Vol. 473 No. 6
236 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice the current position regarding the new Curragh Prison, County Kildare; if she took possession of the new prison on 25 November 1996; the difficulty, if any, with the proposed use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1989/97]
The Curragh prison/place of detention was taken over by my Department on 25 November 1996. There are currently 35 prisoners accommodated there and this number is due to increase to the maximum capacity of 68 on a phased basis over the coming months. Apart from some teething troubles, which are to be expected in the early days of any new institution, I am not aware of any major difficulty arising from the operation of the institution at present. On the contrary, reports to date indicate that the refurbished accommodation is proving most successful for prisoners and the staff working there.
