Seán Haughey
Question:330 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will recruit prison officers; the procedures involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24113/99]
Written Answers. - Prison Officer Recruitment.
I am informed by the director general of the Irish Prisons Service that recruitment of prison officers has been ongoing since October 1997 and is expected to continue until mid-2000. The campaign, which is run by the Civil Service Commission, was initiated to cater for the new prisons coming on stream, to fill shortfalls which existed and to cater for future natural wastage.
It was decided in late 1997 to commission a firm of occupational psychologists to carry out a job analysis of the role of the prison officer. Such an analysis would identify the key competencies required for the role of the prison officer. The analysis was delivered in spring 1998. One of its objectives was to indicate a range of suitable techniques for use by the Civil Service Commission in open recruitment. A competition was advertised in April 1998 from which the Civil Service Commission is in the process of recruiting. So far approximately 430 prison officers have been recruited from this competition and a further intake of about 120 is planned. It is anticipated that this recruitment will continue until well into the year 2000. This recruitment programme will meet the staffing needs arising from the opening of the new prisons at Cloverhill, Mountjoy women's prison and the midlands prison – Portlaoise. At this stage, the Civil Service Com mission plan to hold the next competition early in 2001.