Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1992

Vol. 424 No. 8

Written Answers. - Prison System.

Vincent Brady

Ceist:

127 Mr. V. Brady asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of the escalating rise in crime and the many statements made by various courts regarding lack of prison accommodation, he has given consideration to the provision of additional low-cost prison accommodation in an isolated part of the State.

Vincent Brady

Ceist:

130 Mr. V. Brady asked the Minister for Justice the total cost of the prison services and the cost per prisoner; and if there are any plans to develop the present prison system to increase accommodation.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Flynn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 130 together.

The current estimated annual cost of the operation of the prison system is £80 million, on the basis of projected expenditure for the year. This corresponds to an estimated weekly cost of £700 per prisoner. These figures do not include any element in respect of capital expenditure. They are arrived at by taking gross projected expenditure for the Prisons Vote, deducting Appropriations-in-Aid and expenditure not connected with the running of the prisons (Probation and Welfare Service and Community Service Orders' Scheme) and adding relevant costs borne on other votes (Superannuation and Teachers' Salaries).

As I have indicated already to the House, I am at present carrying out a review of the prison system with a view to deciding on a policy for the future. It may very well be that as a consequence of this review an increase in the number of prison spaces will be indicated. Given the huge cost of providing and operating prisons, however, other options will have to be considered first including greater reliance on community-based sanctions and, perhaps, the more judicious use of the spaces which are already available. Even if it were decided to provide additional prison spaces I am not convinced that locating them in an isolated part of the country would have any advantages. It would still cost a minimum of £100,000 per place to build a new prison and the operating costs, which are about £36,000 per place at present, would most likely be higher in such a location.