Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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121. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on the full year cost of recruiting 200 extra prison officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28581/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that Recruit Prison Officer is the entry level grade for new staff in the Irish Prison Service. The annual salary cost of employing 200 new Recruit Prison Officers which includes basic salary, operational allowance, along with Employer PRSI is €5,424,726. In addition, there is an Additional Hours System which provides for extra attendance and payment is made based on additional hours band worked.

The 2016 Recruit Prison Officer Competition is currently under way. The Irish Prison Service expects to appoint up to 120 Recruit Prison Officers per year over the next 3 years with the first recruits entering the Irish Prison Service College in early 2017.