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THE PRESIDENT OF the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) has launched a stinging attack on the Government for treatment of officers during the Covid-19 crisis.
Tony Power, speaking today at the POA conference in Sligo, made a number of claims about the stress and upset experienced by his colleagues.
In an address to Justice Minister Helen McEntee he criticised that Prison Officers were not prioritised for vaccinations and that they were the only State workers “allowed” on Covid-19 treatment wards without a vaccine as they guarded sick prisoners.
“The Prison Officers Association sent numerous letters to both yourself (Minister Helen McEntee) and your colleague, the Minister for Health (Stephen Donnelly), outlining our concerns and giving the cold hard facts that we were the only workers in the state that were being sent to work in acute hospitals without being vaccinated.
“The most senior officials in the Department of Justice together with yourself Minister, decided for some unknown reason to prioritise other groups for vaccination ahead of frontline Prison Officers.
“This decision was taken in circumstances where the Department of Justice was fully aware of the risks involved to our members. As it transpired, we were the only group allowed on a Covid Ward without the need for vaccination.
“At the same time Prison Officers were working in full PPE with positive cases on Isolation Landings and Covid Wards completely unprotected and ignored by you and your department,” he said.
Power said that there were constant problems with supply of PPE for prison officers but he said it was the vaccination status of the officers that caused most distress.
“Prison Officers were remarkably placed in cohort nine on the list for vaccinations when they became available, a cohort that included, amongst others, a section of society that we get paid to lock up.
“If this pandemic has told us anything it is that despite the soundbites from Government and the Prison Service about the great job we are doing, when push comes to shove, we know exactly where we stand in their estimation.
“Prison Staff were left to paddle their own canoe and nobody in the Department of Justice gave our members or their families a second thought. Minister, it can never be forgotten how you utterly failed us in favour of other groups during this pandemic.
“I can assure you that the Prison Officers’ Association will not forget this abhorrent injustice,” he added.
Power also raised the issue of vexatious complaints against prison officers by inmates which, he said, had led to unjust court cases against POA members.
He said that prison officers have been charged and appeared in court on false allegations by prisoners.
“We are deeply concerned about continuing false statements made by prisoners, leading to unjust and unnecessary court appearances by our members.
“The Prison Officers Association will continue to support our members in these situations, but the day is fast approaching when we will have to advise our members when there is trouble in our prisons to step back and just call the Gardaí.
“This is something we would not wish to do, however, we have a duty to protect our members.
“Prison officers can no longer be asked intervene in disturbances if this puts their livelihood at risk,” he added.
In her speech to the conference Minister McEntee praised the work of Irish Prison Service staff during the pandemic.
A spokesperson did not wish to comment on the issue of vexatious complaints.
Sinn Fein are not so quick to answer questions about ink cartridges themselves
People in glasshouses can’t throw stones or petrol bombs or whatever SF are into nowadays
What’s your point? They are elected representatives and are entitled to ask what they want. The war is over, get over it!
Very rich for Sinn Fein to be taking the moral high ground on issues of justice.
God forbid the opposition asks a few questions :O
67 is hardly a few
Don’t think that’s the point – yet another example of fine Gael acting in a condescending dismissive manner – did u see phil hogan last night smirking and saying it was typically Irish that we were waiting until the last minute to pay the household charge – this gov is not living in the reall world. To dismiss Sinn Fein like the above posters have done due to their history is petty and unproductive. Open your eyes people.
The househd tax like it or not is now a law of the land. Sinn however continue with their historic indifference to the laws of the land. They are not calling for a boycott of council tax on the north though…
Agree. Same old smart Alec Greek chorus whenever SF raises an issue. Idiots.
I am dismissing Jonathan and Sinn fein due to the fact of something a friend of mine witnessed in the not so distant past. So spare me the tags please.
I agree Brian. Regardless of the content and actual point of the article, we have the typical snipes from FG/FFers. The beginning point from their posts is to patronise/put down/dismiss and blatantly bad mouth SF! Why because it’s easy to post the same crappy comments over and over again to make themselves feel superior. Typical party tactics.
On a side note, a comment about the article. The point I would like to raise is that shatter deems these request unworthy to answer, of course the prison system falls under his umbrella. His power has gone to his head since he won one over in the judges! I would expect him to answer if FF had asked! Why not SF!
I thought Jonathan and his crew would know plenty about the justice system at this stage?
Is a Sinn Fein Justice spokesperson not a contradiction of itself?
Sinn fein now look like a well resourced party judging by the quality and volume of questions being submitted. A big change coming in the make up of the next fail on the cards?
dail not fail. Danny predictive text
A ‘fraudulant’ slip perhaps?
Steve, I am sure you meant Freud rather than Fraud (at least I hope you did) Even my correction got invaded by the predective text! The joys of rushing for a bus!
I remember someone in the last Dail saying asking questions of the government was like playing handball against a haystack….
Also, whilst I’m not a Sinn Fein supporter, they are democratically elected representatives, and are entitled to answers to their questions as much as any other representatives.
Whilst not a Sinn Fein supporter I welcome the opposition, Fianna Fail are morally bankrupt, Labour have become the new Green Party and the Independents have no clout. What is the point in letting Sinn Fein run in elections if their past is the only response they are given to sometime valid points. It’s quite like Fine Gaels’ response on every issue, ‘well that was Fianna Fail’s’ fault’, we are where we are, now do some fecking work for your pensions!
so if 67 citizens of this country wrote to the ministers dept and each asked one question it “would require the allocation and expenditure of a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort”…..yep, sounds like the dik tat we have voted in
This would take up a ridiculous amount of time. Fair eneough if they were questions which just required a simple answer.
for the simple citizens eh James???????………
So it should only be simple questions asked in the Dáil rathrt than ones that are about exposing the rot, waste and corruption in this state. Problem is that not enough questions were asked over the last 50 years.
You can ask the “What is you favourite member of One Direction, Alan?” questions if you like, but the Minister is there to work.
Shatter’s response basically says “I can’t be arsed, so feck off would ya?”
While I do think that Shatters response was reasonable, there is a point around the amount of resources used in depts preparing answers to parlimentary q’s. There has to be a better more efficient model that doesnt use so many civil servants at enourmous cost.
His justification for submitting so many questions doesn’t really stack up. It looks like a political stunt, to be honest.
It sounds a bit like someone got his homework in at the last minute.
Is there a list of the questions somewhere that we can read?
Found it
Talk about drowning the Dept in paper!
Does he really need to ask so many questions? Wouldn’t a bit more thought and editing enable him to ask less but more useful questions? The only thing most citizens want to know about the prison service is why there aren’t more places within it to hold prisoners.
As Stephen Donnelly pointed out, this Govt. have a major problem with being held accountable.
It was ever thus with FG, the get in and the arrogance comes out and the piss off the electorate and they are out again after one term. After 80 years of this, is it not time to look in the mirror and ask “is is me?”.
I can’t believe a shinner is questioning anybody’s accountability
have your say