7th February 2007
223. Ms Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount spent since 26 January 2004 on the site at Thornton Hall including expenditure on surveys, tree planting, archaeology and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4414/07]224. Ms Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of contracts for work that have been signed for work to be done at the Thornton site; the number of these projects that have not been completed; the cost of the contracts that have not been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4415/07]
Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together.
A total of nine contracts have been put in place for the work on Thornton Hall site. Six of these are complete and three are ongoing. These are the landscape planting contract, the team of consultants appointed to oversee all of the planning of the preliminary works and the site security services. A total of €2.7m has been expended to date on works at or related to the Thornton Hall site including surveys, tree planting, archaeology, etc.
The Deputy will be aware that in addition to the above, work on the selection of a consortium to finance, design, build and maintain a new prison facility at Thornton is at an advanced stage. As is the case in all major infrastructural projects, comprehensive geological/ archaeological surveys were conducted at the site. I am glad to inform the Deputy that, in accordance with assurances I have previously given the House, there are no recorded national monuments on the site. In addition, the comprehensive survey undertaken did not reveal any archaeological impediment to the proposed development.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.