Jail closure plan to cut €60m overtime bill

A RADICAL plan to close jails and privatise part of the Prison Service is being drawn up to cut the €60m overtime bill.

The proposals, drafted by the Prison Service following the collapse of talks with unions, will be presented to the Government within days.

The Prison Service offered a deal whereby officers would work 360 contractual hours of overtime every year at a flat rate of 1.8 times the hourly pay.