Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Part 2 of the Bill, which amendment No. 1 seeks to delete, allows for the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and approval of the Government, to enter into an agreement with the contractor for the provision of prisoner escort services. It also provides for the conditions under which a person can be certified as a prisoner custody officer and the circumstances in which such certification can be revoked as well as the functions of such an officer.

Deputies will be aware that this Part of the Bill is an enabling provision and that it is not intended to give effect to this provision once the in-house prisoner escort service corps, PESC, which is being established in the context of the acceptance by staff of the proposal for organisational change in the prison service, continues to be effective in terms of cost savings and in regard serving prisoner escorts.

The Minister previously informed the House of the success achieved by the prisoner escort service corps. In staffing terms, the escort corps operates on average more than 33% more efficiently on court escorts than the previous overtime based operating system. As long as this service continues to operate efficiently and in a cost effective manner, there is no need or desire to contract out the service. However, should the situation arise where the service is no longer provided in a cost effective and efficient manner, it is essential that a provision should exist allowing the Minister, or his successor, to contract out the service. Such a provision is made here. While it is not intended to enforce this Part of the Bill, it should be in place as a reserve position. For these reasons, I do not intend to accept these amendments.

Amendment No. 50 is consequent on the acceptance of amendment No. 1. As I am not accepting amendment No. 1, amendment No. 50 is unnecessary. Amendment No. 2, tabled by Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, proposes the insertion of two new subsections into section 7. The amendment would provide for the Minister to deal speedily with any written complaint received from an officer appointed to monitor the escort service, a prison governor or the Garda Commissioner in regard to the conduct of a prisoner custody officer. It also provides for the suspension of a prisoner custody officer pending a decision on a complaint concerning his or her conduct. In so far as the first part of the amendment is concerned, it goes without saying that there will be no undue delay in dealing with complaints in regard to the conduct of a prisoner custody officer. It is not in the Minister's interest to delay dealing with this matter——

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