I thank the Deputies for raising this issue and I start by making it clear that I, personally, do not want to close or even mothball Fort Mitchel Place of Detention. However, if the Prison Officers' Association is unwilling to agree reasonable terms for the operation of prisons on an economically sustainable basis, it is a course I will reluctantly have to pursue. The responsibility for the choice which must be made rests entirely with the association.
The background to much of this discussion is already known to Deputies. If we cannot get agreement on new working arrangements with prison staff, the Government will have to take action on the unsustainable cost structure in the Prison Service. The Government decided yesterday that it will, in the absence of agreement, mothball Fort Mitchel, Spike Island, and the Curragh Place of Detention from 1 January 2004.
Fort Mitchel is a medium-security institution and its population is drawn largely from the Munster area, as Deputies have said. The prison's population is predominantly young and in the late teen to mid-20s age group. As of this morning, there were 91 prisoners in custody though the prison can accommodate 102. If this scenario comes into effect, it is intended that the prisoners in Fort Mitchel will, in the main, be transferred to Cork and Limerick prisons and to St. Patrick's Institution.
The newly-built block in Limerick Prison has room for up to 100 prisoners and could potentially accommodate all of the current Fort Mitchel population. However, it would not be a simple case of moving the population of the prison as a unit to Limerick. Some prisoners would be more suitable for St. Patrick's Institution in Dublin. Some movement of existing prisoners from Cork Prison to Limerick is also likely, which would in turn facilitate the placement of some of the Fort Mitchel population in Cork. While the majority of Fort Mitchel prisoners will be moved to Limerick, each case will be looked at individually to effect a transfer which is most appropriate. It is intended that all transfers will take place close together, as staff transfers will take place at the same time. There are currently 94 staff serving at Fort Mitchel.
The mothballing of the place of detention at Fort Mitchel will temporarily reduce the number of spaces available to the Irish Prison Service by a total of 102. However, this is almost exactly cancelled out by bringing into commission of new accommodation in Limerick. The re-deployment of staff from Fort Mitchel will allow this to happen. In terms of regime, there will be no major difference in the level of security under which the prisoners are held. They will move from one closed institution to another and, in many cases, the move will be to a more modern facility, so their conditions will be at least equivalent to those experienced in Fort Mitchel.
I read with considerable sympathy the views of teachers regarding the excellent facilities in Fort Mitchel and concerns that prisoners will not get the same opportunities elsewhere. However, while I fully acknowledge that excellent work is being done in Fort Mitchel in terms of education and other types of activities, I emphasise that the prisoners will continue to have opportunities available to them to continue their development in their new institution. For example, the regime in St. Patrick's Institution is considered by experts to be a model of its kind.
I fully appreciate the entirely understandable concern of the teachers regarding their posts in Fort Mitchel and, in this context, I repeat what I said yesterday. However, the teachers and the TUI, which represents them, should express their concerns to the POA, as it is its reluctance to engage in meaningful negotiations that has led us to where we are now. It insists on a regime in the prisons which is no longer sustainable. I have stated already that I do not want to close Fort Mitchel or any other institution. However, if the POA leaves me no option, I am clear on what course of action must be followed.
I must reiterate that this action is not being taken lightly. It will be done solely because the Irish Prison Service cannot continue to spend public money feeding an overtime culture which has gone completely out of control and is sustaining grossly inefficient work practices. Fort Mitchel prison should have a future in the Irish Prison Service. I say to the Deputies and anyone else who is listening that prison staff have it in their power to save these institutions. However, they must make a choice. To date they have rejected all reasonable efforts to involve them in negotiations. The Deputies challenged me to meet them out of the public eye in a non-confrontational manner and I will do so. As I told the POA at its annual conference, I will take any step necessary to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion. However, no one should underestimate the Government's determination that this matter will be addressed this year because next year no money will be made available to feed the outrageous and scandalous overtime culture in the Irish Prison Service which has existed heretofore.
With any goodwill which is available, it will be possible to achieve agreement on sensible work practices and an annualised hours system, which is good for staff and the Prison Service as a whole. I assure the Deputies that, in that event, Fort Mitchel will resume its role as a closed prison. However, the choice is one which falls to the Prison Officers' Association and I will assist it to make it. However, my resolve should not be doubted or underestimated. The end has come for the existing overtime culture.