Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What figure does a person start at? When we asked the question about the Army, there was shock at how low pay rates were for those entering the Army. I estimate that if the €22,124 figure for the recruit prison officer grade is correct, the starting point is €425 per week which is a fraction above social welfare rates and the minimum wage. I want to disabuse some people of the notion that prison officers are highly paid, as that is a very low starting rate.