McDowell hits back with vow to end prison pay ‘scandal’
Having obtained Cabinet approval for his contingency plan to close prisons and privatise prison escorts to slash the 64 million overtime bill, the minister last night launched a furious attack on officers, saying they had “cannibalised” the overtime system in an immoral and indefensible manner.
Acknowledging that the dispute was becoming increasingly confrontational, he said his decision to close and privatise prisons had been taken in response to the persistent refusal of prison officers to seriously engage with his proposals to introduce annualised hours.
Under the cutback proposals, which come into effect on January 1, Spike Island and the Curragh will be mothballed and the running of two other prisons, Loughan House and Shelton Abbey, will be transferred to the private sectors. In addition, the prisoner escort service will also be privatised. Mr McDowell said that these changes would remain until agreement was reached on annualised hours.
Adopting a tough line, Mr McDowell said: “The taxpayer expects me to end this scandal, and end it I will. If the prison officers choose to go down the road of confrontation, they must understand that I am making my preparations for the brave new world that they are choosing.”
The minister’s bullish comments provoked an angry reaction from the Prison Officers’ Association (POA). Describing his statements as provocative and irrational, a senior member of the POA confirmed that its executive was to hold an emergency meeting to work out its response.
Deputy general secretary Eugene Dennehy rejected the minister’s claim that the POA had asked for a “massive pay increase” as totally untrue.
The closure of Spike Island and the Curragh will lead to the transfer of nearly 200 prisoners, including almost 100 younger prisoners and some 90 sex offenders.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust accused Mr McDowell of creating a problem in order to draft in his own privatisation plans. “We believe that the minister is manufacturing a crisis in order to push through these plans,” said IPRT executive director Rick Lines.
“The minister is making decisions solely to defeat the POA on the overtime issue.”
Mr McDowell has drawn up contingency plans in the event of a strike which will involve gardaí and the army. Michael Kirby, Garda Representative Association president, said its executive would want to see specific details. Gardaí are lawfully obliged to obey orders.
Gerry Rooney, of PDFORRA, said: “Normally we are called in to provide an emergency service. We would not be happy seeing Defence Forces members becoming embroiled in an industrial dispute.”
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