The first step toward prison privatisation?

dublin | miscellaneous | news report Sunday September 28, 2003 15:11 by random input

"Michael McDowell, will this week seek government approval to close Dublin's Mountjoy Prison and sell the site for up to €60 million.

He plans to use some of the proceeds from the sale to build a new jail close to the M50.

McDowell will outline his proposals to the cabinet on Tuesday...."

The really important bit...

"Prison management sources said the projected cost of the new jail was €45 million, and said it could be built under a public-private partnership."

There's PPP again.

Anyway the full story can be read at the link below. It would be good to hear from anyone who works in the prison service about their views on this.

Also, I'm not an expert on the major roads in Ireland, so where is the M50? is that the road up to belfast? Will moving the prison out there mean it is harder for a) families to access and b) protests like that on Monday to take place?

It definatley means that someone will make a mint on the current site.

Its obvious that Mountjoy needs an overhaul, but I don't think this is the way to do it. Especially not if the private sector begin running things.