Prison officers plan strikes over pay-cuts

PRISON officers are drawing up plans for a series of wildcat strikes if Justice Minister Michael McDowell cuts their €60m overtime bill.

Mr McDowell has given officers three months to agree a new deal, but warned that he will force through his own conditions if they fail to do so.

Prison officers earn, on average, more than €19,000 overtime per year, much more than any other public sector group.

Much of the overtime is compulsory, with some officers working up to 70 hours a week.

The Justice Minister was addressing the annual conference of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) in Galway yesterday. But as he took the stand, the majority of delegates walked out in protest, angry that they had read details of Mr McDowell's plans in yesterday's Irish Examiner. They accused the Minister of leaking details to this paper.

But Mr McDowell denied this, insisting he had announced the plan at a public meeting.

Addressing an almost-empty conference hall, he said a framework document next week will include proposals to eliminate overtime by introducing set annual hours, the payment of a lump sum and new rosters.

"By the beginning of September, I have to be in a position to implement what we have agreed or, if no agreement is reached, to act by myself," he said. "By then, the money to maintain the status quo will not be there."

Prison offers said it would be impossible to agree a package in time. At present staffing levels, the figures suggested do not add up, the POA said.

Gabriel Keaveny, POA president, said it was up to the Government to find the money to fund prisons.

"Prison officers are paid for the work they do. If the Department has difficulty finding the money, this is an issue for you, Minister not an issue to be dumped on prison officers."

Although the majority of officers want to cut down on overtime the POA believes set hours will not work.