands in connection with the proposed prison project at Thornton Hall; and the details of any such proposed purchase, including area and price. [14913/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Two landowners in the area have approached the Irish Prison Service to offer a corridor of land that would allow a 1.5 km private access route to the site at Thornton. While the existing access route on the R130 is perfectly acceptable, the provision of services to the site would require the existing road to be excavated to accommodate pipes etc. and then to be resurfaced.

The technical advice is that the cost of laying services and constructing a new road on the route now offered would be less costly, less disruptive and quicker than routing services under the R130. The Irish Prison Service is engaging with the preferred bidder and the landowners in question to confirm that the parties concerned will enter into contracts that would result in a more cost effective route to Thornton. As the matter has not been finalised, I am not in a position to disclose details as to price etc. at this stage.