Slow recruitment and retirement slew causing 'real security issue' at jails in Laois and elsewhere

A solution to the ongoing problem with recruitment to reduce the burden on serving prison officers must be found as there is now a 'real security issue' at jails in Laois and elsewhere.

That's the view of the Prison Officers Association which has also warned about an impending slew of retirements.
Gabriel Keaveny is Deputy General Secretary.

“We must find a solution to the ongoing problem with recruitment to reduce the burden of those in service,” he said.

He called for the fast-tracking of the upcoming recruitment drive which he said should be as professional as the garda process to 'attract the right people'. He also called for the Security Clearance system to be prioritised for applicants because the existing system is working at a "snail's pace".

He asked why none of the above was being addressed and also warned about retirements.

“Around 30 years ago a massive recruitment campaign saw a huge intake of prison officers so we are now approaching a period where all these people will have completed their service and will be eligible to retire. Many of our prisons are already understaffed and retirements will only serve to worsen the situation. So, we have a problem here which must be resolved, or we will have a real security issue on our hands in the immediate future,” he said at the recent POA conference.

He said the prisoners are not as patient or understanding as society in general.

"Staff shortages change the dynamic of our work to the extent that procedures, such as the Regime Management Plan which are an agreed Health & Safety tool that were to be employed on an odd occasion, are now required daily. That is if the management do what they are supposed to do.

“Furthermore, when the annualized hours agreement was reached 18 years ago with the Government of the day the principal guiding factor in that agreement was that in order for the annualized hours system to work, there had to be continuous recruit availability in order to keep pace with retirements. So let’s stop the announcements and promises and solve the recruitment issue in the prison service,” he said.

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The POA conference was held in Galway in April.