Prisoners set to be moved if strike starts

STAFF and inmates at two prisons earmarked for closure may be transferred within weeks as the long running and fractious overtime dispute threatens to boil over into strike action.

Spike Island in Cork and Curragh Prison in Kildare will be mothballed, and maybe re-opened in the future, while two other facilities will be removed from the management of the prison service under proposals to be discussed by the Cabinet today. Justice Minister Michael McDowell will also ask the Government to approve the privatisation of prison escorts, which eat up an estimated 25% of the overtime bill, €64m this year.

There is informed speculation Mr McDowell wants the two prisons closed and staff and inmates transferred by the start of the next financial year, which begins in just six weeks time. This is expected to be reflected in the 2004 Estimates due to be published soon.