Conference Report 2016

CENTRAL 

EXECUTIVE 

COMMITTEE 

REPORT 

GARDA REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATION 

38TH ANNUAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE 

26–27 APRIL 2016

GARDA REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATION 

38th Annual Delegate Conference 

26–27 April 2016 

CENTRAl ExECuTIVE 

COmmITTEE REPORT 

Garda Representative Association 

5th Floor Phibsboro Tower Dublin 7 

Telephone 01-8303533 Fax 01-8303331 Email-gra@indigo.ie Web http://www.gra.ie

CENTRAl ExECuTIVE COmmITTEE 2015

38Th ANNuAl DElEGATE CONfERENCE 

CENTRAl ExECuTIVE COmmITTEE REPORT 

CONTENTS 

7 Foreword 

SECTION 1: PAy AND AllOwANCES 

10 GRA members reject Lansdowne Road Agreement 

11 The Case for the Gardaí Clearly Stated 

45 Pay Scales 

46 Pay Scales – Gardaí recruited after October 2013 

47 Allowances 

SECTION 2: CONDITIONS Of EmPlOymENT 

50 Joint Protocol for Consultation and Dispute 

Resolution 2016 

56 Public Service Management Sick Leave Regulations 

57 The O’Higgins Commission of Investigation 

58 Meeting With Minister For Justice And Equality 

59 Policing Authority 

SECTION 3: Sub-COmmITTEE REPORTS 

62 Accommodation 

68 Change Management 

70 Health and Safety 

72 Legal Assistance 

74 Uniform 

75 Welfare 

77 Garda Benevolent Trust Fund 

SECTION 4: bENEfITS fOR mEmbERS 

82 Life Assurance Scheme 

84 Serious Illness Scheme 

86 Salary Protection Plan 

88 Additional Voluntary Contributions 

88 House Insurance Scheme 

89 Illness/Injury Scheme 

SECTION 5: ANNuAl DElEGATE CONfERENCE 

92 Report from 37th Annual Delegate Conference 

100 Delegates to 37th Annual Delegate Conference 

38th Annual Delegate Conference 5

fOREwORD 

In presenting this annual report to Conference I outline the current work being undertaken by the 

secretariat and the Central Executive Committee. 

The past year has presented a range of challenges to this Association. We had not yet exited the 

Haddington Road Agreement that has protected pay and allowances since 2013, when we were 

presented with a successive proposal in the form of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. Our 

membership resoundingly rejected this proposal by way of ballot. Given our difficult status within 

Irish industrial relations we were presented with a three-year proposal while still awaiting a full 

root-and-branch review of Garda industrial relations and Garda pay that was committed to by all 

the parties to the Haddington Road Agreement. We have fulfilled all of our commitments under 

that Agreement. 

We were not alone in rejecting the Lansdowne Road Agreement and yet uncertainty continues to 

exist as to the continued payment of increments once the existing Agreement expires. This, 

obviously, would negatively impact disproportionately on members of junior service. Bearing this 

in mind we are cognisant of developments emanating from the Department of Public Expenditure 

and Reform (DPER). We are mindful of the impact of DPER has had upon the lives of our members 

as in our failure by way of legal challenge to overturn the retrospective changes to our sickness 

regulations. This Department (DPER) has direct input into the pay and conditions of our members 

but affords us no opportunity to debate, discuss and negotiate or most importantly to directly 

represent our members. They are not directly accountable as our employers, yet they have direct 

management over the eligibility and payment of our wages. 

The pay and conditions of newly trained Gardaí have come under searing scrutiny. Public 

commendatory by politicians, academics and pundits is concluding that more Gardaí should be 

recruited immediately. The message is now broadly that the recruitment of new members is 

currently necessary and dispensing with the two-tier pay structures is a priority to avoid the 

discontent that historically arises from such disparity. The adoption of the latter concept shows 

how ill-served our members have been by the replacement of Social Partnership. Without a 

platform for engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform our members are 

denied the rights outlined and adopted by the Council of Europe. These rights apply from an 

industrial relations, social, civil and political perspective. 

The Review of An Garda Síochána established under the Haddington Road Agreement must 

focus on an ethical resolution as opposed to a legal analysis as a basis for our future industrial 

relations. The DPER may not have broken the law when retrospectively redefining our 

entitlements to sick pay – but that does not equate to it being fair or just. Sustainable change and 

modernisation is dependent upon the correct balance being achieved and being fairly 

implemented. 

This Association has had issues with recognition by Garda Management. Progress has been 

made. From March 2016, Partnership has been replaced by a Joint Protocol for Consultation and 

Dispute Resolution. The latter provides a mechanism and timeframe for decisions to be made and 

appeals to be lodged. We are hopeful that this new concept will enable swift and expedient 

resolution of issues while enhancing our capability to impact the decisions of management. 

We have a relationship with government (Conciliation and Arbitration) that circumvents the 

oversight bodies and should allow us to influence wage agreements and policy decisions. This 

has been greatly diluted since the advent of the recession as the Conciliation and Arbitration 

Scheme became de facto redundant and the control of the Department of Justice and Equality 

has waned. 

38th Annual Delegate Conference

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT 

The invoking of the Social Partnership concept has been dispensed with to a large degree. 

Recent governments have operated under the basis of advice from conservative economists and 

employers’ groups who canvassed vehemently for the reduction of public service pay and, 

indeed, the pay of workers in general. Government departments must be aware of the negative 

impact the latter has on positive engagement and the concept of working together for a common 

goal. This regrettably, appears to be a damage they are prepared to accept. 

Government have declined to engage and in fact ignored the many positive ideas mooted by the 

staff associations. They have pressed ahead with the reduction of Garda numbers and Station 

closures, a decision that has led to a plausible fear of crime among many of the most vulnerable 

in our communities. History will not record these policies with respect or affection. 

The Garda Síochána were penalised more than most resulting from the financial crisis despite – 

or maybe because of – our unique position in Irish society. We are constrained from a myriad of 

perspectives like no other profession. Our strength and unity as an Association can redress this 

imbalance. This Association can take comfort from the fact that while we may not always be 

credited with positive ideas and possible solutions there is frequently a validation of the 

problems which we identify especially when outside agencies are tasked with auditing the Garda 

organisation. 

We continue to influence public policy, as the close relationship between our public statement 

and eventual resultant government action demonstrates. 

Public opinion clings steadfastly with our membership, especially at the most challenging of 

times. We continue unabated in the pursuit of many goals for our members with each and every 

representative’s efforts cumulatively contributing to that task. When disputes are resolved at 

local level, it contributes to workplace harmony and the culture of the organisation which is not 

quantifiable – but nonetheless invaluable. We can and will make further strides that will facilitate 

the development of national policy within An Garda Síochána and extend outwards to 

government and civil society. 

The struggle for fair pay and recognition for our members is never easy and has been relentless 

since the foundation of An Garda Síochána. The Garda Representative Association is well 

equipped and organised as a staff association and our campaign for the restoration of pay and 

conditions is morally and politically right. 

On behalf of the secretariat and the Central Executive Committee I commend this report to you 

and thank you all for your continued efforts on behalf of our members. 

John Healy 

Acting General Secretary on behalf of the Central Executive Committee 

8 Garda Representative Association

1 PAy AND 

AllOwANCES 

GRA mEmbERS REjECT lANSDOwNE 

ROAD AGREEmENT 

ThE CASE fOR ThE GARDAí ClEARly STATED 

PAy SCAlES 

PAy SCAlES – GARDAí RECRuITED AfTER 

OCTObER 2013 

AllOwANCES 



GRA mEmbERS REjECT 

lANSDOwNE ROAD AGREEmENT 

Members of the Garda Representative Association voted 

to reject the terms offered under the Lansdowne Road 

Agreement [LRA]; the ballot result was announced on 

29th October 2015. The vote was recorded 10.9% ‘Yes’ 

against 86.5% ‘No’. Turnout was 60% of members of 

Garda rank entitled to register their preference in this 

ballot. 

While one can speculate on the reasons as to why our 

members were unimpressed by this replacement deal on 

offer, our recently retired General Secretary, PJ Stone, 

had told the Chairman of the Workplace Relations 

Commission [WRC] Mr Kieran Mulvey during a briefing of 

the proposals, that the 30 hours unpaid overtime would 

most likely constitute an obstacle – as Garda 

Management had repeatedly directed members to work 

such hours against the spirit of the Agreement. Under the 

terms of the Haddington Road Agreement [HRA] these 

agreed hours were intended to be worked as ‘soft’ hours 

to facilitate training and upskilling or the policing of 

community and sporting events. In many instances these 

hours were invoked for the policing of public order 

incidents, protests and extensions to night duty that 

would deservedly attract premium payments. 

The Central Executive Committee met on 3 November 

2015 to discuss the implications of this outcome. It was 

agreed that no further discussion would be entertained 

for the 30 hours unpaid overtime that had been agreed 

under the terms of the HRA, and this practice would 

cease from 1 January 2016 as scheduled under the HRA. 

Members of the Association would honour all 

commitments made under the HRA, but the State and 

Garda Management must honour their own commitments 

especially towards the Review of Industrial Relations and 

Garda Pay as set out in the HRA. During the special CEC 

meeting of 3 November a timescale was outlined for the 

conclusion of the Review that had been due to be 

completed by 1 June 2014, but had been repeatedly 

deferred because of the intransigence of the official side. 

The date for conclusion of the Review was set as 29 

February 2016. 

Despite an expedient and exhaustive submission by the 

GRA titled The Case for the Gardaí Clearly Stated to the 

chairman of the Review, Mr Raymond McGee, and 

assurances from the Department of Justice and Equality, 

this deadline was not been met. It is currently expected 

to report sometime in the coming months. Progress has 

been made and the Review is ongoing. 

Another outcome from the special CEC meeting of 3 

November was to seek an ongoing independent Garda 

Remuneration Review Body to reflect the unique nature of 

the role and responsibilities of members of An Garda 

Síochána and to take account of the restrictions placed 

on both members’ lives and on their recourse to industrial 

relations. Alongside this, it was agreed to seek collective 

access to the WRC on a permanent and formal basis. 

The grievances of Garda rank have increasingly resulted 

from proposals and legislation emanating from the 

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, compared 

with a decreasing influence from the Department of 

Justice and Equality. A meeting was facilitated with the 

Minister for Justice and Equality to discuss the 

implications of the rejected Agreement – but was not 

with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. 

To compound the difficulty in making swift and 

substantial progress since Conference last year has 

been further transfer of responsibility between 

personnel, departments and oversight bodies. The formal 

establishment of the Police Authority on 1 January 2016 

and the impact on Garda Management and oversight has 

yet to yield the full implications for the organisation and 

relationships between stakeholders. While the Garda 

Inspectorate’s report Changing Policing in Ireland was 

published in November, we currently await the response 

from Garda Management and the level of implementation 

of its recommendations. This report also arose from the 

HRA, which required an independent review of the 

structure, operation and deployment of the Garda 

Síochána. While we were signatories to the Agreement 

and had made an initial substantial submission we were 

denied access to an interim report or the opportunity to 

make submissions to the final draft. 

The Association retains the view that the Garda 

Inspectorate cannot be regarded as an independent 

organisation while it reports to the Minister for Justice 

and Equality; and we are increasingly cognisant that the 

Inspectorate continues to avoid the question of a garda 

optimum number analysis in its reports. The issue of the 

role and responsibility of a garda in the 21st Century, the 

number of Gardaí required and a formalised structure of 


Section 1: Pay and Allowances 

industrial relations are required to prevent the current 

paralysis recurring. 

When the HRA expires on 1 July 2016, members of the 

GRA will be outside of any national wage agreement, and 

the threat of the withdrawal of pay increments for those 

on the first 17 points of the pay scale remains real. 

Whether a new government will have the political will to 

further punish junior members of the Force on the basis 

of our democratic decision remains to be seen. This 

would be both unfair and unjust. As it stands – if section 

7 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public 

Interest Act 2015 (FEMPI) is invoked Government may 

freeze incremental increases until September 2018 for 

anyone not covered by a collective agreement. 

The Association has rejected the Lansdowne Road 

Agreement; and we contend that the Review of Industrial 

Relations for An Garda Síochána and Garda Pay should 

be completed before any further moves are made. The 

scope and remit for this Review was open-ended and not 

restricted by financial considerations. We hope that, like 

its predecessors, such a root-and-branch review will 

provide a roadmap for future negotiations and 

developments. The Conroy Commission of 1970 was 

seismic; followed nine years later by the Ryan Committee 

of Inquiry. The Haddington Road Agreement established 

what should become a contemporary version of the 

Conroy Report, updated to include the industrial relations 

mechanisms available to members. Our current 

mechanisms are outmoded and have repeatedly failed to 

sufficiently and fairly address the grievances and 

desires for a 21st century police officer. 

The Council of Europe made several key findings yet to 

be addressed; that Gardaí do not enjoy trade union 

status, automatic access to the instruments of State 

[the WRC] or the right to collective bargaining. The 

European Social Charter provides the right to take 

collective industrial action. Another adoption by the 

Council of Europe is the European Code of Police Ethics 

(2001) that facilitates equal social, economic and political 

rights for police officers with other citizens. The 

Haddington Road Review, under the auspices of the WRC 

has much ground to cover. 

Such long overdue reform and modernisation is welcome 

for many reasons; the future career prospects, work-life 

balance, job satisfaction and the means to satisfy the 

basic needs of all members among them. Other public 

servants were not granted such a wide-ranging review 

and this is recognition of the unique status of the garda, 

and the restrictions we operate under. Our job was 

utterly changed by the implementation of the Garda 

Síochána Act (2005) and we expect more tangible 

change in the months and years ahead as the 

organisation responds to the Police Authority and Garda 

Inspectorate. 

Hereunder is the Association’s submission to the 

Chairman of the Review of An Garda Síochána titled The 

Case for the Gardaí clearly Stated 

The Case for the 

Gardaí Clearly Stated 

SubmISSION TO ThE REVIEw Of INDuSTRIAl 

RElATIONS fOR AN GARDA SíOCháNA AND 

GARDA PAy 

Haddington Road Agreement 2013-2016, December 2015 

fOREwORD 

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has most 

recently rejected the Lansdowne Road Agreement; while 

we can speculate as to why each individual within an 

overwhelming 86% of our members were unimpressed 

by the deal, we can outline with some clarity the current 

obstacles facing our staff association. Unusually for a 

foreword to such a submission of industrial relations 

desires, dissatisfactions and grievances, it is worth 

listing them: 

1. There is no working mechanism for industrial 

relations within An Garda Síochána. 

2. Our members’ pay has been multiply reduced and 

not restored. 


11


3. New recruits are denied rent allowance and this has 

created a two-tier pay structure. 

4. There are fewer gardaí to complete more tasks: our 

numbers have been reduced by one in six and our 

responsibilities increased. We have become the first 

call and final refuge for our citizens with nowhere 

else to turn. 

5. We have been required to revolutionise our roster 

and increase productivity without compensation. 

6. Our members are subjected to increasingly violent 

assault with reduced protection (many are patrolling 

alone or without backup). 

7. Our conditions of service have been denigrated, 

particularly the reform of our sickness regulations, 

are seen to be unfair and discriminatory to a 

profession where sickness, injury and psychological 

challenges are occupational hazards. 

8. Our members are under increased scrutiny from 

management, the judiciary, GSOC and the media – 

without the visible support of Garda Management. 

9. The equipment and resources required to do our job 

are nakedly absent. 

10. Our members ensured security and safety for the 

public throughout the global economic crisis. 

11. Previous agreements and promises made to our 

members have not been honoured. Under the terms 

of the Haddington Road Agreement this Review was 

to be completed by 1st June 2014 but has been 

repeatedly stymied by the Department of Justice 

and Equality. 

formalise a structure of industrial relations to avoid the 

current paralysis recurring. 

The Benchmarking Body failed to address the unique and 

evolving status of Garda rank, and gardaí have been 

historically excluded from pay negotiations of the broader 

public service pay review system. There is also no clarity 

in the current status of the rights of gardaí for industrial 

relations following the decision of the Council of Europe. 

The European Code of Police Ethics (2001), subsequently 

adopted by the Council of Europe, also states that police 

staff shall enjoy the same civil and political rights as 

other citizens and also the social and economic rights of 

other public servants and: 

“staff shall have the right to organise or to participate in 

representative organisations, to receive an appropriate 

remuneration and social security, and to be provided with 

special health and security measures, taking into 

account the particular character of police work.” 

There is a solution that we propose herein: that for a 

separation of the gardaí from these structures through the 

establishment of an independent pay review body 

specifically for the gardaí. This is explored in detail and 

would appropriately reflect the unique and separate status 

for those workers who are tasked with State security, 

personal protection and community commitment. 

PJ Stone 

General Secretary 

1st December 2015 

12. We have no platform for discussion or negotiation 

with the Department of Public Expenditure and 

Reform (DPER) that has taken control of 

remuneration and terms of our service. 

We are cognisant of the political upheaval in the current 

Dáil; a justice sector that has seen the resignation of 

Minister for Justice and Equality, the removal of a Garda 

Commissioner, the transfer of a Secretary General and 

the resignation of a GSOC Commissioner. All of these 

personnel changes have been replicated within the civil 

service and we have seen significant breaks in 

continuity, fractured consistency and a reluctance to 

address any of the interlocking crises. As we await the 

formal handover to an independent garda authority, we 

need to establish the role and responsibility of the 

members of Garda rank in the 21st Century, and to 



PART ONE: OuTlINE SummARy 

1.1 Any review of industrial relations cannot 

meaningfully proceed without the establishment of 

fundamental parameters. In the first instance that 

means to establish the number of gardaí needed to 

police Ireland. To answer this, we also need to 

clearly define the role and function of An Garda 

Síochána through extensive policing plans for each 

garda division and subsequently quantify the 

number of personnel required to fulfil the objectives 

and also provide contingency for omissions, 

absentees and the unpredictable nature of policing. 

1.2 Numerous agencies have outlined the need for 

clearly stated and verifiable data on the nature of 

policing in Ireland. The Garda Representative 

Association (GRA) has long contended that an 

optimum number survey should be researched and 

compiled by an independent authority utilising the 

latest academic theory and methodology. A 

consultative document should be produced, 

distributed, discussed and implemented within the 

lifetime of the next Dáil. 

1.3 Our position is clear; gardaí cannot be expected to 

deal with ever-expanding workloads as their 

numbers diminish. A defined policing function will 

determine the numbers of workers required to 

satisfy the requirements of the public against 

attainable productivity levels and contingencies for 

each garda. The situation is currently untenable. 

The policing plans are not covered and the policing 

service has become inconsistent. The first question 

that needs to be answered is: how many gardaí are 

needed to fulfil the role and function of An Garda 

Síochána? 

1.4 There is no doubt that our members are more 

vulnerable to becoming victims of crime too. An 

Garda Síochána has had its membership reduced by 

around 2,500 since 2011 through retirements, long 

term illness and incentivised career breaks. This 

equates to one in six; to around five million policing 

hours lost per annum and yet various reform and 

transformation has required the remaining serving 

members to take measures to absorb this loss while 

providing an enhanced policing service. 

1.5 We must question the model of governance that can 

promote such a policy. History will undoubtedly 

expose this folly, but in the present situation this 

remains untenable in real policing. The current 

reclassified crime figures [September 2015] support 

this position. The explanation that Ireland had 

bucked worldwide trends in recorded crime 

because of ‘smart policing’ or ‘intelligence-led 

policing’ have been unmasked as political rhetoric 

designed to mislead the public and placate the everincreasing 

number of crime victims. 

1.6 In the search for a quantifiable solution to such a 

question, the individual level of risk to which each 

member is to be exposed will have to be quantified. 

Until now, it appears that the authorities are 

prepared to accept that being assaulted or 

subjected to intimidation is to be regarded as an 

occupational hazard. This is no longer accepted in 

the ways of the past. A modern police officer has 

every right to the benefit of State protections; and 

as an employer the State has a duty of care for each 

employee. The derived level of personal risk that 

each garda is assigned must be reflected in 

remuneration to compensate for any heightened or 

uncertain risk; public opinion now appears to reflect 

this. Few employments require the wearing of an 

anti-stab or an anti-ballistics vest as basic, standard 

safety equipment. 

1.7 In the event that specific issues arise for 

consideration for revision, the Association adjudges 

that it will be in the ultimate interests of all parties 

(and entirely appropriate in the context of 

‘partnership’ and ‘joint decision making’ processes) 

that it be invited to make supplementary 

submissions, serving to assess the implications of 

any proposed revisions. During the recent pay 

reductions resulting from the global economic crisis, 

coupled with deteriorating employment conditions, 

the Association contained the anger, 

disillusionment and sense of betrayal felt by our 

members, and steered a path that avoided industrial 

action but has resulted in our members frustration. 

We now require meaningful engagement to become 

tangible improvement in morale, optimism and 

enthusiasm. Our members need hope. 

1.8 In recent years the Association’s membership has 

been subject to increasingly oppressive financial 

pressures with more demanding workloads set in 

decreasing and deteriorating resources. The 

massive contribution of An Garda Síochána to the 

current economic recovery should not go unnoticed 

or without acknowledgement. 

1.9 Data provided to the Association by the Minister for 

Justice and Equality (August 2014) demonstrated 

that the budget allocation to An Garda Síochána 

dropped from €1,577,538,000 in 2008 to 

€1,239,488,000 in 2014 – a decline of over 21%. 

Data provided to this Association by the Garda 

Commissioner’s office in September 2014 showed 

that the gross expenditure for the total pay bill for 

An Garda Síochána declined by over 12% over the 


13


2008 to 2013 period. The contribution of the Garda 

rank to this reduced expenditure is significant – 

standing at over 12% in respect of overtime pay, 

almost 10% in allowances and nearly 9% for salaries 

for the 2009 to 2013 period. Such savings were 

needed of a time and place that has now passed. 

1.10 This Review should clearly understand that the 

Central Executive Committee and membership of 

the Association would actively reject any proposals 

that constitute further reductions in garda pay or 

any additional deterioration in terms and conditions 

of employment. Nor will it participate in or support 

any process that proposes such cuts. 

1.11 However, the Association will address any 

proposals and associated cost-saving measures 

that do not deleteriously impact on our members’ 

remuneration or terms and conditions of 

employment. This Association has worked to the full 

extent of its powers enabling savings-related 

initiatives. These include the new working time 

roster (€35million) under the transformation agenda 

of the Croke Park Agreement, the extra work days 

provided for under the Haddington Road Agreement 

(€15million), the decreased voluntary overtime 

premium payment rate and the implemented 

civilianisation process, all completed with a 

significantly reducing staffing level. 

1.12 The removal of legitimate allowances to new 

recipients has proved problematic, and has created 

a contentious two-tier pay structure within An 

Garda Síochána. This is unjust and an anomaly that 

has the potential to polarise opinion and cause 

ongoing disharmony and discontent. A sustainable 

recourse must be explored; and rent allowance 

restored in the interim. 

1.13 Independent bodies acting on behalf of the State 

have long acknowledged and deferred to the 

‘unique’ status and role of the police officer. Indeed, 

the Desborough Committee (1919) examined the pay 

and conditions of the police force – and underlined 

this key feature. 

1.14 It was also acknowledged by the British Oaksey 

Committee (1949), by the British Royal Commission on 

police pay (1962), by the Conroy Commission on the 

Garda Síochána (1970), by the Sheehy report into 

police responsibilities and rewards in Britain (1993), 

by the Ryan Committee of Inquiry into garda pay and 

conditions (1979) and by the independent United 

States-based Police Executive Research Forum (1998). 

1.15 This ‘unique’ status arises under a variety of 

headings including the onerous and wide-ranging 

responsibilities and duties of a professional police 

service. A garda is obliged to act on or off-duty when 

seeing an offence, assault or felony being committed. 

They are also required to be responsible and 

accountable for carrying out duties when not officially 

on-duty. This commitment to duty is a rare obligation 

in the world of work. In effect, the garda has to place 

themselves on-duty in unpredictable circumstances. 

1.16 It is also evident that a major difference between a 

garda’s role and responsibilities compared with 

other occupations is the extensive span of 

knowledge required, the discretion and judgement 

necessitated in varying circumstances, the 

potentially fatal dangers faced. A garda is frequently 

obliged to work on complex assignments over 

protracted periods that may ultimately be the 

subject of hostile cross-examination by senior 

counsel and management. 

1.17 This ‘unique’ status also surfaces from a review of a 

garda’s use of ‘discretion’; an essential part of the 

police officer’s role and skill set. A number of 

dimensions of the work necessitate the ongoing 

deployment of the ‘discretion’ competence. It is also 

pertinent that the Garda rank exercises the vast 

majority of the discretionary authority that the Force 

possesses. 

1.18 This competency is frequently deployed when 

working alone and under pressure to make 

decisions hastily; decisions which may be 

subsequently reviewed in hindsight by senior staff, 

the Garda Ombudsman, the judiciary and the media. 

The demands of the job and the environment in 

which it is undertaken have deteriorated. Alongside 

significant crime levels, gardaí now have to contend 

with more professional, armed and violent criminals 

while under intense pressure from politicians and 

the media for both results and greater 

accountability. Between 2005 and 2010 it became 

necessary to introduce personally issued anti-stab 

vests, ASP batons and subsequently incapacitant 

spray. These items signify punctuation marks in 

Irish society. 

1.19 The rise of contract killings to xenophobia with 

drugs, paedophilia, human trafficking, internet 

crime, corporate crime, fraud, international criminal 

networks, it is readily apparent that the gardaí face 

an escalating challenge in the maintenance of law 

and order. This challenge is exacerbated by the 

decline in the relevance of the principle of ‘policing 

by consent’, as the shared set of values nurtured by 

communal forces continue to decline, necessitating 

the force to rely more on professionalism, 

adaptability and the commitment of its members. 



1.20 In the face of significant societal, crime-type, 

legislative and organisational change, it is not 

surprising that the evidence should confirm that 

police work is highly stressful. Occupational 

psychologists concur that policing is ‘emotionally 

dangerous’ and a relatively ‘high-risk’ job. 

1.21 Extensive longitudinal research serves to confirm 

that the pressures of law enforcement place 

officers at real risk of high blood pressure, insomnia, 

dangerous levels of destructive stress hormones, 

heart problems, post traumatic stress disorder and 

suicide. The practical impact of the job’s demands 

and responsibilities on stress levels in An Garda 

Síochána was confirmed at University College Cork, 

which found that 32% of gardaí are experiencing 

‘above-average’ levels of stress, whilst one-fifth 

suffer from ‘severe’ levels of stress. 

1.22 Gardaí remain liable to disciplinary action in their 

personal indebtedness. Our members’ predicament 

is accentuated by the prohibition on their spare time 

activities to significantly hamper their scope to 

pursue additional income, sharply contrasting with 

the types of restrictions applied to other public 

servants and police forces across Europe; 

underlining the ‘unique’ status of the garda. 

1.23 A garda is restricted from the development of a 

business interest or restricted if a business is 

carried on by a spouse at any premises within their 

area of jurisdiction, or by any member of the family 

at the premises at which the officer resides. This is 

a significant constraint and another consequential 

feature of the garda’s ‘unique’ status. No other 

public servant is subject to such a constraint upon 

either the individual or the wider family to reduce 

personal debt. Gardaí cannot drive a taxi or minicab 

to supplement their income. 

1.24 Gardaí may be prohibited from serving at any station 

within 32 kilometres of any place where: 

(i) the member or the member’s spouse or partner 

has relatives permanently residing; 

(ii) the member’s spouse or partner, or other family 

members, or relatives, engage(s) in any 

business requiring a license or certificate or 

(iii) where the member’s spouse or partner or other 

family member is the proprietor of any business 

that is conducted from a shop. 

1.25 A garda is obliged by regulation to accept a transfer, 

whether temporary or permanent, to any location 

directed by the Garda Commissioner. Transfers can 

cause major disruption in the lives of a garda and their 

family, and can be hugely upsetting and stressful. 

Transfers have also been regularly deployed as a form 

of discipline or punishment and there is a well-founded 

and independently substantiated judgement that 

some transfers are unfair, unreasonable, uncaring, 

unnecessary or malicious. Few employments have 

such a major drawback. 

1.26 Four out of every five serving gardaí have no 

prospect of promotion and will retire at the rank of 

Garda. The scarcity of promotion opportunities in An 

Garda Síochána has to be acknowledged and 

addressed, as it has a major negative impact on 

morale and motivation. The scarcity of promotion 

opportunities provides a case for the reconstruction 

of the pay scale with increments for those gardaí 

that have satisfactorily completed 15, 20 and 25 

years of service. 

