Vol. 514 No. 3
311 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoners in Cloverhill Prison; the number of staff at the prison; the reason the prison is not fully functional; and the date on which the prison was officially opened. [4383/00]
Cloverhill prison was officially opened on 1 June 1999.
At that time, there was a list of outstanding snag works to be attended to by the contractor in line with long-standing prison building practice. In addition, peculiar to prisons building projects, there was also a process to be undertaken which involved the fitting of all lockings in the prison by the governor of works of the Prisons Service. In accordance with international practice in this respect, lockings in a prison do not form part of the construction contract and are only fitted after most of the contract staff have left the environs of a new prison.
Final commissioning of a modern prison as a working institution is a substantial and protracted undertaking. Fire safety systems, fire alarm systems, security and general electrical systems must, of necessity, meet standards far in excess of those in commercial premises such as hotels or office blocks. The safety and control systems in a modern prison must conform to a multiplicity of independent tests and must operate satisfactorily in conjunction with one another to meet both everyday and emergency needs in a fully occupied prison.
Substantial and unforeseen difficulties arose during the commissioning period and delays occurred in having them addressed by the contractors. However, I would like to assure the Deputy that the Office of Public Works, Director General of the Prisons Service and his staff have been making the most strenuous efforts to ensure the earliest possible rectification of all outstanding issues causing concern. I am being kept informed of all relevant developments on a continuous basis.
