McDowell targets budgets

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell’s bitter dispute with prison officers will be stepped up a gear by a move that will seriously curtail overtime entitlements.

From next January, all prison governors will be made responsible for the budget of their own institution and will need to stay within strict cash limits.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr McDowell said this change would lead to a huge reduction in overtime rostering and leave prison officers in a worse financial position than if they had accepted his annualised hours proposal.