Overtime alive and well for prison officers

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell, as well as being, by his own admission, intemperate, is also economical with the truth. On RTÉ’s Primetime programme of March 21, he said that overtime is now gone from the Prison Service.

I am a prison officer. In 2004, I voluntarily worked approximately 50 hours overtime. In 2005, I voluntarily worked 48 hours overtime. Now, after three ballots of the Prison Officers Association, (reminiscent of the Nice Treaty - let them keep voting until they vote our way), and the minister’s bullying, intimidation, threats and enforced transfers entailing enormous family upheavals and deterioration of quality of life, I (and most of my colleagues) have no choice but to work 360 hours overtime per year. Although overtime in the service as a whole has been reduced, it is not gone.

As I have three young children, I, like many others, requested to work zero hours overtime per year. I, like many others, was denied this request.

The minister, through the Civil Service Commission, advertises the job of prison officer as being family-friendly. Another case of his economy with the truth, my family and I say.

Brian Martin

Ballinacurra

Midleton

Co Cork