No places available in prisons

All of Ireland’s prisons are currently full but 400 new places will be made available by mid-2009, it was claimed today.

However Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he also wanted to focus more in future on other non-custodial sanctions such as youth diversion projects and electronic tagging.

The TD today launched the state’s first White Paper on Crime which he said would devise a long-term strategy that would consult with ordinary people as well as criminologists and social scientists.

The blueprint, which is due to be completed in 2011, will focus on law enforcement, crime prevention, early intervention measures, changing technologies, social trends and the role of victims and witnesses.

“We are in a situation where our prisons are full because of more gardaí, more judges, more courts,” Mr Ahern said.

“We do have a low level of prison population in this society so maybe it’s not just a matter of building more prisons and maybe its a matter of looking to other ways for offenders to pay their debt to society.”

He added: “However we have a duty to provide prison places. Over the next six months there will be about 400 new prison places in three different prisons.”

The proposed Thornton Hall super prison in north Co Dublin is at an advanced stage of the tender process and Mr Ahern said he wanted this progressed as soon as possible.

The minister also wants to expand community development and youth diversion projects across the country.

Ireland is currently advising other European countries on restorative justice schemes as well as measures such as electronic tagging and mobile phone blocking, according to the TD.

“In developing this the White Paper, I want the input of communities and ordinary people as well as criminologists and social scientists, and those at the frontline in the fight against crime.”

In coming months the Justice Department will be rolling out legislation banning handguns, creating new surveillance powers, establishing a DNA database and more measures to recognise and protect victims of crime.

“I don’t want to produce a sterile document of technical or specialist interest only. The value of this project will stand or fall on how it contributes to improved public safety,” added Mr Ahern of the White Paper.