asked the Minister for Justice if he intends taking any action following the criticism of the head chaplain of Mountjoy Prison on 8th December, 1969, that there was an almost complete absence of research into the problems of delinquency and crime in Ireland and the hope expressed by him that the research would be tackled soon and professionally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Delinquency and Crime Research.
72.
I am informed that the remarks referred to were not intended by the head chaplain as criticism but as an explanation of the fact that, in setting up a hostel for homeless ex-prisoners, the organising committee were acting on the basis of their own impressions and experience of the situation rather than on scientifically-obtained data.
In expressing the hope that research would be tackled soon and professionally, he was expressing a personal view. There is another view, namely, that the factors causing crime and delinquency are much the same in countries of comparable social systems and that the research done in Britain and the rest of Europe need not necessarily be duplicated here.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.