Battle lines have been drawn between the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, and the Prison Officers' Association (POA) following rejection by its members of proposals designed to reduce a €64 million overtime bill and to introduce flexible working hours. It was always going to come to this.
Prison officers were determined to retain their enviable position as world leaders in terms of staffing levels and pay. And Mr McDowell had insisted that the money required to pay them under existing working practices simply was not available.
Ten days have been set aside by Mr McDowell, during which negotiations can continue between the parties on the overtime issue. After that period, contingency plans will be put in place by the Government to save money by closing some open prisons and by privatising the transport of prisoners to and from court hearings. The general secretary of the POA, Mr John Clinton, has indicated a willingness to engage in further negotiations with prison management.
Overtime within the prison system has long been regarded as excessive, but attempts at reform by successive governments failed to make any progress. The latest package, designed to eliminate overtime, offered the 3,300 prison officers an annual payment of €10,300 if they worked 360 additional flexible hours a year. A further compensation payment of €12,250 would be paid over a three-year period.
There is a pressing need for reform at all levels of the prison system. Last July, Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen, Inspector of Prisons, criticised the top-heavy nature of its administration, the excessive prison officer/prisoner ratio and the fact that, because of high running costs, little of the budget actually catered for the rehabilitation needs of prisoners. He was particularly critical of the homelessness and destitution of prisoners on discharge and noted that while the State spent €1,300 a week to keep them in jail, they were discharged with €60 or less in their pockets.
The Minister for Justice has variously referred to the overtime system as "unsustainable", "massively excessive", "scandalous" and "unpayable" . Last May, he threatened to take unilateral action if agreement on new working arrangements was not reached within three months. For its part, the POA accused Mr McDowell of "bullying", dug in its heels and said that any resolution of the issue would have to meet the needs of both sides. Reform is required. And time has almost run out. But, whatever changes emerge, regard must be had for the needs of prisoners.