Staff levels inadequate

Proposals from Justice Minister Michael McDowell to cut the huge cost of running the prisons service must not merely be an exercise in saving money, but must guarantee a satisfactory level of staffing.

In 2001 the bill for prison overtime amounted to €55 million which is an excessive sum but much of it represents forced overtime, according to the Prison Officers' Association.

Indeed, the minister accepts that this situation occurs because staffing levels in prisons are inadequate to meet the needs of the service. Since 1995, there has been a 50% increase in the prison population, without a corresponding increase in staff.

The changes proposed by the minister came on foot of a report by the Irish Prison Service, which was commissioned to draw up alternative working arrangements for the management of prisons and places of detention.

Prison officers, who have a very difficult and at times dangerous job, maintain they would rather have a normal working week than be forced to work unacceptably long overtime.

They will have an opportunity within a few weeks to ballot on the proposed new working practices, which apart from a new pay system, must include extra staff.