1.27 Few occupations include compulsory overtime. 

Serving to further underline the ‘unique’ status of 

the garda, there is an obligation on members to 

discharge their duties on the basis of ‘overtime’ 

arrangements on the direction of either a superior 

officer or other external source, such as the 

judiciary. Unlike employment arrangements 

affecting the national workforce, members of An 

Garda Síochána are obliged to work unsocial hours. 

1.28 An Garda Síochána remains the most trusted role 

model or institution in the State. However, a host of 

authoritative sources have also been forced to 

acknowledge that there is an unprecedented morale 

crisis in the organisation and that it must be 

addressed as a matter of priority. 

1.29 The leadership of this Association has gone to great 

lengths to contain the disillusionment and some 

militant responses proposed by sections of the 

membership. It may not be possible to persist with 

this containment. The GRA survey of members in 

2010 revealed that 93% backed some form of 

industrial action. The morale slump attributed to 

poor leadership, declining rank numbers, 

depreciating equipment, reduced resources, rising 

levels of assault on on-duty (and off-duty) gardaí 

and the financial predicament faced by many gardaí. 

The Association urges the empowered parties to 

deliver on the promise that public trust and 

confidence will be restored, by focusing on the 

public face of An Garda Síochána (Garda rank) and 

proceeding to ensure the proper treatment of the 

rank’s remuneration and employment conditions. 

1.30 Having regard to the realities, the Association 

proposes that this Review increase garda pay in 


15


recognition of the many unique features associated 

with policing. There is already a precedent for such 

an allowance in the Defence Forces. This 

Association believes that a Police Service Allowance 

would serve to compensate for the special 

disadvantages associated with police life. Such an 

allowance, like other core allowances in the nature of 

pay, should then be subsumed into a single pay 

scale; whereas allowances to differentiate pay 

within each rank can be examined separately. 

1.31 When deductions are made for income tax, pay 

related social insurance (PRSI), the pension 

contribution (6.5 – 9%), health cover and additional 

payments a garda may be left with around €150 per 

week to cover the standard subsistence, clothing, 

motor vehicle and household running costs – and 

this is before any medical, educational and social 

integration and development costs for family 

members are factored. 

1.32 The desperation and disillusionment associated 

with working as a garda may be attributed to the 

recent economic crisis and cutbacks, it should not 

be forgotten that gardaí did not receive benefits 

(compared with other public servants and their 

colleagues in all ranks in An Garda Síochána) under 

the first Public Sector Benchmarking Body’s report – 

which revealed little of its methodology, dataset or 

the concluding rationale for its recommendations. 

1.33 There is a long-established pay relationship 

between the ranks of garda and sergeant. In 1979 

the Ryan Committee Of Inquiry fixed the rank 

differential at 10.6% (for the ‘15 year Garda’). In the 

Committee’s view, this revision reflected 

“appropriate recompense for the higher skill and 

responsibility required.” By the time the Haddington 

Road Agreement came into effect the relevant 

differentials had swollen to 16 and 18% (including 

the Long Service Increments and on scale maxima 

respectively). 

1.34 This Association’s concern with the differential drift 

is accentuated when one compares with the British 

scenario where the differential stands at 12% at the 

top of the scales. This warrants the immediate 

attention of this Review, necessitating remedial 

action in favour of the Garda rank. 

1.35 The Garda rank’s pay compares poorly with many 

other public service categories with relevant criteria 

like promotion opportunities and pay scale minima, 

maxima and scale length. Garda pay is well below 

the average pay available to a wide array of private 

sector employee categories. Successive surveys 

also indicate that this inequality is accentuated by 

the various benefits’ packages enjoyed by other 

employee categories. The Garda rank has endured a 

series of reductions in their pay and employment 

conditions that has not occurred in the standard 

workplace experience. 

1.36 The Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation’s 

(IBEC) datasets, together with survey reports from 

Price Waterhouse Cooper, Hudson Human Resource 

and Brightwater Recruitment all indicate that pay 

rises have been the norm. It is notable that the 

Central Statistics Office (CSO) datasets reveal that 

earnings (both inclusive and exclusive of irregular 

bonuses) across all sectors of the economy other 

than agriculture, forestry and fishing increased over 

the 2008-2014 period when the earnings of the 

Garda rank were subjected to reductions. 

1.37 Datasets from the same source also reveal that An 

Garda Síochána experienced a 44% increase in 

weekly earnings (including overtime) over the 2000- 

08 period, in comparison with an overall average 

increase of 55% (including overtime) across the 

public sector, excluding health. 

1.38 When the overtime component is excluded for the 

same period, the figures reveal a 46% increase for 

gardaí in comparison with the overall average for 

the public sector, excluding health, of 55%. 

Datasets compiled by the CSO for the same period 

show the relatively poor pay performance of gardaí, 

as gardaí trail manufacturing industries where the 

increases stand at an average of 83%, local 

authorities and commercial semi-State companies 

at 69%, semi-State companies at 65% and Defence 

and the Civil Service at 60%. A similar disparity 

seems evident over the longer, more representative 

2000-2014 period. 

1.39 The current pay for new recruits is giving rise to 

significant morale problems. There is a tenacious 

resistance building among those recruited since 

2014. 

1.40 New gardaí now start at rates effectively 10% below 

the previous new entrant rates. Consequently, the 

application of the new scale means that it now 

takes two years longer to get to the €42,138 salary 

point and it also takes two years longer to secure 

entitlement to the subsequent increments (at years 

13 and 19). 

1.41 A comparative analysis of the recruits’ pay also 

reveals that the first point on the scale (for the 

Garda ‘B’ rate) is inferior to that available to a host of 

private and public sector employee categories. The 

GRA insists that it is wholly inappropriate that gardaí 

1 

Garda Representative Association


working side-by-side or on a teamwork basis in 

identical circumstances, whereby one individual is 

legitimately and appropriately in receipt of an 

allowance, but another is precluded. The 

Association must insist upon the immediate 

restoration and application of all allowances 

(including rent allowance) to new entrants to An 

Garda Síochána. 

1.42 All parties to this Review process acknowledge that 

the rationale associated with the exclusivity of 

allowances first introduced by government by the 

Garda Síochána Allowances Order (1924 and 1926) 

for the unique nature of the work undertaken by 

members of An Garda Síochána. Relevant and 

official authorities recently substantiated this 

position. The decision of the Department of Public 

Expenditure and Reform (DPER) in 2012 to exclude 

‘new recipients’ from their entitlement to around 30 

garda allowances without recourse to the normal 

industrial relations machinery is a priority grievance 

for our membership. 

1.43 In addition to the Department’s unilateral 

classification, a list was unilaterally compiled for 

those allowances that would not be paid to gardaí 

appointed to the relevant positions thereafter and of 

allowances to be prioritised for early elimination. 

The GRA sought clarification on a myriad of issues 

arising that are a source of priority concern. The 

Association had received assurances attached to 

the Appendices to the Conciliation Council’s Agreed 

Report on the Croke Park Agreement that all garda 

remuneration was protected for the lifetime of that 

agreement. 

1.44 A commitment was received from the Chief 

Executive of the Labour Relations Commission that 

‘pay’ is indeed adjudged to include ‘allowances’. The 

withdrawal of allowances for new beneficiaries is 

unacceptable to this Association and leads to the 

anomalous scenario whereby members working 

side by side or in a teamwork scenario are subject 

to contrasting pay, terms and conditions. 

1.45 This is a priority grievance amongst members of 

this Association. To accentuate the grievance, the 

recent revision in the tax cum pension treatment of 

(some) allowances is unwelcome and warrants a 

reversal. Traditionally allowances bearing a tax 

liability were pay allowances for the purposes of 

pension and it is the firmly held conviction of this 

Association that allowances subject to taxation 

should be pensionable. The GRA requests that this 

Review assess the Department’s categorisation of 

allowances, with a view to their re-classification. 

The Association is open to progressing the view 

expressed by both the relevant Minister and the 

Garda Commissioner that several allowances could 

be subsumed into basic pay. 

1.46 Overtime and unsocial working hours are an integral 

feature of working life in An Garda Síochána. If 

gardaí were to reject or disobey such a direction 

they become subject to the provisions of the An 

Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007, 

under which severe penalties may be imposed. The 

Association understands that this is an uncommon 

requirement or obligation across either public or 

private sector employments. 

1.47 Associated with the onerous obligation of 

compulsory overtime is the consequential divisor 

deployed for the calculation of overtime pay. Usage 

of a 1/41th of weekly pay as the fraction deployed 

extensively and exclusively for the purposes of 

calculating additional (non-basic) payments in An 

Garda Síochána is less favourable than that 

deployed for other occupations. 

1.48 Under the provisions of the Programme for National 

Recovery (social partnership agreement in 1987) 

arrangements were put in place for the introduction 

of a 39-hour week enabling this figure to be 

deployed as the divisor nationwide. Various 

recommendations from the Labour Court serve to 

endorse this basis of calculation. The inequity of 

this disadvantageous divisor deployed for overtime 

and unsocial working arrangements for gardaí 

becomes even more disconcerting when other 

public service occupations utilise even lower 

divisors for premium payment calculations. 

1.49 An independent review of February 2008 

recommended that the divisor for GRA members be 

brought into line with that deployed for other public 

sector employees. To date the government has 

failed to implement this recommendation. 

1.50 Where members apply voluntarily to work overtime 

the payment rate has been reduced (under the 

provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement) to 

time plus a quarter. From a comparative 

perspective, it is also insightful (if not infuriating) to 

review the key results of successive IBEC surveys 

that confirm many employers pay considerably 

more. The disadvantageous position of gardaí in 

overtime and divisor payment arrangements 

compared with other employee categories also 

extends to shift’ premium payments. 

1.51 Conditions of employment for the Garda rank are 

both extensive and complex; spanning health, 

safety and welfare, the revised rostering system, 


1


career breaks, pension provisions, incentivised 

early retirement. The Association reserves the right 

to address this Review on a ‘needs must’ basis for 

any initiative or proposal that would further diminish 

conditions for the Garda rank. 

1.52 The GRA is favourably disposed toward progressive 

change initiatives that meet the needs of Garda 

management and the public, subject to any such 

initiative showing sensitivity to the needs and 

aspirations of the Association’s membership. 

1.53 The GRA gives full and frank consideration to any 

reasonable and rewarding proposals in the area of 

annualised hours. An annualised hours system has 

been a feature of work for our colleagues in the 

prison service. The initiative has been highly 

successful in reducing the service’s overtime bill. 

However, the demand for garda services is not 

always as predictable as those within the prison 

system – and as a result it may be unfeasible to 

deploy any generic mechanism constructed for an 

alternate service. 

1.54 The decision of the Council of Europe has yet to be 

formally discussed, and all references have put 

upon this Review to finalise a working solution 

including all workers’ rights to be part of a trade 

union and to withhold or withdraw their labour 

(strike). Also, full discussion also needs to address 

the garda staff associations right to affiliate to other 

workers’ groups particularly the Irish Congress of 

Trade Unions (ICTU), particularly when garda staff 

associations have not been permitted to enter pay 

negotiations directly, and have been effectively 

removed from the negotiating chamber. 

1.55 The role of the WRC (LRC) in brokering the operative 

sectoral agreement for An Garda Síochána and their 

representative associations is a significant 

development in the ‘normalising’ of our industrial 

relations structures and processes. It was the first 

time that this Association has had access to the 

services of the LRC on a collective basis and that in 

due course it may be adjudged to constitute an 

appropriate exemplar in support of the case for 

regular access to the WRC (and the Labour Court). 

This Review enjoys the de facto status of a 

Commission, the GRA demands that it be more than 

an isolated review to deal with anomalies and 

inequities. 

1.56 The Association brings to the Review’s attention a 

range of concerns of the current structures and 

mechanism for the resolution of industrial relations 

matters in An Garda Síochána (Conciliation & 

Arbitration). 

1.57 It is consequential that the GRA is precluded from 

taking any form of industrial action in support of its 

demands, while also excluded from participating in 

national level negotiations. Based upon the lessons 

learned from the wider industrial relations process 

and our British counterparts, together with the 

beneficial experiences in this jurisdiction 

(associated with the Conroy and Ryan Inquiries), 

and the subsequent embittering treatment of gardaí 

(and their pay and conditions), the GRA now 

proposes that: 

1. A Garda Remuneration Review Body (GRRB) is 

permanently established to provide independent 

binding determinations to government on the 

remuneration and terms and conditions of 

employment of gardaí. In reaching its 

recommendations the review body must have 

regard to the following considerations: 

• the particular frontline role and nature of the 

Garda rank; 

• the number of gardaí required to fulfil the 

policing function; 

• the prohibition on gardaí being members of a 

trade union or withdrawing their labour; 

• the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably 

able and qualified gardaí; 

• the resources available to government and the 

representations of Garda Commissioners in 

funding issues; 

• the government’s economic targets; 

• the government’s policies for improving public 

services. 

2. An agreed independent chairman with 

independent secretariat support would lead the 

tripartite GRRB. 

3. The review body should be required to take 

account of the economic and other evidence 

submitted by government, staff, independent 

experts, staff representatives and others. 

4. Reports and binding recommendations of the 

review body should be submitted to government 

and published. 

5. The GRRB would be responsible for determining 

all aspects of police remuneration including pay, 

allowances, hours of duty, leave and pensions. 



6. The GRRB would apply an annual uprating 

mechanism to garda pay. This is the only fair and 

transparent method by which to determine 

police pay awards. Such an uprating mechanism 

should link police pay to an agreed index of 

employees’ pay in the Republic of Ireland. For 

the purpose of minimising the prospect of 

ongoing conflict over the matter, any uprating 

mechanism should be simple, objective, 

transparent, based on timely information and 

follow, rather than lead, the market. 

7. The GRRB should ensure that the particular 

responsibilities of and restrictions on gardaí are 

taken into account when determining police pay. 

8. The GRRB would take a holistic view of police 

remuneration to take a strategic approach to 

considering police pay and conditions. It should 

be granted adequate flexibility in its work 

programme to allow for unexpected issues and 

not be constrained by the inefficiencies and time 

delays associated with the current system of 

Conciliation & Arbitration or the discriminatory 

national pay bargaining arrangements. 

9. An integral part of the GRRB’s work should entail 

a programme of visits to familiarise GRRB 

members with the work and conditions of gardaí. 

10. To ensure that their ‘voice’ is heard in the 

determination of Garda remuneration, provisions 

should be made to ensure that the relevant staff 

associations are able to make their case to the 

GRRB: They should be invited to submit 

evidence in both an oral and written format. 

11. The GRRB should be empowered to make a 

formal binding determination on garda 

remuneration, having taken into account the 

submissions of interested parties and any other 

relevant evidence. 

12. The government shall defer to the GRRB before 

making regulations or determinations applying 

to Garda remuneration or terms and conditions 

of employment. 

PART TwO: ThE bACKGROuND TO INDuSTRIAl 

uNEASE 

2.1 The role of Garda demands high levels of discretion 

alongside severe restrictions on social and leisure 

pursuits; the limitations on opportunities to 

supplement income, the scope for the spouse or 

partner to avail of income generation opportunities, 

the restrictions on home location and on the limited 

progression and promotion opportunities available. 

Forced to work overtime and unsocial hours 

together with being barred from negotiating their 

own remuneration and employment conditions. 

2.2 This submission provides a summary overview of 

the major ongoing change agenda that our members 

facilitated throughout the global economic crisis, 

despite the increased demands and responsibilities 

associated with policing a society in crisis. The 

longstanding high level of the all-important trust 

factor that gardaí have created in communities 

throughout the Republic of Ireland. While 

acknowledging the significant work done by the 

Garda rank to secure this high level of trust, it is also 

crucial that all parties recognise the physical and 

psychological pressures to which our members are 

subjected; and the damaging morale implications. 

2.3 The poor pay performance of the Garda rank in An 

Garda Síochána over time; outlining the inequities of 

pay under overtime and shift work regulations and 

calculations. The recent removal of legitimate Garda 

allowances is problematic and created a two-tier 

pay structure acerbic to morale and integration. 

2.4 This submission sets out our preferences for the 

future structures and mechanisms of remuneration 

and employment conditions in An Garda Síochána. 

These outlined in the wider context of the industrial 

relations history of the Force and the experience of 

our British counterparts. 

2.5 Should this Review warrant supplementary 

submissions on any matters arising to the 

remuneration and conditions of service of members 

of An Garda Síochána (including annualised hours), 

or appropriate structures and mechanisms for the 

future resolution of pay, industrial relations and 

attendant matters, the Association reserves its 

right to make a supplementary submission and shall 

respond in a progressive and timely manner. 

The labour Relations Commission’s Review of An 

Garda Síochána 

2.6 This submission was requested and subsequently 

set down in the ‘An Garda Síochána Sectoral 

Agreement 2013-15’. The terms of reference of the 

Review state: 

Arising from the discussions encompassing a 

downward adjustment to the overall expenditure of 

the Garda Exchequer Vote, the parties have agreed 

to accept the following measures in order to obtain 

sufficient cost reductions as an extension to the 


1


PSA 2010-2014. The changes to be implemented 

include the following items: 

• The working time agreement and the pilot roster 

will continue until June 2014 in order to facilitate a 

review of the roster. 

• The current annual leave arrangements will 

pertain for the lifetime of this agreement. 

Working Hours 

All Gardaí, Sergeants and Inspectors will work three 

extra days per annum in the calendar years 2013, 

2014, and 2015. The resultant hours arising from 

these days will be utilised as follows; 

• 10 x 1 hours to be worked at the start/end of the 

shift duty 

• one day will be worked to a maximum 10-hour day 

tour (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays) 

• one day’s overtime (x 1.5) which will be taken as 

compulsory time-off in lieu. 

In addition agreement has been reached to formalise 

the element in the pilot roster by using one day’s 

leave to facilitate attendance at Court Trials. 

Overtime 

Voluntary overtime to be worked at a rate of time 

and a quarter rather than a rate of time and a half. 

Contributions as decided in the context of the 

overall savings in relation to increments and related 

balancing measures as outlined in the relevant 

existing Labour Relations Commission proposals 

document and from higher remuneration (€65k 

plus) and pension costs will continue to pertain. 

The use of short-term career breaks, incentivised 

career breaks, unpaid leave and family-friendly 

schemes will also be made available. 

To build upon the progress already made in the 

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, a Review of 

An Garda Síochána will be undertaken. The following 

terms of reference will apply. 

To review and make recommendations on the use 

by the Garda Síochána of the resources available to 

it, with the objective of achieving and maintaining 

the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in 

its operation and administration. 

The review shall encompass all aspects of the 

operation and administration of the Garda Síochána, 

including: 

• the structure, organisation and staffing of the 

Garda Síochána 

• the deployment of members and civilian staff to 

relevant and appropriate roles 

• the remuneration and conditions of service of 

members of An Garda Síochána including an 

evaluation of annualised hours/shift pay 

arrangements 

• the appropriate structures and mechanism for the 

future resolution of matters relating to pay, 

industrial relations and attendant matters. 

The review to commence no later than 1st 

September 2013 and to conclude no later than 1st 

June 2014. The terms of this Agreement will be 

lodged at the Labour Relations Commission. 

12th May 2013 

2.7 Subsequent to a revision of the Review’s timescale, 

this submission was drafted and serves to outlines 

the basic position of the Garda Representative 

Association (GRA) in central issues as specified in 

the Review’s terms of reference. Specifically, this 

submission addresses the Association’s position in 

respect of: 

• the remuneration and conditions of service of 

members of An Garda Síochána (including 

annualised hours/shift pay arrangements) 

and 

• appropriate structures and mechanism for the 


industrial relations and attendant matters. 

2.8 It would be both impossible and inappropriate to 

furnish a comprehensive submission that serves to 

address the full range of issues of relevance and 

concern to the GRA membership. In the event that 

specific issues become the focus of revision under 

this Review process, the Association adjudges that 

it would be in the ultimate interests of all parties 

(and entirely appropriate in the context of 

‘partnership’ and ‘joint decision making’ processes) 

that it be invited to make supplementary 

submissions wherever appropriate. Accordingly, the 

GRA reserves the right to make supplementary 

submissions under this Review process should 

they be so warranted or requested. 



Cost Cutting and Savings Agenda 

2.9 The GRA engages in this Review process with a 

spirit of optimism. The Association’s membership 

has paid a heavy price for the mistakes of others, 

the national economy has now emerged from the 

clutches of the European Commission/International 

Monetary Fund/European Central Bank (Troika) amid 

ever-increasing national economic growth 

projections. Growth also fuels inflation, which must 

be factored into any national agreements on pay. 

2.10 The massive contribution of An Garda Síochána to 

the economic recovery should not go unnoticed or 

without acknowledgement. 

2.11 We now look forward to a progressive engagement 

with government and Garda management with a 

new-found confidence and vigour, putting the era of 

pay cuts, pension levies, declining resources and 

spiralling work demands behind us. The 

membership of the GRA has made a substantial 

contribution towards the improved state of the 

nation’s finances. Given the national economic 

downturn and the uncertainty of the depth and 

duration of the post-2007 recession this 

Association submitted concrete proposals serving 

to secure significant savings for the exchequer in 

response to a call for assistance from the 

Department of Justice. 

2.12 Alongside the imposed cuts, we estimated that had 

our proposals been implemented, they would have 

given rise to savings in the region of a further 

€80million with many components accruing on an 

annual ongoing basis. The Department failed to 

respond appropriately or to provide any substantive 

feedback. 

2.13 The GRA takes this opportunity to remind parties 

that it made considered submissions in the savings 

agenda. 

2.14 The new pilot Garda roster has saved some 

€35million, according to estimation by the 

independent Implementation Body. Notably, 

alongside the ongoing deferral of a review of this 

initiative, the GRA has shown restraint from formal 

complaints on breaches of the European Working 

Time Directive’s provisions (which are currently 

being overlooked) in the interests of making the new 

roster work. 

2.15 The provisions of the Haddington Road Agreement 

(HRA), under which a crucial concession was made 

by gardaí to work an extra three days per annum in 

the calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015. As gardaí 

are working a 10-hour day under the new roster 

system, this amounts to 30 extra hours per annum 

(with 30 hours provided in the latter six months of 

2013). The official parties proceeded with this 

proposal on the assumption that these hours would 

(largely) replace overtime hours. Hence, in financial 

terms this should constitute a saving of 45 hours 

based on the current overtime premium. 

2.16 In manpower resource implications, the 30 extra 

hours across 13,000 gardaí would give rise to 

390,000 hours per annum saving – or the 

equivalent of around 200 extra gardaí. The cost 

saving is understood to be estimated at about €15 

million per annum from this measure. Notably, the 

proposal was recommended for acceptance by the 

GRA. 

2.17 The overtime premium payment was reduced from 

time and a half to time and a quarter for voluntary 

overtime. As much of overtime worked in An Garda 

Síochána is voluntary (rather than compulsory) this 

should constitute a crucial core cost saving. 

2.18 Further to the Department of Public Expenditure and 

Reform’s evaluation in 2012, 30 legitimate approved 

allowances have been denied to new recipients, a 

further 10 with an aggregate annual cost of over 

€3million were earmarked for early elimination. 

2.19 Under the last government’s four-year plan, sworn 

garda numbers were to be reduced from 14,500 at 

the end of 2010, to 13,500 at the end of 2011, to 

13,350 at the end of 2012, to 13,150 at the end of 

2013 and to 13,000 by the end of 2014. The 

estimates proved overcautious. These figures were 

surpassed and continue to decline. 

2.20 The reality is that sizeable headcount related 

savings – without any undue influence on 

productivity – have been facilitated by the 

membership of the GRA. The Office of the 

Comptroller and Auditor General has verified 

significant savings from the civilianisation process; 

but this process has the inherent threat of industrial 

action within the garda framework. 

2.21 Short-term career breaks, incentivised career 

breaks, unpaid leave and family-friendly schemes in 

An Garda Síochána are being made available to a 

greater extent than before. It is understood that 

about €0.5 m. in savings is linked to this initiative 

though the pension implications are unsatisfactory 

to the Association’s membership. 

2.22 These savings have now completed a task deemed 

necessary at that time; and that time has now 


21


passed. These savings were emergency measures 

and have had a negative impact on the quantity and 

quality of policing. The reduction of garda numbers 

from 14,500 in 2010 to the current 12,000 available 

frontline officers has reduced the contingency to 

police by 5.3million policing hours each year. This is 

damaging to the economy and detrimental to the 

public. 

2.23 The ‘Haddington Road’ hours this year facilitated 

fewer hours because of the reduction in garda 

numbers, some 360,000 hours. This seriously 

cannot replace the number of hours lost by the 

reduction of 2,500 gardaí. This is a perilous gamble 

with public safety and a disproportionate burden on 

our membership. 

PART ThREE: uNIQuE NATuRE Of ThE GARDA’S 

jOb 

3.1 The arbiter of the Review is in a long and honourable 

tradition of august authorities that have long 

acknowledged the unique status of the police force. 

Independent bodies acting on behalf of the state 

have long deferred to this ‘unique’ status and role of 

the police officer. 

3.2 In 1919 the Desborough Committee examined the pay 

and conditions of the police force and underlined this 

feature. It was also acknowledged by the British 

Oaksey Committee (1949), by the British Royal 

Commission on police pay (1962), by the Conroy 

Commission on the Garda Síochána (in 1970), by the 

Sheehy report into (British) police responsibilities 

and rewards (1993) and by the Ryan Committee of 

Inquiry into Garda pay and conditions (1979). 

3.3 The ‘unique’ status is substantiated under a wide 

range of headings. This can encompass wideranging 

ramifications of such occupational hazards 

revealed in the rejection of gardaí from individual 

income protection plans of insurance companies; 

the health and accident risk associated with the 

occupation is considered to be too great for the 

underwriters to accept. 

3.4 Gardaí are subject to triple jeopardy through the 

Garda Discipline Regulations, from the actions of 

the Garda Síochána Ombudsman’s Commission 

(GSOC) and through the criminal justice system. 

3.5 Gardaí are uniquely subject to the most unusual and 

onerous of obligations even while off-duty. 

3.6 This unique dimension is sharply reflected in that 

the Association has been excluded from 

negotiations and consultations of the trade union 

movement. There is also another range of 

substantive features that serve to distinguish 

Garda rank members of An Garda Síochána from 

their colleagues, other public servants and private 

sector workers. 

what is a Garda? 

3.7 Popular perceptions and common misconceptions 

about the role of the garda are frequently framed by 

the range of ‘soundbite’ media presentations, 

together with the public’s limited exposure to the 

rank in the course of daily life. Hence, it is 

appropriate that this Review acknowledges the 

demands, diversity and complexity associated with 

the unique job of the serving garda. 

3.8 The Garda Síochána Act (2005, section 7) provides 

that the function of the Garda Síochána is to provide 

policing and security services for the State with the 

objectives of: 

• preserving peace and public order 

• protecting life and property 

• vindicating the human rights of each individual 

• protecting the security of the State 

• preventing crime 

• bringing criminals to justice, including by 

detecting and investigating crime 

• regulating and controlling road traffic and 

improving road safety 

3.9 Section 16 of the same enactment provides that on 

appointment each member of the Garda Síochána 

must make a declaration before a Peace 

Commissioner as follows: 

I hereby solemnly and sincerely declare before God 

that: 

I will faithfully discharge the duties of a member of 

the Garda Síochána with fairness, integrity, regard 

for human rights, diligence and impartiality, 

upholding the Constitution and the laws and 

according equal respect to all people. 

While I continue to be a member, I will to the best of 

my skill and knowledge discharge all my duties 

according to law, and I do not belong to, and will not 

while I remain a member, belong to or subscribe to, 

any political party or secret society whatsoever. 



3.10 In effect, arising from these statutory obligations 

and the reality of day-to-day policing, gardaí serve 

as: 

• guardians of the peace of Ireland with a duty to 

enforce a wide range of laws and to maintain 

order, 

• the interface between the law and order of the 

State and the general public, 

• the most visible public face of the authority of the 

State for most of its citizens. 

3.11 In practice, the daily work of gardaí is extremely 

wide ranging and (though not limited to) can 

embrace the following: 

• protection of life, property and the civil rights of 

individuals 

• prevention, detection, and investigation of 

violations of laws involving accidents, crimes, and 

misconduct 

• identification and arrest of suspects 

• advising persons under arrest of their rights 

• assisting in the prosecution of criminals 

• assisting persons in emergencies 

• being obliged to exhibit personal courage in 

potentially dangerous situations 

• serving to address the increasingly international 

dimension of policing work (for example, through 

developments at Interpol, Schengen, the internet, 

immigration, paedophilia, globalised criminal 

networks). 

