Prison visits net politicians €3,600 extra a year

MORE than 60 Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats officials have been appointed to lucrative positions on prison visiting committees, it has emerged.

Members are on average clocking up expenses of €3,600 each, or €650,000 in total, as the majority live more than 100 miles away from the prisons they inspect.

The appointment of a new Inspector of Prisons, who has taken over many of the committee's functions, has sparked calls for the committees to be scrapped.