MacSharry is ‘showboating’ claims Union official

THE Assistant General Secretary of the Prison Officers Association Trade Union has said Sligo TD Marc MacSharry was ‘showboating’ at the recent Public Accounts Committee.

Gabriel Keaveny said the deputy seemed ‘determined’ to undermine prison officer’s canteen services when he raised issues surrounding its management.

Mr Keaveny described the TD’s commentary at the recent PAC questioning as ‘poorly informed’ and said the politician’s questionning had now resulted in the matter being put back on the management agenda.

Speaking to The Sligo Champion, Mr Keaveny said he believed the deputy was ‘show boating’.

“I honestly believe he was show boating at the Public Accounts Committee...

“We’ve no bother with him doing his job as a Dáil deputy and his constitutional obligations, however the Prison Service tried to close down our canteen in 2011 and by bringing it back up again is that they’ ll use this as an opportunity to close it down again,” explained the Union spokesperson.

Mr Keaveny went on to explain that in 2011, the Union secured a positive ruling on staff canteen provision at the Labour Relations Commission at a time when the IPS were determined to close down staff canteens and introduce vending machines for staff working in excess of 12 hour shifts.

Describing conditions in the country’s prisons as ‘ the most challenging circumstances any where in this state’ Mr Keaveny said the fear for prison staff was that the IPS would use Mr Mac Sharry’s questions as ‘an easy option’ to close the canteens.

“An issue that had been put to bed is now back on the management agenda,“outlined Mr Keaveny, in correspondence with the deputy.

The Union official questioned the deputy’s decision to raise the issue at the PAC, even though he could have raised it with the service in advance of the meeting.