3.12 The calibre of the work of the gardaí impinges upon 

their status within, and trust among, the community. 

It also permeates the level of acceptance of law 

enforcement by citizens, the extent of crime 

prevention and detection and the degree to which 

citizens are prepared to cooperate with the gardaí. 

They also provide an example to the community in 

their conformance with the law, afford the public a 

sense of personal security and that their rights and 

property are safeguarded. 

3.13 A uniformed garda on roster duty carries out 

fundamental tasks on a recurring basis. These may 

include though are not limited to: 

• patrols on foot, cars, motor-bikes and bicycles, 

which by the physical presence of gardaí help 

crime prevention and act as a deterrent to the 

infringement of laws, rules and regulations, whilst 

affording the public the all-important sense of 

security in their day-to-day activities 

• maintaining surveillance in high crime areas or of 

individuals suspected of criminal behaviour 

• being at all times alert and aware so as to observe 

unusual or suspicious behaviour 

• responding and reacting appropriately to 

requests from the public 

• inspecting and investigating incidents and 

disturbances, circumstances or individuals that 

are reported or appear unusual and suspicious 

• investigating crimes and law breakers 

• preserving crime and accident scenes 

• protecting evidence 

• searching and disarming suspects or persons 

being placed under arrest 

• interviewing victims and witnesses and 

questioning suspects and taking statements 

• keeping notes of all scenarios wherein action was 

taken, preparing reports on relevant or priority 

activities, appearing in court as witnesses in 

criminal prosecution and civil litigation cases 

• taking responsibility for traffic control and the 

monitoring and enforcement of traffic law offences 

• juvenile liaison 

• community relations, entailing the forging of links 

between gardaí and the community 

• developing open, friendly and potentially 

productive relationships with the public 

• operating control centres, work desks and 

communication networks 

• receiving and recording radio, telephone and 

personal messages and instructions associated 

with emergencies, complaints, violations, accidents 

and requests for information and assistance 

• crowd and riot control 

• analysing, evaluating, prioritising and acting on 

information received 

• seeking and executing search warrants 

• executing warrants for arrest 

• transporting prisoners 

• protecting delivery and collection of cash 

• verifying and certifying identification of 

individuals 


23


• informing family relations of deaths, accidents, 

crimes and arrests 

• counselling crime and accident victims and their 

families 

• monitoring compliance with bail conditions 

• delivery of formal and professional presentations 

to community and voluntary groups and at 

schools 

• presenting evidence in court 

• operating information technology systems and 

ongoing new technology developments 

3.14 Arising from this sample of duties\activities, to 

ensure the requisite level of professional service, 

gardaí must: 

• have a sound knowledge of modern police 

practices and methods 

• learn and memorise a variety of laws, as well as 

internal garda codes, policies and procedures. 

• have a detailed knowledge of the wide range of 

laws under which charges may be brought and 

arrests may be made, searches carried out and 

materials seized 

• know and observe the rights of citizens and of 

suspects 

• know the limits on the use of force and what 

degree or level thereof is reasonable in the wide 

variety of circumstances arising from day-to-day 

• have discretion, tact and acumen when 

persuading individuals or groups to comply with 

their directions 

• be able to respond and operate in an objective, 

rational and balanced way, regardless of 

circumstances or unexpected events, in any and 

all situations that may arise whilst on duty 

• evaluate situations instantaneously, based upon 

a combination of their training, knowledge and 

experience, when determining if a crime has been 

or is about to be committed 

• evaluate situations to ensure an appropriate 

response 

• anticipate and address client exposure to 

substantial hazards or dangers in emergency 

situations 

• work unsocial hours across a variety of shifts 

• work in all weather conditions in an 

uncomfortable social environment 

• deal with people who are intoxicated, addicted to 

drugs or mentally unstable 

• anticipate respectful treatment from the majority 

of clients but hostility from an increasingly violent 

minority 

• be tolerant toward all types of people, display 

good judgement and an ability to face challenges, 

while using discretion and good communication 

skills when taking action 

3.15 It should not be overlooked that a garda is obliged to 

act on or off duty when seeing an offence, an 

assault or a felony being committed. They are also 

required to be responsible and accountable for 

carrying out duties when not officially on duty. This 

commitment to duty is a rare obligation in the world 

of work. 

3.16 It is also evident that a major difference between a 

garda and other occupations is the extensive span 

of knowledge required, the discretion and 

judgement necessitated in varying circumstances, 

the potentially fatal dangers faced and the fact that 

a garda is frequently obliged to work on 

assignments over protracted periods. 

3.17 For example, the timetable or schedule associated 

with surveillance, investigation, apprehension and 

the charging of suspects, the processing of 

documentation and the giving of evidence in court 

(under scrutiny) can take many years. A garda must: 

• have high educational and moral standards 

• have integrity and good character 

• be of good family background 

• have a good personal history, reputation and 

status in the community 

• meet the required physical standards 

• have patience and adaptability 

• have good social abilities (e.g. conversational, 

cool headed, sociable) 

• have good judgement, initiative, discretion and a 

sense of responsibility 

• have an analytical approach to problem-solving 

• be good at written work 

• be courageous and self-confident 

• be able to learn from experience 



The ‘unique’ Characteristic in Perspective 

3.18 Regardless of the function of an individual member 

of the force, it has been established that the role of 

the police officer is unique within our society. The 

Desborough Committee (1919) concluded: 

“...a policeman has responsibilities and obligations 

which are peculiar to his calling and distinguish him 

from other public servants and municipal employees 

and we consider the police entitled thereby to 

special consideration in regard to their rate of pay 

and pensions...the burden of individual discretion 

and responsibility placed upon a constable is much 

greater than that of any other public servant of 

subordinate rank.” 

3.19 Thirty years later the British Oaksey Committee 

(1949) endorsed this judgement. It was also 

subsequently upheld by a British Royal Commission 

(1962). This Commission concluded that the police 

officer is: 

“...answerable to his superiors for any disciplinary 

lapse and to the courts for any misuse or abuse of 

authority. Thus either when acting alone, on his own 

initiative or when acting under orders, he is himself 

answerable for any error of judgement 

...vigilant both to use his authority adequately and 

instantly as occasion demands, and at the same 

time never to exceed it. We are satisfied that this 

individual responsibility is more onerous than any 

delegated to, or assumed by, a member of any 

comparable profession or occupation. 

Responsibility of this kind, to be properly and 

reasonably exercised, demands high moral 

standards and a nice exercise of judgement.” 

3.20 In a subsequent publication, from the Harvard 

University Press (1968) Professor Wilson made the 

striking, though accurate, observation that the 

police force has the “special property that within it, 

discretion increases as you move down the 

hierarchy”. 

3.21 By 1970 the Conroy Commission had broadened the 

perspective on the unique nature of the job, 

describing it as: 

“…a way of life... a vocation. A policeman’s duty has 

first claim on his time. His wife, family and social 

relationships take second place...Without any, or 

any adequate, prior notice he may be called on to 

serve long hours of duty or he may be liable to have 

his leave stopped owing to an emergency. He is 

exposed to the risk of assault and of personal injury 

in the performance of his duty...Liability to transfer 

is a feature of a policeman’s life...On transfer, his 

children have to change schools with a possible 

detrimental effect on their education. His wife and 

family lose their circle of friends and have to start 

afresh in a new environment.” 

3.22 When the Ryan Committee of Inquiry reported (1979) 

it also addressed (in considerable detail) this 

‘unique’ character of the job: 

“We accept the uniqueness of the Garda function. It 

was recognised by the Conroy Commission and 

taken into account in its recommendations. Special 

qualities are needed to make a good policeman and 

the conditions of employment have many special 

features, which are not found in outside 

employment. 

“The Garda must have certain physical attributes. 

He must have attained a level of education that will 

enable him to undertake a job in which intellectual 

as well as physical skills are required. In the course 

of his duties he will be called upon to familiarise 

himself with a large and complex body of law and 

must be able to apply it to different situations. 

“Temperamentally, if he is to make a good 

policeman, he must be able to combine a firm 


25


resolve with self-control, often in conditions in 

which provocation and violence prevail. He needs to 

have qualities of toughness, tact and humanity. He 

must be prepared to undertake long and arduous 

hours of work, often at periods which most of the 

community set aside for recreation and leisure. 

“He must on occasions face danger – even mortal 

danger – and in recent years has often been called 

on to do so. At other times and in other 

circumstances his work may be exceptionally 

monotonous and tedious. A real sense of dedication 

is needed to ensure for the community a police 

force that will serve it well.” 

3.23 The subsequent British Inquiry into ‘Police 

Responsibilities and Rewards’ (Sheehy Report) 

reached the conclusion that “policing is a 

profession”. The practical consequence of this 

classification was that “comparison with manual 

or…shop floor workers” was adjudged to be 

“entirely inappropriate for pay or other purposes”. 

This Inquiry’s in-depth research also obliged it to 

acknowledge that many features of the job are 

particular to policing and necessitate special 

qualities and skills. It listed a sample of these 

special features as follows: 

• the extraordinary nature of police powers, 

principally the police monopoly on the use of 

legitimate force 

• the fact that these powers are most commonly 

exercised by officers of the most junior ranks 

• the degree of individual discretion which the law 

vests in every officer irrespective of rank or 

length of service 

• the acute demands which face officers when, for 

example, they take operational command in public 

order incidents and emergencies 

• the sensitive, quite often dangerous and 

sometimes explosive situations over which the 

police are expected to exercise control, often at 

considerable risk to themselves 

• the exceptionally high level of integrity required 

by the very nature of policing 

3.24 Hardly surprisingly the Inquiry confirmed, like many 

authoritative sources before it, that these features 

apply only to the job of the police officer. 

Subsequently the United States-based independent 

research organisation the Police Executive 

Research Forum (1998) broadened this perspective 

appropriately reminding policy makers and 

practitioners that: 

“… as the academic community explain, from its 

inception, research on the everyday activities of 

police officers, especially the patrol officers, has 

stressed the special difficulties facing attempts to 

define, assess and regulate police work. They 

include the diffuse functions the police are called 

upon to perform, the high discretion inevitably 

afforded the street level operatives, the low visibility 

of decisions to organisational supervisors, the 

unpredictable danger encountered that militates 

against after-the-event second-guessing of splitsecond 

choices, and the inherently conflict-ridden 

character of most police interventions making a 

consensus on the ‘right’ outcome or manner of 

handling any interaction a matter of perspective. 

“These findings have been repeated in research in 

Britain, North America and elsewhere, suggesting it 

is not a parochial and contingent phenomenon but 

bound up with the exigencies of policed 

contemporary urban societies.” 

Discretion and the Garda Rank 

3.25 The use of discretion is an essential part of the 

police officer’s job. A number of aspects of their 

work necessitates this. They seldom directly 

witness the events that they are called upon to 

respond to and rely on witnesses who, in 

circumstances either of shock or self-interest, may 

be perceived to be unreliable. 

3.26 Another aspect of the job that accentuates this 

discretionary responsibility is the difficulty with the 

direct supervision of their work. Much of what the 

police do is ‘invisible’ to their supervising or superior 

officers. They must frequently make on-the-spot 

decisions about the use of the law and their powers. 

The job is beset with a fundamental paradox in this 

regard, as the status of the Garda rank is inversely 

proportional to their responsibilities. The Garda rank 

exercises most of the discretionary authority that 

the police force possesses, often working alone and 

under pressure to make decisions hastily, which 

may be subsequently reviewed in hindsight by 

management, the judiciary and the media. 

3.27 This inverse relationship between the power and 

status of a police officer within the organisation also 

applies to the status of policing generally within the 

criminal justice system. Gardaí have lower status 

than prosecutors, who in turn have less standing 

than judges. Yet the decisions police make often 

determine criminal justice outcomes to a far greater 

2 



degree than those made by prosecutors or judges. 

Gardaí frequently have to decide whether the 

system will be invoked in the first instance and the 

likely outcome. This paradox puts the criminal 

justice system standing on its head, as those with 

the greatest responsibility are subjected to the 

lowest pay and social status. 

3.28 The point was also made in the National Economic 

and Social Council’s (1984) assessment, when 

focusing upon the discretionary feature of the 

garda’s work. A practical and beneficial 

consequence is that a large proportion of those 

arrested by the gardaí are not prosecuted. This 

discretionary power is not just an integral part of the 

job; it is essential. 

3.29 The literal enforcement of the law would lead to 

massive workloads in the courts, and the intense 

enforcement of the plethora of regulations would 

give rise to considerable public hostility. The 

intelligent use of discretion serves to diffuse and 

disarm situations that would otherwise be 

threatening and in effect it contributes directly to 

the relatively high standing of An Garda Síochána 

within the community. As the National Institute of 

Justice at the American Department of Justice 

concluded (1997), the role of the police in a 

democratic society is best understood in the 

context that: 

“Of all governmental operations, the police function 

is the most intimate – the daily, varied encounters 

between police officers and individuals, ranging from 

routine to traumatic, represent the most visible and 

powerful interaction between the government and 

the public. If the police perform their role effectively, 

society benefits immeasurably; if the police perform 

their job poorly, the damage to police confidence and 

democratic principles can be irreparable.” 

Increased Demands and Responsibilities 

3.30 An Garda Síochána is a complex organisation. It 

encompasses an extensive range of functions, 

wherein individual gardaí can be assigned to a wide 

variety of roles. These span from out-of-hours social 

care to counterterrorism; and all that lies between. 

3.31 It is this reality that led the Garda Training 

Committee to conclude; “the Garda Síochána has 

become a very complex, highly specialised and 

centralised institution”. 

3.32 To compound the increased complexity and 

associated specialist diversity, An Garda Síochána 

is also grappling to cope with an accelerating rate of 

change in society; not always successfully. 

3.33 Ireland’s rapid transition from an agricultural to 

manufacturing to service-based economy brought 

all of the implications this revolution has had for 

urbanisation, legislation, technology, immigration 

and the character of criminal activity. Relatively 

recently Ireland has been subject to the array of 

problems that have long-characterised other 

western industrialised democracies. 

3.34 There is a higher crime rate than existed in a 

traditionally rural society, decreasing respect for 

law and authority and a general weakening of the 

social bonds and consensus that provided stability. 

Since its foundation in 1922, An Garda Síochána has 

policed with the consent of the public. The 

relevance of the principle of ‘policing by consent’, 

becomes most evident in its absence. 

3.35 The problem now facing gardaí is that, in the past, 

communal forces nurtured a shared set of values. 

However, these forces have declined in influence 

and no longer apply in the way that they did when 

the force was established. Public support for An 

Garda Síochána remains relatively high. The 

operational impact of change is that the Force must 

now rely more on professionalism, adaptability and 

the commitment of its members. The reality is that 

recent changes in our environment leave the gardaí 

grappling to respond appropriately to the: 

• threat posed by terrorism, organised and armed 

criminal activity and related illegal product trades 

• growth of tension and conflict within Irish society, 

accompanied by a readier recourse to a 

significantly higher level of physical violence 

• increased complexity in and professionalism and 

expertise required on the job, due to rising 

educational standards and technological 

advances 

• increased pluralism of society and cultural 

diversity 

• persistent long-term unemployment, giving rise to 

large disaffected communities 

• higher legal standards in a society whose 

awareness of the rights of the individual has 

become a priority 

• greater number of often complex enforceable 

laws 


2


• wider media attention and exposure of police 

activities 

• decline in informal social control and the 

movement toward greater urbanisation, resulting 

in more disadvantaged enclaves in the cities and 

larger urban areas – with decreased respect for 

and support of authority sources 

• the consequent rural depopulation with more 

vulnerable elderly people living alone in the 

countryside. 

3.36 Alongside a significant escalation in crime levels in 

recent decades, gardaí now have to contend with 

more professional criminals (many of whom are 

armed and violent) and pressure from politicians, 

the media and the general public (both for results 

and greater accountability) on the other. From 

‘contract killings’ to ‘xenophobia’ with drugs, 

paedophilia, human trafficking, internet crime, 

corporate crime, fraud, international criminal 

networks, it is readily apparent that the gardaí face 

a major ongoing challenge in the maintenance of law 

and order. 

3.37 There has also been a rapid growth in the number of 

enactments and regulations many of a complex 

nature, which gardaí have to keep abreast of and are 

obliged to enforce. Many new laws are far-reaching 

in their effect on the workload of gardaí. Initiatives 

often link the exchange of information between 

gardaí, the Revenue Commissioners and the 

Department of Social Protection, traffic offences, 

criminal asset containment and family law. 

3.38 The practical consequence of such extensive 

change is that gardaí now require competences 

across effective communication, decision-making, 

problem-solving, dealing with change, negotiation, 

delegation, planning, stress management, 

teamwork, interpersonal skills, giving and receiving 

constructive feedback, cooperating to achieve team 

goals, a capacity for human empathy, cultural 

sensitivity, intuition, judgement and adaptability 

across practical and consequential scenarios. 

3.39 It is not surprising that the evidence confirms that 

police work is highly stressful. Occupational 

psychologists concur that policing is ‘emotionally 

dangerous’ and a relatively ‘high-risk’ job. As 

extensive longitudinal research at the University of 

Buffalo (2008) concluded: 

“Policing is dangerous work, and the danger lurks 

not on the streets alone. The pressures of law 

enforcement put officers at risk for high blood 

pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive 

stress hormones, heart problems, post-traumatic 

stress disorder and suicide, researchers have found 

through a decade of studies of police officers.” 

3.40 The practical impact of increasing demands and 

responsibilities on stress levels in An Garda 

Síochána was confirmed at University College Cork, 

which found that 32 percent of gardaí are 

experiencing above average levels of stress, whilst 

one-fifth suffer from ‘severe’ levels of stress. This 

study concludes that there needs to be an 

acknowledgement (by both the Force and the 

public) that policing in Ireland is a stressful 

occupation. 

Restrictions to Social, leisure and Income 

3.41 The financial predicament of many gardaí may now 

be precarious. Mortgage and other financial 

commitments were entered into prior to the 

imposition of pay cuts, levies and social charges. 

Many members cannot effectively honour these 

obligations. As a result this leaves them (uniquely 

across the complete range of public sector workers) 

open to disciplinary action for falling into debt. That 

is, it is particularly disconcerting to note that the 

Garda Síochána Code, arising from the Garda 

Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 1989, “complaints 

of debts due by members shall be investigated with 

a view to ascertaining the elements of a breach of 

discipline”. This places a stressful, consequential 

and inappropriate burden on the Association’s 

members. 

3.42 Furthermore, the ‘unique’ status of the garda arises 

from restrictions on their social and leisure pursuits. 

Successive studies confirm that police officers 

primarily socialise with other police officers. This is 

undoubtedly largely attributable to attitudes in the 

community and a reserve toward the police, 

together with risks associated with the prospect of 

taking action at some stage against those who 

might otherwise be befriended in the social arena. 

3.43 The families of gardaí cannot always depend on the 

garda who is rostered on a 7 day 24 hour shift 

system being available to participate in social 

activities, school functions, parents’ meetings, 

sports activities or evening classes. These 

shortcomings constitute necessary but unwelcome 

intrusions on the quality of the garda’s life. 

However, this contextual reality is further 

aggravated by the Garda Síochána Code (Chapter 

10.24) wherein a range of prohibited ‘spare time 

activities’ (which restrict the scope of serving 

members to offset their indebtedness) are listed. 



The ‘spare time’ activities explicitly prohibited 

include: 

• Holding, or being a director of a company, which 

holds a licence for the sale of intoxicating liquor 

• Holding a licence for public dancing 

• Holding a bookmaker’s licence 

• Holding any licence or permit that is issued by the 

Circuit or District Court or the Revenue 

Commissioners or An Garda Síochána involving 

gain to the holder 

• Managing or conducting or assisting in the 

management or conducting, on an ongoing basis, 

of a concern or premises which is required by law 

to be operated under a licence, permit or 

certificate, the grant of which may be opposed by 

An Garda Síochána, save for the bona fide 

involvement by any member of An Garda Síochána 

in the managing or conducting or assisting in the 

management or conducting of any registered club 

within the meaning of the Regulation of Clubs 

(Ireland) Act, 1904 as amended 

• Engaging personally in any part-time employment, 

such as that of security officer or private 

investigator, in the course of which there is a 

likelihood that the member’s office as a member 

of the Service or Garda powers may be called 

upon 

• Acting as agent or enumerator for a government 

department or semi-state body collecting 

statistics or carrying out a survey except with the 

authority of the Commissioner 

• Engaging in the delivery of goods to customers of 

shops, supermarkets or other business premises 

except with the permission of the member’s 

Divisional Officer. 

• Engaging in business as driving instructors or tutors 

• Driving school buses 

• Acting as directors or secretaries of security 

firms, or being concerned in any way in security 

work, as a spare-time activity 

• Being members of a band (other than the band of 

An Garda Síochána) consisting of either members 

of An Garda Síochána or members of An Garda 

Síochána and others, advertising or purporting to 

represent the band as a Garda band, group or 

other such title which could imply that the band 

was the band of An Garda Síochána performing 

under the directions of the Commissioner 

• Serving summonses either as a spare time 

activity or otherwise than in accordance with Rule 

46.1 of the District Court Rules 

• Selling insurance, or acting as agents or 

representatives of insurance or assurance 

companies, or other activity in connection with 

the insurance business, other than activity in the 

conduct of a member’s private affairs 

• Engaging in, acting or being employed as 

transport managers as defined in Regulation 2(1) 

of the European Communities (Merchandise Road 

Transport) Regulations, 1991. 

3.44 While many of the prohibited ‘spare time’ activities 

are listed, there is also an overarching restriction, 

whereby the Garda Commissioner can prevent 

members of An Garda Síochána from engaging in 

other spare time activities if such activities are: 

• likely to interfere with proper discharge of duties 

• likely to give rise to reasonable apprehension 

among members of the public in relation to 

impartiality in the discharge of duties 

• for good and stated reasons inappropriate for 

members of the Service to engage in 

3.45 In contrast with the types of restrictions applied to 

other public servants and police forces across 

Europe, the extent of restricted activity gardaí are 

subject to is considerable. For example, having 

investigated this subject of ‘restrictions’ on ‘spare 

time’ activities, the Standing Committee of Police in 

Europe concluded that: 

“It was evident that few restrictions were placed on 

the private lives of officers, other than the general 

rule not to bring the Service into disrepute. The 

ability to take part in politics was widespread and in 

two countries, policemen had become Members of 

Parliament. Involvement in other employment was 

commonplace.” 

Restrictions to Supplement Income 

3.46 A significant constraint on gardaí to offset the impact 

of the recession is that they are obliged to refrain 

from any activity that is likely to interfere (or give the 

impression of interfering) with the impartial discharge 

of their duties. This has particular relevance to the 


2


development of business interests. A garda may well 

be deemed to have such an interest if they hold any 

other employment or engages in any business. This 

is yet another hugely consequential feature of the 

garda’s ‘unique’ status. Whilst practically all other 

public servants can avail of spare or part-time jobs, 

members of An Garda Síochána are prohibited from 

engaging in many such arrangements (e.g. security 

work). Many other professions can take up work as a 

taxi driver, and this was a common pursuit during the 

economic crisis, but such a flexible opportunity is 

denied to serving gardaí. 

3.47 This consequential ‘spare time’ prohibition extends 

to refraining from any activity that is likely to 

interfere (or give the impression of interfering) with 

the impartial discharge of a garda’s duties. A garda 

may well be deemed to have such an interest if a 

shop or similar business is carried on by a spouse 

at any premises within their area of jurisdiction, or 

by any member of the family at the premises at 

which the officer resides, or if the officer, their 

spouse or any member of the family living with them 

holds, or has a financial interest in a license or 

permit granted under the laws relating to liquor 

licensing, a refreshment house, or a betting, gaming 

or regulating place of entertainment within their 

area of supervision. Yet again, no other public 

servant is subject to such a constraint. 

3.48 Gardaí are not permitted to serve at any station 

within 32 kilometres of any place where: 

• the member or the member’s spouse or partner 

has relatives permanently residing 

• the member’s spouse or partner, or other family 

members, or relatives, engage(s) in any business 

requiring a license or certificate; or 

• where the member’s spouse or partner or other 

family member is the proprietor of any business 

that is conducted from a shop. 

3.49 Unlike other public servants, gardaí are severely 

restricted in their scope for offsetting the impact of 

the various cutbacks – not alone via restrictions on 

their spare time activities and the compulsory 

overtime commitment – but due to the prohibition on 

their partner’s or family’s freedom to engage in 

business activities in the serving officer’s locality. 

3.50 Should such opportunities arise and be availed of, 

the serving member of An Garda Síochána may find 

themself transferred out of that area incurring 

additional costs of residence, subsistence and 

transport. This provision serves to place members 

of the Force and their families at a significant 

disadvantage compared with other public sector 

employees. 

Restrictions to home location 

3.51 Any garda with less that five years’ service cannot 

serve within 80kms of their place of residence; 

those with more than five years’ service have a 

restriction of 50kms. Uniquely, a garda is obliged by 

regulation to accept a transfer, whether temporary 

or permanent, to any centre or location as directed 

by the Garda Commissioner. Transfers can cause 

major disruption in the lives of a garda and their 

family, and can be hugely upsetting and stressful. 

3.52 Transfers may also be deployed as a form of 

discipline or punishment and there is a well-founded 

and independently substantiated judgement that 

some transfers are unfair, unreasonable, uncaring, 

unnecessary or malicious. Few employments have 

such a major drawback attached. 

Restrictions to Progression and Promotion 

3.53 Unlike most other public and private sector 

occupations, the promotion prospects for a Garda 

are poor. The organisational structure of An Garda 

Síochána is such that some 80% of members of the 

force hold the rank of Garda, whilst 96% hold the 

ranks of Garda or Sergeant; only 4% of members 

hold a rank above that. 

3.54 In most occupations in the public and private 

sectors, significantly greater proportions of staff 

commencing employment can expect promotion. 

However, four out of five serving gardaí have no 

prospect of promotion and will retire at the rank of 

Garda. The scarcity of promotion opportunities in An 

Garda Síochána has to be addressed, as it has a 

negative impact on incentivisation. Nowhere is this 

more obvious than on regular policing units – and 

many members hope to attain differentiation within 

rank by transfer to a specialist unit or allocated 

position. There is a considerable case for the 

construct or re-design of the Garda’s pay scales 

within the rank to incentivise those gardaí to retain 

their frontline first-responder experience and local 

knowledge; perhaps payable as an increment or 

allowance at 20 and 25 years of service. 

Excluded from Negotiating Remuneration And 

Employment Conditions 

3.55 The Gardaí Representative Association has long 

been precluded from participating in crucial national 

level negotiations on pay, conditions of employment 



and our members’ economic and social 

development. This discriminatory exclusion 

prevailed over the 1971-82 National Wage 

Agreement and again over the 1987-2007 Social 

Partnership era and has persisted. It constitutes 

one of the root causes of deep-seated frustration 

and anger among our members. 

Involuntary Overtime and unsocial hours 

3.56 There is an obligation on the Association’s members 

to discharge their duties on the basis of overtime 

arrangements on pain of penalty on the direction of 

either a superior officer or other external source 

(e.g. the judiciary). In effect gardaí have been 

traditionally subject, obliged or directed to work an 

inordinate amount of overtime and unsocial hours. 

Members cannot refuse to respond to such 

directives. 

3.57 This gives rise to an inappropriate and inequitable 

imposition of the pension levy payment for the 

Garda rank. The catchall application fails to take the 

compulsory component into account; in stark 

contrast with the majority of other employments 

where overtime is optional. Furthermore, unlike 

employment or work arrangements affecting the 

national workforce, members of An Garda Síochána 

are obliged to work unsocial hours. 

3.58 While some other employments entail an element of 

unsocial hours working, every effort is made to 

minimise the extent e.g. in the Prison Service by 

releasing some prisoners at Christmas, in the health 

sector discharging patients at Christmas. In 

contrast, Christmas Day is becoming particularly 

busy for gardaí, with many citizens utilising the 

Force as one of the few agencies available to them 

for general assistance; not always directly 

associated with policing. 

