Minister announces review of Thornton Hall prison project

1st April 2011

[Updated 15 April 2011]

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has anounced a review of the proposed 'super-prison' at Thornton Hall in North Dublin. IPRT has long compaigned against the bulding of a super-prison on the Thornton Hall site, and welcomes the establishment of this review.

The four person committee established to examine the need for new prison accommodation comprises:

• Brendan Murtagh - a partner in LHM Casey McGrath
• Tom Cooney - Lecturer in Law UCD and now advisor to the Minister
• Brian Purcell - Director General of the Irish Prison Service
• Catherine McGuinness – retired President of the Law Reform Commission

The review, which will be completed by the summer, will decide whether it would be more cost effective to walk away from the €45 million already spent on acquiring the Thornton Hall site and putting services into it.

Minister Shatter has described the amount of money already spent on the proposed prison as ‘scandalous'.

Read more:

• Press Release: 'Publication of the Report on Mountjoy by the Inspector of Prisons and the announcement of a review of the Thornton Hall Project by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence'
• IPRT Position Paper on Thornton Hall (June 2008)

See also:

• Newstalk FM: Thornton Hall prison may be abandoned, as Minister seeks review
• RTÉ online: 'Scandalous' amount spent on new prison
• The Irish Times: Thornton Hall plans face review
• Irish Independent: Angry Shatter orders review of 'scandalous' new prison project
• IPRT Position Paper on Thornton Hall (June 2008)
• The Irish Times: Thornton Hall project 'poorly planned' (July 2010)