Community doesn't see 'vital' work' of 'front line' prison officers

The work of prison officers at prisons in Laois and elsewhere in Ireland in making communities safer is not seen by the community but is vital, according to the Minister for Justice.

Helen McEntee spoke on as she welcomed the graduation of 133 recruit prison officers in Dublin Castle.

The Department of Justice says the new officers have now completed their Higher Certificate of Arts in Custodial Care (HCCC) and have already been placed in prisons throughout the State, including the Operational Support Group and the Prison Service Escort Corp.

The graduating class is part of the Irish Prison Service’s latest recruitment drive and Minister McEntee congratulated the graduates on April 3.

"I am honoured to congratulate our graduates for reaching this milestone and to thank them for their commitment. Over the course of their training, they will have gained the knowledge and skills to carry out their work in a professional and meaningful way, and to show patience, compassion, and strength under challenging circumstances.

“Because they work within the walls of our prisons, the wider community don’t get to see first-hand the vital job prison officers do. But they are the front line of a system that makes our communities safer, not just through providing secure custody in our prisons, but also by providing the care and rehabilitation that often vulnerable people in custody need to be able to make the right choices and lead meaningful lives when they are released.

“I wish them all the best in what I’m sure will be a long and rewarding career in the Irish Prison Service,” he said.

The Director General of the Irish Prison Service Caron McCaffrey said:

“Prison officers play a vital security role while also serving as catalysts for positive change, guiding individuals in custody towards rehabilitation. Together, we envision a safer community through excellence in a prison service built on respect for human dignity.”

The HCCC is developed and delivered jointly by the Irish Prison Service and South East Technological University (SETU).

Recognising the crucial role played by prison officers in delivering an important public service, President of SETU, Professor Veronica Campbell emphasised the need to provide a high standard of training and education to support them.

“The Higher Certificate of Arts in Custodial Care develops the character and competence of recruit prison officers so that they can effectively contribute to the safe, secure, and humane custody of the people in their care.

“You are all leaving with a university-level qualification that will allow you to continue to pursue your Irish Prison Service career with the appropriate skills, knowledge and competencies,” she said.

The Department of Justice says the Higher Certificate in Custodial Care is a two-year part-time programme designed to develop the professional competencies of Prison Service staff in working with prisoners. The HCCC is intended to facilitate a greater understanding of how officers can confront challenges through the exploration of different subjects including, resilience, mental health, social psychology and human rights.

After initial training RPOs are assigned to a prison in Portlaoise or elsewhere, with assignments based on the security and operational needs of each prison.  

The Department says the most recent RPO recruitment campaign was launched in August 2023 and closed in October 2023 and 1,813 applications were received for this campaign. A further recruitment campaign will launch later this year.

It says an additional €9m was provided to the IPS in 2024 specifically for staffing to provide for increased payroll costs, recruitment, and 65,000 additional hours to address current demands and maximise service delivery.

In addition to recruit prison officers, throughout 2023 and to date, the Department says the Irish Prison Service launched numerous recruitment and promotion campaigns across all grades and disciplines to meet business needs both in headquarters and across the prison estate.