asked the Minister for Justice the form of central heating which is now proposed to be used at Wheatfield women's prison and Wheatfield detention centre; if this was part of the original plan; if not, the reason the original decision has been changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Prison Heating Systems.
685.
Limerick East): The heating system both for the place of detention and the prison of Wheatfield is to be a hot water system based on peat-fired steam boilers with provision for an alternative fuel for contingencies. I am informed that, because of the urgency attaching to the need to get construction started and to expedite the completion of the entire project, the initial contract for perimetering, site preparation and servicing was placed before the heating system was planned in detail, but that no decision in favour of a system other than peat was made at any stage.
686.
asked the Minister for Justice the average monthly cost of providing central heating in Mountjoy prison using turf fuel, including staff requirements; if his Department have estimated the likely monthly cost of providing central heating under gas fuel; if he is satisfied that it is desirable to change from turf to gas, both in cost terms and also taking into account the indirect job loss implications; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Limerick East): It would not be possible without breaching the confidentiality attached to contractual information to give details of the cost of turf or the boilers at Mountjoy prison. It may however be taken that, especially because of the high amount of manual work involved in the use of turf in the conditions obtaining in Mountjoy, the savings involved in the change to natural gas will be substantial. Staff engaged in work in connection with the boilers will be redeployed and as there is substantial overtime work in the prisons this will not, even indirectly, have led to any job loss.