Prisoner's keep costs more than Minister's salary

Keeping a prisoner in Portlaoise prison is now costing more than a ministerial salary, Labour's justice spokesman Brendan Howlin told the Dáil.

Mr Howlin said the annual cost, €240,700, was funded by the taxpayer, with no cost-benefit analysis of the expenditure.

"Is value for money achieved by locking people up for non-payment of fines, particularly when they have lost their liberty? How can the State justify imprisoning a person in Mountjoy at a cost in excess of €100,000 for the non-payment of a few hundred euro in fines?"

Mr Howlin said offences such as fine-defaulting clogged up more than half of prison places because of the failure to ensure people who owed a few hundred or thousand euro did not end up in jail.

He was speaking during the debate on the Prisons Bill 2006, introduced by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell. The Bill, the Minister said, provided for the video-conferencing of certain non-trial court hearings; the placing of the Office of the Inspector of Prisons on a statutory footing; planning provisions for major prison developments; and the closure of Mountjoy.

Other provisions included mandatory drug testing and the possibility of outsourcing prisoner escort services.

Fine Gael spokesman Jim O'Keeffe said people could not understand how prisoners got drugs while locked up in prison.

When Mr O'Keeffe referred to an individual case, Mr McDowell said the prisoner in question had picked up the hash on the exercise ground of the prison, which showed exactly why they could not have a prison exercise ground within catapult distance of busy streets.

Mr O'Keeffe said the inmate had referred to taking a few "yellows" and smoking a few "Js" while listening to Bob Marley. "It is a normal activity in that prison, but the Minister is telling us that he will end drug-taking in prisons." Mr McDowell said it illustrated why moving Mountjoy to Thornton Hall was necessary.

Dr Jerry Cowley (Independent, Mayo) said the effect of alcohol and drugs should be considered. "Alcohol is, of course, the most common drug of abuse." Ireland, said Dr Cowley, had a major alcohol abuse problem.

"For example, Guinness sponsors the All-Ireland hurling final, Heineken and Amstel sponsor the European Rugby Cup and the Uefa Champions League, respectively, and the biggest cheer when the Ryder Cup was held at the K Club, occurred when Darren Clarke drank a pint of Guinness."

Visiting the District Court, one would come across cases involving drink-driving, assault and many other crimes performed under the influence of alcohol.

"Sadly, the events of such cases are detailed and catalogued to serve as light entertainment in many local newspapers, but for many of those involved they represent personal tragedies."

Dr Cowley said many sexual assaults, including those perpetrated against children, occurred under the influence of alcohol.

"Many incidents of domestic violence also involve alcohol. If members doubt this to be the case, and if they can find one, they should visit an emergency refuge centre for women.

"Alcohol is an influence in many murders, manslaughters and rape cases that come before the courts. Of the male prisoners convicted of homicide in British prisons, 38 per cent were described as being drunk at the time of the crime. This compares to 14 per cent who indicated that they were using illegal drugs when they committed murder."