The real cost of mothballed jails

YOUR front page (Irish Examiner, November 25) raises several valid points about prison officers working in empty jails.

Fort Mitchell and The Curragh were ‘mothballed’ by order of Justice Minister Michael McDowell with the sole intention of trying to browbeat prison officers into doing his bidding.

What your report failed to portray, however, is the human cost of this decision.’ Most staff at Fort Mitchel and the Curragh set up home in these localities.