Bishops: Parts of super-prison plans disturbing

THE Catholic Church has described as disturbing parts of the Government’s plan to build a super-prison at Thornton Hall.

After its June general meeting the Irish Bishop’s Conference criticised the decision to move Mountjoy women’s prison [the Dóchas Centre] and the Central Mental Hospital to the Thornton Hall prison site.

It said the size and location of the Dóchas Centre was ideal and the Government should be looking to reduce the number of female prisoners instead of increasing capacity of prisons to house them.