Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Prison Service continually monitors the staffing requirements of, and vacancies that arise in, the organisation and recruitment or promotion campaigns are put in place as required.

The recruitment of Recruit Prison Officers by the Irish Prison Service has been ongoing since 2017 and has regard to such factors as organisational needs and exit levels, with more than 1,000 Recruit Prison Officers recruited during the period 2017 to 2023.

To support the operation of the prison estate and ensure that the organisation can continue to provide important rehabilitative services to those in their care in a safe and secure manner, the Irish Prison Service was allocated an additional staffing package of a €6.5m under Budget 2023.

I can inform the Deputy that a total of 194 Recruit Prison Officers joined the organisation in 2023 via nine classes over the course of the year.

I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the information requested by the Deputy is provided in table below.

* The following information should be noted.

• Prison Officers who have 30 years of actual service can retire between the age of 50 and up to before their 55th birthday.
• Prison Officers may retire at any time from their 55th birthday and up to before their 60th birthday regardless of service.
• Prison Officers must retire on their 60th birthday, the age of compulsory retirement for Prison Officers.
• Prison Officers can retire due to ill health retirement at any stage of their service. Ill health retirement is only granted on foot of a recommendation from the Chief Medical Officer.