asked the Minister for Justice the persons managing the prison shop in Limerick prison; if the persons involved are members of the prison service; if the profits from the shop go to the State or to the persons running the shop; if he will restore the right of prisoners at Limerick prison to have their personal requisites brought in from outside subject to security screening as heretofore, because of the greater cost to the prisoners of buying these items from the prison shop.
Written Answers. - Limerick Prison.
36.
The shop at Limerick Prison, which carries a range of items e.g. cigarettes, minerals, confectionery, coffee and toiletries is managed by a prison officer. Items other than tobacco products are sold at the price for which they have been purchased. There is a marginal mark-up on the price of tobacco products but the retail price in the prison shop is less than that normally obtaining elsewhere. Profits are channelled into a small fund operated by the governor for the benefit of offenders.
I can see no reason, particularly having regard to security considerations, why the current arrangements should be altered. In any event, any screening of goods that might be introduced to detect, for example, an attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison would be likely to be such that it would render the goods in question unfit for use.