Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 April 2017
45. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount provided under the capital plan for the development work in Portlaoise prison; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18825/17]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Prison Service that Portlaoise Prison is part of the Portlaoise Prison Campus, and is the only high-security prison in the State which serves as the committal prison for those sent to custody from the Special Criminal Court & accommodates prisoners linked with subversive crime. It detains prisoners that pose the greatest security risks within the Irish prison system, and those requiring the most stringent standards of internal and external security and containment. As well as prisoners requiring enhanced security for a range of reasons, it accommodates prisoners associated with the highest elements of gangland crime, as well as subversive and politically motivated criminals.
The core infrastructural modernisation requirements at Portlaoise Prison are the need to eliminate slopping out and to bring the prison’s existing infrastructure to an acceptable standard including prisoner accommodation.
The Irish Prison Service have committed capital expenditure in 2017 to Phase 1 of the Portlaoise redevelopment project & this entails a refurbishment of the outdated E Block & the Demolition of the D Wing. These projects will be tendered in the coming months.
Construction of the Portlaoise New High Security Block is currently scheduled to commence in Quarter 1 of 2019.
As these projects are subject to the tendering process it would be inappropriate for me to give an indication in relation to costs at this stage as this would be commercially sensitive information which may affect the process.
