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.
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5Surely a chap has the right to make an honest buck from sweated labour .... seems like an excellent investment opportunity to me ... could easily prove to be as profitable as Eir-con if the idea catches on .....
Spot on as usual Sir Anthony .... tell it to them like it is .... time to put those malingerers and ne'er-do-wells in the Joy to some useful work .... should help to straighten them out .....
Private Eye had a piece on how private companies were sponsering fringe meetings at the Labour Party Conference. Someone posted on indymedia UK about this here:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/09/277733.html
Just to give a few examples from this:
fringe party meetings of Foreign Policy Centre (patron Tony Blair) are sponsored by Nestle.
the Mobile Operators Association sponsor a meeting where environmentminister Alun Michael will be talking about how planning decisions can be speeded up. they are a lobby group keen to get mobile phone masts installed against local opposition.
Health minister Rosie Winterton will be "taking the pulse of the NHS"at a meeting sponsored by BUPA. Superdrug are sponsoring a private breakfast seminar promising senior government individuals by invitation only to discuss "democratising health".
voice your objections on Thursday morning when Charlie McCreevy opens a major conference on Public Private Partnerships. Also in attendance will be PricewaterhouseCoopers, Goodbody stockbrokers, National Treasury Mgt. Agency and the European Investment Bank.
- Details from Public Affairs Ireland
pai@eircom.net
I can't make it to your protest. I see nothing objectionable in these plans.
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