PART fOuR: INDuSTRIAl STRIfE 

4.1 In the lead up to the signing of the Haddington Road 

Agreement the GRA expressed concern that 

individual members did not put themselves beyond 

the law. Actions were taken by individual gardaí, 

starting with the withdrawal of the voluntary use of 

personal equipment, followed by a refusal to 

volunteer for overtime and subsequently via the 

treatment of motor tax offences. However, the staff 

associations prudently avoided directing or 

encouraging members to engage in such actions, 

though the pressure thereon was overwhelming. 

4.2 This Association, despite being sidelined from key 

and consequential decision making processes has 

always been mindful of the potential damage 

associated with industrial action to the public 

standing of the force. That noted, there are 

occasions when the Association cannot contain the 

members’ anger and some limited forms of 

industrial action have been necessitated (the ‘Blue 

Flu’ in 1998, the PULSE boycott in 1999). 

4.3 The anger that prompted these actions has 

resurfaced sporadically in the Association’s 

membership and is detrimental to the morale of the 

Force; so important in police and the military as a 

unifying energy to create the pride, enthusiasm and 

vigour are key factors in motivation and productivity. 

There is no efficient definition or measurement for 

morale and it is only measurable in its absence. 

4.4 The status and the morale of the Garda rank are at 

‘an all-time low’. Whenever politicians refute this, 

they do so without tangible evidence. For a Force 

the size of An Garda Síochána a sample size of 

1,000 would be required in any survey to give a 

robust indicator; something that no government has 

been prepared to sanction. The morale slump is also 

attributable to declining rank numbers, depreciating 

equipment, reduced resources, rising levels of 

assault on on-duty gardaí (some 1,000 per annum 

and underreported) and to the financial predicament 

being faced by many junior gardaí with substantial 

mortgages. 

4.5 A related disconcerting feature of the vulnerable 

and exploited position that the Garda rank now finds 

itself in is that arguably its most important asset, 

the trust and support of the public, has experienced 

a worrisome downturn since the management and 

oversight controversies throughout 2014; including 

the allegations made by garda whistleblowers and 

the fallout from the Cooke, Guerin and Fennelly 

reports. 

PART fIVE: PAy, CONDITIONS AND 

AllOwANCES 

5.1 Remuneration systems are the focus of persistent 

scrutiny by employees, as they provide the means 

to satisfy basic needs, and also allow satisfaction of 

less tangible desires for personal growth and 

satisfaction. The payment system is the key to the 

provision of the means to live and achieve other 

personal and family goals. The weekly or monthly 

fund transfer is typically the single major source of 

personal income for the employee and as a result 


31


constitutes the critical determinant of their 

purchasing power. 

5.2 Remuneration and reward experts and employers 

also recognise that pay is a vital determinant of 

employee attitudes and behaviour at work. It will 

significantly influence an individual’s decision as to 

whether or not to join an organisation. In addition, it 

influences one’s preparedness to work effectively, 

and the pay package also significantly affects one’s 

inclination to accept varied or additional 

responsibilities, or to join a trade union or 

representative association. Given the restrictions 

on the Garda’s and his/her family’s activities this is 

especially relevant. 

5.3 Given the occasional recourse to industrial action 

by workers in pay disputes, it is important to 

underline that the prospect of industrial action is 

outside of the perceived culture. After a certain 

point such is the frustration felt at the impact of a 

series of discriminatory and damaging pay 

decisions it is both impossible and inappropriate to 

even attempt to suppress this frustration. 

failed mechanism for Dispute Resolution 

5.4 In 1998 the nation witnessed the ‘blue flu’, followed 

in 2010 by a GRA survey of members on a menu of 

actions in response to pay cuts; revealing that 93% 

supported some form of industrial action. It was 

through responsible leadership of this Association 

that overt confrontation was avoided. In 2013 the 

rank and file accepted a graduated response to vent 

their anger; initially through the refusal to use 

personal equipment including personal phones or 

landlines to accept direction from superiors and 

refusal to volunteer for overtime. This was curtailed 

following a ballot to accept the Haddington Road 

Agreement. 

5.5 Comparative wage data presented in this section 

confirms that garda pay has drifted down the 

occupational league table. History shows that the 

resultant unrest within the force has only been 

assuaged by in-depth inquiries (such as the Conroy 

Commission and the Ryan Committee Of Inquiry) 

that served to restore the pay status of gardaí. 

5.6 The deficiencies in the Conciliation & Arbitration 

system are widely accepted and the exclusion of 

the GRA. from the negotiation process associated 

with national and public service pay agreements 

has accentuated the Association’s difficulties. 

Accordingly, this Review must address the Garda 

rank’s grievances in respect of pay, conditions and 

allowances in an uprating and progressive manner. 

Garda Pay Comparators: The Case for a ‘unique’ 

Allowance 

5.7 In equity considerations and comparative wage 

analyses 45 years ago, when frustrated in their 

search for an elusive direct comparator with gardaí, 

the Conroy Commission was forced to acknowledge 

that: 

“The essence of the principle of comparability is 

that the work should be broadly comparable in most 

of its aspects. The work and duties of a Garda are 

unique and in a class of their own. We are of the 

opinion that there is no group of workers in the 

Republic whose duties and work are comparable 

with the duties and work of a Garda...the Police 

Forces in Britain and in Northern Ireland. The duties 

of these Police Forces are broadly comparable with 

the duties of a Garda...” 

5.8 That is, there is no obvious direct comparator (for 

gardaí) within the national economy’s labour force. 

This Review should also note the striking 

conclusion of the Sheehy Inquiry (into police 

responsibilities and rewards in Britain in 1993), 

when it attempted to compare key features of the 

role with ‘comparable’ posts in a survey group of 

106 companies. The Inquiry concluded: 

“A number of features are particular to policing and 

require its officers to possess special qualities and 

skills. These include the extraordinary nature of 

police powers, principally the police monopoly on 

the use of legitimate force. It is salient that these 

powers are most commonly exercised by officers of 

the lower ranks. 

“Also notable is the degree of individual discretion 

which the law vests in each officer irrespective of 

rank or length of service. Acute demands face 

officers when, for example, they take operational 

command in public order incidents and 

emergencies. The police are expected to exercise 

control in sensitive, quite often dangerous and 

sometimes explosive situations, often at 

considerable risk to themselves. An exceptionally 

high level of integrity is required by the very nature 

of policing...these features were impossible to value 

on a consistent basis owing to the special features 

of both policing and private sector employment.” 

5.9 It should also be recalled that in 1987 the Review 

Body on Higher Remuneration In The Public Sector 

acknowledged that it had to ‘recognise the unique 

nature of the work of a police force’. 



5.10 Having regard to this reality the Association 

proposes that this Review enables an appropriate 

uprating of Garda pay in the form of an allowance in 

recognition of the many unique features associated 

with the job of policing. There is already a pertinent 

precedent for such an allowance (in the Defence 

Forces) and this Association believes that a Police 

Service Allowance would serve to compensate 

Garda personnel for the special disadvantages 

associated with police life. 

5.11 However, despite this ‘unique’ status, there is some 

substance to the conclusion of the 1979 Ryan 

Committee of Inquiry, which contended that: 

“The pay of members of the Force cannot be totally 

divorced from increases in pay achieved in outside 

employment generally.” 

5.12 The Sheehy Report (in Britain) reiterated this view: 

“…it is difficult to establish market comparisons 

across the whole range of duties at police constable 

level. Subject to various special factors…we 

nonetheless believe it is possible to establish broad 

market comparisons in respect of basic pay.” 

5.13 Eventually this Inquiry opted for a police pay 

benchmark set at the median of private sector pay, 

subject to the acknowledgment of ‘policing as a 

profession’. Consequently the Inquiry deemed it 

inappropriate to compare police officers to manual 

workers for pay or any other purpose; thus resorting 

to a link with the median of the ‘white collar’ private 

sector pay distribution. The British Government 

subsequently accepted this (non-manual) private 

sector pay benchmark as constituting the formula 

for the annual uprating of police pay. In the view of 

the then British Home Secretary: 

“This linkage recognises both the professionalism 

of the police service and its special nature, which 

justifies the comparison with settlements in the 

private sector.” 

5.14 The Department of Justice has recognised the 

‘unique’ character of the Garda’s job, accepting that 

‘there is no strictly comparable group’, thus 

necessitating an examination of ‘a wide range of 

employments’ to facilitate the pay determination 

process. 

5.15 The Association accepts that such is the nature of 

the industrial relations process and employees’ 

perceptions to the equity of their pay level. In 

addition to compensation for the ‘unique’ status 

associated with the rank’s role, account should also 

be taken of the garda’s relative pay compared with 

employees in general, with other public service 

employees and internal relativities. 

Impoverished Gardaí – the bottom line 

5.16 A sizeable proportion of gardaí are in the 30 to 45 

age bracket when financial obligations are 

especially onerous. The General Secretary of this 

Association has clarified Garda ‘income’ matters for 

the benefit of the Public Accounts Committee: 

“It is also important to say that there is a great deal 

of frustration among young gardaí, particularly 

those with about eight or nine years’ service, who 

hear again through the media that the average pay 

they receive is in the region of €53,000. 

“I have a payslip here that reflects the pay of about 

80% of the members I represent and it can be sent 

to the Chairman, if that is what he requires. The pay 

of a member of the Garda Síochána – it can be 

clearly shown – is €46,631 for a member with nine 

years’ service – it is not €53,480. They get very 

annoyed and aggrieved when this kind of wage 

average is put out in the public arena.” 

5.17 Whilst some of the desperation and disillusionment 

currently associated with working as a garda may 

be attributed to the recent recession and 

associated cutbacks, it should not be forgotten that 

gardaí were poorly served under the first Public 

Sector Benchmarking Body’s report. As a 

consequence, gardaí secured a 5% award in 

comparison with an overall average increase of 9%. 

Given the longstanding and wide scale focus on 

internal relativities, this award was aggravated by 

the fact that garda sergeants (6%), inspectors (6%), 

superintendents (16%) and chief superintendents 

(16.1%) received superior awards. 

5.18 The basic pay scale for members of Garda rank 

spans from €23,171 to €46,000 per annum. It is 

appropriate to acknowledge that such payments 

tend to accrue from onerous duties, after working 

nights, working weekends and working compulsory 

overtime; duties undertaken in all kinds of inclement 

weather conditions, with the real and increasing risk 

of being assaulted or abused and enduring lifelong 

or life-threatening physical or psychological injury. 

The enduring case for supplementary payments for 

the rank are further addressed. 


33


Internal Relativity and the Garda Rank 

5.19 The Sergeant rank is the next rank above that of 

Garda in An Garda Síochána. There is a long 

established pay relationship between the Garda and 

the Garda Sergeant ranks. In their submission to the 

Ryan Committee of Inquiry the Department of 

Justice acknowledged that: 

“...the Garda rank is the basic rank and, in the past, 

the pay of this rank tended to be fixed first, the pay 

of the other ranks then being fixed by reference to 

this base.” 

5.20 The Ryan Committee fixed the rank differential at 

10.6% (for a Garda at 15 years’ service). In the 

Committee’s view, this revision reflected 

‘appropriate recompense for the higher skill and 

responsibility required’. However, by the time the 

Haddington Road Agreement came into effect the 

relevant differentials had swollen to 16 and 18% 

(including the Long Service Increments and on scale 

maxima respectively). 

5.21 The Public Sector Benchmarking Body enabled this 

disconcerting drift in 2002 that notably revealed 

little about its methodology and nothing of its 

dataset or the logic associated with its 

recommendations. 

5.22 This Association’s concern with the differential drift 

is further accentuated when compared with the 

British scenario, where (following the ratification by 

the Home Secretary of the recommendations from 

the two Winsor reports) the differential stands at 

12% at the top of the scales. This is a matter that 

warrants the immediate remedial action in favour of 

the Garda rank. 

The Relative Pay Performance of Gardaí 

5.23 Having paid a heavy price for the mistakes of others 

and as the national economy emerges from the 

clutches of the Troika the era of pay cuts, 

deteriorating employment conditions and pension 

levies should now be restored. Counter arguments 

of the state of the national finances must now 

acknowledge the turning economic tide and the 

predicament of the Garda rank in our labour force. In 

recognition of the unique status and role of police in 

society the British government has on occasion 

exempted the police force from its stringent public 

pay policy. 

5.24 Regardless of the the absence of direct pay 

comparators with the Garda rank, official sources 

contend that the pay of members of the Force 

cannot be totally divorced from other employments. 

The Garda rank’s pay compares poorly with many 

other public service categories with relevant criteria 

like promotion opportunities and pay scale minima, 

maxima and scale length; garda pay is well below 

the average pay available to a wide array of private 

sector employee categories. Successive surveys 

conducted by management consultancies also 

indicate that this inequality is accentuated by the 

various benefits packages enjoyed by many 

employee categories. 

5.25 The Garda rank has endured a series of reductions 

in pay and employment conditions, this has been far 

from the standard workplace experience. For 

example, IBEC’s dataset reveals that while gardaí 

were enduring a succession of cutbacks the 

overwhelming majority of IBEC members opted to 

leave basic pay levels intact throughout 2010 and 

2011. This was also replicated in Central Statistics 

Office (CSO) figures from 2009 and 2010. 

5.26 This practice persisted in 2012 when a third of IBECmember 

companies confirmed that they were ready 

to increase basic pay. Progressing to 2013, 

approximately 40% of member employers were 

planning to increase basic pay, whilst their 

subsequent survey (for 2014) found that the 

majority of employers planned to increase the basic 

pay of their employees. 

5.27 The Price Waterhouse Cooper’ survey also found 

that a majority (nearly two-thirds) of respondent 

employers anticipated pay rises in 2013. The 

Hudson Human Resource specialists’ survey in 

2013 was able to conclude that: 

“In spite of the current economic challenges, 

employers are forecasting encouraging 

developments over the coming 12 months. A 

reassuring 59% of employers said they are planning 

to increase salaries within 2013 with 57% also 

saying they plan to award bonuses.” 

5.28 A similar trend was reported for 2013 in the 

Brightwater Recruitment specialists’ national salary 

survey, which found that there had been an 

‘increase in salaries across the board, averaging 

between 2% and 4%’. This trend was also confirmed 

by the State’s ‘think-tank’, the Economic and Social 

Research Institute (ESRI), which in 2012 overturned 

‘anecdotal evidence’ about widespread pay cuts in 

the private sector during the recession. It found that 

employers were reluctant to cut wages ‘in order to 

avoid productivity losses associated with worker 

dissatisfaction or higher rates of labour turnover’. 



5.29 The CSO data (covering all sectors of the economy, 

other than agriculture, forestry and fishing) reveals 

increased hourly earnings (both inclusive and 

exclusive of irregular bonuses) over the 2008 to 

2014 period when the earnings of Garda rank were 

subjected to severe downward pressures. 

5.30 Availing of comparable datasets (compiled by the 

CSO) for the same period, the relatively poor pay 

performance of gardaí is evident as gardaí trail 

manufacturing industries by a massive 39%; where 

the increase stands at an average of 83%, with local 

authorities and commercial semi-State companies 

at 69%, semi-State companies at 65% and defence 

and the civil service at 60%. 

5.31 A similar disparity seems evident over the more 

representative 2000-2014 (Quarter 1) period, when 

(though the dataset classifications compiled by the 

CSO were revised), indications are that garda 

earnings (at 47% including overtime) increased at a 

considerably inferior rate than those for 

manufacturing industries (at 97%), the civil service 

(at 62%), defence (at 59%), commercial semi-State 

companies (at 57%). 

5.32 The Garda rank has indeed performed poorly 

compared with their private sector counterparts 

over the last decade. A comparative analysis of 

garda pay reveals that the rank compares 

unfavourably with the average basic salary of a 

wide range of occupational categories covered in 

IBEC’s survey. Using the former benchmark, these 

categories include production supervisors, craft 

chargehands and supervisors, planning officers, 

customer service specialists, safety officers, 

technical support staff, sales and marketing 

executives as well as secretaries to the managing 

directors. 

5.33 This relatively poor pay performance of the Garda 

rank is further confirmed by a comparative analysis 

with firefighter pay scales over the 2000 to 2014 

period. 

5.34 The dataset reveals that whilst the Garda rank’s pay 

rose by 37-39% [for PRSI categories A and B at 

points 1 and 8 (scale maximum) and after applying 

the Long Service Increment No. 2]; the firefighters’ 

scales rose by a significantly more sizeable 

percentage of between 58-77%. 

5.35 This trend is also apparent from a random 

comparative analysis of the Garda rank’s pay over 1 

January 2004 to the immediate post-Haddington 

Road Agreement period (with effect from 1 Novemer 

2013) in key marker grades in the ‘Health and 

Welfare’ section of local government. Whilst the 

Garda rank’s pay increased by 15%, the clerical 

officer (17%), the social worker (17%) and the public 

health nurse (16%) all outperformed the Garda rank. 

Poor Pay for Garda Recruits 

5.36 The pay position of new garda recruits will 

undoubtedly give rise to significant morale and 

integration problems for the force. The removal of 

rent allowance has proved problematic, and this can 

only escalate over time. 

5.37 In summary, recent revisions to the garda pay scale as 

it deleteriously affects new entrants (through to 19 

years), impacts thereon as they now reach the 

maximum scale point after 19 (as opposed to 17) years’ 

service. Though this was preferential to the 10% 

reduction in the overall pay scale for new entrants 

proposed under the national level cost-cutting initiative, 

it effectively constitutes a demoralising exploitation 

of the most vulnerable group in An Garda Síochána. 

5.38 As time goes by this will seriously impact on morale, 

and has already taken new recruits to contact both 

garda management and the national media; and this 

has gained traction in the public sphere. This will 

increase. 

5.39 A cursory comparative analysis of the recruits’ pay 

also reveals that the first point on the scale (for the 

Garda ‘B’ rate) is inferior to that available to a host of 

private and public sector employee categories. 

5.40 For a comparative analysis with the private sector, 

availing of IBEC’s (2013) National Survey On Rates 

Of Pay For The Manufacturing And Wholesale 

Distribution Sector reveals that new entrant gardaí 

(B rate) are on lower basic pay than the average 

skilled and semi-skilled: 

Production operative, fork-lift driver, craft 

chargehand, mechanic, toolmaker and fitter, process 

operator, production chargehand, supervisor and 

team leader, engineering technician, junior 

technician, warehouse and distribution chargehand, 

warehouse operative, stores operative, customer 

service specialist, purchasing officer, buyer, quality 

assurance specialist and analyst, safety officer, 

environmental officer, accounts payable clerk, 

payroll administrator, human resources 

administrator, sales and telesales executive and 

personal and administration assistant. 

5.41 Likewise, a cursory comparative analysis with 

sampled public sector employee categories finds 

the garda rate trailing that of: 


35


Local authority craftworkers’ mates, general 

operatives (excluding Dublin), assistant staff officers, 

storekeepers, clerical officers, library assistants, 

chargehands, labourers, refuse collectors, gangers, 

drivers, caretakers and social workers. 

5.42 A comparative perspective, as noted by the 

Association’s recent presentation to the Oireachtas 

Committee on Public Accounts, a police officer 

starting in the London Metropolitan Police Service 

earns a salary of €35,464 compared with a Garda 

starting on €23,171. An equivalent comparison can 

be made with Police Service of Northern Ireland 

‘starters’. 

5.43 Serving to accentuate this unacceptable scenario, 

the GRA insists that it is wholly inappropriate that 

gardaí working side-by-side or on a teamwork basis 

in identical circumstances, should have to endure a 

scenario whereby one individual is legitimately and 

appropriately in receipt of an allowance that another 

is precluded from. 

5.44 Accordingly, the Association must insist upon the 

immediate restoration and application of all 

allowances, including the rent allowance, to new 

entrants to An Garda Síochána. 

The Disallowance of Allowances 

5.45 This Review process must acknowledge that the 

rationale behind the exclusivity of allowances (first 

introduced by the new Irish government through the 

Garda Síochána Allowances Order 1924 and 1926) is 

the unique nature of the work undertaken by 

members of An Garda Síochána. As the 

organisation’s Human Resource Management 

specialists explained: 

“This uniqueness was subsequently recognised by 

both the Conroy Commission (1970) and the Ryan 

Committee of Inquiry (1979). It can be effectively 

argued that the job cannot be done properly without 

incurring these allowances, which are paid to 

members in the performance of duty. The 

allowances were negotiated over time and were 

deemed necessary to the work of An Garda 

Síochána. Indeed the Conroy Commission 

recognised the important effect these allowances 

had on the morale of the organisation... 

“Any variation in the terms of these agreements 

must be re-negotiated in line with best practice. It 

must be reasonably concluded that officials from 

the Department of Justice & Equality, the 

Department of Finance, who presided over the initial 

granting or subsequent increase of these 

allowances for the Garda Síochána during the four 

decades of these negotiations, were satisfied that 

the allowances were in the first instance wholly 

necessary, given the unique nature of the 

organisation and the environment in which it 

operates.” 

5.46 Management personnel made an appropriate 

Business Case for the retention of all such 

allowances (excluding the defunct Weights and 

Measures Allowance) underlining that allowances 

applicable to An Garda Síochána were negotiated 

through the Garda Conciliation & Arbitration 

mechanism. All appropriate members are entitled to 

their receipt. 

5.47 Addressing the Public Accounts Committee on the 

matter the Garda Commissioner explained that: 

“The services provided by An Garda Síochána have 

always been driven by demand. This means we 

need the requisite number of people in the right 

place at the right time to meet demands. As the 

pattern of demand will not always be uniform 

across the ranks, the nuance between those who 

are entitled to allowances and those who are 

disentitled, if I may use that term, would have to be 

carefully considered in most cases. The issue also 

arises of operational police officers being available 

on a 24-7 basis, 365 days per year. 

“The third leg of the problem is discommoding 

people from their places of employment and asking 

them to be available for duty at locations other than 

their normal place of work. These issues have to be 

factored in. Many of the allowances, no more so 

than overtime, are demand driven. The need to 

match demand with the nature of the employment 

dictates where allowances should be paid and who 

should receive them. 

“I agree, however, that a number of allowances 

could be subsumed into basic pay.” 

5.48 Hence, the Committee of Public Accounts in its 

(2012) Report on Public Sector Allowances 

acknowledges that premium payments will always 

be a feature of an around-the-clock service. 

5.49 Allowances serve as an efficient way for the Garda 

Commissioner to remunerate staff for the vagaries 

of police life, their expertise and their varying duties 

and responsibilities. It is estimated that some 54 

‘live’ allowances constitute as much as 20% of the 

force’s total pay cost; while the Public Accounts 

Committee note that five core allowances account 

for 86% of this proportion. 

3 



Rent Allowance 

5.50 Rent allowance was applied to the wages of 

members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1883 

and the newly formed Irish State chose to persist 

with, and mirror, many of the allowances payable to 

our British counterparts. As a result, the rent 

allowance was incorporated in the Garda Síochána 

Allowance Order of 1926, providing for the payment 

of this allowance to compensate officers who had 

previously been billeted either in the barracks or in 

houses attached to the barracks. The 1944 Finance 

Code reiterated rent allowance was payable to 

those not residing in a station. In December 1960, as 

a result of an agreement arrived at through 

Conciliation & Arbitration, rent allowance was made 

pensionable. 

5.51 The Conroy Commission (1970) was the first 

independent forum in the history of the State to 

examine the pay and conditions of serving members 

of An Garda Síochána and inextricably linked this 

allowance to pay. Since that Commission it has 

formed a part of pay. Hence, it carries with it normal 

pay round increases with the notable exception of 

the 5% award via the first Public Sector 

Benchmarking Body in 2002. The wholly legitimate 

and appropriate rent allowance is now widely 

perceived to be inextricably linked to Garda pay and 

has been pensionable through a determination of 

the public service arbitrator since 1982. 

5.52 The decision of the Department of Public 

Expenditure and Reform (DPER) in 2012 to exclude 

new recipients from their entitlement to 30 Garda 

allowances without even recourse to the normal 

industrial relations machinery is a priority grievance 

for our membership. The Assistant Commissioner’s 

(Human Resource Management) office advised our 

members (15 July 2013) that he had been advised 

by DPER of a classification in respect of all 

allowances, on the basis of those that are: 

(a) fixed, periodic and pensionable allowances, and 

therefore are considered allowances in the 

nature of pay and 

(b) not considered to be fixed, periodic and 

pensionable – and in effect not considered to be 

allowances in the nature of pay. 

5.53 In addition to the DPER’s unilateral assessment cum 

classification, a list was also unilaterally compiled of 

those allowances that would not be paid to gardaí 

appointed to the relevant positions from thereon – 

and of allowances that were to be prioritised for 

early elimination. 

5.54 According to the DPER the ‘priority list’ for 

elimination for current beneficiaries pertained 

where no ‘business case’ existed to pay such 

allowances. However, a formidable ‘business case’ 

for allowances was prepared by the Force’s Human 

Resource Management section on behalf of the 

Garda Commissioner. In addition to subscribing to 

the Commissioner’s assessment, the GRA has 

sought clarification in a myriad of issues arising 

from specific allowances that are a source of 

priority concern to our members. These include: 

• Clarification ‘allowance’ provisions for new 

beneficiaries or new entrants. 

• Clarification for an existing member who 

transfers into an area for which an allowance is 

paid. This member would be deemed to be a 

prospective ‘new beneficiary’, yet would not 

attract the payment of the relevant allowance 

which had been abolished in this prospective 

‘new beneficiary’ category. 

• Clarification as to whether any proposed buy-out 

of an allowance was to be predicated on 

individual cases or on the basis of an agreement 

with the Association (on the basis of standard, 

longstanding and appropriate industrial relations 

procedures and processes) on the buy-out of a 

particular allowance for all beneficiaries. 

• If a member was to be promoted within a section 

attracting an allowance would they then be 

considered a ‘new beneficiary’ and subsequently 

disallowed the allowance? 

• The effect of revisions of allowances on the 

payment of pensions. 

5.55 The removal of allowances for new beneficiaries 

took effect without recourse to the Conciliation & 

Arbitration system; the standard, longstanding and 

appropriate industrial relations mechanism. The 

Association had received assurances (attached to 

the Appendices to the Conciliation Council’s Agreed 

Report on the Croke Park Agreement) that all Garda 

remuneration was protected for the lifetime of that 

agreement. A commitment was received from the 

Chief Executive of the Labour Relations 

Commission that pay was indeed adjudged to 

include allowances. 

5.56 To accentuate the grievance, the recent revision in 

the tax and pension treatment of some allowances 

is unwelcome. Traditionally, allowances bearing a 

tax liability were pay allowances for the purposes of 

pension and it is the firmly held conviction of this 


3


Association that allowances subject to taxation 

should be pensionable. Hence, the GRA requests 

that this Review assesses the category (b) 

allowances (above), with a view to their reclassification. 

5.57 Scope for appropriate initiatives in this regard has 

been provided via the Public Accounts Committee in 

its Report on Public Sector Allowances (2012) when 

it recommended the ‘streamlining and simplification’ 

of the structures that have built up around garda 

pay. Such initiatives serving to subsume 

allowances into pay may well remove the illusion 

that they constitute a ‘perk’; and are framed as such 

in public discourse. 

5.58 The relevant government minister (on initiating a 

review of allowances across the public sector) 

acknowledged the point that a considerable portion 

of the 800 allowances under review would be better 

described as ‘pay’ and even instanced his own 

‘allowance’ as a minister paid on top of his salary as 

a TD. He noted, “it’s not an allowance, it’s my 

wages”; and also cited the principal’s allowance 

paid to teachers (added to their basic salary and 

based on the size of the school) as ‘pay’ rather than 

an ‘allowance’. 

5.59 This accords with the Garda Commissioner’s 

assessment, on advising the Public Accounts 

Committee that some of the allowances for review 

for both new entrants and existing beneficiaries 

could be consolidated into basic pay following 

negotiation as: 

“…the need to match demand with the nature of the 

employment dictates where allowances should be 

paid and…a number of allowances could be 

subsumed into basic pay.” 

5.60 Whilst supportive of the Minister and the 

Commissioner on this point, it would be remiss of 

the Association not to point out that the task will not 

always be as straightforward as it appears on the 

basis of an initial superficial consideration. 

Discriminatory Treatment of unsocial hours 

5.61 As outlined by a host of authoritative sources, 

overtime and unsocial working hours are an integral 

feature of working life in An Garda Síochána. As 

elaborated upon by the independent Industrial 

Relations News Report in 2009: 

“Official sources also argue that…overtime provides the 

Garda Commissioner with the ability to allocate 

resources to particular situations and peak demands, as 

and when the needs arise.” 

