19 prison service employees earn over €100k

Nineteen employees of the Irish Prison Service, from the director general down to its head of psychology, earn over €100,000 a year.

Figures released to Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien revealed six-figure salaries for a large number of senior civil servants and gardaí.

The data shows Michael Donnellan, the director general of the Irish Prison Service, is the only member of the organisation earning between €150,000 and €200,000.

However, six directors earn between €100,000 and €150,000. This is also earned by four doctors, five governors (Grade 1 and 2), a principal officer (higher), a campus governor, and the service’s head of psychology.

In terms of An Garda Síochána, Commissioner Martin Callinan and two deputy commissioners are the only people on the force earning over of €150,000.

Mr Callinan earns just under €200,000.

A total of 23 other staff earn over €100,000. These include eight assistant commissioners, eight chief superintendents, two executive directors, two principal officers (higher), the chief medical officer, the assistant chief medical officer, and one occupational physician.

There are a total of 38 chief superintendents employed across all Garda divisions. While eight of these are earning in excess of €100,000, the remaining 30 start on a salary of about €84,455.

At the Property Registration Authority, seven of the 607 officers employed earn salaries between €100,000 and €150,000. These posts comprise of three deputy registrars and four chief examiners of title.

The main functions of the PRA are to manage and control the Land Registry and the Registry of Deeds, as well as promoting and extending the registration of ownership of land. The PRA also operates the ground rents purchase scheme under the Landlord and Tenant Acts.

Cork TD Mr O’Brien said: “The Irish Prison Service runs a series of prisons which have been found time and time again to breach the most basic of human rights standards and yet, the director-general is paid between €150,000 and €200,000 to run it.”