THE PRISON Officers' Association is appalled Government's confirmation of such major cutbacks in public service pay announced in the Budget.
Prisons are one of the biggest employers and Laois with hundreds of officers based at Portlaoise's two prisons.
The prison offers say the additional pay cuts which affect Prison Officers and their families all around the country are totally unj
ustified - and a further penalty on those who had no hand act or part in creating the current economic problems.
John Clinton, General Secretary of the Prison Officers' Association said today.
"This announcement by Minister Brian Lenihan represents another clear and unjustified attack on our members and indeed their families. Many of our members understandably borrowed and made commitments based on income agreed with Government and now because of these unwarranted cuts by Government they find themselves in financial difficulty. Prison Officers and Public Sector Workers are now expected to shoulder the burden for the mess created in our economy by bankers and others and this is completely unacceptable," he said.
The Prison Officers' Association's Executive say they will be consulting with our colleagues in the public service and elsewhere to assess their response.
