Most drivers have been working rest days since the introduction of annualised hours last year.

Yesterday, the prison officers rejected a proposed deal on annualised hours by an overwhelming majority.

Undoubtedly, the financial incentives offered to secure prison staff support for the annualised hours system were excessive.

The company, which manufactures timber frame buildings, is refusing to negotiate with BATU on a new system of annualised hours for the workforce.

Prison officers have voted overwhelmingly to reject a deal which would introduce a system of annualised hours and drastically reduce their overtime earnings.

Introduced in boom-time Celtic Tiger Ireland to control the runaway levels of prison officer overtime, annualised hours were put in place over a decade ago.