Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Open prison sale must be used for housing

Sinn Féin representative for Dún Laoghaire, Michael O'Brien, has called on Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council to buy Shanganagh Open Prison and the surrounding land if the government pushes ahead with its plan to sell the prison as part of the cost cutting measures.

"The rumoured sale of this prison as part of the government's costing cutting measures provides Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council with the ideal opportunity to avail of a massive land bank within the Council area on which to build much needed social housing," said O'Brien. "Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council has an appalling record to date in providing for the housing needs of people living in the area. Their lack of action in forcing developers to build a percentage of social housing in their developments has only compounded the problem.

"If the government sell Shanganagh Castle Prison it must be used to ease the massive housing lists in the Council area and not be passed on to speculators who will only exacerbate an already impossible situation by forcing house prices even higher."