Prison officers get lots of abuse and no thanks

CORMAC O’Keeffe’s article headlined ‘Fears as prison officers face rise in assaults’ (Irish Examiner, March 13) outlined the increasing number of assaults on prison staff by inmates. His report, however, is just the tip of the iceberg: the reality is far worse.

In St Patrick’s Institution alone over the past few weeks there were two serious assaults on prison officers, in two separate incidents. Three of these officers required hospital treatment, and one of them will be on sick leave for some time.

In a more sinister development, two others were victims of serious and unprovoked attacks by former inmates while off duty and outside the institution.

Surely this illustrates the danger prison officers face every day.

What is the response of the Minister for Justice? Simply to further reduce the number of staff on duty in prisons to meet ‘budgetary targets.’

What about the minister’s duty of care to his staff? What about prison officers’ right to go to work with the expectation of going home uninjured?

Prison officers, meanwhile, are denied their basic pay increase.

I daresay that will help the minister’s budget, if nothing else.

Patrick Jordan,

St Patrick’s Institution,

North Circular Road,

Dublin 7.