The prison officers' union has had "absolute control" over the running of the prison system, with governors unable to introduce disciplinary measures, restrict overtime or deal with excessive absenteeism, according to documents submitted to the Government.
The documents also say the Prison Officers' Association (POA) has negotiated practices under which officers can earn overtime entitlements even while on sick leave, the report released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act has revealed.
The report, part of a submission from prison governors earlier this year, showed that one officer in Mountjoy Prison received £63,214 in 1996, more than a departmental secretary at the time. Others earned more than £50,000. Sick leave among prison officers appears to be running at levels of around twice the State average.
The governors also complained that the POA had control over the prison system and "almost every single operational decision is greatly influenced by political and trade union considerations or interests, but unfortunately so often to the detriment of the Prison Service".
Their report says the current overtime bill is £30 million out of a total prisons budget of £150 million. With around 2,500 prison officers, this would appear to give an average overtime payment per officer of about £12,000. Salaries account for 80 per cent of the prisons budget. The "basic" prison officer salary, before overtime and allowances, starts at £16,172, rising to £22,620 for an officer with 12 years' service. The Department of Justice recently set up an inquiry into overtime payments.
The governors sought the establishment of an independent Prisons Authority and the Government announced the introduction of such a system last week. A working party is to begin setting up an authority in the New Year and transferring control of prisons from the Department of Justice.
The governors said "serious flaws are endemic in the current system for the administration and management of prisons".
They added: "Governors are convinced that the current system is influenced by political considerations to a greater extent than is necessary and this is to the detriment of the Prison Service as a whole. Many key decisions are avoided because they are not politically viable."
The governors warned that they were unable to impose proper management procedures because of the power of the POA. When they sought to reduce sick leave, the "Prison Officers' Association were successful once again as the strategy was terminated towards the end of 1994".
The governors described as "outrageous" working practices whereby prison officers in many jails were able to build up overtime entitlements while absent on sick leave.