Sex offenders moved out as prison closed

Almost 50 inmates were moved from the Curragh prison in Co Kildare today in the first phase of Government plans to close the facility.

The Curragh, which mainly houses elderly sex offenders, is the first of four prisons that will either be closed or removed from the control of prison officers following a dispute about overtime payments.

A total of 48 prisoners were transferred to the Midlands prison in Portlaoise today, while the remaining 41 are due to be moved tomorrow.

A separate wing will be provided at Portlaoise Prison to cater for the elderly sex offenders who could be at risk in the general prison population.

The Prison Officers’ Association described the move as provocative, although representatives later met officials from the Department of Justice at the Labour Relations Commission in an effort to reach agreement on overtime payments to officers.

The Curragh Prison was closed as part of a cost-cutting exercise after justice minister Michael McDowell failed to reach agreement with prison officers to reduce their overtime bills to help attain savings of over €60m in the Prison Service budget.

Three other detention centres are also due to close as part of the money-saving measures, with Spike Island prison in Cork expected to be next on January 31.

The transfer of the prisoners and staff from the Curragh Prison was severely criticism by the opposition Labour Party tonight.

Party Justice Spokesman Joe Costello claimed the closures were unnecessary and brought about by the minister’s failure to negotiate with the prison officers.

“Everyone loses through this decision,” he said.

“The services provided at the Curragh cannot be transferred elsewhere and the unnecessary disruption this decision has caused could have been avoided.

“The minister for justice’s aggressive stance in seeking confrontation with the POA rather than facilitating a settlement has ultimately led to the prison’s closure.”

The officers are still unhappy at the annualised hours package on offer.

Under the minister’s proposal, they will receive a pay increase of around €10,300 if they agree to work up to 360 hours’ overtime every year.