A number of relations of the landowner who sold his 150-acre farm for the new prison site in north Dublin have properties adjoining the proposed prison location.
The Independent senator, Mr Joe O'Toole, is a brother-in-law of Mr Richard Lynam.
Mr O'Toole is married to one of Mr Lynam's sisters and lives beside Mr Lynam's sister, brother, and niece. The back garden of each house backs on to the former Lynam farm. Mr O'Toole's house will be surrounded by the new prison site on three sides.
None has made any financial gain from the sale, and all were informed of it on Wednesday morning after the contract of sale was signed, and just before it became public.
The Lynam family are well liked and respected members of the community and have lived in the area for 60 years.
Yesterday Mr O'Toole said that, while he did not like the fact that a prison would be "in my back garden", he was reluctantly prepared to accept it. He has already received assurances from the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, that the prison buildings will be screened off.
"As for people like me, the decision is should I stay or should I go, and personally I want to stay," Mr O'Toole said.
He would be collecting as much information as he could before making a final decision on whether to support the prison.
He said he believed that the Prison Service was obliged to consult the general public before finalising its plans.