5.62 An Garda Síochána cannot function unless staff 

work overtime. This necessity is underlined that 

members are directed to work overtime. 

5.63 The disadvantageous divisor (1/41) deployed to 

calculate overtime and unsocial working 

arrangements for gardaí becomes even more 

disconcerting as many other public service 

occupations weekly pay is divided by lesser 

divisors in premium payment calculations. It is 

reported that a divisor of 35 hours is used for both 

health sector and local government clerical staff 

and for local authority outdoor workers including 

full-time Fire Service personnel, a 37.5 hours divisor 

applies to nurses and a 39 hours divisor applies 

extensively for health sector attendants and 

support staff. 

5.64 An independent review in February 2008 

recommended that the divisor for GRA members be 

brought into line with that deployed for other public 

sector employees. To date, the government has 

failed to implement this recommendation. The 

arbitration report stipulates that: 

“The present Garda divisor for overtime of 41 is an 

anomaly which has not been reconsidered since its 

introduction in 1974. At the hearing before the 

Arbitration Board the GRA expressed a measure of 

understandable frustration that this situation, which 

it regards as irrational, has remained in place for so 

long. 

“The Arbitration Board is of the opinion that it would 

be unseemly to let the matter drag on indefinitely 

and so the Board recommends that when the terms 

of the Towards 2016 Social Partnership Agreement 

expires the parties should make a determined effort 

to bring forward a solution that is equitable in 

settling on the proper divisor for the gardaí.” 

5.65 Given that the government subsequently set aside 

the provisions of the Towards 2016 Social 

Partnership Agreement of which this Association 

had no part in the negotiation of, it is incumbent 

upon this Review to appropriately address the 

matter. Payment to the Association’s membership 

for working unsocial hours cannot be categorised 

as ‘excessive’. 

5.66 The rate of remuneration paid is considerably less 

than applies to large swathes of the public and 

private sector. It is also pertinent that overtime has 

traditionally been paid in An Garda Síochána at time 



and a half for ordinary duty and double time for 

Sundays. For ordinary overtime where members 

apply voluntarily to work overtime the rate has been 

reduced (under the provisions of the Haddington 

Road Agreement) to time and a quarter. From a 

comparative perspective, it is insightful (if not 

somewhat infuriating) to review the data 

summarising the key results of an IBEC (2001) 

survey of overtime premia in 508 companies in the 

Irish manufacturing and wholesale distribution 

sectors. This indicates that the lowest 

compensation ratio in use is Time + ½ in sharp 

contrast with the Time + 1⁄4 applied to gardaí. Many 

employers pay considerably more than this ratio. 

5.67 The relatively privileged position of private sector 

workers compared with gardaí on this pay criterion, 

a more expansive survey on the same topic was 

concluded by IBEC in March 2006. This overtime 

report entailed a survey of 760 places of 

employment across the manufacturing, distribution 

and services sectors. This also revealed that that 

the lowest compensation ratio in use is Time + ½. 

The updated dataset (2013) covering 436 

companies employing 141,444 staff in the 

manufacturing, distribution and service sectors 

reveals yet again that many employers pay 

considerably more than An Garda Síochána for antisocial 

and overtime working arrangements. 

unsocial hours Shiftworking 

5.68 The basic position towards shift pay arrangements 

affected by the revised rostering system 

Westmanstown Agreement needs redress. The 

treatment of unsocial hours in An Garda Síochána; 

premium payments for night work start at time and 

a sixth (for 6pm to 8pm) rising to time and a quarter 

(8pm to 8am); with a fixed daily allowance for 

Saturday work (€15 per day) and double time for 

Sunday duty. 

5.69 Payment for unsocial hours is also much less 

favourable for members of An Garda Síochána than 

other workers. This is attributable to the usage of a 

1/41th of weekly pay as the key divisor. 

5.70 This relative deprivation for gardaí also extends to 

shift premium payment arrangements. A cursory 

review of the data drawn from IBEC’s (2009) survey 

of 93 companies employing 41,443 staff confirms 

the relatively disadvantageous premia payment 

ratio applicable to gardaí. A comparative analysis of 

the garda evening premium at time and a sixth 

(16.7%) compares unfavourably with that of all other 

premia for evening work on two, three and four shiftcycles. 

The ratio applied to Gardaí for night work 

(8pm-8am at time and a quarter) compares 

unfavourably with that of the overwhelming majority 

of other premia paid. 

Employment Conditions 

5.71 The conditions of employment of the Garda rank is 

both extensive and complex spanning health, safety 

and welfare, rosters, career breaks, pension 

provisions, incentivised early retirement. 

5.72 The Association retains grave reservations about 

the process and provisions associated with the 

Public Service Management (Sick Leave) 

Regulations 2014. Furthermore, there is now clear 

evidence that the Westmanstown Working Time 

Agreement is being abused. The revised rostering 

arrangements have revolutionised the shift patterns 

and reconfigured available resources in An Garda 

Síochána. However, it would appear that there is a 

lack of compliance with the daily rest requirements 

of the European Working Time Directive and the 

compensatory rest requirements of the Working 

Time Agreement. 

5.73 To ensure compliance with all provisions an 

effective information technology system providing 

comprehensive, accurate and verifiable records is 

crucial and has already been identified as essential 

to compliance by the Garda Inspectorate in its sixth 

report. 

5.74 There are also issues of concern regarding the 

ability of members to take leave when required. 

There is a delicate balance between derogations 

and the all-important protections and the relevant 

review team should be fully focused on assessing 

and ensuring same compliance. Appropriate 

arrangements must be made by way of primary 

legislation or ministerial order to enable the WTA to 

be subject to the Labour Court approval process set 

out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. 

Annualised hours 

5.75 The GRA agreed to outline its basic position towards 

an annualised hours arrangement. The recently 

revised rostering system or Westmanstown 

Agreement is the subject of a discrete review 

process or processes. However, the Association 

acknowledges the relevance of an annualised hours 

system towards this revised rostering system and 

the unique demands associated with working in An 


5.76 The revised roster is a five unit, 10-week 

configuration operating on the principle of six days 


3


on and four days off, with largely 10-hour shifts and 

the Sunday 8 to 12 hour shifts. The roster consists 

of core and non-core working times, to facilitate a 

24 hour service, with some agreed variations to 

meet the requirements of specialist units. The new 

system proceeds from morning shifts to late shifts 

to night shifts (rather than the other way round 

under the old system). This system was designed to 

be in line with the body’s circadian rhythms. 

5.77 The revised system entailed major concessions by 

this Association’s members largely designed to give 

management greater scope of staff availability at 

peak demand times (weekends and evenings). 

Indeed, so significant was this rostering revolution 

that in addressing the 36th Countess Markievicz 

memorial lecture of the Irish Association of 

Industrial Relations in 2012, the chair of the Croke 

Park Implementation Body’s Reflections on the 

Croke Park Deal presentation lauded this major 

change as “the first such roster change in over 40 

years”. Likewise, the Minister for Justice felt obliged 

to extol the merits of the new rostering system as a 

“perfect example of real reform”, whilst the Garda 

Commissioner advised the Dail’s Public Accounts 

Committee that: 

“It is important to acknowledge that for the first time 

in 40 years we have arrived at a policing programme 

that will match demand with the availability of gardaí 

at particular peak or pinch points within the 

system…” 

5.78 In the case of the prison service, it is also notable 

that the management or Irish Prison Service’s 

(2005) Proposal For Organisational Change 

constituted a radical move away from the service’s 

traditional reliance on overtime to a new ‘additional 

hours’ system. Prison service staff committed to 

working ‘additional’ hour bands. 

5.79 Related to the initiative were a host of staff 

productivity and flexibility concessions. In 2005 the 

Civil Service Arbitration Board summarised the 

additional hours system as serving to: 

“institutionalise...the working of additional hours” on 

a compulsory basis. For this Review it is also 

chastening to recall that the many unattractive 

features of the new annualised hours system led 

researchers at the University of Limerick to 

conclude that over two-thirds of prison service 

employees were actually dissatisfied with it. 

5.80 The GRA also notes that a most practical 

consequence of the annualised hours arrangement 

is that by 2008 the Director General of the Irish 

Prison Service was able to point to an annual saving 

of €30million in overtime costs with over one million 

hours taken out of the prison working time system. 

According to the assessment of the Civil Service 

Arbitration Board (2005) of the new additional hours 

system: 

“…there would be savings to the Irish Prison 

Service in the short term and the level of those 

savings would increase over time.” 

5.81 By 2008 the Secretary General at the Department 

of Justice was able to inform the Public Accounts 

Committee that alongside sizeable savings, the 

average write-off under the new working 

arrangement was 28% or 100 hours per prison 

officer. By 2014 the write-off has been almost 

obliterated, as all of the additional hours were being 

worked, while sick leave levels reduced. 

PART SIx: NEw STRuCTuRES AND 

mEChANISmS 

Industrial Relations history of An Garda Síochána 

6.1 The terms of reference of this Review conducted 

under the auspices of the LRC, commits to 

addressing: 

“...the appropriate structures and mechanism for the 


industrial relations and attendant matters.” 

6.2 There have been serious instances arising from the 

pay disputes. The Macushla ‘Revolt’ of 1961 gave 

rise to proper representation of ranks and the 

formation of the GRA. Since then, we have had the 

Conroy Commission and Ryan Report as 

mechanisms to address these issues; and also the 

pay dispute of 1998 remembered in the public 

consciousness for the ‘blue flu’ aspect of industrial 

relations. 

6.3 Relationships between the participants to the 

industrial relations process in An Garda Síochána 

probably reached their lowest point in 1998, when a 

large proportion of this Association’s membership 

phoned in sick on the same day (‘blue flu’). This 

action was once again over pay; particularly the 

restructuring clause of the social partnership 

agreement – the Programme for Competitiveness 

and Work). Our membership felt that they had been 

unfairly treated. The discontent towards this social 

partnership deal coincided with the formation of the 

breakaway Garda Federation, splitting this 

Association and defragmenting industrial relations 

that would have proved unmanageable for all. 



6.4 Garda pay was underfunded in the subsequent 

benchmarking processes. This resulted in 

widespread resentment, as our members 

contended that they were being singled out due to 

an inability to strike or to take limited industrial 

action. This was the discriminatory treatment meted 

out to this Association by being effectively and 

persistently sidelined from the social partnership, 

pay talks and negotiation process. The experience 

of being corralled into a side room and presented 

with an agreed deal (concluded with the ICTUaffiliated 

unions in an adjoining room) was neither 

edifying nor equitable. As a result this Association 

repeatedly refused to sign-off on such deals. 

6.5 The industrial relations temperature in An Garda 

Síochána was increased in 2005, through the Garda 

Síochána Act. Under Section 59 it is held that: 

“a person is guilty of an offence if he or she induces, 

or does any act calculated to induce, any member of 

the Garda Síochána to withhold his or her services 

or to commit a breach of discipline”. 

6.6 We also had the breakdown of pay talks in 2009 

that led to the GRA surveying members for industrial 

action leading to the Croke Park Agreement in 2010; 

subsequently the placard protests and Tallaght 

‘Basketball Stadium” Rally that undermined the 

attempted Croke Park II and resulted in Haddington 

Road Agreement. Let us be reminded that this 

Review is part of that dispute resolution, and yet 

government pushed ahead with the Lansdowne 

Road Agreement before this aspect had been 

addressed. 

6.7 At the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) 

conference in 2004 delegates voted in favour of an 

amendment to their constitution, enabling the Garda 

(and Defence Forces) associations to become 

associate members of Congress. However, 

subsequent initiatives endeavoured to ensure that 

representative bodies in An Garda Síochána would 

be forbidden from formal ongoing affiliations with 

trade unions (i.e. non-membership of ICTU). Section 

18(2) of the 2005 Garda Síochána Act states: 

“An association established under subsection (1) 

must be independent of and not associated with 

any body or person outside the Garda Síochána, but 

it may employ persons who are not members of the 

Garda Síochána.” 

6.8 Serving to further tighten the restrictions on this 

Association, Section 18(4) of the Act states that: 

“...if a question arises whether any body or 

association is a trade union or association referred 

to in subsection (3), the question shall be 

determined by the Minister whose determination 

shall be final.” 

6.9 In 2009 the relevance of this enactment surfaced 

when this Association’s Central Executive 

Committee, in frustration at their ongoing exclusion 

from the key national decision making forum and 

processes, considered the possibility of balloting 

the membership on a menu of industrial action 

options. This raised a range of possibilities, 

including the spectre of the Association’s 

leadership being prosecuted or imprisoned. 

6.10 A consequential development in the industrial 

relations system in An Garda Síochána has been 

from the European Committee of Social Rights, 

operating under the auspices of the Council of 

Europe. Like the European Court of Human Rights, 

which is also part of the Council of Europe, the 

Committee’s rulings are binding in law. Decisions of 

the Committee are final and legally binding and do 

not have to be endorsed by any other body. Courts 

can declare invalid or set aside domestic legislation 

if it is contrary to a decision of the Committee (e.g. 

the Garda Síochána Act 2005). 

6.11 The complaint brought was that the Irish 

Government had violated certain elements of the 

European Social Charter, which it had signed up to 

(in November 2000) and focused on the fact that 

representative bodies in An Garda Síochána: 

“...do not enjoy full trade union rights, which include, 

in particular, the right to join an umbrella 

organisation and the right to bargain collectively”. 

6.12 Specifically it was contended that existing 

provisions violate Articles 5 (the right to organise), 6 

(the right to bargain collectively) and 21 (the right to 

information and consultation) of the European 

Social Charter. The charter provides: 

(a) Join the ICTU 

(b) Access the services of the LRC 

(c) Take collective industrial action. 

6.13 Notably, the Committee’s findings weighed heavily 

in favour of gardaí. The GRA sees both scope and 

merit in enabling its access to the State’s third party 

dispute resolution mechanisms. 


41


6.14 In a parallel development, the case for an 

independent review of pay and conditions in An 

Garda Síochána was getting ‘favourable 

consideration’ from the Minister for Justice. 

According to the Minister, he was (at least) open: 

“...to an examination of the process itself so that any 

flaws or defects are identified and rectified to 

ensure they are not replicated in any future 

engagement”. 

6.15 This overture was effectively endorsed and 

extended by the Garda Commissioner, as he 

publicly drew attention to the successful (Conroy 

and Ryan) Commissions (on remuneration and 

terms and conditions of employment in An Garda 

Síochána) in the 1970s. The Commissioner also 

alluded to the fact that allowances had been 

introduced in the past when successive 

governments were not in a position to increase pay 

levels. 

6.16 It is in the immediate and long-term interests of all 

parties that there be a credible ongoing and readily 

available alternative to the current industrial 

relations mechanism. 

GRA: Concerns and Preferences for the future 

6.17 The role of the LRC in brokering the sectoral 

agreement in respect of An Garda Síochána and 

their representative associations is a significant 

development in terms of normalising our industrial 

relations structures. It is the first time that this 

Association has had access to the services of the 

WRC/LRC on a collective basis and the Association 

sincerely hopes that in due course it may be 

adjudged to constitute an appropriate exemplar in 

support of the case for regular access to the WRC 

and the Labour Court. 

6.18 This mechanism has done little more than echo 

broader public service developments in pay, rather 

than being an independent process that proceeds 

on case merits. This representative Association 

may well find it difficult to restrain members’ anger 

in the future, which for a variety of specified 

reasons has now reached unprecedented levels; 

especially among the indebted junior cohort whose 

experience of working and the industrial relations 

system is that of pay cuts and deteriorating terms 

and conditions of employment. 

6.19 The current structure and mechanism for the 

resolution of industrial relations in An Garda 

Síochána has shown considerable flaws. The 

Conciliation & Arbitration process is lengthy and 

there is no mechanism available to the parties 

within the system to ensure that the official side 

deals with claims expeditiously, or at all. 

6.20 Members of the force and their representative 

associations do not have access to independent 

agencies of the State for the processing and 

resolution of legitimate grievances, including the 

Rights Commissioner service, the Workplace 

Relations Commission and the Labour Court. 

6.21 In the event of a dispute of labour relations, the 

Association’s members’ sole route of recourse is 

through the judicial or common law court system. 

This is a wholly inappropriate route or forum and 

compares most unfavourably with that available to 

the nation’s workforce. 

6.22 Under the current Conciliation mechanism if a claim 

is ‘agreed’ but garda management fail to implement 

it correctly, or it is the subject of contrasting 

interpretations, it must be re-routed back through 

the laborious conciliation process, rather than 

proceeding promptly to a more appropriate, 

independent and customised forum, such as the 

WRC or Labour Court. 

6.23 The chairperson of the Conciliation Council is 

appointed by the Minister for Justice and selected 

from his Department. This gives rise to a palpable 

perception of bias. The Conciliation & Arbitration 

Scheme constitutes a conservative and laborious 

route for members to pursue their right to an 

expeditious resolution in remuneration and terms 

and conditions of employment. 

6.24 As our members are legally prohibited from 

engaging in industrial action they are not in a 

position to adequately protect or enforce their 

labour law-related rights and entitlements, and in 

particular, their right to the expeditious resolution of 

issues affecting them. Adding insult to injury, this 

limitation is frequently exploited to their detriment. 

6.25 Accordingly, this Review should be aware that while 

individual members of An Garda Síochána (under 

some employment law provisions) are entitled to 

process their cases or claims to the WRC and the 

Labour Court, the Association was never granted a 

collective right of access to such fora on behalf of 

its collective membership. 

6.26 This anomaly must be rectified under the auspices 

of this Review. This Association now confirms to the 

Review the prioritisation of its demand for a 

collective entitlement to bring matters before the 



WRC and the Labour Court and advises that the 

appropriate primary legislation be enacted. 

6.27 It is now an affront to any group of workers that 

such a basic entitlement is denied. This demand is 

discrete from those pertaining to trade union status, 

the right to strike or any other consideration to the 

Association’s membership’s welfare. The denial to 

employees of the State’s all-important security 

services of such a basic entitlement is no longer 

acceptable. 

6.28 There has traditionally been a reluctance to have 

Garda bodies engage in the same fora as trade 

unions. However, for the first time in its history, the 

GRA was recently granted (apparently on a once-off 

basis), to be involved directly in negotiations on 

members’ pay and conditions of employment. This 

welcome precedent proved to be a beneficial 

development and to be in the best interests of all 

parties to the process. 

6.29 The relevance of appropriate fora or independence 

of the treatment of such matters also recently 

featured under the HRA, wherein one of the key 

inducing planks for gardaí was the commitment to 

this Review process. However, the Department of 

Justice’s endeavours to impose the wholly 

inappropriate Garda Síochána Inspectorate as 

opposed to an independent chairperson of the 

Review came close to sundering the complete 

sectoral agreement. 

6.30 It is common practice to look to our counterparts in 

Great Britain and Northern Ireland when addressing 

issues, including police pay. Notably these 

counterparts are entitled to directly negotiate their 

pay and conditions of service with their employers 

in the Home Office, via the Joint Police Negotiating 

Board (PNB). Prior to 1919 each police force 

determined pay for police officers on a local basis. In 

1919 a police strike forced the government of the 

day to ban strikes, but in so doing they were also 

forced to find a way to determine pay and 

conditions that would be acceptable to the police 

and the public. Hence, from 1919 to 1980 a Whitley 

Council approach was adopted. 

6.31 The Whitley or Police Council approach operated for 

over 50 years with a number of discrete 

independent reviews complementing the Council’s 

operations. Following the Police Federation’s 

withdrawal from the Council (alongside a dispute 

over police pay in 1976-77) an Inquiry into the 

industrial relations or police negotiating machinery 

was established in 1978. 

6.32 This recommended the establishment of the PNB in 

its present form, with a chairperson and deputy 

independent from both sides. The role of the chair 

was to “provide continuity and to supply a neutral 

voice in negotiation”. An independent secretariat 

was also introduced to provide knowledge and 

expertise. Specifically addressing the relationship 

between the machinery of negotiation and the 

absence of the right to strike this (Edmund-Davies) 

Inquiry pointed out that: 

“Such an important limitation on the freedom of 

action of members of the police force renders it 

even more essential that the machinery for 

determining police pay and other conditions of 

service commands the confidence of all sections of 

the service.” 

6.33 The Police Negotiating Board Act 1980 formally 

established the PNB, and was subsequently 

consolidated via the Police Act 1996. At the heart of 

the Inquiry was the proposed indexing of police 

officers’ pay to movements in the Average Earnings 

Index for the whole economy. 

6.34 In 1993 a further significant development arose 

when the Sheehy Inquiry (into Police 

Responsibilities and Rewards) recommended a link 

to pay settlements rather than average earnings. 

Subsequently, the median of total pay settlements 

was used to determine the annual police pay rise. 

6.35 In 2007-8 there was an unusually vocal and 

demonstrative response by the Police Federation of 

England and Wales (PFEW) to the decision by the 

then Home Secretary to phase in the recommended 

pay increases. An estimated 22,500 police officers 

marched in central London in protest in an era of 

considerable friction between Government and the 

PFEW. In August 2008 the Federation was obliged to 

call on its 140,000 members to adopt a de facto 

‘work-to-rule’ after talks broke down in a bitter pay 

row, in response to the Government’s argument 

that the automatic indexed pay award system 

removed incentives for workplace reform. 

6.36 In an attempt to address the issue of police pay 

determination in 2010 the government 

commissioned the Winsor Report. This endorsed the 

operation of an independent Police Pay Review 

Body to replace the PNB According to Winsor’s 

assessment, the experience from other parts of the 

British public sector had shown that a pay review 

body is capable of respecting the unique status of 

certain employee groups in a society that denies 

them a right to strike (such as the Armed Forces’ 

Pay Review Body). 


43


6.37 It was recommended that such a review body 

should adopt an evidence-based approach and have 

the capacity and scope to challenge unfounded 

assertions, to commission its own research, to 

draw upon external expertise where appropriate 

and to make well-reasoned recommendations in an 

efficient and timely manner. 

6.38 This assessment also acknowledged that an 

independent pay review body would have greater 

capacity and flexibility to give full consideration to 

the interests and arguments of particular groups 

within the police. This contrasted with the PNB 

mechanism, which was found to be unable to make 

decisions in a timely and efficient manner and had 

encouraged an atmosphere of confrontation 

between the staff and official sides. 

6.39 Based upon the lessons learned from our British 

counterparts, together with the beneficial 

experiences in this jurisdiction associated with the 

Conroy and Ryan Inquiries, and the subsequent 

embittering treatment of gardaí resulting from their 

pay and conditions the GRA now proposes that a 

Garda Remuneration Review Body (GRRB) be 

established on a permanent footing, with the 

following terms of reference 

6.40 The review body shall provide independent binding 

determinations to government on the remuneration 

and terms and conditions of employment of gardaí. 

In reaching its recommendations, the review body 

must have regard to the following considerations: 

• the particular frontline role and nature of the 

Garda rank; 

• the prohibition on gardaí being members of a 

trade union or withdrawing their labour; 

• the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably 

able and qualified gardaí; 

• the resources available to government and the 

representations of Garda Commissioners in 

respect of funding issues; 

• the government’s economic targets; 

• the government’s policies for improving public 

services. 

An agreed independent chairman, with independent 

secretariat support, would lead the tripartite GRRB. 

government, staff, independent experts, staff 

representatives and others. 

Reports and binding recommendations of the review 

body should be submitted to government and published. 

The GRRB would be responsible for determining all 

aspects of police remuneration, including pay, 

allowances, hours of duty, leave and pensions. 

The GRRB would apply an annual uprating mechanism to 

garda pay. This is the only fair and transparent method 

by which to determine police pay awards. Such an 

uprating mechanism should link police pay to an agreed 

index of employees’ pay in Ireland. For the purpose of 

minimising the prospect of ongoing conflict over the 

matter, any uprating mechanism should be simple, 

objective, transparent, based on timely information and 

follow rather than lead the market. 

The GRRB should ensure that the particular 

responsibilities of and restrictions on gardaí are taken 

into account when determining police pay. 

The GRRB would take a holistic view of police 

remuneration that allows it to take a truly strategic 

approach to considering police pay and conditions. It 

should be granted adequate flexibility in its work 

programme to allow for any unexpected issues that arise 

and not be constrained by the inefficiencies and time 

delays associated with the current system of 

Conciliation & Arbitration or the discriminatory national 

pay bargaining type arrangements. 

An integral part of the GRRB’s work should entail a 

programme of visits to familiarise GRRB members with 

the work and conditions of gardaí. 

To ensure that their voice is heard in the determination of 

garda remuneration, provisions should be made to 

ensure that the relevant staff associations are able to 

make their case to the GRRB. Hence, they should be 

invited to submit evidence in both an oral and written 

format. 

The GRRB should be empowered to make a formal 

binding determination on garda remuneration, having 

taken into account the submissions of interested parties 

and any other relevant evidence. 

The government shall defer to the GRRB before making 

regulations or determinations applying to Garda 

remuneration or terms and conditions of employment. 

The review body should be required to take account of 

the economic and other evidence submitted by 



PAy SCAlES 

PAy SCAlE (All RANKS) ClASS b PRSI 

Members who joined before 6 April 1995 

Garda Pt 1 Jan 2010 

After 12 years 14 42,429 






PAy SCAlES (All RANKS) ClASS A PRSI 

Members who joined after 6 April 1995 

Garda Pt Jan 2010 

On Attestation 1 25,745 

After 22 weeks 2 28,302 

After 1 year 3 29,834 

















Increments– Earnings between €35,000 and 

€5,000 – haddington Road Agreement 

Members on salaries between €35,000 and €65,000 

(inclusive of allowances in the nature of pay), there will 

be two 3 month increment freezes. This will take effect 

after the next increment is paid. Once these liabilities are 

discharged under the Haddington Road Agreement, no 

further delays arise for any of the categories. 

long Service Increment 

The Association has prepared a Statement of Claim to be 

brought before the Adjudicator/Arbitration in regard to 

the interval period being applied at long service 

incremental points 13 and 19 of members’ pay scale 

hence members’ increments at incremental points 13 and 

19 are not being paid for a period of three to six months 

after the due date. As we go to print we await the 

outcome of the Adjudicator. 


45


PAy SCAlES 

Gardaí recruited after October 2013 

Clause 2.31 haddington Road Agreement – Garda Scale merged – October 2013 

FEMPI (no. 2) 2010 Comment New Cycle Clause 2.31 HRA 

Student Gardai €193 2010 and NRP Trainee €184 

(prior 2014) rates merged Gardaí 

62 weeks On Attestation €25,745 NRP 1st Point attestation on Attestation €23,171 32 weeks 

62 weeks* for 1 year…not 62 weeks 32 weeks 

84 weeks After 22 €28,302 NRP 2nd Point – annual Year 1 €25,472 84 weeks 

weeks** 

increment – not 22 weeks 

136 weeks Year 1 €29,834 2010 Scale Point Y2 Year 2 €28,302 136 weeks 

188 weeks Year 2 €32,407 2010 Scale Point Y3 Year 3 €29,834 188 weeks 

240 weeks Year 3 €35,840 2010 Scale Point 4 Year 4 €32,407 240 weeks 















2010 Scale Point 17 Year 19 €45,793 1020 weeks 

* The attestation rate and 22 week increment are annualised on the HRA integrated scale. 

4 



AllOwANCES 

AllOwANCES IN ThE NATuRE Of PAy– GARDAí 

RECRuITED AfTER 1 OCTObER 2013 

Allowance 

Amount 

Air Support Unit 

5,039.75 p.a. 

Collators 

26.01 p.a. 

Detective Overtime 

a) where it is between 5 & 8 hours 231.12 p.q. 

b) if average overtime exceeds 8 hrs 404.21 p.q. 

Dog Handlers 

55.24 p.q. 

Instructors 

8,062.65 p.a. 

Interpol 

2,879.00 p.a. 

Immigration Officers 

26.01 p.w. 

Ministerial Pool 40% of basic pay 18,317.52 p.a. 

PSV Inspectors 

5,035.00 p.a. 

Scenes of Crime Examiner 

3,046.00 p.a. 

Substitution 

38.00 p.m. 

Technical Bureau 

a) On appointment 2,886.10 p.a. 

b) After 3 years 4,235.10 p.a. 

c) After 5 years 5,386.50 p.a. 

Water Unit 

5,039.75 p.a. 

Welfare Officer 

7,793.80 p.a. 

NON PAy AllOwANCES – GARDAí RECRuITED 

AfTER 1 OCTObER 2013 

(Allowances increased each year in line with increases in 

Consumer Price Index for year ended mid November) 

Allowance 

Amount 

Boot 

2.93 p.w. 

