Crazy' overtime bill may force jails to close

MOUNTJOY governor John Lonergan has described the prison overtime bill as "absolutely crazy"..

The head of the country's largest jail said prison officers have become used to big cars, big houses and foreign holidays, but added that the good times must end.

Prison officers yesterday said they had proposed an alternative offer to management, which they said would save up to 30 million a year.

But Mr Lonergan said the "chickens have come home to roost" for officers.

"All of our money over the past three years has been diverted from buildings and progressive works, like education, training programmes, to plough 60m into paying overtime," he said.

"People are working wicked hours, 90 and 100 hours a week. Now they have gotten used to that standard of living and have big houses, big mortgages, big cars and foreign holidays. To go back on a basic wage with 100 or 200 of an allowance is going to be a significant drop in living standards."

Official Figures show the average prison officer is earning 19,000 annually in overtime, with the top earner taking in almost 80,000. The overtime bill was just over 59m in 2002. By the end of this year, it is expected to reach 64m.

Mr Lonergan said major reform was needed: "What will probably happen initially is that the Government will close down places like Spike Island, the Curragh and maybe Loughan House "But the problem won't be resolved on that issue. The minister may look at escorts after that. But even if he doesn't, if staff levels are not reduced, the costs are going to keep going up," he said.

Eugene Dennehy, deputy general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said officers were compelled by management to work overtime. He said 99% of prison officers rejected the offer, not knowing when they would be expected to work their compulsory 360 hours overtime a year.

Mr Dennehy said the POA had sent a proposal to the Prison Service, which could save the system between 25m-30m a year.

These proposals include:

Setting up of a national Prison Service Escort Corps Special vans with individual cells to transport more prisoners, using less staff.

Eliminate officers accompanying a prisoner in the court.

Eliminate at least 70 of the 85 or so manually-operated gates Rationalise stores section, saving 3m, and streamline maintenance arrangements in prison. The 10-day deadline set by the minister of justice after the POA rejected the offer expires on Sunday.