Jail site a scandalous waste of public funds

THE recent Public Accounts Committee report highlighted the inability of the Office of Public Works (OPW) to handle property deals.

Of course it’s easy to play fast and loose with someone else’s (the taxpayer’s) money, and no doubt there will be no accountability either politically or within the OPW. There now needs to be an urgent review of property deals being conducted by the OPW to ensure that this scandalous waste and incompetence is not repeated.

The purchase of Thornton Hall in north Co Dublin as a site for a replacement Mountjoy is another example of this incredible waste of money. An expert committee comprising members from the OPW, the Irish Prison Service, the Department of Justice and an outside adviser were given the task of finding a site, within 5km of the M50, ready for immediate development, with good infrastructure and public transport.