The need to reform the prison system and to introduce a cost-effective administration has been recognised for years. But successive governments failed to persuade the Prison Officers Association (POA) of the need for change and to agree a programme of reform. Now the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, is preparing to act unilaterally in order to cut the annual €64 million overtime bill and to cap staffing levels.
Following the overwhelming rejection by POA members of the latest management offer, the Cabinet yesterday sanctioned a range of measures to cut overtime costs by €30 million.
By any yardstick, this is a difficult time. The Coalition Government has decided it will no longer fund hugely expensive overtime payments and work practices. And while the delay to January 1st in introducing change will allow discussions to take place between the POA and prison management, the prospects of a last-minute agreement are poor. POA officials have accused the Minister of pursuing an agenda of "closures and privatisation without consultation". For his part, Mr McDowell has regretted the failure, following years of negotiation, to reach agreement. He declared the overtime system and the attendance levels within the prisons to be unsustainable and said it was cannibalising funds for major building, refurbishment and improvement of the prison service generally.
The Minister has insisted the Government's rejected offer on overtime will form the basis for any settlement. Proposals by the POA would not, he said, result in the necessary savings and could lead to higher staffing levels. Failure by the parties to reach agreement will result in Spike Island in Cork and the Curragh Place of Detention in Kildare being closed. The minimum security prisons at Loughan House in Cavan and Shelton Abbey in Wicklow will be operated by people from outside the Prison Service. Prison staff will be transferred to other centres, thereby minimising the need for overtime. And a process designed to privatise the prison escort service, which accounts for about a quarter of the overtime bill, will be initiated in the coming days.
The Government's spending estimates for 2004, due to be published tomorrow, will reflect projected overtime savings of €30 million. And while few people would quibble over the need to reform a system where overtime payments allow basic grade officers to earn more than €100,000 a year, the needs of prisoners should not be lost sight of in the drive to save money. Any closure of Spike Island or the Curragh will, inevitably, impact negatively on the education and rehabilitation of prisoners there. More money, rather than less, is required to run such services and to offer prisoners a second chance.
Prison officers do a difficult and dangerous job. But they must recognise that their system of overtime and staffing arrangements has grown into a monster. Rather than engage in confrontation, they should seek a reasonable compromise.