Crime and imprisonment

AN Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said recently that crime is not out of control in Ireland and that “as criminals get more vicious, the State will have to get tougher on crime”.

Mr Ahern’s Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, has, in the past few years, closed no less that three prisons: Shanganagh Castle, Fort Mitchell and the Curragh.

Can someone please enlighten me as to how these (seemingly) contradictory actions are compatible with the “zero tolerance” policy towards crime, upon which the Fianna Fáil/ PD coalition took power not so many years ago? Or am I missing something?