asked the Minister for Justice if Cork Prison will be a committal prison when it has been completed; if so, (a) the number of remand prisoners who will be placed there; (b) its total prisoner capacity; (c) if there will be an increase in staff from the present complement of 68; and (d) if there will be a security area for troublesome prisoners.
Written Answers. - Cork Prison.
743.
The present intention is to use Cork prison as a committal prison when modernisation work on the north wing is completed later in the year. There will be about 80 cells whose normal use would be for one prisoner at a time and about ten larger cells. The precise number of remand prisoners will vary but it is thought that about 20 at a time would be a typical number. Staff numbers are kept under constant review and the increased number of prisoners in Cork will be taken into account in that regard. I hope that it will not be necessary to have a special area in the prison reserved for difficult prisoners but that is a matter that will be kept under review also.
744.
asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the delay in completing the reconstruction of Cork Prison as construction of the Regional Hospital, Dental Hospital and two Fire Stations which commenced subsequently has been completed.
Work on Cork Prison, which commenced in 1972, has involved the conversion of an old and scarcely serviced military detention cell-block, unsuited to present day requirements, to secure, serviced, modern custodial accommodation for about 100 civilian prisoners.
A whole new range of equipped buildings for administration, visiting, catering, health, education, work-training and recreation, as well as perimetering and engineering services, had also to be provided, to enable the new prison to function appropriately.
Furthermore, while all this work was in progress, circumstances made it necessary to keep the prison in operation and the safe custody of prisoners there had to be maintained.
Work is likely to be completed this year. Other construction projects, where operational custody and security are not factors and where the structural and engineering levels essential to reliable custody do not apply, are not really valid comparisons.
Contracts for major works such as the reconstruction of a prison are arranged by the Office of Public Works and I am not in a position to say how long any such work ought to take. Down the years my Department has been urging that the work be completed at the earliest possible date.
Question No. 745 postponed.