Vol. 470 No. 1
104 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Justice whether her attention has been drawn to the recent comments by a District Justice that he would not sentence a convicted person to a custodial sentence on counts of burglary in view of the fact that the prisoner would be released at an early date and would only be laughing at the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18408/96]
I am aware of the comments to which the Deputy refers but what a judge says in court is clearly a matter I cannot comment upon. However, the extensive prisons building programme which I have initiated is real evidence of my commitment to eliminate the deficit in custody places. Indeed, approximately 100 of these extra spaces will become available in the next two months at the Curragh and Castlerea. Other projects which are under way at present include the main prison at Castlerea and the new remand prison at Cloverhill, Clondalkin, adjacent to Wheatfield. These two projects will provide a further 520 extra spaces.
