McDowell hits back with vow to end prison pay ‘scandal’

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell last night dramatically ratcheted up the bitter confrontation with prison officers regarding overtime pay.

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.