asked the Minister for Justice the number of vacancies he expects to fill in the prison service this year; if and when the vacancies will be advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Prison Service Recruitment.
55.
There is provision in the Prisons Estimate this year for the creation of 150 additional posts in the Prison Service to enable additional prison accommodation at Fort Mitchel, County Cork to be utilised and to facilitate the phased opening of new prison accommodation at Wheatfield, County Dublin.
Recruitment to the Prison Service is by way of open competition conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners. Forty-one prison officers have been appointed this year from panels of qualified persons established from the last recruitment competition and a further small number of staff are expected to be appointed in this way. However, it will be necessary for the Civil Service Commissioners to hold a new competition to enable further posts to be filled. I understand that advertisements for posts, in the prison officer grade, will appear in the national daily newspapers on 8 March 1989. Persons who wish to apply for this competition should contact the Civil Service Commission, 1 Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2, from whom application forms will be available.