Government under fire after shelving prison plans

The Government is coming in for major criticism after shelving plans for the construction of a so-called "super prison" in north Co Dublin.

The controversial Thornton Hall project was designed to replace the dilapidated Mountjoy Jail and two other prisons in Dublin.

Around €40m has already been spent on purchasing the site and on consultancy fees.

However, the Prison Service and the Department of Justice say the €400m facility is not affordable in the current economic circumstances.

The Government insists it is still committed to the project, but the Opposition says it is another blatant waste of taxpayers' money like e-voting and the PPARS project in the health service.