The Irish Jesuit Centre has roundly welcomed an urgent review of plans to build a controversial, huge 'super-prison' for Faith and Justice.

It has welcomed the announcement by the new Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, of a review of the proposed super prison at Thornton Hall.

Eoin Carroll, Advocacy and Research Officer of the Jesuit Centre said following the announcement: "This is a back to the drawing board opportunity to re-imagine what our prison system should look like.

"The current Thornton Hall plans are not reflective of best international practice. The plan involves a concentration of too many prisoners on one site including women and children," he said.

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As builders again face delays in winning lucrative contracts for the huge project, the existing plan is all but shelved.

Fr Peter McVerry, of the Jesuit Centre, who regularly visits Dublin prisons, including Mountjoy, commented: "Thornton Hall is a misguided project, which should now be abandoned.

"The €250 million capital budget for prison building programmes over the coming few years would be far better used to provide in-cell sanitation in Mountjoy, tackling drug addiction and the establishment of a custodial drug treatment facility.

"Legislative provision allowing for such facilities was included in the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, but more than 30 years later has never been acted on. This money could also be used to in-cell sanitation in Mountjoy," he said.

"This review of the Thornton Hall project should be given the scope to radically rethink the approach to prison development in Ireland.

"Internationally agreed principles and standards in relation to prison, and the example of the more enlightened countries, should guide this review."

(BMcC/GK)