In accordance with the Government decision of 11 November 2003, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Michael McDowell T.D., has today approved a schedule of four prison closures to enable the Irish Prison Service to live within its pay and overtime budget for 2004.
In the case of two facilities - Shelton Abbey and Loughan House û the decision is to replace the facilities in question with institutions on the same sites managed by entities independent of the Irish Prison Service who would run these centres as transition hostels for prisoners reaching the end of their sentences.
These closures, which will take place during January and February may be reversed or indeed cancelled if ongoing talks at the Labour Relations Commission with the Prison Officers Association about achieving a more cost effective annualised hours system prove successful. However, the Minister understands from the Irish Prison Service management that these talks are currently at an impasse with a considerable gap between both sides. Bridging this gap would require concessions to POA demands which would be considered by Government as being in clear breach of public pay policy and the terms of "Sustaining Progress". These Labour Relations Commission talks were entered by Prison Management on the basis of an assurance from the POA that concessions of this character were off the agenda.
In addition to the prison closures which are listed at appendix 1, the Minister indicated that individual prisons around the country had been issued on 23 December with reduced overtime budgets for 2004 which will reflect the reduced allocation in that respect approved by Government.
- The budgets coming into force are based on the following principles:
- maintenance of essential prison services and core activities
- closures and consequent staff transfers to go ahead on the dates listed overleaf
- all other transfers and recruitment embargoed until further notice
- overtime spend by institution to be monitored on a weekly basis with a major review of all overtime spending by end March 2004.
Implementing the closures, staff transfers and restrictions on overtime referred to above cannot be further deferred without creating a real possibility of a prison management crisis towards the end of the year, the Minister said.
The Minister has additionally approved the placement of an advertisement for procurement purposes in the EU Journal to facilitate the introduction of privately provided prisoner escort services in this jurisdiction with effect from July 2004. This notice will appear in the EU Journal next week. In conclusion the Minister said "The measures which I am implementing result directly from the failure to agree alternative methods of containing prison staff costs within the amount voted by the Oireachtas. All of the institutions facing closure could yet remain open under Irish Prison Service auspices if the proposals that the management side tabled were accepted. I have been assured that the educational, vocational and welfare needs of prisoners affected by the closures will be given priority".
Appendix 1
Schedule of Prison Closures
| Institution |
Closure Date |
| Curragh Place of Detention |
19 January |
| Fort Mitchel |
31 January |
| Shelton Abbey * |
14 February |
| Loughan House * |
28 February |
* To be replaced by new hostel facilities under independent management at these locations |
