Comedy duo The 2 Johnnies got paid almost €25,000 by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) to host a show about the attractions of working as a prison officer.
The sponsored podcast featured prison staff speaking about life working in an Irish jail and the advantages of a job in the penal system.
The IPS has confirmed a fee of €20,000, plus €4,600 in VAT, was agreed with the Tipperary entertainers for the show.
The IPS said “editorial adjustments” had been made before the podcast was released to ensure none of the content compromised security.
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Internal emails describe how The 2 Johnnies were “very interested” in working with the prison service and offered a bespoke deal to promote careers there.
Two officers were given a primer by the Irish Prison Service on questions to expect and suggested answers.
These included the earning potential of up to €70,000 in their first year of service, based on starting pay as well as allowances for additional hours and a seven-day roster.
“Once fully qualified, prison officers receive salaries ranging from €46,492 to €59,681, based on experience,” it said.
The 2 Johnnies said the price for the podcast would be €20,000, before VAT, and it would reach an enormous audience.
A visibility package said: “The 2 Johnnies Podcast has grown to become an accomplished podcast machine signing up new subscribers and listeners every week with 700,000 weekly listeners.
“They also put forward some of their own suggested questions for what might work with their audience.”
These included “What happens when things get tense in the prison – how do you keep control or regain it?”
Another was: “What kind of relationship do you have with the inmates? Do you have to keep your distance, or do you get to know them? Would you know what each person is inside for?”
Asked about the podcast deal, an IPS spokesman said: “The Irish Prison Service aims to recruit 300 new recruit prison officers in 2025 and received 1,774 applications as part of this year’s campaign.”
Since 2021, the Irish Prison Service has recruited more than 805 recruit prison officers.
“Participation in The 2 Johnnies podcast allowed the Irish Prison Service to reach a broad national and international audience, highlighting the career opportunities available and the diverse roles the service can offer potential applicants,” it said.
The spokesman said editorial adjustments were made post-recording as was standard with all Irish Prison Service media engagements.
