Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number of staff in the Irish Prison Service operational support units; the annual cost of these units; if such costs are included in the average costs given now in annual reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46627/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that there are currently 143 staff (142 posts, 2 job sharers) including the Governor assigned across all units of the Operational Support Group (OSG). Current vacancies in the OSG stand at 17, including management and officer grades. The direct cost figure associated with the OSG for the full year of 2009 is €10,627,700.12. This figure represents direct costs only and does not include a portion of central administration costs.

For Annual Report purposes, all central costs, including those associated with the OSG, are included when calculating the relevant cost per available staffed prison space for each of the various prison types.