Mr. Michael Donnellan:

Through negotiations with the Irish Prison Officers Association, the Irish Prison Service introduced a new administrative and support officer grade, which is a clerical officer on half the €62,000 pay of a standard prison officer. This is to relieve prison officers from administrative duties in order that they can be on the front line. We have been very innovative in trying to introduce this grade, which will allow some scope by creating a clear differential for front-line workers. Our front-line workers are those who are on the landings every day. They are the people we need to protect and who should draw the majority of the allowances. Over time, the more one moves away from prisoners, the more one can attract allowances, which does not seem right. We have been innovative in introducing other grades at almost half the pay of a standard prison officer to release that prison officer for front-line duties.