asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the number of (a) warders and officials, and (b) prisoners, in Portlaoighise prison.

The required information is as follows: (a) 52; (b) 76.

asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the punishment meted to prisoners in Portlaoighise prison for the infringement of rules is out of all proportion to the nature of such infringements, and, if so, if he will make a statement in the matter.

No punishment was imposed upon any prisoner in Portlaoighise prison during the period of 12 months ended the 31st March last for a mere infringement of rules. All prisoners punished were guilty of serious misconduct such as violence to officers, using threatening and obscene language, refusing to carry out orders and refusing to work. The offenders in the majority of cases were punished by being deprived of privileges, such as recreation and smoking, for short periods.

Is the Minister aware that it has been reported from Portlaoighise that a prisoner was given bread and water for one week for wearing an extra waistcoat on a cold morning? Could that be possible, or did it happen?

I have no information about that. The only point I would mention is that there is a visiting committee which will receive any complaints from prisoners. One prisoner did attack a warder and another created a disturbance at Mass.

No mention of the waistcoat incident?

asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider abolishing the present regulation whereby prisoners in Portlaoighise are compelled to do hard manual labour for some time in the early morning before receiving any food.

The tasks which the prisoners are required to perform before breakfast are such as are similarly performed in most farms and homesteads. There is no such thing as hard manual labour in prisons nowadays and certainly none before breakfast.