The Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has said that the development of a new prison complex at Thornton Hall in north Dublin should proceed.
A report on the prison, which will replace the Mounjoy complex when it opens in 2011, reveals that 130 separate submissions were received following a public consultation.
Mr Ahern today published the report of Mr James Farrelly, the Rapporteur, who was appointed under section 23 of the Prisons Act, 2007 to receive submissions from the public on the building of the prison.
According to the report, many of the submissions received focused on the use of local roads by construction traffic.
Concerns were also raised about security and the impact of the prison on noise and light pollution and flora and fauna. Submissions were also received about the relocation of the Central Mental Hospital, and the building of a new Forensic Laboratory at the complex.
A significant number of submissions expressed dissatisfaction with the level of public consultation over the development while several others questioned the propriety and the manner in which the Thornton site was purchased and its adherence to public procurement procedures.
While many submissions were sent by local residents and businesses, prisoner support groups also expressed concern over the proposed development with some questioning the effectiveness of the construction of such a large-scale prison.
Ex-prisoners said that the remoteness of the site might hinder their opportunity for participation in work schemes and other rehabilitative programmes. Doubt was also raised as to whether the increased security of the site will have any affect on drugs entering the prison.
However, Minister Ahern roundly rejected criticisms of the new prison today and a bill to approve the prject will now go before the Dáiland Seanad.
Mr Ahern said that one of the main objectives of the development is to radically improve the accommodation and facilities for prisoners which will only be possible by the move from Mountjoy to the much larger site at Thornton Hall.
He said that while it is recognised that access will be more inconvenient for some visitors, particularly those dependent on public transport, he said the new site will be more accessible than Mountjoy for visitors from certain areas of Dublin and added that a dedicated bus service would also be available.
"We must strive to deal with the criticisms of some of our current prisons by national and international experts by providing modern and humane prison accommodation that includes a wide range of facilities and regimes that will best aid rehabilitation and re-integration of offenders while at the same time taking on board, as far as practicable, the views of local communities," said Minister Ahern.
Responding to local residents fears over their personal safety, the Minister said that a new Garda station will be established at Thornton Hall to provide an additional Garda presence in the locality.