Community Relations Crime Prevention 30.90 p.w. 

Detective 

30.90 p.w. 

Juvenile Liaison Officer 

30.90 p.w. 

Plain clothes 

12.21 p.w. 

Uniform Maintenance 

4.39 p.w. 

AllOwANCES IN ThE NATuRE Of PAy: 

1 jANuARy 2010 

members who joined before th April 15 – b PRSI 

Allowance 

Amount 


4,873.50 p.a. 

Analysts 

7,794.75 p.a. 

Change Management 

6,239.60 p.a. 

Collators 

25.18 p.a. 

Designated Posts 

4,781.35 p.a. 




Dog Handlers 

53.40 p.w. 

Gaeltacht 7.5% of basic pay 

3,322.63 p.a. 


25.18 p.w. 

Instructors 

7,794.75 p.a. 

Interpol 

2,785.00 p.a. 

Island 

1,463.00 p.a. 


Motor Technicians 

4,885.85 p.a. 


4,869.70 p.a. 

Radio Section 

5,070.00 p.a. 

Rent 

4,017.55 p.a. 


2,946.90 p.a. 

Substitution 

36.61 p.m. 





Transport 

i) fulltime 507.30 p.a. 

ii) part-time to a maximum of 60 hours 0.21 p.h. 

Water Unit 

4,873.50 p.a. 


7,403.35 p.a. 


4


AllOwANCES IN ThE NATuRE Of PAy: 

1 jANuARy 2010 

members who joined after th April 15 – A PRSI 

Allowance 

Amount 


5,039.75 p.a. 

Analysts 

8,062.65 p.a. 

Change Management 

8,453.35 p.a. 

Collators 

26.01 p.a. 

Designated Posts 

4,942.85 p.a. 




Dog Handlers 

55.24 p.q. 

Gaeltacht 7.5% of basic pay 

3,434.48 p.a. 


26.01 p.w. 

Instructors 

8,062.65 p.a. 

Interpol 

2,879.00 p.a. 

Island 

1,511.45 p.a. 


Motor Technicians 

5,053.05 p.a. 


5,035.00 p.a. 

Radio Section 

5,242.10 p.a. 

Rent 

4,155.30 p.a. 


3,046.00 p.a. 

Substitution 

38.00 p.m. 





Transport 

i) fulltime 524.40 p.a. 

ii) part-time to a maximum of 60 hours 0.22 p.h. 

Water Unit 

5,039.75 p.a. 


7,793.80 p.a. 

NON PAy AllOwANCES: 1 jANuARy 2008 

(Allowances increased each year in line with increases in 

Consumer Price Index for year ended mid November) 

Allowance 

Amount 

Boot 

2.93 p.w. 

Community Relations Crime Prevention 30.90 p.w. 

Cycle 

2.77 p.w. 

Detective 

30.90 p.w. 

Juvenile Liaison Officer 

30.90 p.w. 

Plain clothes 

12.21 p.w. 

Uniform Maintenance 

4.39 p.w. 


2 CONDITIONS 

Of 

EmPlOymENT 

jOINT PROTOCOl fOR CONSulTATION AND 

DISPuTE RESOluTION 201 

PublIC SERVICE mANAGEmENT SICK lEAVE 

REGulATIONS 

ThE O’hIGGINS COmmISSION Of INVESTIGATION 

mEETING wITh mINISTER fOR juSTICE AND 

EQuAlITy 

POlICING AuThORITy 


4


jOINT PROTOCOl fOR 

CONSulTATION AND DISPuTE 

RESOluTION 201 

The Joint Protocol for Consultation and Dispute 

Resolution is pursuant to the civilianisation process of 

much of the Human Resource function at Garda 

Headquarters. The Association identified issues arising 

in respect of the resolution of matters of an operational 

nature with Garda Management. Additionally, there were 

concerns as to how the Partnership process would 

operate under this new disposition. These concerns 

were common to all Garda Staff Associations. 

The Garda Representative Association addressed these 

issues to the Garda Commissioner at meetings in early 

2015. We delineated the actual problems arising for the 

Association in endeavouring to resolve issues on a daily 

basis with Garda Management. The Garda Commissioner 

acknowledged that an inordinate time had elapsed since 

these procedures had been reviewed. She instructed her 

managers to initiate this process by setting up a working 

party with the staff associations. 

In the last quarter of 2015 a Working Party under the 

Chairmanship of Mr Cyril Dunne, Chief Administrative 

Officer and attended by Superintendent Margaret Nugent 

from Human Resource and People Development section 

at Headquarters met on a number of occasions with the 

four Staff Associations to discuss and address issues 

arising in respect of procedures and negotiations 

between Garda Management and the Staff Side. The 

negotiations did not deal solely with processes at 

national level but also clarified and invigorated 

procedures already in place at District, Divisional and 

Regional level. 

This Working Party process culminated in the parties 

agreeing the document “A Joint Protocol for Consultation 

and Dispute Resolution”. This is a welcome development 

and clearly charts the process for negotiation, 

consultation and dispute resolution for both sides into 

the future. 

This Protocol formalises the industrial relations 

procedure as they apply between Regional Assistant 

Commissioners and the Association. The latter 

discussions were conducted on an ad hoc basis 

heretofore. The 

agreement also provides 

for the establishment of 

a new national 

workplace relations 

forum to be chaired by 

an Assistant 

Commissioner 

specifically appointed 

for that purpose. This 

forum will convene at 

three month intervals to 

address issues in the 

workplace. There is also 

a review mechanism 

under the aegis of two 

Deputy Commissioners 

and the Chief Administrative Officer. For clarity, I point out 

that these protocols do not replace our existing 

Memorandum of Understanding which continues to 

apply. All rosters and working time agreement issues fall 

to be addressed under the rosters working time 

agreement. The latter has a stand-alone dispute 

resolution mechanism in the form of a facilitator and an 

accompanying oversight council. 

We are assured by Garda Management that the Assistant 

Commissioner, as specified in the protocol, will be 

nominated without delay. In service training on the 

operation of the protocols will be provided for Garda 

Managers. 

This document is a most welcome development and the 

agreement clearly maps the approach to consultation 

within the Garda organisation. It clearly provides that 

matters arising will be dealt with within the Garda 

organisation without the necessity for recourse to 

outside agencies. 

Hereunder is the agreed Joint Protocol for Consultation 

and Dispute Resolution: 


Section 2: Conditions of Employment 

Joint Protocol for Consultation and Dispute 

Resolution 

An Garda Síochána 2016 

PREfACE 

This is a joint protocol for consultation and dispute 

resolution between the garda representative 

associations and garda management. 

It is designed to assist in creating a harmonious working 

environment and to ensure that any disagreements and 

disputes in the workplace are dealt with proactively and 

in a timely manner, recognising the rights and 

responsibilities of all concerned. 

With due regard to the Commissioner’s mandate to direct 

and control An Garda Síochána, and the nature of the 

essential services provided, there is a strong 

commitment to engaging and promoting workplace 

relations that support workplace safety and welfare, 

workforce capability, staff engagement and positive 

outcomes for the public. 

It is everyone’s responsibility to create a positive working 

environment. Very often issues that arise can be dealt 

with informally in the workplace and this protocol will not 

change that situation. 

The garda staff associations, permitted by law to 

represent their members, have an important role in 

promoting and developing good relations in the workplace. 

It is in this regard that this protocol will be utilised to 

engage with the staff associations in a meaningful way in 

modernising and transforming An Garda Síochána 

through consultation, participation and co- operation. 

In addition and in line with best practice a national 

communications mechanism will be established at Garda 

Headquarters and locally to advise all members and 

employees directly on workplace changes and to involve 

them in user groups and other workplace change 

initiatives as necessary. 

Managers of all ranks are encouraged to positively 

influence the working environment by demonstrating 

leadership and open dialogue in the pursuit of 

constructive working relationships at all levels. It is 

recognised that training is essential to equip managers 

to discharge their functions to operate this protocol in an 

effective manner and in this regard a training programme 

has been developed and will be delivered to all Officers. 

This protocol does not replace the existing Memorandum 

of Understanding. In addition all rosters and working time 

issues will be dealt with under the provisions of the 

Rosters Working Time Agreement (WTA), which has a 

stand-alone dispute resolution mechanism in the form of 

a facilitator and an oversight council. 

ObjECTIVES 

Healthy workplace relations are key to the success of the 

garda service; therefore, having a suitable protocol for 

employee engagement and to resolve workplace issues 

is essential. 

The main objective of this document is to provide a clear 

and definitive protocol for consultation, communications 

and dispute resolution on matters which affect members 

of An Garda Síochána. It is anticipated, through the correct 

application of this protocol, that there will be minimum 

disruption or delay in resolving issues and bringing about 

change and innovation within An Garda Síochána. 

Policing is an essential service and this protocol will be 

recognised as a code of practice within An Garda 

Síochána both as part of the engagement and 

consultation process and for the resolution of workplace 

disputes, to ensure stability and continuity of service. 

Similar to the Memorandum of Understanding, this 

protocol is informal in nature, and both garda 

management and the representative associations 

recognise that it may be legitimately referred to, if 

necessary, in any discussions that may take place. 

This protocol will not replace the existing industrial 

relations machinery that currently operates between the 

Department of Justice and Equality and the representative 

associations nor is it intended to replace the existing 

Consultative Council or the Grievance Procedure or other 

workplace policies in An Garda Síochána. 

PRINCIPlES 

The parties to this protocol recognise the paramount 

importance of positive workplace engagement within An 

Garda Síochána. While recognising the Commissioner’s 

mandate to direct and control An Garda Síochána, all 

parties commit to ongoing dialogue and exchange of 


51


views with the objective of reaching agreement, where 

possible, within appropriate timescales to deliver high 

quality outcomes that deliver value to the public. All 

dealings will be based on honesty, respect and trust, 

promoting understanding and mutual problem solving. 

When embarking on change initiatives that will have a 

significant effect on staff, the consultation process will 

commence early, to confer with the representative 

associations on the nature of the changes involved and 

the reasons for them so that staff will have adequate 

notice of the changes and the impact on them, while 

allowing management to take on board feedback and 

suggestions. Management will provide full and frank 

feedback on how the consultative process with the 

representative associations has influenced the final 

outcome. Where a matter raised by the representative 

associations cannot be accommodated, the reason for 

same will be clearly articulated by management. Where 

employee issues are local matters, they will be dealt with 

locally at District or Divisional level. Officers at Human 

Resources and People Development will be accessible at 

all times to provide ongoing support and advice to assist 

in resolving issues. 

mATTERS APPROPRIATE TO ThE PROTOCOlS 

As a general guideline matters appropriate for discussion 

under these protocols relate to (i) changes that will have 

a significant effect on staff and/or (ii) unresolved 

workplace disputes on collective issues. This protocol 

recognises that the primary responsibility for dealing 

proactively with employee relations issues and the 

resolution of disputes rests with garda management and 

the representative associations. In this regard, it is the 

intention of these protocols to outline the responsibility 

on both garda management and the representative 

associations to: 

• Engage on appropriate and practical arrangements for 

implementing workplace changes and resolving 

disputes on collective matters in a timely manner; 

• Observe and implement the terms of agreements; 

• Refrain from any actions which would be in 

contravention of agreements. 

wORKPlACE RElATIONS fORA 

National and Local Workplace Relations Fora will be 

established to ensure effective consultation and cooperation. 

In addition a new three tier structure will be 

established for resolving work place disputes. 

NATIONAl wORKPlACE RElATIONS fORum 

A National Garda Workplace Relations Forum will be 

established to deal proactively with workplace matters, 

and will convene every three months between the 

Commissioner’s representatives and the four garda 

representative associations. 

This forum will serve to: 

• Inform the representative associations of national 

workplace innovations and the rationale; 

• Encourage and promote a constructive relationship 

between An Garda Síochána and the representative 

associations through effective communication and 

consultation; 

• Facilitate consultation and dispute resolution on 

industrial relations issues; 

• Reduce potential industrial conflict through the 

development of a positive employee relations 

environment; 

• Provide a regular forum for the exchange of ideas, 

opinions and information ; 

• Proactively obtain input and feedback from the staff 

associations on issues affecting An Garda Síochána 

and its employees; 

• Engage in a meaningful way in modernising and 

transforming An Garda Síochána through 

consultation, participation and co-operation; 

• Jointly own and implement the action plans with clear 

terms of reference and timeframes; 

• Ensure a participative approach to resolving issues 

and challenges generally; 

• Promote compliance with legislative and policy 

frameworks concerning health, safety and welfare. 

In line with best practice a national communications 

mechanism will be established at Garda Headquarters to 

advise on workplace changes. This mechanism will also 

involve members in user groups and other work place 

change initiatives where necessary. 

It is recognised that in certain circumstances, the 

representative associations may exercise their rights 

under the agreed Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme; 

however, this should not detract from co-operation with 

workplace change. In these circumstances management 

will make every effort to understand the perspective of 



the representative associations and will seek to have an 

early determination of the matter at the appropriate forum. 

PARTICIPANTS ON NATIONAl wORKPlACE 

RElATIONS fORum 

The National Work Place Relations Forum will be chaired 

by a specially appointed Assistant Commissioner. It will 

comprise the President and the General Secretary of 

each representative association and may be attended by 

appropriate management and support staff from Human 

Resources and People Development, including the 

Executive Director of Human Resources and People 

Development. An official from the representative 

association may be substituted on this forum. There will 

be occasions when other members of garda 

management will attend the forum for the purpose of 

engaging with the representative associations. In certain 

circumstances working groups under the auspices of 

this forum may be established with clear terms of 

references and timeframes for completion of projects. 

lOCAl wORKPlACE RElATIONS fORum 

Management at local level will ensure they are accessible 

to members from the representative associations. 

Divisional and District Officers will establish a local 

workplace relations forum whereby meetings with the 

representative associations will be held at least once a 

quarter or more often if necessary. In smaller divisions, it 

may be appropriate to combine the Divisional and District 

local workplace relations fora. 

The objectives of these fora are to: 

• Promote consultation and engagement at a local level; 

• Facilitate communication at the local level between 

representative association nominees and garda 

management; 

• Provide a forum for issues to be resolved at a local 

level. 

REGIONAl mEETINGS 

Notwithstanding the mechanisms for consultation and 

dispute resolution provided for within this Protocol, each 

Regional Assistant Commissioner shall meet with the 

Divisional representatives from all of the four 

representative associations within their area of 

responsibility. Garda management and the 

representative associations should maximise the 

potential of these meetings to address any matters that 

may be specific to the region. Each Assistant 

Commissioner should strive to meet the representative 

associations twice a year. 

It is envisaged that such meetings will provide additional 

access for the representative associations to senior 

garda management within the region, whilst at the same 

time ensuring local issues and work related conflicts at 

regional level are addressed. The current arrangements 

whereby the Assistant Commissioner DMR meets with 

representative associations at regular intervals will 

continue. 

DEAlING wITh wORKPlACE DISPuTES IN A 

TImEly mANNER 

Garda management and the representative associations 

recognise the importance of effective arrangements in 

resolving disputes in a timely manner and as close as 

possible to the point of occurrence. The parties agree to 

abide by the following principles in dealing with 

workplace relations disputes that arise. 

• The parties agree to conduct all employee relations 

discussions in an atmosphere conducive to reaching 

agreement through open dialogue and an honest and 

frank exchange of views; 

• The parties commit to maximising the possibility of the 

resolution of issues within An Garda Síochána in a 

timely and consistent manner. 

The Protocols for processing issues at all levels will involve: 

• Each stage being progressed in a timely manner; 

• Real engagement on the issue before escalation. 

It is desirable that all disputes and industrial relations 

matters are concluded within three months. If a matter is 

not concluded due to its complexity, a report will issue 

providing a comprehensive update on the progress and 

expected conclusion date. 

ThREE TIER DISPuTE RESOluTION PROCESS 

The following three tier process will apply with an 

emphasis on resolving issues at the lowest possible 

level. The timeframe for concluding matters at each tier is 

one month. 

Before this procedure is invoked members are 

encouraged to have a frank and open discussion with 

their local management where they perceive an industrial 

relations issue. 


53


Tier 1 – District level/ Section 

District matters of concern or Industrial relations issues 

that arise should in the first instance be resolved at the 

district/section level with the assistance of local 

members from the representative body who raised the 

matter. Every effort will be made to resolve the issue 

locally and the District Officer/Superintendent may 

facilitate whatever meetings are necessary in order to 

reach a solution. If a satisfactory outcome cannot be 

achieved the District Officer/Superintendent and the 

local representative may escalate the matter to Tier 2. 

Tier 2 – Divisional level/Section 

Divisional matters of concern or Industrial relations 

issues that fail to be resolved at a District/Section level 

will be adjudicated on by the Divisional Officer/Chief 

Superintendent. Every effort will be made to resolve the 

matter at this level and the Divisional Officer/Chief 

Superintendent may facilitate whatever meetings are 

necessary in order to reach a satisfactory outcome 

where possible. Only failing a mutually satisfactory 

outcome, should the issue be escalated to Tier 3. 

Tier 3 – National level 

National matters of concern or Industrial relations issues 

that fail to be resolved at Divisional/Sectional level may 

be escalated to National level and will be sent to the 

specially appointed Assistant Commissioner for 

consideration. This Assistant Commissioner will deal 

with matters raised by all ranks up to and including 

Superintendent level. In order to have a matter examined 

at this level it will be necessary for the General Secretary 

or Deputy General Secretary of the relevant association 

to write to the specific Assistant Commissioner outlining 

the national matter of concern /industrial relations issue 

that has arisen. The Assistant Commissioner will be 

required to convene a meeting if necessary, to consider 

the issue from all perspectives and to synthesise the 

views, where necessary, in an effort to reconcile the 

different opinions, while treating all parties with 

understanding, openness and frankness with a view to 

reaching a position that is mutually beneficial, while 

ensuring the public gets the policing service it deserves. 

The Assistant Commissioner will if it is a policing matter, 

revert to the General Secretary with a response in writing 

within a reasonable time frame. Where national matters 

of concern or industrial relations issues are, by 

agreement not considered to be operational policing 

matters they may be escalated directly to the Executive 

Director of Human Resources and People Development. 

National Matters of concern or industrial relations issues 

raised by Divisional Officers/ Chief Superintendents will 

be sent in writing to Deputy Commissioner Strategy and 

Change Management for consideration. 

OffICERS 

Where an Officer of Superintendent rank perceives an 

industrial relations issue every effort will be made in the 

first instance to resolve it at Divisional/Sectional level 

with the assistance of their local staff representative and 

the Divisional Officer/Chief Superintendent. The Divisional 

Officer/Chief Superintendent will facilitate whatever 

meetings are necessary in order to try to reach a solution. 

If a satisfactory outcome cannot be achieved the District 

Officer/Superintendent and their local representative may 

escalate the matter to the local Assistant Commissioner 

who will make every effort to resolve the matter at that 

level. If a satisfactory outcome cannot be achieved the 

matter may be escalated by the District 

Officer/Superintendent and their local representative to 

the National level described above at Tier 3. 

When an Officer of Chief Superintendent rank perceives 

they have an industrial relations issue he/she will have a 

frank and open discussion with their local Assistant 

Commissioner. If a satisfactory outcome cannot be 

achieved, the Divisional Officer/Chief Superintendent and 

their local representative may escalate the matter to 

National Level as described above at Tier 3. 

REVIEw mEChANISm 

This procedure may be used as an internal mechanism of 

last resort for the representative bodies to seek a review 

of a decision made by the Chairman of the National 

Workplace Relations Forum or by a decision made at Tier 

3 concerning workplace disputes. This request for a 

review of a decision should be used sparingly and the 

representative body must clearly state the grounds for 

their request in writing to Deputy Commissioner Strategy 

and Change Management. 

The request for a review of a decision will be considered 

by the garda executive leadership team namely the two 

Deputy Commissioners and the Chief Administrative 

Officer. Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Change 

Management will chair this deliberative process. Full 

details of the grounds for a request for a review should 

be documented by the appropriate representative 

association. The Chairman of the National Workplace 

Relations Forum will document the rationale for the 

decision made at that forum. Similarly, the rationale for 

decisions made at tier 3 will be documented. The review 

may be considered by way of an evaluation of the 

documents. Where sought the representative bodies 

shall be given a right of audience to present their case to 

the garda executive leadership team. The outcome of 

this review will be communicated in writing by Deputy 

Commissioner Strategy and Change Management to the 

representative association and to the Commissioner 

without undue delay. 



CONfIDENTIAlITy 

In the spirit of this Protocol, all parties will be expected to 

respect and maintain the confidentiality of information 

they are given access to, where the disclosure would 

harm the functioning of, or would be prejudicial to, An 

Garda Síochána, while at the same time maintaining the 

right to raise genuine concerns. 

REVIEw AND mONITORING 

The progress and successful operation of this protocol 

will be monitored on an ongoing basis by the Executive 

Director of Human Resources and People Development. It 

is imperative to ensure that the Protocols are adhered to 

by all parties. Where either side in a dispute feels the 

other party has breached the protocol, the matter should 

be referred in writing for the immediate attention of 

Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Change 

Management for consideration of the garda executive 

leadership team namely the two Deputy Commissioners 

and the Chief Administrative Officer. This process will be 

chaired by Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Change 

Management who will ensure the effective operation of 

the protocols. 

To ensure success in the administration and operation of 

these protocols it is essential that all correspondence 

between the garda representative associations and 

garda management is channelled by email to a specially 

designated email address to facilitate appropriate 

tracking, monitoring and responses to all 

correspondence. 

The parties to this Protocol may seek a review within two 

years from the date of this agreement or earlier if 

considered necessary by either side. 


55


PublIC SERVICE mANAGEmENT 

SICK lEAVE REGulATIONS 

As you are aware the Garda Representative Association 

strongly objected both to the manner and the contents of 

the Garda Síochána Public Service Sick Regulations (S.I. No. 

124 of 2014); particularly as at the time we were involved 

in a working group which was clearly set out in our 

applications to the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The 

new regulations have created considerable, and in some 

cases insurmountable difficulties for members of the force 

particularly concerning the issue of reclassification of injuries. 

The failure to acknowledge that members were injured on 

duty at all continues to exacerbate our position. The GRA is 

concerned that some of the provisions in the regulations 

are both incoherent, irrational and are lacking in clarity. 

Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal found in favour 

of the State without examining in detail the regulations 

themselves. However, despite the fact that the Association 

did not succeed with their action, the Association were 

allowed all of their costs in the High Court including the 

interlocutory application and almost two thirds of their 

costs in the Court of Appeal. As such it can be seen that the 

courts were sympathetic to the Association’s cause. 

The Association has instructed our Solicitor, Martin 

Moran & Co., to proceed by way of application for leave 

and notice of appeal to the Supreme Court on the basis 

that the action raises very significant issues both of 

public policy and of accountability, and that An Garda 

Síochána were the only class of public servants who had 

their terms and conditions of employment altered by the 

new regulations against their will. It is also pleaded that 

the State failed to comply with fair procedures and the 

association had a legitimate expectation that the talks 

would conclude in a reasonable manner. 

It is evident that the new Sick Regulations have created 

acute difficulties for some members of An Garda 

Síochána owing to the retrospective application of the 

four-year rolling period. Members are not being properly 

classified as having been injured on duty and this 

continues to cause problems for individual members at a 

difficult time. We have raised these matters with Garda 

Management and continue to seek resolution. 

There is inherent unfairness incorporated in the new 

regulations that puts great strain and hardship on some 

of our members when they are at their most vulnerable – 

especially those who have suffered critical illnesses over 

the past four years. Where it may benefit members to 

have a period of such absence prior to 31st March 2014 

re-categorised as being due to “critical illness” members 

should apprise themselves of the contents of HQ 

Directive 21/2015 and apply for same. 

AmENDmENTS TO REGulATIONS 

The Regulations were amended to reflect improvements 

in regard to pregnancy related sick. 

Since March 2014 the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme 

provides that: 

• No woman shall be paid less than half pay while 

absent for a pregnancy related illness 

• A woman who has availed of pregnancy related sick 

leave will have access to additional sick leave at half 

pay equivalent to the period for which she was on 

pregnancy related sick leave at half pay. 

The amendment to the Regulations means that in addition 

to the provisions above, access to additional sick leave at 

the half rate of pay will be allowed for all pregnancy 

related sick leave (i.e. not just sick leave taken at half pay). 

The amended Sick Leave Regulations provides that: 

1. Transitional Arrangement: Discount all pregnancyrelated 

sick leave that occurred before the 

introduction of the new Public Service Sick Leave 

Scheme for the purpose of calculating access to paid 

sick leave under the current scheme. 

2. Ongoing Arrangement: A woman who has 

exhausted her access to paid sick leave due to 

pregnancy-related sick leave in the previous 4 years 

may have access to additional non-pregnancy related 

sick leave at the half rate of pay. 

The number of additional days allowed: 

• Will be the equivalent number of days taken on 

pregnancy related sick leave in the four years; 

• Must not exceed normal sick leave limits (e.g. 183 

days) for non-pregnancy related sick leave (when 

counted with other non-pregnancy related sick leave 

in the previous four years). 

The provisions are now included in the Public Service 

Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations (S.I. 

No. 384 of 2015) and are effective from 31st March 

2014. HQ Directive 97/2015 refers. 

5 


ThE O’hIGGINS COmmISSION 

Of INVESTIGATION 

The O’Higgins Commission has been taking evidence on 

a series of allegations that were made against members 

in the Bailieborough District of the Cavan/Monaghan 

Division. This process is now in the concluding phases 

and an interim report has been prepared and distributed 

to each of the witnesses. We now await the outcome of 

final submissions made to the final report of the 

O’Higgins Commission of Investigation. All of the 

witnesses are legally precluded from any public 

statement on the Commission until the publication of the 

Report. 

The Garda Representative Association has continued to 

provide those members of Garda rank with every 

assistance by way of legal assistance and appropriate 

representation. The position of the Association has not 

changed or altered since the allegations were first made; 

and our message has been consistent – we wanted a full 

independent investigation of the allegations made 

against members, who, in most instances had already 

answered to Garda Management or in some instances to 

the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. 

The Commission was established and terms of reference 

outlined as a result of the Guerin Report published in May 

2014. 

The Government published a report detailing specific 

allegations against members, giving them no chance to 

defend their reputation, offer explanation or 

contextualise the circumstances. The Association 

carried out a coordinated campaign of public relations, 

legal action and political communication to lobby the 

Government to establish the Commission of Inquiry. We 

were able to provide a dissenting argument to counterdefine 

the one-sided versions seized upon by 

mainstream media organisations. This Association 

asserted at every opportunity that the Commission of 

Investigation should be expedient. 

We have continually raised concerns over the lack of 

supervision of young inexperienced Gardaí. We were not 

alone in this conclusion. The addendum to the report by 

the Garda Inspectorate into the Crime Investigation 

examined the Guerin Report to see if there was any 

crossover – and the findings suggested the same 

outcome that we suggested – that too many 

inexperienced Gardaí lacked supervision and continual 

professional development training. 

It has become widespread within the organisation that 

the Garda Síochána Discipline Regulations have been 

used as a means of aversion training; where members 

learn through being punished for their mistakes – rather 

than receiving appropriate training before being assigned 

to complete investigations. 

When the final report of the O’Higgins Commission of 

Investigation is published, the Association will have been 

at the forefront throughout. 

Senior Counsel Mr Sean Guerin had prepared an initial 

report to examine these allegations. The Guerin Report 

was tasked with producing “an independent review and 

undertake a thorough examination of the action taken” as 

well as to interview “Sgt Maurice McCabe and any other 

such person as may be considered necessary and 

capable of providing relevant and material assistance”. It 

recommended a full judicial inquiry into cases alleged to 

have been ‘seriously mishandled’ by Gardaí in the 

Bailieborough District where Sergeant McCabe served as 

sergeant in charge from October 2004 until 2008. This 

Guerin Report ‘anonymised’ Gardaí using the phonetic 

alphabet.


mEETING wITh mINISTER fOR 

juSTICE AND EQuAlITy 

A delegation from the Garda Representative Association 

attended a meeting with the Minister for Justice and 

Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, on 4 November 2015. The 

GRA delegation presented the decisions arising from the 

Central Executive Committee meeting of the previous 

day on the rejection on the ballot of the Lansdowne Road 

proposals. 

The Minister agreed to seek that the Review of An Garda 

Síochána, under the Haddington Road Agreement, would 

be finalised by the end of February 2016, as requested. 

The Minister directed those Department officials present 

at the meeting to address the issues accordingly. 

