Decentralisation plan not feasible, say Probation Service chiefs

PROBATION Service management has written to the Department of Justice telling it that only 17 of the 100 posts earmarked for decentralisation can feasibly be transferred.

But the department has told the service that 100 of the 163 posts in Dublin must move to Navan within two years.

The union representing officers in the service said it would be “ludicrous” to move almost two thirds of Dublin-based probation staff to Co Meath.

“It would be totally impractical. How could probation officers supervising people in Dublin, say in Ballyfermot or Crumlin, do it from Navan. It’s impossible,” said Oliver Fallon, of the Probation Officers’ Branch of Impact.

Mr Fallon said the Probation Service was already decentralised, with offices throughout the State, as well as local offices in different parts of Dublin.

He said the 163 and a half staff in Dublin (the half being part-time), had to be in their area to do their job.

“We have to do reports and supervise offenders. We supervise them quite closely. We see them weekly, two-weekly, depending on the risk.

“We have to make visits to the office. We have to call to their home and check out what they’re at. How are you going to do that from Navan?”

In addition, probation officers have to spend a lot of their time in the various courts in Dublin.

“Our mileage budget would be gone in the first month, driving up and down to the courts of Dublin,” said Mr Fallon.

“Nevertheless, the department has said that 100 must move to Navan within the next two years, without any investigation into the nuts and bolts of the job.”

It’s understood that in its letter to the department, the management of the Probation Service said only 17 and a half staff could be transferred.

These would be management and administrative staff, as well as those involved in staff education.

Mr Fallon pointed out that the service had only recently opened multi-million euro offices in Donaghmede in north Dublin, boasting state-of-the-art facilities.

The dispute over decentralisation comes a week after the Comptroller & Auditor General issued a generally positive appraisal of the service in terms of its value for money.

Mr Fallon asked how long this would last if officers were moved to Navan.

Mr Fallon said that despite repeated requests from the union in the last 18 months no meeting had yet taken place with Justice Minister Michael McDowell.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said the Government decided last December that 100 posts in the Probation and Welfare Service would move from Dublin to Navan.

She said: “This figure includes both professional grades and administrative support staff.”