Sir, - It appears that we are very short in this country of accommodation for persons who have to be put away, for whatever reason. It also appears that we do not have the funds available to build the required accommodation.
We must have a number of small islands around our coast which could be turned into open camps, properly secured of course, at a cost far below what it now takes to build the present structures. Every person who has to be confined is not a hardened criminal. Being confined, for most of the day, in individual cells is not going to make them better citizens when they come out.
This system also has the advantage, should further accommodation be required (I hope not), of making it possible to erect further prefabricated buildings at a very low cost compared to the normal structure.
I am sure that most persons who have to be confined suffer from boredom. This type of camp should eliminate it. - Yours etc.,
Costello,
Co. Galway.