The Minister also directed the officials to meet with the 

Association the following week and further advised that 

she would endeavour to organise a meeting with Minister 

Howlin and his officials from the Department of Public 

Expenditure and Reform. 

The critical question posed by the Association was 

towards the forthcoming Financial Emergency Measures 

in the Public Interest Act [2015] in a concerted effort to 

prevent any negative impact pertaining to our 

membership. The Minister for Justice and Equality was 

‘quietly confident’ that these matters could be addressed 

satisfactorily through the Review of An Garda Síochána. 

In this context, the Minister was prepared to 

acknowledge the significant changes in work practices 

as a result of the recent PULSE introduction on Crime 

Management and also Victim Assessment; and 

expressed the view that those issues perhaps should 

have been looked at in the context of the Lansdowne 

Road Agreement discussions. 

The GRA delegation advised the Minister of an overview 

of the discussions that occurred on the Lansdowne Road 

Agreement. The Association further advised the Minister 

that the question of working unpaid additional hours’ by 

members of the Association was no longer an option. 

The Minister hoped that the matter of 

• rent allowance for new entrants would be addressed 

under the Review of an Garda Síochána; 

• she agreed to fast-track legislation – which is ready – 

on the detention of prisoners for Public Order 

Offences; 

• to raise our concerns on lack of involvement on Fleet 

Management; and 

• is not opposed to carrying out an Optimum Number 

Survey and informed us that further talks can be held 

with the officials from the Department of Justice and 

Equality. 

INCORRECT RATE Of AllOwANCE PAID TO 

mEmbERS Of GARDA RANK POST 15 

The Association highlighted to the Minister that members 

employed post-1995 are being paid the incorrect rate of 

allowances in the nature of pay. We pointed out that 

there were two rates of allowances pre- and post- 

1995rates. The allowance was grossed up in April 1995 

to take account of the higher rate of PRSI and, thus far, 

members of Garda rank are in receipt of the incorrect 

rate. The delegation submitted the relevant 

documentation and the Minister undertook to have the 

officials address same. 

PAymENT Of CERTAIN PENSION 

CONTRIbuTIONS by POST 15 ENTRANTS – 

GARDA CONCIlIATION AGREED REPORT NO. 1 

The Association informed the Minister that agreement 

was recorded at the Conciliation Council (Agreed Report 

No. 671) on the 28thNovember 2006 for the payment by 

all members of the Garda Síochána, who pay personal 

pension contributions (PPC), to pay periodic pension 

contributions on pensionable allowances instead of a 

lump sum contribution on retirement. This part of the 

agreement has not been implemented to date. Due to this 

failure to implement the agreement to date, no 

deductions have been applied to members’ pay. At this 

point, it would be unfair and improper to suddenly expect 

members to be liable for any residual arrears. The 

necessary documentation was presented to the Minister. 



POlICING AuThORITy 

The Policing Authority was established with effect from 1 

January 2016 as part of the government’s justice reform 

programme. This Association has repeatedly called for 

the establishment of an independent police authority. 

The Garda Representative Association conference in 

1979 directed the executive to negotiate the 

establishment of a police authority –representation was 

made to the Department of Justice with ‘negative 

results’. This call remained as policy and repeated 

regularly since. Officers of the GRA will be consulting 

with the Authority on the forthcoming Code of Ethics. 

Policing is a public service and function best completed 

by professionals accountable to the community they 

serve, not to the narrow interests of politics. An 

independent police authority remains the modern 

practical solution to separate political power from the 

power to arrest and detain. 

The Police Authority has recruited staff and has been 

‘establishing internal processes and procedures and 

other practical matters’. 

ThREE COmmITTEES Of ThE AuThORITy 

• A Policing Strategy and Performance Committee, 

chaired by Judith Gillespie, to develop a framework to 

enable the Authority to fulfil its statutory 

responsibilities in overseeing Garda performance in 

relation to policing, including preparation for the next 

Garda Strategy Statement; 

• A Code of Ethics Committee, chaired by Pat Costello, 

to develop the Authority’s approach to the process of 

drafting a Garda Code of Ethics and to oversee the 

preparation of a Code within 12 months; 

• An Appointments Committee, chaired by Valerie 

Judge, to develop Authority policy and oversee the 

preparations for the commencement of the legal 

provisions which will make the Policing Authority the 

appointing authority for senior ranks and civilian 

positions in the Garda Síochána. 

In future, the Policing Plan will be approved by the 

Authority, which will also be considering policing 

priorities, resources and performance targets. 

The Policing Authority has been established as an 

independent body to oversee the performance of the 

Garda Síochána in relation to policing services in Ireland 

in order to promote public trust and confidence in 

policing and help shape policing services to meet the 

challenges of a modern Ireland. The Authority was 

established by the enactment of the Garda Síochána 

(Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 

2015 on 18 December 2015. It was then formally 

established on 1 January 2016. 

The Chairperson and members of the Authority were 

selected for appointment following selection processes 

run by the Public Appointments Service. Authority 

members are appointed for a term of three or four years, 

but may be reappointed for a further term subject to a 

maximum of eight years. Members of the Oireachtas or 

Local Authorities, serving members of the Garda 

Síochána, GSOC or the Garda Inspectorate are not 

eligible to be members of the Authority. 

The main function of the Authority will be to oversee the 

performance by the Garda Síochána of its functions 

relating to policing services. The Policing Authority is 

established as a statutorily independent body and it is 

independent in the performance of its functions under 

the legislation. The Authority’s functions include: 

• keeping under review the adequacy in the Garda 

Síochána of: 

1. the corporate governance arrangements and 

structures; 

2. the arrangements for the recruitment, training 

and development of the members and members 

of the civilian staff; 

3. the mechanisms in place for the measurement 

of performance and accountability of members 

and civilian staff; and 

4. the arrangements for managing and deploying 

the available resources. 

• regular meetings with the Garda Commissioner, at 

least four of which will be held in public each year and 

broadcast; 

• nominating persons for appointment by the 

Government to the posts of Garda Commissioner and 

Deputy Garda Commissioner, and recommending their 

removal in certain circumstances,; 


5


• appointing persons to the ranks of Superintendent, 

Chief Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner 

(and removing them for reasons related to policing 

services); 

• exercising the current functions of the Minister in 

relation to Joint Policing Committees. 

• determining (with the approval of the Minister) Garda 

priorities in relation to policing services; 

• approving (with the consent of the Minister) the three 

year Garda strategy statement; 

• approving (with the consent of the Minister) the 

annual policing plan; 

• establishing a Garda code of ethics; 

• promoting and supporting the continuous 

improvement of policing in the State; 

• accounting, as appropriate, to the Public Accounts 

Committee and to other Oireachtas Committees; 

• monitoring, assessing and reporting to the Minister on 

the measures taken by the Garda Síochána in relation 

to recommendations made in a report of the Garda 

Síochána Inspectorate; 

• requesting the Garda Síochána Inspectorate and/or 

the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to 

initiate an inspection or inquiry or to examine Garda 

practices or procedures; and 

0 


3 Sub-COmmITTEE 

REPORTS 

ACCOmmODATION • ChANGE mANAGEmENT 

• hEAlTh AND SAfETy • lEGAl ASSISTANCE • uNIfORm 

• wElfARE • GARDA bENEVOlENT TRuST fuND 


1


ACCOmmODATION 

1. wORKS COmPlETED 2015/201 

1.1 Dundrum Garda Station 

Refurbishment works at Dundrum Garda station were 

carried out in two phases. Phase 1 refurbishment works 

to the former Dundrum Courthouse on the grounds of the 

Garda station were completed in March 2013 and provide 

additional accommodation for An Garda Síochána. 

Phase 2 works, which commenced in 30 June 2014, 

provide for the complete modernisation and 

redevelopment of the Garda Station and were carried out 

in two stages under a single contract to allow for the 

continued operation of the Garda Station. The works 

involved the demolition of two existing single storey 

structures and the construction of a two storey structure 

and a full refurbishment of the station which provided a 

new public office, parade room, custody suite, office 

accommodation in addition to male and female changing 

facilities and a canteen. 

The major upgrade of Dundrum Garda Station was 

completed in November 2015. 

1.2 wicklow Garda Station 

This project, which was completed in 2015, involved the 

renovation of the ‘Old’ Wicklow Garda Station in Church 

Street, Wicklow which is adjacent to the Garda Station, at 

Bachelor’s Walk. It facilitated the transfer of certain 

personnel and offices including various administration 

functions of Wicklow Garda District from the present 

station to the newly renovated former Garda Station. The 

wall dividing the former and current Garda Station has 

been removed thus providing a link between the two 

stations and limited extra parking facilities. As well as 

building compliance works and restoration works, 

several fine reception rooms in the old Station have been 

renovated to be used for training purposes. 

1.3 Garda College 

The OPW has developed a programme of works to 

improve fire safety at the accommodation blocks at the 

Garda College, Templemore, to be carried out in three 

phases: 

Phase 1 involved carrying out fire safety upgrade works 

to the accommodation blocks, Áras Chú Chulainn, Áras 

Oisín, Áras Gráinne and Áras Fhirdia. The works provided 

for fire safety measures in the attic, the vertical risers 

and the installation of new fire rated doors and surrounds 

to each bedroom, together with new ironmongery. The 

works were completed in September 2013. 

Phase 2 – The fire safety upgrade works to the remaining 

three blocks, Áras Chlainne Lir, Áras Dheirdre and Áras 

Mhéibhe will be carried out in a further 2 phases. These 

buildings are older than those upgraded during Phase 1 

and require additional works. 

The works to Áras Chlainne Lir, which also include an 

upgrade to the existing bedroom en-suites, were 

completed in 2015. 

1.4 Dundalk 

This project, completed in April 2015, provided permanent 

accommodation for Northern Region RSU. The project 

included an extension to the Station to provide 

accommodation for the RSU (workspace, shower and 

locker facilities) and also resolved some historical 

accommodation issues at Dundalk Garda Station with the 

additional space the extension brought. 

1.5 Elphin 

Works to provide a new Garda station at Elphin were 

completed in summer 2015 and the station was handed 

over to local management on 7 July 2015. The new 

Station provides improved working conditions for Garda 

members and enhanced facilities for engaging with 

members of the public. 

1. Galway – Specialist Victim Interview Suite 

The refurbishment of a facility for An Garda Síochána at 

the Plaza, Headford Road, Galway for use as a Specialist 

Victim Interview Suite was completed and handed over 

to An Garda Síochána in January 2016. 

1. Newport Garda Station, Co. Tipperary 

Works have been undertaken at Newport Garda Station 

which entails the construction of a small single story 

extension to the rear, and the internal refurbishment of 

the existing Station. Works commenced in November 

2015 and the works are expected to be completed by the 

end of March 2016. A temporary lease has been taken out 

on offices in proximity to the Garda Station for the 

provision of a temporary Garda Station, which has been 

extended to mid April 2016. 

2 


Section 3: Sub-committee Reports 

1.8 Clonmel – fit out of adjacent OPw property 

(former fáS Office) 

The former FÁS Offices across the road from the existing 

Garda Station in Clonmel have been allocated to An Garda 

Síochána by the OPW following discussions with Garda 

Housing. Various Garda functions including those relating 

to Immigration and Juvenile Liaison are to be re-located to 

this building. This will alleviate congestion and Health & 

Safety concerns as these offices, which are visited daily 

by members of the public, are currently located in an 

upstairs area of the Garda station. Upgrade works have 

now been completed at the new premises and it is ready 

to be fitted out for use by An Garda Síochána. 

2 wORKS uNDERwAy 

2.1 major Projects underway (Galway, wexford, 

Kevin Street) 

The Government Infrastructure Stimulus Package 2012 

included three major Garda construction projects, 

namely, the development of new Divisional HQ Stations 

at Kevin St and Wexford and the development of a new 

Regional/Divisional HQ Station in Galway. 

These projects represent a major modernisation of Garda 

infrastructure and the three new facilities will provide An 

Garda Síochána with, inter alia: 

• improved office and incident management facilities 

• appropriate facilities for meeting members of the 

public (including facilities to support victims of crime 

and provide universal access) 

• appropriate facilities for custody management which 

enhances our ability to provide safe and secure 

detention as well as all the complying with relevant 

accountability issues 

• enhanced training facilities for members 

• Stores for Property and Exhibit Management, to 

support the property management system of An 

Garda so that property and exhibits may be safely and 

securely stored 

• suitable welfare facilities for Garda members and staff. 

2.1.1 Kevin Street 

The contract for the new Divisional HQ was awarded to 

JJ Rhatigan and Company on 30 January 2015. Work 

commenced on site in February and it is expected that 

construction works at the new Station will be completed 

in the first quarter 2017. 

2.1.2 Wexford 

The contract for the new Divisional HQ was awarded to 

Duggan Brothers on 3 July 2015. Works commenced on 

site in August 2015 and are progressing well. The 

construction period is 24 months and is currently on 

programme for completion in mid-2017. 

2.1.3 Galway 

The contract for the new Regional HQ was awarded to JJ 

Rhatigan and Company on 2 October 2015. Works 

commenced on site in October 2015 and are progressing 

well. The construction period is 24 months and is 

currently on programme for completion in late 2017. 

2.2 minor works 

2.2.1 Bailieborough, Co Cavan – Essential 

Remediation works at existing Station 

Pending the development of a new station for 

Bailieborough, local management submitted a list of 

prioritised issues for remediation. These issues primarily 

focus on the public office, prisoner processing facilities, 

CCTV and security measures, sanitary facilities and the 

Station yard. As of 31 March 2015, the works are 

practically complete with local management engaging 

with the contractor to resolve minor snag issues. 

3. CEll REfuRbIShmENT PROGRAmmE 

The cell upgrade programme is ongoing. At present, the 

cells in 55 Garda stations have been upgraded to the 

new cell specification which provides for enhancements 

to lighting, call bell signaling, heating (fan and grill), fire 

detection and sanitation systems. In addition, a new cell 

door is being installed featuring a number of safety 

improvements. 

Contractors are on site in 3 stations currently and 

preparatory works are ongoing at present to refurbish a 

further 14 Stations in 2016. Depending on the progress of 

these projects, additional cell refurbishments may be 

undertaken in 2016. 

4. AN GARDA SíOCháNA buIlDING & 

REfuRbIShmENT PROGRAmmE 201 – 2021 

The Garda Síochána Building & Refurbishment 

Programme 2016 – 2021 which was announced in 

October 2015 includes a number of projects which reflect 

the strategic priorities of An Garda Síochána. 


3


This investment will allow An Garda Síochána to provide 

new stations and to modernise older stations at key 

locations around the country, ensuring safe, modern 

working environment for Gardaí as well as fit-for-purpose 

facilities for visitors, victims and suspects. 

The key elements of the Garda Síochána Building & 

Refurbishment Programme 2016 – 2021 are as follows: 

4.1 Development of New Garda Stations 

· Macroom, Co Cork (PPP) 

· Clonmel, Co Tipperary (PPP) 

· Sligo Town (PPP) 

· Glanmire, Cork 

· Bailieborough, Co Cavan 

The Stations at Macroom, Clonmel and Sligo, are to be 

delivered by way of Public Private Partnership (PPP). 

The implementation of the Garda projects under PPP 

involves collaboration between Department of Justice 

and Equality, An Garda Síochána, the Office of Public 

Works and the National Development Finance Agency 

(NDFA). 

4.1.1 Macroom – New District HQ Station 

Following the placing of an advertisement by the OPW 

seeking proposals for a site for the development of a new 

District HQ Station, the proposals were assessed as 

regards their suitability and a particular site was deemed 

suitable by all stakeholders. 

The proposal that has been developed involves the joint 

purchase of a site by the OPW and Cork County Council 

for the construction of a Garda Station and a Fire Station. 

The acquisition of the site has been completed by the 

OPW. 

4.1.2 Clonmel – New District HQ 

Tipperary County Council (TCC) has acquired the former 

Kickham Barracks site and has developed a Masterplan 

for the re-development of the site, which includes the 

provision of a new Garda station. 

Garda Housing Section is engaged in discussions with 

the TCC and the OPW to finalise agreement on the 

allocation of a parcel of land on the former Army Barracks 

site for the development of a new District HQ Garda 

Station on the site. 

4.1.3 Sligo 

An Garda Síochána is engaged with the OPW in relation 

to the allocation of a site in Sligo for the development of a 

new Regional/Divisional HQ Station for Sligo. 

4.1.4 Glanmire Garda Station 

The OPW, on behalf of An Garda Síochána, placed public 

advertisements seeking suitable sites or buildings for 

sale or lease for a new Garda Station in Glanmire, Co. 

Cork. 

Following receipt of offers of properties, joint inspections 

were carried out by An Garda Síochána and the OPW and 

a premises at Glanmire Industrial Estate was identified as 

the preferred option for the purposes of providing a 

Garda Station. 

The purchase of the identified premises has not been 

completed and the matter has been the subject of High 

Court proceedings initiated by the Vendor. The matter 

was the subject of a High Court hearing in mid-2015. The 

OPW has advised this Section that, to date, no judgement 

has been delivered in the matter. 

An Garda Síochána has requested the OPW to bring 

forward proposals to improve the accommodation 

situation at Glanmire in the immediate term pending the 

outcome of the High Court proceedings referred to 

above. 

4.1.5 Bailieborough GS – new District Headquarters 

The OPW, on behalf of An Garda Síochána, placed public 

advertisements seeking suitable sites or buildings for 

sale or lease for a new Garda Station in Bailieborough, 

Co Cavan. 

Local management, having regard to the operational 

requirements that exist for the District of Bailieborough, 

selected the preferred site and An Garda Síochána 

instructed the OPW to acquire same. The OPW advises 

that the legal process is nearing completion in this regard 

and, in the interim period, work has been undertaken to 

improve working conditions at the Station as set out in 

paragraph 2.2.1. 

4.2 major Refurbishment Projects 

4.2.1 Athlone – Refurbish and Extend Athlone Garda 

Station and Adjoining Former Department of Social 

Welfare Building 

This major project involves incorporation of the adjacent 

former Department of Social Protection property (now 

allocated to AGS) into the existing Garda Station. 

4 



The OPW is appointing a Quantity Surveyor to finalise the 

tender documentation and plans that a contract will be 

placed for these works in fourth quarter of 2016. 

4.2.2 Donegal Town 

Local Garda management and Garda Housing, following 

consultation and the assessment of options with the 

OPW, have expressed the view that the optimum method 

to improve conditions in Donegal town is to acquire the 

adjacent property and expand the current station. In this 

regard, it is understood that a submission to the OPW 

Board to acquire the adjacent property has been made 

and a decision on same is awaited. 

4.2.3 Newcastlewest, Co Limerick 

The OPW is carrying out a feasibility study as to whether 

the Garda Brief of Requirements can be met on the 

existing site or if additional land, adjacent to the Station, 

will be required. 

4.2.4 Portlaoise, Co Laois – Major refurbishment of 

Divisional HQ 

The Department of Defence has agreed that two parcels 

of land currently the property of the Reserve Defence 

Forces, which are adjacent to the Garda Station (at the 

side and rear), are available for use by An Garda 

Síochána to facilitate the expansion of the Garda Station. 

A Brief of Requirements (BOR) prepared by the Divisional 

Officer, Portlaoise has been forwarded to the OPW. 

The OPW has identified areas that could be developed to 

improve the accommodation at the station such as the 

conversion use of the ‘Old’ Gym as a storage facility, the 

integration of a new extension (ex Department of 

Defence parcel of land at the rear of the Station) into 

main station and works to the station itself including the 

removal of temporary buildings and the upgrade of the 

custody facilities, office and welfare facilities. 

AGS has asked the OPW to appoint a design team to 

develop sketch scheme proposals for the consideration 

and approval of local management and representative 

associations. 

4.2.5 Bridewell, Dublin (including custody facilities) 

Housing Section has supplied the Office of Public Works 

with a brief of requirements for the refurbishment and 

modernisation of the Station which will address Health 

and Safety matters. Included in the brief is a requirement 

for a custody suite. The OPW completed a feasibility 

study and has now prepared drawings for consideration 

by An Garda Síochána. The OPW advise that it is intended 

that the Project will be carried out in phases, under a 

single contract. It is intended to sign off the sketch 

scheme with the OPW, local management and 

Representative Associations in the near future. 

In the meantime An Garda Síochána requested the OPW 

to upgrade and refurbish a multi occupancy cell to 

provide three single cells in the Bridewell Garda Station 

and the OPW has recently completed these works. 

4.2.6 Anglesea Street, Cork (including custody 

facilities) 

The OPW is in the process of developing proposals for 

the provision of a custody suite for Cork City at the rear 

of Anglesea St Garda Station. When finalised, such 

proposals will be the subject of consideration of local 

management and staff interests. 

4.2.7 Greystones, Co. Wicklow 

The OPW carried out a feasibility study for the upgrading 

of Greystones Garda Station. The feasibility study has 

been approved by local management and the OPW has 

been instructed to develop a sketch scheme in order that 

a sign-off meeting is arranged with the OPW, Local 

Management and Representative Associations. 

4.3 Planned remedial works 

4.3.1 Henry Street, Limerick 

The OPW has developed proposals to address safety 

issues in the Station. The works will involve the provision 

of fire doors, emergency lighting, appropriate fire 

escapes and the implementation of an integrated, 

addressable fire alarm system. 

The contract has been awarded and the preparatory 

work (site logistics, etc.) between Garda management, 

the contractor and the OPW is underway at present. It is 

expected that the scheme will take 20 weeks to 

complete. 

4.3.2 Garda College, Templemore 

It is proposed to have the works to Áras Chlainne 

Dheirdre and Áras Mhéibhe carried out as a single 

construction contract, with the works completed in two 

separate phases to accommodate the operational 

requirements of An Garda Síochána. Phase 3 works are 

estimated to take 14 months to complete (7 months per 

building). The OPW has advised that it expects to award 

the contract shortly. 


5


4.3.3 Technical Bureau, Garda HQ, Dublin 

Works to the stair cores of the Garda Technical Bureau 

building in Garda HQ have been tendered and the project 

is at tender evaluation stage. The OPW plans to award 

the contract for these works shortly and will take 16 

weeks to complete. 

4.4 PEmS (Property & Exhibit management Stores) 

4.4.1 Castlebar, Co Mayo 

The OPW expects to award the contract shortly for the 

provision of a PEMS store at Castlebar Garda station. 

Works are expected to commence in A2 2016 and take 14 

weeks to complete. 

4.4.2 Ennis, Co Clare 

Tenders for the provision of a PEMS store at Ennis are 

currently being assessed by the OPW and it expects to 

award the contract shortly. 

4.4.3 Santry, Dublin 9 (PPP), Longford Town. (PPP), 

Portlaoise, Co Laois (PPP), Collon, Co Louth (PPP), 

Naas, Co Kildare (PPP) 

PEMS Stores at the above locations are to be delivered 

by way of Public Private Partnership (PPP). 

4.5 Other Garda Station Refurbishment/Custody 

management facilities (i.e. cost up to €500,000) 

4.5.1 Co Kerry 

The plan to refurbish Tralee involves internal remodeling 

of the Station to provide new locker facilities for the 

Station party. A Part 9 planning application was lodged in 

November 2015 and the OPW plans to proceed with the 

project. The tender package is being prepared at present 

and it is planned that the project will go to tender in Q2 

2016. 

4.5.2 Mullingar 

A proposal has been developed which will accommodate 

the Scenes of Crime Unit, Traffic, Crime Tasking and 

Telecommunications units in a new accommodation 

block at Mullingar Garda station. Small amendments to 

this proposal have been suggested by local Garda 

management which are currently being examined and 

assessed for feasibility by the OPW. A revised sketch 

scheme from the OPW including these amendments is 

currently awaited and, following its receipt, a sign off 

meeting will be arranged and the project will be 

progressed. 

4.5.3 Henry Street, Limerick – Development of 

modern prisoner area 

Works have been completed on the upgrade to the cell 

facilities at Henry St. A plan has been agreed for the 

provision of modern prisoner processing facilities with 

separate access/egress for prisoners and the 

appropriate complement of ancillary facilities. 

Before these works go ahead, the work referred to at 

paragraph 4.3.1 needs to be undertaken at the Station. 

4.5.4 Ballinasloe, Co Galway 

A scheme has been signed off to allow for the demolition 

of the existing cell block and the construction of a new 

cell block, a new prisoner processing area and the 

refurbishment of the public office. Preparation of the 

tender package is underway and it is envisaged that 

tenders will be sought in Q2 2016. It is anticipated that 

work may be in a position to commence in Q3 2016 with a 

5 month build time anticipated. 

4.5.5 Drogheda, Co Louth 

A proposal to install a prefabricated structure to increase 

locker and shower facilities is under consideration at 

present and An Garda Síochána is actively engaged with 

the OPW in relation to the most appropriate means of 

addressing the needs of the station party 

4.5.6 Longford Town 

The Divisional Officer has recently confirmed that the 

scheme signed off in September 2013 meets the 

requirements of the station. The project will now be 

progressed in tandem with the refurbishment of the cells. 

Consultants have been appointed by the OPW to prepare 

tender package. 

4.5.7 Navan, Co Meath 

A sketch scheme providing for the demolition of the cell 

block and the installation of a new cell block, prisoner 

processing facilities as well as significant internal 

reconfiguration and refurbishment has been sent to the 

Divisional Officer for views and observations. The project 

will be developed having regard to those views and the 

technical advice of the OPW. 

4.5.8 Carlow Town 

A scheme of works at Carlow Garda Station involving the 

upgrade of cells, the development of a prisoner entrance 

and the creation of a new prisoner processing area is 

currently being examined by local Garda management in 

Carlow. On receipt of the agreement of local management 

 



on the scheme of works, a sign off meeting will be held 

and the works progressed accordingly. 

4. Specialist facilities 

4.6.1 Stradone, Co Cavan (Specialist Victim 

Interview Suite) 

This scheme entails the provision of a Specialist Victim 

Interview Suite in the former Garda Station in Stradone 

that was closed in 2013 under the Garda Station 

Rationalisation Programme. The proposed works entail 

an extension to the rear and internal remodelling works 

to the former Garda Station. The scheme was signed off 

and the OPW advise that a consultant architect has been 

appointed to prepare a tender package for these works. 

4.6.2 GNIB, Dublin Airport (custody facilities) 

An Garda Siochana has conveyed it is agreement to 

proposals developed by the OPW to provide 

accommodation for both the GNIB at Dublin Airport and 

Dublin Airport Garda Station at Transaer House, Dublin 

Airport. This matter is the subject of ongoing discussions 

between the OPW and the Dublin Airport Authority. 

4.6.3 Water Unit, Garrycastle, Athlone – lease and fitout 

of Garrycastle accommodation 

The Garda Water Unit currently operates from premises 

located at Garrycastle, Co. Westmeath. Two separate 

industrial type accommodation units are currently 

allocated to the Garda Water Unit at this location. There 

are two additional units at this location and in order to 

facilitate the functions of the Water Unit and provide 

inter-connectivity and enhanced security, AGS has 

requested the OPW to secure long term lease 

arrangements on two adjoining units for the use of the 

Garda Water Unit at Garrycastle (to include one of the 

units already in use by An Garda Síochána and another 

adjoining unit). The OPW is engaging with the landlord in 

this regard and has been requested to provide sketch 

scheme plans for the adjoined units. New planning 

permission will be required in course. 

5. hARCOuRT SQuARE 

The GRA and other Garda Associations and Civilian 

Unions were briefed by Deputy Commissioner SCM on 

5 April 2016 in relation to temporary accomodation for 

members at Harcourt Square. 

OThER ACCOmmODATION PROGRAmmES 

Other estate management programmes such as the 

radon remediation programme and the upgrading of our 

facilities to provide universal access, etc. are ongoing. 



ChANGE mANAGEmENT 

The Garda Representative Association have been calling 

for the establishment of an independent Garda Authority 

since 1978 and most recently at our Annual Delegate 

Conference of 2013. 

