asked the Minister for Justice to state how much he estimates will be the reduction in the former cost of £11 5s. per head per annum for victualling of prisoners in Saorstát prisons affected by the recent changes in prisoners' diet; and further, to ask the Minister whether it is a fact that by the recent change of diet (a) for breakfast, margarine has been substituted for butter, the ration of gruel has been reduced from one pint to half a pint, and prisoners are deprived of a ration of half a pint of milk; and (b) at supper prisoners have been deprived of half a pint of milk and a ration of butter, for which margaine has been substituted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Victualling in Prisons.
It is estimated that the recent alterations in the prison dietary scales will affect a reduction of approximately £1 10s. in the annual cost per head of victualling of prisoners. Margarine has been substituted for butter except for prisoners on hospital diet. The ration of stirabout and milk included in the breakfast for convicts has been reduced to half a pint. The new breakfast diet for convicts consists of 8 ounces of bread, 1 pint of tea, ¾oz. of margarine, ½ pint of stirabout and milk. The new supper diet, which formerly included ½ pint of milk, now consists of 1 pint of tea or coffee, 8 ounces of bread, ¾oz. of margarine.
Does the Minister not consider it inhuman treatment to reduce the ration of milk in particular and to substitute margarine for butter in the case of people living under conditions such as these people live under?
I do not consider it inhuman treatment to substitute margarine for butter. I am afraid there are a great number of human beings, not inside prisons, who have to eat margarine.
When the Minister compares the extravagant staff and the mean treatment given to the prisoners does he not think it time to change the system, to reduce the staff in the prisons and to leave the diet as it was?
There is no extravagance in staff and the prisoners are amply and properly fed, better fed than people in most institutions in this State.