Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he intends to take any new measures to seek a resolution of the dispute with the IPOA in regard to overtime working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21465/05]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to the prison officers dispute; and his proposals for settlement of same with the Prison Officers Association. [21320/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 16 together.

I draw the Deputies' attention to my detailed response to a similar question from Deputy Penrose which was taken on Tuesday, 17 May 2005. I indicated at that time that I had no intention of renegotiating the proposal for organisational change which had already been arbitrated upon by the Civil Service Arbitration Board as to do so would compromise the integrity of the whole industrial relations process which had served the State so well. I made my position in this regard very clear at a meeting with the POA on 29 April and in subsequent correspondence.

Following on the POA Annual Delegate Conference in early May, the POA indicated to me that a motion had been passed at the conference mandating the association to re-open discussions on a cost neutral realignment of additional hours bands so that a greater number of prison officers could operate on a "zero" additional hours commitment. They indicated that they were preparing a detailed submission and that they would be seeking a meeting with me and my officials to explore its potential. They also asked me to defer or put on hold certain Government approved measures to address overtime costs including the closure of the Curragh and Fort Mitchel places of detention, the redeployment of staff and the outsourcing of prisoner escorts. I again made it clear that I was not in the business of renegotiating the proposal for organisational change and that I was not prepared to put on hold measures to secure essential cost efficiencies. I expressed serious doubts about the proposal to realign the additional hours bands which had already been agreed and arbitrated upon as it was clear to me that anything more than a very modest tweaking of the additional hours bands would upset the delicate balance achieved between the already negotiated and arbitrated elements of the deal and would compromise the very integrity of the arbitration process.

I can now confirm that the Prison Officers' Association recently submitted proposals for the re-alignment of the additional hours bands. Having considered these proposals, I am satisfied that they would fundamentally alter the deal which was on the table and would seriously compromise the integrity of the industrial relations machinery, in particular the arbitration process. In these circumstances, I had no option but to indicate to the POA that its proposals were totally unacceptable. I also indicated that I would be pressing ahead with the alternative measures which have been well aired over recent months.

I have gone as far as I can with this process. We have reached the end of the line in terms of discussions on the proposal for organisational change in the Prison Service and I will not be led down the path of renegotiation. It is regrettable that the considered and painstakingly developed approach negotiated over such a long period of time may not now be realised. My preference has always been for an agreed way forward. I have no option now but to move ahead, with or without agreement, to implement whatever other measures are required to realise the necessary cost efficiencies with all due urgency.

I should point out that I have invited the POA to meet with me so that I can outline in detail my plans for going forward into the future.