SOME weeks ago, in an effort to resolve the overtime issue in the prison service, the Prison Officers Association invested a great deal of time and money to produce a package of proposals based on productivity.

LIKE all my colleagues in the Irish Prison Service, I was aghast to hear Justice Minister Michael McDowell announce the closure of two prisons and transfer the only remaining open centres to outside agencies.

YOUR editorial headlined ‘Government losing fight against crime’ (Irish Examiner, Nov 28) hits the nail on the head when you state that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, is more concerned with cutting costs that putting extra resources into fighting crime.

ONCE again public service pay is on the table as part of a national agreement. Never before have I seen such a dreadful proposal.

THERE has been much media coverage in recent times about criminal activity in Limerick.