Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 886: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason or if he will investigate the reason members of the Irish Prison Service who were supposed to be paid moneys under an agreement on new pay and working conditions did not receive such moneys during the third week in November 2007 as promised, and were instead informed that this money was required to pay for other services; if such moneys will definitely be paid on 20 December 2007 as per the latest information being given to prison officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33813/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that it was planned to make the lump sum payment to eligible officers on 22 November 2007. It is appreciated that the delay in making payment is causing difficulties for staff and this is very much regretted, however, a deferral of the payment was unavoidable. The main requirement was to meet commitments under the prison building and security enhancement programme.

I do not need to reiterate the challenges presented by an aging prison infrastructure and the need to keep pace with the numbers sentenced to imprisonment. In addition the Deputy will appreciate the ongoing security challenges faced by the Irish Prison Service, particularly in the context of combating drugs in prisons, keeping contraband out of prisons and the management of serious criminals in our prison system. This investment in the additional prison places and enhanced security measures is addressing these key issues.

In that context, additional funding was required for the Prisons Vote and certain procedures needed to be followed. A Supplementary Estimate was passed by the Dail on 6 December 2007 and the Irish Prison Services will make this lump sum payment on officers' next pay date of 20 December 2007.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 887: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason prison officers are being asked to use the current ten minute period, originally agreed years back on the introduction of clocks, for security screening in view of the fact that this is a new procedure and that queues may cause them to be delayed leading to the potential loss of incremental review money; if he will review the time allocated for security clearance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33814/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this year the Irish Prison Service received Government approval to introduce a package of enhanced security measures in our prisons to prevent trafficking of contraband such as mobile phones, drugs and weapons. These measures are being introduced in the best interests of the safety and security of staff, prisoners and the general public. The Prison Officers' Association have publicly acknowledged their support for these measures.

The measures relate to the establishment of Canine Units, Operational Support Units and Security Screening Units. The Security Screening Units will involve all visitors and staff passing through screening areas where x-ray machines and detectors will be in use.

The Irish Prison Service engaged in extensive consultation with the Prison Officers' Association regarding the introduction of these measures. During these negotiations an issue arose in relation to the placing of the staff attendance clocks. The Prison Officers' Association are insisting that these clocks must be placed before the screening areas on the basis that their members should not have to pass through security procedures on their own time. However, the Irish Prison Service are firmly of the view that staff are not ready for duty and in a position to clock in until they have cleared the security procedures. This in fact is the historical position in Portlaoise Prison where such searching has been ongoing for many years.

Prison Officers already benefit from a 10 minute grace period at clocking-in time, which studies by management indicate would more than adequately cover the screening process. However, in an effort to resolve the impasse, the Irish Prison Service made an offer to the Prison Officers' Association on 3 December 2007, to extend the existing grace period by 50% to allow staff to transit through the proposed new security screening procedures. This offer was rejected. Instead the Prison Officers' Association have opted to pursue a course of further industrial action rather than availing of the relevant industrial relations machinery in contravention of the current National Agreement, Towards 2016 and the Civil Service Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme.