Prison officers a moving target for McDowell

LIKE all my colleagues in the Irish Prison Service, I was aghast to hear Justice Minister Michael McDowell announce the closure of two prisons and transfer the only remaining open centres to outside agencies.

At a time when the minister’s officials and my trade union are involved in talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the minister’s actions are an unprecedented snub to a very effective State organisation.

That such a snub emanates from a minister (presumably with Government backing) beggars belief.