More than 20 staff at visitors' centres in Mountjoy, St Patrick's Institute and Clover Hill prisons in Dublin are being let go because of budget overspends.
According to the Prison Service extra staff were taken on without the approval of the Department of Justice and costs have risen from around €254,000 (£200,000) in 1999 to €889,000 (£700,000) last year. The figure could reach €1 million this year unless corrective action is taken.
The workers are employed by the Society of St Vincent de Paul in facilities where childcare, light refreshment, counselling and other services are provided to people visiting prisoners. The projects are funded mainly by the Department of Justice, which is now conducting an audit to establish how costs rose so rapidly.
SIPTU branch secretary Ms Chris Rowland said last night that up to 25 of the 48 staff face lay-offs, including people who left secure jobs elsewhere in the childcare services to work at the centres. "Both the Government and the Society of St Vincent de Paul must take responsibility for failing to properly plan and fund prison visitors' centres at Mountjoy and Clover Hill," she said.
"Staff, who have given up permanent jobs to come on board with this project, are now being threatened with redundancy, and the very worthwhile and valuable service provided to prison visitors' centres will be slashed as a consequence of the proposed cutbacks. The childcare services will be diminished and serious risks will arise because parents who are already under considerable strain will have difficulty looking after children in a very stressful environment.
"The project needs funding to keep the current staffing complement employed and to provide ongoing high standards of care. The Minister must act to support this necessary service and retain jobs."
No comment was available from the Society of St Vincent de Paul last night, but a spokesman for the Prison Service said problems had arisen with funding because so many extra staff were taken on without prior approval. SIPTU president Mr Des Geraghty has written to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, seeking an urgent meeting on the issue.