Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is satisfied regarding the capacity of the preferred bidder to deliver the Thornton Hall prison project; the progress made on the project since the enactment of the Prison Development (Confirmation of Regulations) Act, 2008; the estimated date for the commencement and the completion of the project; the estimated cost of the project, including the cost of acquiring the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14273/09]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of the superprison project at Thornton Hall. [14194/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 126 together.

The Thornton Hall Prison development is not a superprison. It is a complex Public Private Partnership project which involves the construction of more than 30 buildings, including 8 prison facilities on the site, a major internal road network, extensive perimeter security and a vast array of security systems over a range of security and regime operational models.

I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that negotiations with the preferred bidder are currently at an advanced stage. These negotiations are focussed on progressing financial, technical and legal aspects of the project. They encapsulate the continuation of the design development and negotiations to enable the Irish Prison Service to contract with the PPP Company and commence construction of the prison facilities. While, as stated, negotiations on the contract are at an advanced stage they have not, however, reached the point that the Project Agreement can be signed. Construction will commence after contract award and should take no more than 3 years. This timeframe is subject, of course, to the successful completion of the contract negotiations. I can say, however, that if the current contract negotiations are not successfully concluded there are other options which can still be considered.

Pressures on the international financial markets have the potential to impact on all major capital projects, including the Thornton Hall PPP project. It is the responsibility of the commercial consortium, under the PPP process, to arrange the funding and other resources to deliver the project. The Irish Prison Service is being advised by the National Development Finance Agency in relation to trends and developments in this area.

The cost of the acquisition of the site for the prison development was €29.9 million. The cost of the site was largely offset by the sale of the prison lands at Shanganagh, County Dublin. An additional 8.7 acres has also been acquired to provide a dedicated access road to the main prison site. This was done following representations from the local community which reflected concern in relation to the effect of increased traffic generated by the prison development. The cost of the additional land was €1.3 million.

A total of €10.3 million has been expended to end March 2009 on professional fees and preliminary site works including surveys, landscaping, security, site preparation and maintenance of the property. As is the case in all major infrastructural projects, comprehensive geological, engineering and archaeological surveys were conducted at the site.