Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has announced a shortlist of four companies which will compete for the contract to build the proposed Thornton Hall prison in north Dublin.
The four firms shortlisted are BAM - Serco - Sisk; Michael McNamara & Co/Barclays Private Equity Consortium; Sacyr/Somague/Testa/Bowen/Vector; and Themis (Babcock & Brown/Laing O'Rourke).
The selected candidates will be requested to submit tenders for the project in the near future.
It is intended that a contract for the construction of the prison will be awarded by next March, with construction on target to commence on site in April, 2007.
The new prison, intended to replace Mountjoy Prison, will house some 1,100 inmates and will also have its own courthouse in addition to educational, work training and life skills, and medical and therapeutic facilities.
Those tendering for the new prison will design, build, finance and maintain the new facility. The maintenance contract will run for up to 35 years.