Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1988

Vol. 377 No. 9

Written Answers. - Mountjoy Prison Perimeter Wall.

79.

asked the Minister for Justice if the partly demolished perimeter wall of Mountjoy Prison at the rear of numbers 40-86 approximately, Glengariff Parade, Dublin 1 can be rebuilt or replaced by an effective security fence as its present condition provides ready access to the rear of the houses, many of whose residents are elderly, in view of the commitment given to do so by the authorities eight years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The high wall perimetering custodial precincts in Mountjoy is in sound structural condition and is not partly demolished or damaged in any way. The wall to which the Deputy refers seems to be a rubble masonry wall about a metre high which demarcates prison property and runs roughly parallel to and about 12 metres outside the perimeter. In the intervening space there is a surfaced private road along the perimeter and a grass verge along the low wall. Apart from facilitating maintenance of the perimeter and of the lighting, this private roadway is availed of for staff car parking.

The side walls to the back-yards of the Glengariff Parade houses abut this low wall and with passage of many decades extensions to the houses, sheds and so forth, have been built by occupants against and upon the wall. It has been damaged, particularly at coping level, over the years by trespass across the wall into the area between it and the prison perimeter and by the effect of access being taken by occupants in over the wall to facilitate work being done to the houses. Damage is not always properly repaired or repaired at all and in some instances has eventually to be done by Prison Service trades staff.

There was correspondence with the local residents in December 1978 and discussions which, at their request, were postponed in January 1979 did not commence until 1982. These were adjourned in March 1983 to enable the residents to consider the structures which had been built against and on the wall and the consequences of this. There was no subsequent request to resume the discussions.

Erection, at public expense, of higher walls or fences on prison property along the back of the Glengariff Parade houses, not by reference to security of the prison, which is not at issue, but rather to inhibit intrusion into private houses could not properly be undertaken by my Department. As with occupiers generally, responsibility for practical precautions to ensure the safety of their houses remains with the occupiers.

Barr
Roinn