Officers to protest ‘anti-family’ prison closures

John Breslin

Spike Island and the Curragh have been permanently closed after prison officers voted against a compromise deal on overtime.

Officers based in Cork who worked on Spike Island will be hardest hit by the plan as they are likely now to be transferred to Dublin or the Midlands.

It is estimated up to 40 officers, surplus to requirements in Cork and Limerick after being transferred temporarily following last year’s mothballing of Spike Island, will be affected.

Officers’ families will be among an estimated 100 people expected at the march this afternoon.

“We are asking Minister McDowell not to proceed with this because it is a savage anti-family measure,” said Prison Officers’ Association deputy general secretary Eugene Dennehy.

Furthermore, Officers settled in Cork will be forced to move, while officers waiting for transfers back to the south and west now see no chance of it ever happening, said Mr Dennehy.

The POA is putting the final touches to fresh proposals to try the break the impasse, which are likely to be delivered to the minister later this week.

Among the proposals is to widen the annualised hours band, so that those who do not want to work extra hours every week will not be forced to do so as they will be covered by those that do. It will not cost the State an extra cent, said Mr Dennehy. Mr McDowell has said he will consider new proposals if they genuinely do not cost the State any extra.