asked the Minister for Justice when construction work on the juvenile detention centre at Cork jail will commence.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Juvenile Detention Centre.
12.
Design work on a place of custody to accommodate about 200 persons and to be located on the site of the former Rathmore House, Rathmore Road, Cork, is well advanced. Consideration is being given at present to whether it may be possible to make funds available this year to bring the design work still outstanding to completion. Actual construction work which, in all likelihood, would take about three years to complete, would be dependent on the extent to which it might be possible to make further financial resources available. It would have to be staged to correspond with the availability of financial resources for the larger capital programme for custodial accommodation, of which it is only one component.
Is the Minister aware that serious offenders are being discharged because of lack of suitable accommodation for juvenile criminals?
The needs of Cork are being seriously considered. A total of £1.6 million has been spent to date on consultants' fees and there has been a small outlay on demolition and enclosure repairs on the site for the place of detention of male juveniles in Cork.
This has been on hand for some time. Bearing in mind the importance of the detention centre and the sincerity of the Government in creating employment, especially in the building and construction industry in Cork, would the Minister of State consider that the money which was invested was worthwhile in terms of justice and creating urgently needed employment for the construction industry in Cork?
This work will be dependent on the availability of financial resources.
Is this not the nub of the problem? Is it not true that the budget of £17.6 million for capital development allocated in November 1982 was cut to £11.6 million last year by the incoming Coalition Government? Is it not also true that the amount spent last year was approximately £10.5 million and this year £11 million was allocated? This shows there is a glaring gap of £6 million in the requirements. Would the Minister of State agree that the Minister stated in this House very clearly that it is his intention to give priority to Wheatfield this year but because of the reduced amount of money and this priority there is very little prospect of a start being made on many of the other works, possibly including that in Cork?
The needs for expenditure on all custodial care will be considered in the overall context.
Would the Minister agree that this money will not be available this year?