What it really costs to be a prison officer
Overtime, much of it compulsory, has robbed me of something that no minister can ever give me back watching my four children grow up.
So I welcome Justice Minister Michael McDowell's decision to focus prison staffs minds on the truth that we have had to work disgracefully long hours for years to make a decent living.
Yes, we have been blinded for years by the smokescreen of overtime. We also get an allowance for working on Saturday. For an 11½-hour shift we get €11.50. Nobody runs to the press with this contribution to the cannibalism of public finances.
Mr McDowell does not understand prison officers and the job we do. How could he? How many of the following events has any politician seen?
We have seen a colleague murdered; the attempted murder of staff; staff taken hostage; syringes and knives held to our colleagues' throats; staff burned out of their homes or so brutally assaulted that their families did not recognise them.
We have seen colleagues put on barricades during riots as human shields; we have seen ropes tied around colleagues while kangaroo courts decided their fate; we have seen stress kill colleagues; we have seen good men victimised because they got involved in our union. I could go on.
The minister believes he has made a good offer. I will not belittle him or my union reps by discussing it in public because that is not the way to do business.
I speak for just seven people my wife and family when I say "take my overtime, give me a 39-hour week with a decent wage and remember, minister, there is an onus on you to protect our health and safety, and our good name".
That onus is also on us as a group.
We cannot leave ourselves open to more assaults, threats, riots, abuse etc, by a massive reduction in staffing levels. My health and safety like my soul are not for sale.
Noel Tuohy,
Portlaoise Prison,
Portlaoise,
Co Laois.
