THE building of a remand centre for persons who are refused bail will begin early next year. It is expected to cost £40 million and will be completed "as fast as humanly possible", the Minister for Justice said.

Remands in custody following the referendum to restrict the right to bail next month will, continue as at present, using existing prisons, Mrs Owen said.

She was responding at question time to the Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on justice, Ms Liz O'Donnell, who said that Ireland was in breach of its international obligation to provide such a separate centre for persons who are remanded by the courts but not convicted of any offence.

The Garda Commissioner had advised against the setting up of an organised crime unit within the Garda, the Minister told Fianna Fail justice spokesman, Mr John O'Donoghue.

Mr O'Donoghue said the fact that there had been 12 "contract killings" over the last two years underlined the need for such a unit.

The Minister said every murder was investigated. "It is not for us to say whether it was a contract murder or something else."

Mr O'Donoghue said the prison system was "in a state of chaos".

Mrs Owen said that if there was chaos in the system it was there before she became Minister. Under the plans she had announced in January and July this year, an extra 640 prison places would be provided over the next 18 months.