asked the Minister for Justice the reasons for the decision to change the siting of the women's prison and juvenile detention centre from Kilbarrack to Clondalkin, if he consulted with (i) Dublin County Council, who had this site zoned as an open square area (ii) the Clondalkin Community Council, who have carried out so much voluntary work in the area, or (iii) with any of the public representatives of the area before making his decision.
Written Answers. - Women's Prison Site.
320.
The Kilbarrack site is only six acres in area and it was acquired in 1972 for the purpose of building only one small institution, that is, a new women's prison. For reasons of economy the last administration did not proceed with the planned development.
Having considered the matter upon taking office, I was impressed by the argument that some at least of the sixacre site in Kilbarrack ought to be made available as a recreation area for local people.
As it happened, the need for a further site in or near Dublin to accommodate a new place of detention for juveniles had been evident for some time. The 35-acre site at Wheatfield, Clondalkin, has ample room for a women's prison and a place of detention for juveniles.
The proposed institutions are needed to replace very old and unsuitable ones. They are best located close to Dublin.
In November 1979, the Office of Public Works, in accordance with the provisions of section 84 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, furnished information on the proposed new women's prison and place of detention for juveniles to Dublin County Council for their observations. I did not consult with any public representative for the area before making the decision. On an issue of this kind I regard it as unrealistic not to recognise that local public representatives are expected to represent local interests and, if asked, they could not be expected to do anything other than express opposition to the establishment of a prison or other place of detention in their area.
The problem is similar to that which arises in relation, for example, to the settlement of itinerants. A fairly common reaction is to recognise that certain facilities have to be made available but to feel that they ought to be located somewhere else. In fact, a modern prison with low buildings and otherwise properly planned would do no environmental damage either in the visual sense or otherwise but people living fairly close to the site are understandably likely to continue to fear that it would. The Wheatfield site is, in fact, well distanced from residential development. Everything possible will be done to supply information to local representative groups who express an interest in the matter and I hope that in this way any fears will be allayed and ultimately removed altogether. The same, of course, applies to local public representatives.
The Wheatfield lands are not zoned as an open square area. They are zoned for institutional/educational purposes. The site is two miles away from Clondalkin village and it adjoins the public road leading from Clondalkin to Palmerstown. It also adjoins the grounds of Cherry Orchard hospital and an itinerant settlement.