Welcome

The Prison Officers' Association was founded in 1947 and represents all grades in the Prison Service from Prison Officer up to and including the rank of Deputy Governor. Therefore, the Association represents approximately 98% of all those who work in prisons. The Prison Officers' Association holds a negotiating licence on behalf of the grades it represents and has full Trade Union status. The Association is affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

As with any trade union the Prison Officers’ Association is concerned with the pay and conditions of its’ members. The work of Prison Officers is difficult and often dangerous. Prison Officers work in a Service that is a cornerstone of the Irish Criminal Justice System. Prison Officers perform a difficult and often dangerous task on behalf of society in caring for those committed to prison by the courts. Prison officers come across many different situations in their daily working lives that other members of society do not come across. These include incidents of suicide and
self-mutilation, needle stick injuries and many other varied situations. There are many different aspects to the work of prison officers.