Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Yesterday, Senator McCarthy sought a debate on the prisons issue. We need to know what is going on in this matter. Can the Leader ask the Minister to come to the House to explain to us what he is thinking of doing? It may be that he has the answers but I do not understand the issue, no one else does and I have been trying to get information on the row between the prison officers and the Department or the Irish Prison Service.

The Prison Officers Association has put forward a proposal to save €30 million annually in prison overtime and this is not being discussed by any of the parties. There may be issues here that I do not understand. I am very slow to get involved in industrial relations issues on the floor of the House.