Ahern declares support for ‘super prison’ plan

THE new Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, yesterday came out firmly in favour of the Thornton Hall prison project in north Dublin.

The “super prison”, which will house between 1,400 and 2,200 inmates, will replace the four institutions in the Mountjoy complex, two of which, the minister said, were badly overcrowded.

Mr Ahern yesterday published the report of a rapporteur, appointed by his predecessor Brian Lenihan to receive written observations and submissions on the proposed development from the public.