The Minister for Justice has signed the contract for the construction of a new 400-place prison at Portlaoise, which is expected to open in August, 1999. The contract was awarded, after EU-wide tendering, to Henry O'Rourke Ltd, the company which built the new Castlerea prison.
Mr O'Donoghue said the new medium-security prison would incorporate the latest technology, such as closed-circuit television, biometric and fibre-optic technology and electronically-controlled gates. It would also have a work and training facility which would include five factory units, incorporating a bakery, laundry, timber and metal workshops.
