Irish Prison Service.

Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Questions (626, 627, 628)

Joe Costello

Question:

690 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of savings that were effected to date by the closure of the Curragh Prison and Fort Mitchell; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34161/04]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

Overall, overtime expenditure for the Irish Prison Service was reduced from €58.9 million in 2003 to approximately €45.5 million in 2004. This saving can be attributed to a rigorous control of overtime in each institution. The overtime savings arising from the closure of Fort Mitchel and the Curragh places of detention, are also included in this figure.

It is difficult to quantify the precise savings related to the closure of the Curragh and Fort Mitchel. Staff who were redeployed from these prisons remain on the payroll. However, their redeployment has led to a reduction in overtime costs in the prisons to which they were redeployed and has contributed to the overall saving of approx. €13 million overtime in the Prison Service for 2004. In addition, savings were also achieved in the running costs of both institutions amounting to approximately €1.4 million.

Joe Costello

Question:

691 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the daily average number of prisoners in each of the State prisons and institutions; the capacity of each of these institutions; the number of prison staff in each institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34162/04]

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Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The latest approved figures relating to the average number of prisoners in each of the State prisons and institutions are contained in the annual report for 2003 which was published recently. For ease of reference, these are set out in the following table:

Institution	Daily Average	Bed Capacity (as at 1 June 2003)
Mountjoy Prison	460	466
Dóchas Centre	81	70
St. Patrick’s Institution	188	197
Cork Prison	268	270
Limerick Prison (Male)	169	168
Limerick Prison (Female)	16	16
Castlerea Prison	195	182
Cloverhill Prison	375	406
Wheatfield Prison	375	378
Portlaoise Prison	128	203
Arbour Hill Prison	138	139
Fort Mitchel*	94	102
The Training Unit	86	94
The Curragh*	98	94
Midlands Prison	384	515
Loughan House	71	85
Shelton Abbey	50	56
Total	3,176	3,441

*The Deputy will be aware that Fort Mitchel was "mothballed" on 10 February 2004 and the Curragh was "mothballed" on 20 January 2004. A small cohort of staff is assigned to Fort Mitchel and the Curragh for security reasons and the need to carry out essential maintenance.

The second part of the Deputy's question relates to the number of prison staff serving in each institution. The following table provides figures as at the end of December 2004.

Institution	Staff
Mountjoy Prison	513.47**
Midlands Prison	393.5**
Cloverhill Prison	372.33**
Wheatfield Prison	316
Portlaoise Prison	310.38**
Cork Prison	263.38**
Limerick Prison	219.42**
St. Patrick’s Institution	178.88**
Castlerea Prison	163.38**
Arbour Hill Prison	116.31**
Dóchas Centre	90.58**
Fort Mitchel	13.50**
The Curragh	11.44**
Training Unit	74.32**
Loughan House	43.42**
Shelton Abbey	37.76**
Total	3,118.07***

**Please note the information supplied reflects the position regarding "whole-time equivalents", that is, the number of whole-time posts filled in the service. For example, where two staff members are each employed for 50% of the normal working hours, they are counted as one full-time equivalent. One part-time staff member working for 50% of normal working hours, for example, week on, week off, is counted as 0.5 whole-time equivalent. One part-time staff member working for 80% of normal working hours, for example, a four day week, is counted as 0.8 whole-time equivalent. Similarly, staff employed on an hourly basis are counted on apro-rata basis — for example, a doctor employed for 15 hours per week is counted as 0.39 whole-time equivalent.

***This figure includes civilian staff such as chaplains, cooks and doctors who are in the employ of the Prison Service. Psychologists, teachers and the library service are not included in the figures.

Joe Costello

Question:

692 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the state of negotiations with the Prison Officers Association on the industrial dispute on overtime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34163/04]

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Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The Deputy will be aware that following extensive negotiations between the Irish Prison Service and the Prison Officers Association, a limited number of financial issues were the subject of a referral to arbitration, the hearings of which took place on 22 October and 1 November 2004. The arbitrator released his findings on Monday, 24 January 2005 and officials of the Irish Prison Service were engaged in further discussions with the Prison Officers Association at the Labour Relations Commission yesterday, Tuesday, 25 January 2005. Discussions are not yet concluded.