The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, John O'Donoghue T.D., today released a major report on the Redevelopment of Mountjoy Prison carried out by the Mountjoy Complex Redevelopment Group. The main recommendations of the Redevelopment Group are as follows:
- the complex should accommodate up to 723 prisoners (excluding the Female Prison) committed from the Courts in the Leinster area
- prisoners should be accommodated in House Units holding 8 to 12 persons rather than in the traditional cell blocks.
- the complex should contain separate induction and pre-release facilities as well as an adjoining halfway house accommodation for newly released offenders.
- the complex should assume a pivotal role in the Prisons Service drug treatment services.
- a full range of services including chaplaincy, welfare, education and vocational training for prisoners should be provided on an integrated basis within the complex.
- provision should be made for maintaining and strengthening the links between prisoners and their families. Interaction with the wider community is seen as a particularly desirable goal.
Commenting on the release of the report the Minister said "many Ministers for Justice and many Governments have presided over poor conditions at the country's largest prison complex. I am determined that in my term of office we will commence the replacement of the outmoded accommodation and facilities at this location. I am pleased to have already presided over an unprecedented investment in our prison infrastructure. An additional 1207 spaces were provided by the end of last year and a further 700 closed prison places are now being added in two phases to complete this significant prison building programme. Equally, I remain just as committed, in the case of those offenders whom the Courts deem suitable for sanctions other than custody, to facilitating the use of community supervision and sanctions. There are at present about 4600 individuals under the supervision of the Probation and Welfare Service. Since becoming Minister, the overall budget for the Probation and Welfare Service has increased by 100%, from ú12.5m in 1997 to over ú25m in 2001.
There will now follow a period of wide consultation about this report's recommendations. This will involve dialogue with community, staff and other relevant interests to ensure that the new facility represents the best possible rehabilitation resource for the prison service and the Irish Criminal Justice System". |
