Parliamentary Question: Prison Service

23rd October 2003

345. Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to an issue in correspondence (details supplied); if funding will be put in place; when it will be granted; the amount that will be sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23958/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I am aware of speculation in the media and elsewhere about the possible closure of Loughan House, and, indeed, other prisons and places of detention, as part of measures to control prison costs generally. The position is that the efforts of the Prison Service to control costs in prisons are currently very much focused on reaching agreement with the Prison Officers Association on a range of measures designed to enhance the operational efficiency of prisons significantly. The Prison Officers Association is due to ballot its members on the proposals very shortly.

I must emphasise that the existing cost structure of the Prison Service is not sustainable. In the absence of agreement, the Government will decide urgently on measures which it has recently discussed to reduce costs in the service significantly. I do not believe that it would be helpful or appropriate to outline at this time the measures which will be considered by the Government if agreement cannot be reached with the Prison Officers Association by the end of this month. I very much hope that agreement can be reached very soon and that the necessary progress can be made on the basis of consensus.