asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of any ill-treatment or discrimination being practised against certain prisoners in Mountjoy and Portlaoise jails; and, if so, if he will order an investigation into any such allegations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Treatment of Prisoners.
54.
I assume that the question arises from newspaper reports of a statement attributed to a man described as a spokesman for an illegal organisation.
If so, I would point out that there is no allegation that the prisoners in question are being discriminated against. The complaint is that they are not being given all kinds of special privileges.
I have already publicly stated, more than once, that we have a problem of overcrowding in the prisons and that conditions are not as good as I would wish. This applies to all prisoners. Remedial action is being taken on a number of fronts. This includes the opening of a new prison in Cork and the purchase of St. Augustine's, Blacklion, County Cavan, but, although the first group of prisoners is being transferred to Cork today, the benefits of these measures will not begin to be apparent for a few months.