O'DONOGHUE OPENS CASTLEREA PRISON

The Minister for Justice has officially opened the State's newest
low-security prison, where inmates will have their own door keys and be able
to earn up to #50 for carrying out work in the complex.

Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon, will house up to 152 prisoners, many of whom
will probably come from the west. It will have an education unit for young
offenders, run by the Probation and Welfare Service and provide
accommodation for a small number of prisoners, again from the west, who are
on remand awaiting trial on more serious charges.

Mr O'Donoghue described the new prison as the "corner stone which marks a
new beginning in terms of the efficient and humane operation of the prison
system".

He pointed out the State's prison strategy involved a building budget of #52
million this year and a commitment to increase prison accommodation from
around 2,200 place to 3,300 places.

Castlerea Prison has actually been in use since December 1996, when 25
inmates were transferred there from Mountjoy and other prisons. The
principle aim of moving low-risk prisoners there is to allow them to serve
out their sentences in what is hoped will be a drugs-free environment. The
first batch of prisoners included a number of farmers and a vet convicted of
handling illegal growth promoters.

The prisoners are kept in two refurbished wings of a former asylum and a
number of newly built bungalows. There are no traditional cell blocks and
only one isolation cell for use as punishment.

Prisoners have keys to their own rooms and front doors of the bungalows or
blocks. The complex is set in 25 acres.

Prisoners can work in the complex, cooking or cleaning, and earn up to #50 a
week, which they can spend on goods inside the prison.

"We believe that the fruits of our unprecedented economic success should be
distributed equitably and not just confined to the leafy lanes of Dublin 4.
The Castlerea's of this country also need the Tiger to stalk in their
neighbourhoods."

Mr O'Donoghue said as well as providing more prison places the Government
continued to examine the other aspects of the criminal justice system -
including new management structures and legislation to permit improved
administration and enforcement of the law.

He said the Government would examine and explore "non-custodial sentencing
options". The whole Government policy of massively expanding the prison
system has been criticised by figures within the Probation and Welfare
Service, who point out that out of a total prisons' budget of #182 million
only #16 million is allocated to the probation service, which is supposed to
manage 5,500 offenders in the community.

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"