Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 689: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 13 of 22 September 2009, the breakdown of the maintenance costs including landscaping maintenance; the income generated from lettings of the property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33273/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The site for the new prison development at Thornton Hall, Kilsallaghan, County Dublin was acquired in October 2005. Subsequently the Council voted that the house known as "Thornton Hall" should be added to the record of protected structures in its administrative area. In the intervening period essential repair work has been undertaken, when necessary, in order to maintain and to protect the property. The cost of this work amounts to approximately €27,000. The work was undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 in relation to protected structures and was carried out under the supervision of a conservation architect.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Irish Prison Service undertook a major boundary planting scheme at Thornton which involved planting over 25,000 trees and shrubs along the boundary of the 150 acre site to a depth of 10 metres. The cost of boundary planting scheme and the maintenance of the planted zone including weed control is approximately €440,000. Approximately €30,000 of this sum relates to maintenance of the planted zone.

It should also be noted in this context that when granting development consent for the prison project at Thornton, the Oireachtas decided that the planted zone should be widened at certain areas across the site as part of a number of measures to mitigate the visual and aural impact of the development. I expect that the additional planting work will get underway later this year. The property is not leased and, therefore, no income is generated from it.