I draw the Deputy's attention to my responses to previous questions which were taken on 16 November 2004, Nos. 228 and 229, and on 23 November 2004, Nos. 407 to 409. I indicated that, for security reasons and the need to carry out essential maintenance, a small cohort of prison staff continued to be assigned to duties at both the Curragh and Fort Mitchel places of detention. There are currently 11 and 13 staff serving at the Curragh and Fort Mitchel respectively and the following table provides a breakdown by grade:
|
Grade
|
Curragh
|
Fort Mitchel
|
|
Governor 2
|
1
|
1
|
|
Assistant Governor
|
|
1
|
|
Clerk 1
|
1
|
|
|
Clerk 2
|
|
1
|
|
Prison Officer
|
7
|
4
|
|
Chief Trades Officer 2
|
1
|
1
|
|
Trades Officer
|
1
|
5
|
|
Total
|
11
|
13
|
The Deputy will note that since my previous reply to the House on 23 November last there has been an increase of one in the staff assigned to Fort Mitchel, a trades officer. This is because the trades officer in question had been providing cover in respect of an officer on sick leave at another institution and on that officer's return, the trades officer resumed work at Fort Mitchel. I should point out also, regarding the two governor posts, that while they continue to maintain a watching brief in respect of the institutions in question, they have been assigned senior management responsibilities elsewhere.
The last prisoners transferred out of the Curragh and Fort Mitchel on 20 January 2004 and 10 February 2004 respectively. Fort Mitchel was fully operational until mothballed on 10 February 2004 and the Curragh was fully operational until mothballed on 20 January 2004.
The following table shows the amounts paid in salaries, expenses and overtime to the staff remaining at the Curragh and Fort Mitchel from the dates on which they were mothballed to end November 2004.
|
Curragh
|
Fort Mitchel
|
Totals
|
|
€
|
€
|
|
|
Salary (incl. employers PRSI)
|
514,000
|
606,400
|
1,120,400
|
|
Expenses (Travel and Subsistence)
|
1,000
|
4,900*
|
5,900
|
|
Overtime
|
71,800
|
56,000
|
127,800
|
*The amount shown in respect of expenses at Fort Mitchel is distorted somewhat by the fact that staff of Fort Mitchel are also, on occasion, temporarily assigned to Cork Prison and the above figure reflects expenses in respect of such temporary transfers.
As previously indicated, some overtime at these institutions is necessary due to the pattern of cover required to maintain security on a 24 hour seven day week basis and the small number of staff providing that cover. The mothballing of the Curragh and Fort Mitchel places of detention continues to achieve the Government's objective of significantly reducing overtime levels in the Prison Service. The service has been able to secure savings in respect of pay costs of both facilities in the year to date and significant overall savings in respect of overtime in 2004 has been achieved as most of the staff from the Curragh and Fort Mitchel have been redeployed to effect overtime savings in other Prison Service institutions.
When the Curragh and Fort Mitchel places of detention were mothballed it made sense to retain a small cadre of staff from those institutions rather than retaining private security firms which would have incurred additional costs. In any event, it would not have been appropriate to retain a private security firm in a situation where the institutions in question were not being closed but simply mothballed so that they could be reopened at short notice should the Government decide on that course of action.
The staffing arrangements of both institutions are being kept under continuing review and any decision on their future will have regard to the ongoing discussions between the Irish Prison Service and the Prison Officers' Association about eliminating overtime and reducing other costs. These discussions are close to being concluded and I am hopeful that an agreement will be finalised in the next month or so and that staff will ballot for acceptance.
