Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 4

Written Answers. - Public Private Partnerships.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

320 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has a public private partnership section; the number of staff allocated to this section; the specific projects being dealt with by this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26904/00]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I can inform the Deputy that there is no designated division in my Department that deals exclusively with public private partnership projects.

However, the Deputy may be interested to know that the Midlands Prison at Portlaoise, which was completed and inaugurated on 9 November, was developed on a public private partnership basis.

The prisons planning section and the Office of Public Works were primarily responsible for developing the overall concept and outline designs for the project, and liaised with specialist co-ordinators within the Prisons Service.

In relation to possible further such projects, I can inform the Deputy that my Department has received expressions of interest from private investors which could in certain circumstances fall within the remit of the public private partnerships.

I can also inform the Deputy that a Government decision on 28 March 2000 provides that the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers on a permanent basis should be on the basis of a public private partnership. Discussions are ongoing between officials of my Department and the Office of Public Works in relation to finalising the arrangement for this.