The objective of this policy was to seek to remove 

political interference from the day to day running of An 


On 30 December 2015 Minister Frances Fitzgerald 

announced that Government had designated the 

members of the proposed new Policing Authority 

pursuant to an open selection process run by the Public 

Services Appointments Commission. The independent 

Policing Authority was formally established on the 1st 

January 2016. 

mEmbERShIP Of INDEPENDENT POlICING 

AuThORITy 

• Josephine Feehily is former chairperson of the 

Revenue Commissioners; 

• Noel Brett is the CEO of Banking and Payments 

Federation Ireland and former CEO of the Road Safety 

Authority; 

• Bob Collins is a former Chief Commissioner of the 

Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and former 

Director General of RTE; 

• Vicky Conway is a lecturer in Law, Dublin City 

University and former senior Lecturer in Law, Kent 

Law School; 

• Patrick Costello is the CEO of Chartered Accountants 

Ireland, former CEO of the Irish Tax Institute and 

former officer in the Defence Forces; 

• Judith Gillespie is a Policing and Leadership Adviser 

and former Deputy Chief Constable of the Police 

Service of Northern Ireland; 

• Valerie Judge is a Management Consultant 

specialising in strategic planning, governance, HR, 

process leadership and change, the Chair of Ruhama, 

and a former Director of Shared Services in the HSE 

Eastern Region; 

• Maureen Lynott is the former Chair of the Top Level 

Advisory Committee (TLAC) and the taskforce to 

establish the Child & Family Agency; 

• Moling Ryan is a Barrister and the former Chief 

Executive of the Legal Aid Board and Director of 

Human Resources and Change Management in the 

Courts Service. 

fuNCTION Of NEw POlICING AuThORITy 

The new Policing Authority will be tasked with holding the 

Garda Commissioner to account in relation to all policing 

services while developing a key role in the future 

appointment of senior Garda Management. As national 

security is a vital function of Government, it is proposed 

that under the new oversight arrangements the Garda 

Commissioner will report to the Policing Authority in 

respect of policing matters and to the Minister for Justice 

and Equality in relation to security matters. 

The Authority shall approve a three year strategy 

statement and annual policing plan submitted by the 

Garda Commissioner. 

The Authority will establish and publish within twelve 

months a Code of Ethics that include standard of 

conduct and practice for members of An Garda Síochána. 

Prior to the establishment of such Code the Authority 

must consult with Staff Associations and other 

interested Bodies such as the Ministers for Justice and 

Equality, Public Expenditure and Reform, the Garda 

Commissioner, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman 

Commission, the Irish Human Rights and Equality 

Commission and other persons or Bodies appearing to 

the Authority to have an interest in this matter. 

The Authority will be accountable to the Public Accounts 

Committee and to other Committees of the Oireachtas. 

The first public meeting between the Authority and the 

Garda Commissioner is scheduled to take place on the 

25th April 2016 with at least a further three such public 

meetings scheduled for the current year. The Association 

will await with interest the outcome of such meetings. 

8 



DIVISIONAl bOuNDARIES 

The Change Management Sub Committee were tasked 

with examining the following motion passed at the 

Annual Delegate Conference 2014 

“That Conference calls on Garda Management to review 

and revise current Divisional and District boundaries so 

as to reflect population, location of Garda Station and 

policing needs”. 

The Sub Committee sought submissions from the 

Central Executive Committee. 

In the years 2006/2007 there was major restructuring of 

Divisional boundaries resultant from a review of the said 

boundaries by Garda Management. The object of this 

exercise was to bring all areas within a particular county 

into a specific Division thereby facilitating attendance by 

local Management at a forum such as joint policing 

committees. Garda Divisions would mirror Local Authority 

areas, Court areas and so forth. 

This accrued in the splitting of a number of Divisions 

specifically Louth/Meath, Wexford, Longford/Westmeath, 

Carlow Kildare and Waterford/Kilkenny. A number of new 

Divisions were also created – Louth/Meath, Westmeath, 

Kildare and Waterford. 

This restructuring resulted in some communities on the 

periphery of towns and villages now being policed by a 

Station from within the county in which they lived rather 

than a more proximate Station in a neighbouring county. 

This restructuring in certain circumstances, we believe, 

had a negative effect on the level of policing provided to 

the local communities in the hinterlands of towns and 

villages so affected. Heretofore the “local” Garda Station 

is not now in fact their Station and they are required to 

travel long distances to another Station within the 

county boundary. These residents undertake all other 

activities such as their shopping, school attendance, 

church, post office and socialise in their local town but 

are now required to travel distances to avail of their 

policing service. This sometimes results in their 

communities being patrolled less frequently as they are 

on the outer reaches of their new sub districts. The latter 

scenario also entails Garda members in attending to calls 

in those areas having to travel long distances and on 

occasions passing the Garda Station in the neighbouring 

county on route and also at times leaving their own urban 

areas bereft of any Garda presence. 

The Sub Committee have reported to the Officer Board of 

the Garda Representative Association with 

recommendation that this matter be raised with the 

Garda Commissioner with a view to further reviewing the 

boundaries at issue. 

EuROPEAN uNION VICTImS Of CRImE DIRECTIVE 

EU Directive 2012/29/EU establishes minimum standards 

on the rights, support and minimum standards on their 

rights, support and protection of victims of crime. Article 

25.1 contains a requirement that appropriate training be 

provided to police officers among others as follows: 

Member States shall ensure that officials likely to come 

into contact with victims, such as police officers and 

court staff, receive both general and specialist training to 

a level appropriate to their contact with victims to 

increase their awareness of the needs of victims and to 

enable them to deal with victims in an impartial, 

respectful and professional manner. 

The Central Executive Committee requested the Change 

Management Sub Committee to examine the contents of 

the Directive to identify articles relevant to our members 

and to make recommendations on training needs. 

The Sub Committee having reviewed the Directive made 

the recommendations and forwarded same to the 

Training Sub Committee. 

The Sub Committee examined a number of boundaries 

which they perceived to be incongruous. 



hEAlTh AND SAfETy 

SAfETy, hEAlTh AND wElfARE AT wORK ACT 

2005 – SElECTION Of SAfETy 

REPRESENTATIVES 

The Committee noted that the requirements under 

Section 25(1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work 

Act 2005 were not being complied with in that the 

establishment of the process to select Safety 

Representatives for the period 2015 -2018 had not 

commenced. On several occasions throughout 2015, the 

Garda Representative Association sought compliance 

with this statutory requirement. The committee also 

noted that the selection process rollout and numbers of 

Safety representatives should not be limited. 

It was noted by the Committee that this statutory 

provision states: 

“Employees may, from time to time, select and appoint 

from amongst their number at their place of work a 

representative (in this Act referred to as a “Safety 

representative”) or, by agreement with their employer, 

more than one safety representative, to represent them 

at the place of work in consultation with their employer 

on matters related to safety, health and welfare at the 

place of work” 

The committee believed that this statutory obligation has 

the potential to empower employees within An Garda 

Síochána with ownership of the health and safety 

processes and compliance. 

TETRA AND TElECOmmuNICATIONS mASTS 

The Committee discussed Tetra Radio and Mobile phone 

masts. The committee noted that AGSI had referred to 

same at their Annual Delegate Conference 2015. The 

committee have sought answers to the following 

questions and answers are awaited: 

(i) Is there a list of all Garda controlled stations/ 

facilities where there is a telecoms mast in 

existence? 

(ii) Who is using the masts in each of the locations? 

(iii) Has research been conducted on the level of 

radiation at each location? 

The Sub Committee reported to the Central Executive 

Committee and is currently evaluating the costings of the 

Garda Representative Association conducting an 

electromagnetic radiation study at nominated stations. 

The results of any monitoring studies being conducted 

by either the OPW or Garda Management are also 

awaited for evaluation. 

mOTORwAy INCIDENT PROTOCOlS 

The committee queried current Garda Organisational 

policy regarding dealing with incidents on Motorways. 

Members of the committee stated that they were 

0 



informed that protocols regarding incidents on 

motorways were to be circulated by Garda Management 

in late 2015; these protocols have yet to be seen by the 

committee. 

The committee noted the existence of OVST (Out Of 

Vehicle Training) which was piloted across several 

divisions, but this does not take into account the 

proliferation of motorways across Ireland in the past 

decade which are being maintained by private 

contractors. 

DEfIbRIllATORS IN AN GARDA SíOCháNA 

The committee were tasked, following Conference 2015, 

to deal with the following motion which was passed at 

conference and remitted to the sub-committee, “That 

Conference seeks that in line with the Public Service 

Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 2013, that a 

defibrillator is installed in every Public Office for use by 

members of the public and Gardaí in the interest of public 

safety and that adequate training be provided to 

members of An Garda Síochána”. The sub-committee 

while noting that the Bill was published has queried if 

there is any organisational policy on the use of same. The 

sub-committee is anxious to expedite this matter. 

GARDA flEET 

The Health and Safety Sub Committee have concerns 

regarding the purchase of vehicles for the Garda fleet. 

This matter was mentioned at a meeting of the Sub 

Committee on the 18th February 2015 and again at 

meetings of the Central Executive Committee. The sub 

committee were concerned regarding the specifications 

given to potential vehicle tender companies. The 

concerns ranged around the rigid, non adjustable seating 

positions of certain vehicles in the Garda Fleet. Concerns 

regarding the suitability of Ford Transit Connect vans in 

the conveyance of prisoners were also discussed. This 

matter has been forwarded to the GRA Secretariat for 

resolution with Garda Management. 


1


lEGAl ASSISTANCE 

The demands on the Garda Representative Association 

limited Legal Assistance Scheme continued unabated in 

the past year. This scenario is reflective of the increasing 

vulnerability of operational Gardaí being subject of 

complaints as they discharge their duties on a daily 

basis. It is of paramount importance therefore, that our 

members have the succour of knowing that their 

Association will provide legal assistance in these 

circumstances and hence remove the added burden of 

the financial worry at a time of great stress for the 

members. Perusal of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman 

Commission annual report for 2014 shows that 2,242 

complaints were opened in 2014 an increase of 11% on 

the previous year. This again underlines the vulnerability 

of members and the requirement for support from their 

Association. 

In 2014, 911 of the complaints received were deemed 

inadmissible for a myriad of reasons. While the latter is in 

one sense positive for the members concerned it does 

not detract from the stress occasioned by the mere fact 

of an allegation of wrongdoing being made against them 

in the bona fide discharge of their duties. Also, it does not 

dilute the financial implication for members and their 

Association having to defend themselves against the 

vacuous complaints which subsequently transpire to be 

inadmissible. 

It is clear therefore that the availability of legal 

representation and advice under the auspices of the 

Garda Representative Association limited legal 

assistance scheme is a core benefit of Association 

membership and is a service which could not be provided 

for from within the members’ own resources particularly 

in the current financial climate. Cognisant of the fact that 

members’ are sometime disappointed that applications 

for assistance have to be refused – it must be 

emphasised that our Scheme is limited and provides in 

the main for issues arising from investigations by the 

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and under the 

Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007. Funding of 

the Scheme is derived from the members’ annual GRA 

subscription hence the parameters in relation to the 

assistance available – the extension of which would 

accrue in a subscription of many multiples of the current 

stipend being required from our members. In specific 

cases additional assistance is provided to members in 

relation to issues bona fide arising from the discharge of 

their duties as members of An Garda Síochána. 

REVIEw Of ThE lEGAl ASSISTANCE SChEmE 

Members will be aware from our 2015 Conference Report 

that over a protracted period a full review of our Legal 

Assistance Scheme has been taking place. I am pleased 

to report that this review is on the cusp of completion 

and the draft recommendations are now being 

considered by our Central Executive Committee. This 

review incorporates: 

• A review of legal costs with a view of obtaining 

maximum benefits and greater cover to our entire 

membership. 

• Restructuring our Association Panel of Solicitors 

ensuring ease of access and that Solicitors retain 

possession of the requisite level of expertise in 

dealing with Garda issues. 

• A review of issues arising and not adequately catered 

for within our current Scheme as presently 

constituted particularly in relation to the Garda 

Síochána Ombudsman Commission and Discipline 

investigations. 

• Consideration of issues raised by any of our members 

and communicated via your elected representatives. 

SChEmE 

Given the volatile nature of the policing science members 

are never aware or forewarned as to when 

circumstances may arise requiring immediate legal 

intervention. Accordingly, it is vital that all members take 

the time to familiarise themselves with the legal 

assistance scheme, a copy of which has been supplied 

to all members. The Association again emphasises the 

importance of members immediately liaising with their 

local representatives and/or Central Executive 

Committee member on becoming aware that they are 

subject to investigation. The latter ensures the receipt of 

appropriate representation and/or advice in a timely 

manner. When making application and seeking 

assistance members should ensure that all information 

and documentation are made available. Timely and 

correct processing of application culminates in the 

maximum representation being provided to members. 

2 



fEEDbACK 

The experience of members who have been subject to 

investigation is crucial to the Association in informing our 

policy and decisions as to what matters need to be 

addressed and what submissions are required to be 

made in respect of the investigative process. It also 

obviates the necessity on occasions of duplicating the 

request for legal advices in respect of issues already 

dealt with by the Association and the obvious financial 

impact of same. The Association is therefore amenable 

to the views of members on all aspects of the 

investigative process and the legal assistance scheme. 

SECTION 4 GARDA SíOCháNA ACT 2005 

We again remind members of the provisions of Section 

49 Garda Síochána Act 2005 whereby in certain 

circumstances arising from incidents in the bona fide 

discharge of members’ duties the State will provide for 

the member’s defence as set out. Members should also 

be aware that dependent on their circumstances they 

may be granted legal assistance under the State Legal 

Aid Scheme. We exhort that members invoke the 

foregoing provisions where applicable and this will 

accrue in savings to the funds of the Association. 

PROCEDuRE 

For clarity, a member seeking assistance under the Legal 

Assistance Scheme should proceed as follows: 

1. Consult your Central Executive Committee member 

and ascertain the procedure in processing your 

application. 

2. Provide your Central Executive Committee member 

with copies of all relevant documentation in your 

possession in relation to the case. 

3. Provide your Central Executive Committee member 

with a comprehensive written report on all of the 

circumstances of the case giving rise to the 

investigation. This report shall incorporate the 

positives and negatives as failure to do so can often 

subsequently dilute the members’ defence or 

culminate in being afforded the wrong advice. 

4. Your Central Executive Committee member will 

report to the Secretary of the Legal Assistance Sub 

Committee first having obtained the 

recommendations of your District and Divisional 

Committees. The decision as to the grant of legal 

assistance is one ultimately for the Central 

Executive Committee of the Garda Representative 

Association. The Association has negotiated 

arrangements with our Panel of Solicitors in relation 

to the operation of our Legal Assistance Scheme 

particularly a schedule of fees in respect of various 

processes on which our members seek assistance. 

This is necessary to safeguard the viability of our 

scheme financially and ensures that we are 

positioned to afford the maximum possible cover to 

our general membership. 

The Panel of Solicitors is as follows: 

Liz Hughes 

Martin Moran & Co 

Hughes Murphy 

Solicitors 

Solicitors 

12 Stephen’s Lane 

13 Wellington Quay off Upper Mount St 

Dublin 2. Dublin 2 

Phone: 01 679 8566 Phone: 01 6640560 

Tony O’Beirne & Co Murray Flynn 

Solicitors 

Solicitors 

31 Morehampton Rd 14 Fairview Strand 

Dublin 4 Dublin 3 

Phone: 01 6684333 Phone: 01 836 3551 

Patrick Cadell 

Jim Brooks 

Butler Cunningham Collins, Brooks & 

& Moloney 

Associates 

Liberty Square 

6/7 Rossa Street 

Thurles 

Clonakilty 

Co Tipperary 

Co Cork 

Phone: 0504 21 857 Phone: 023 8833332 

Gerry McGovern 

Declan Breen 

Solicitors 

Solicitors 

Pearse Plaza 

Tower Hill 

Pearse Road 

Portlaoise 

SligoCo Laois 

Phone: 071 914 4363 Phone: 057 866 0006 

Thomas J Walsh 

Dan Murphy 

1 Mill Lane Carey Murphy & Partners 

Main Street 

Solicitors 

Castlebar 

23 Marlboro Street 

Co Mayo 

Cork 

Phone: 094 902 1736 Phone: 021 425 1699 

Daniel O’Gorman 

Solicitors 

75A O’Connell Street 

Limerick City 

Phone: 061-418214 


3


uNIfORm 

The pace of progress on change to operational uniform is 

disappointing. The Uniform Working Group (comprising 

representatives of staff associations, Garda 

Procurement, Health & Safety and the Office of 

Government Procurement) last met in early August 2015. 

Broad agreement had been reached on a number of 

items which were to be viewed by senior management 

and the Central Executive Committee for input and views. 

This was to take place in September 2015. Senior 

management viewed the garments in February 2016. At 

the time of going to print the Central Executive 

Committee has not been given this opportunity. 

Members of the Uniform Sub Committee have visited 

several suppliers of police uniform and have examined a 

wide range of garments worn by police forces elsewhere. 

We have liaised with the Police Federation of Northern 

Ireland and a number of police forces in the UK and 

Europe. As a result proposals were brought to the 

Working Group which appeared to have satisfied the 

requirements of all concerned. 

Footwear of a lighter composition (which complies with 

all health and safety requirements) had been identified by 

the GRA representatives to the Working Group and it was 

agreed that a wearer trial would take place. 

This Association has for many years sought to dispense 

with the requirement for wearing a uniform tie while on 

frontline operational duty. Anyone who has ever worn the 

combination of a stab vest and fully buttoned up shirt 

with clip on tie knows only too well the discomfort and 

thereby distraction this causes. Designers of police 

uniform emphasise and prioritise safety, health, wearer 

comfort and a design that is instantly recognisable as 

belonging to “police”. 

Uniform is one of the most frequently raised topics by our 

members with this Association and we acknowledge 

their immense input and feedback on the matter. The 

issue of uniform was also raised by members who were 

interviewed for the recent report of the Garda 

Inspectorate Report titled Changing Policing in Ireland 

published in November 2015 –page 369 “uniforms and 

equipment are an important issue and one that was 

raised with the Inspectorate in every division visited and 

by association representatives”. 

4 



wElfARE 

We are all concerned by the evident increase over recent 

years of the number of our colleagues who have taken 

their own lives. Many of us have been directly affected 

by these tragedies and some have been involved in the 

consequential investigations that result. While the 

Central Statistics Office cannot supply data on suicide 

rates by occupation, it is apparent that the number of 

members of An Garda Síochána who have committed 

suicide is high when compared to figures for the general 

population in the relevant age group. It is of particular 

concern that the trend has increased dramatically in this 

organisation while it is downward in the general 

population. 

The Welfare Committee have liaised with Dr Claire Hayes, 

consultant clinical psychologist, Clinical Director with 

AWARE and author of several books on stress and 

coping. Dr Hayes agrees with this Association’s call for a 

Wellbeing Survey of members to be undertaken. She is 

also of the view that all professional supports for 

individuals with mental health issues or potential issues 

should be easily accessed and without bureaucratic 

delays. 

We have also met with the National Office for Suicide 

Prevention (NOSP), which was set up in 2005 within the 

HSE to provide support for the implementation of a 

national suicide prevention strategy. NOSP maintain that 

effective suicide prevention strategies “must be rooted 

in robust data about the risk and protective factors 

affecting particular population groups. Identifying what 

groups are vulnerable to suicidal behaviour and trying to 

identify what puts them at risk and what can help to 

protect them is essential in designing effective 

responses” NOSP have identified a list of priority groups 

based on analysis of information available to them 

consisting of evidence of vulnerability to and increased 

risk of suicidal behaviour. Occupational groups identified 

were healthcare professionals and those working in 

isolation (vets, farmers) NOSP agree that our figures are 

cause for concern. They have a helpful websiteyourmentalhealth.ie 

which provides a wide range of 

useful information. 

As mentioned above and in last year’s report we are 

calling for a wellbeing/stress survey to be conducted and 

await a decision. It is worth recalling that the last such 

survey among our members was in 1998. This was 

conducted for this Association by the Department of 

Applied Psychology, NUI, Cork. It was noted in the 

Executive Summary of this study - 

“An examination of stress in occupations such as 

policing seems particularly important. In any 

organisation, high levels of stress would be a source for 

concern, but it seems all the more important given that 

the work of police officers may impinge on the safety, 

wellbeing, liberty and even life of other individuals in 

society.” 

The case for conducting such a survey is compelling and 

organisations such as the Health and Safety Authority, 

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 

World Health Organisation, International Labour 

Organisation, Chartered Institute of Personnel and 

Development, Labour Relations Commission et al, are all 

advocates. 

We have called for a Wellbeing section on the Garda 

Portal. This could provide advice and information on the 

hazards of work related stress, shift work, diet, nutrition, 

exercise, substance abuse, addiction, sleep, general 

health and mindfulness. Links to other relevant agencies 

websites (NOSP for example) should be included. This 

type of support is available to many employees in the 

private and public sector many of whom are involved in 

lower risk employments than our members. 

We call for the information required by Section 9.1 of the 

Working Time Agreement (HQ Directive 3/13) to be made 

readily available – 

“9.1 Medical advice shall be provided by the Chief Medical 

Officer in self-care and health management arising from 

the obligation to perform shift work.” 

In June 2015 the Minister for Health, Mr Leo Varadkar and 

the Government signed off on the Health and Wellbeing 

(Workplace Wellbeing) Bill which if enacted will require 

public service employers to develop a ‘healthy 

workplace’ policy to promote the physical, mental and 

social wellbeing of employees. Employers and employees 

will be able to decide for themselves what initiatives to 

pursue. We believe that An Garda Síochána should not 

wait for legislation and should prioritise the development 

of such a policy in collaboration with representative 

associations. 

“Trends and Patterns in Occupational Health and Safety 

in Ireland” was a major study undertaken by a research 

steering group comprising the Economic and Social 

Research Institute and Health and Safety Authority 

published in May 2015. Among its findings are that- “the 


5


most common forms of work-related illness are 

musculoskeletal problems and stress, anxiety and 

depression. Over the period of the study, the former 

category accounted for just over half of all illnesses 

recorded, while stress, anxiety and depression 

accounted for a further 18 per cent.” 

We have recently met with Mary Doherty who is a serving 

member and the current President of Down Syndrome 

Ireland. Mary outlined the difficulties that parents of 

children with special needs face every day. Attending 

appointments for Occupational Therapy, Speech and 

Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, hospital 

appointments, assessments, with some children 

requiring surgery and some will spend many nights in 

hospital. The consequent strains and stresses require 

additional support from employers and management. The 

welfare committee will continue to liaise with Mary and 

intend conducting research as to how our colleagues are 

coping and how best the issues can be addressed. 

The announcement at last year’s conference of the 

introduction of an external 24/7 counselling service was 

welcome. The tender process commenced in December 

and the evaluation is complete. The awarding of the 

contract by the Office of Government Procurement is 

awaited. 

The Review of the Bullying and Harassment policy was 

recently re activated by management after a hiatus of 

almost two years while the review of the Employee 

Assistance Service is on-going. 

On behalf of our members we wish to extend gratitude 

and appreciation for the invaluable work of our Employee 

Assistance Officers. 

 



GARDA bENEVOlENT TRuST 

fuND 

The Garda Benevolent Trust Fund is administered by a 

Committee of Management comprising of nominees from 

the four Garda Staff Associations and one representative 

from the Garda Síochána Retired Members Association. 

Its offices are located on: 

Floor 4, Phibsboro Tower, Dublin 7. 

Telephone 01-8307155 Fax 01-83071 

Email info@gardabenevolent.ie 

www.gardabenevolent.ie 

In the contemporary world everything is a ‘brand’. It is 

now important for any competing brand to communicate 

clearly about what it is, and what purpose it serves – in 

order to make it relevant and desirable in an uncertain 

future. It is important that the Garda Benevolent Trust 

Fund clearly communicates both its brand values and 

essential ‘safety net’ utility to attract new members. 

The collective ideal is to provide a fund that is available to 

support members in an uncertain and unpredictable 

future, while remaining consistent with core values and 

origins – taking cognisance of the characteristics of 

trust, confidentiality and discretion. 

Garda Benevolent Trust Fund is known for its integrity 

and understanding of the nature of the job and the 

uncertainty and vulnerability of members’ in the line of 

duty. 

Garda Benevolent originated to alleviate hardship since 

1934 as the Dublin Metropolitan Gardaí Benevolent Trust 

Fund. The ethos remains unchanged. 

Garda Benevolent Trust Fund is there for all of life’s 

stages – education grants, support for children with 

special needs, advice providers when mortgages get into 

difficulty or general financial hardship strikes. Every case 

is treated individually. 

The services of a financial/mortgage adviser, Trevor 

Grant, has been retained by Garda Benevolent Trust Fund 

to streamline this very private process. Financial/ 

mortgage Advice Service is very important to members 

who need it. In this regard it is crucial to state that “We 

are here”. Particulars are carried following this report. 

Garda Benevolent Trust Fund has grown and moved with 

the times – purchasing the retirement home, buying 

holiday homes for members to avail of; those recuperating 

from illness or for children with special needs. Garda 

Benevolent continues to be needed. There is always the 

chance it might be you who needs the safety net. You 

never know what life throws at you or what is down the 

road? A lifetime’s experience tells you life is uncertain. 

The education loan is available for both serving/retired 

members and their children. This is an interest-free 

unsecured loan of up to €4,000. There is no limit on the 

number of loans – subject to proof of induction on a 

recognised education course. 

ThE CENTRAl ObjECTIVES Of ThE TRuST fuND 

• To provide grants to assist with funeral expenses 

upon the death of a member, spouse, widow or child. 

• To provide loans to assist serving and retired 

members with 3rd level education for their dependant 

children. 

• To provide financial assistance to orphans of 

members to further their education. 

• To assist members and their families who experience 

financial hardship – at the sole discretion of the 

Committee of Management. 

• To provide holiday/respite for children of members 

with special needs. 

The year 2014 was a busy year with grants and 

allowances in excess of €676,500 paid out as follows: 

• On death of a member 300,000.00 

• On death of a widow 87,000.00 

• On death of a spouse 141,000.00 

• On death of a child 8,000.00 

• Ex-gratia payments 140,500.00 



The following benefits are payable to members of the 

Trust Fund: 

• On death of a member €3,000.00 

• On death of a spouse €3,000.00 

• On death of a widow €3,000.00 

• Orphans allowance €3,000.00 

• On death of a child (under 18 and 23 if in fulltime 

education at the discretion of the Board of 

Management) 

The Trust Fund receives its main income from: 

a) Subscriptions from members of the Force 

b) Donations from members of public 

c) Functions run throughout the country by members 

d) Court Orders 

GARDA bENEVOlENT EDuCATION lOAN 

SChEmE 

The Company operates an Educational Loan Scheme for 

children of members of the Trust Fund (under 25 years of 

age) who wish to pursue third level studies. 

The maximum loan, which will be given to a member, will 

be €4,000.00 per student per annum. 

The administration subscription of €200.00 will be added 

to each loan of €4,000.00 granted. 

The total of €4,200 will be required to be repaid over 208 

weeks at €20.20 per week for serving members, or over 

48 months in the case of retired members at €87.50 per 

month (both deducted at source). 

The Scheme will only apply to participating educational 

institutions in the CAO/CAS list (Universities and 

Institutes of Technology). 

Consideration will also be given to applications for 

students attending similar educational establishments 

outside Ireland. 

During the year 2015, €1.72 million was issued in loans to 

members. 

€4.13 million was the balance due to the Trust Fund at the 

end of December for all loans advanced. 

hOlIDAy hOmE SChEmE 

Aylesbridge near Courtown, Co wexford and Donegal 

Town 

The Garda Benevolent Trust Fund continues to operate 

the Holiday Home Scheme as part of their initiative of 

improving the overall service to its members. 

The aim is to cater for serving and retired members who 

are members of the Trust Fund and have a child with 

special needs, by providing the entire immediate family 

with a one week holiday fully funded by the Garda 

Benevolent Trust Fund. 

The Trust Fund owns two properties in Donegal Town 

and two properties in Aylesbridge near Courtown, Co 

Wexford. 

All four houses are available under the Holiday Home 

Scheme to families who have a child with special needs 

who is under 23 years of age. 

Each house is fully furnished including washing machine, 

dryer and fully equipped kitchen. 

Properties at both locations are wheelchair accessible. 

Preference will be given to new applicants and to families 

who have availed of the Scheme on three occasions or 

less in the past. 

The Scheme has been in existence since the year 2000 

and continues to be a huge success with our members. 

More information on the Holiday Home Scheme can be 

found on www.gardabenevolent.ie or by emailing 

info@gardabenevolent.ie. 

GARDA RETIREmENT hOmE 

The Home is registered as required by the Health 

(Nursing Homes) Act, 1990. 

It was established by the Company and officially opened 

in 1986. 

It is fully occupied and provides nursing care as well as a 

homely atmosphere and security for some of our former 

colleagues, their spouses and/or widows. 

Relief of income tax is payable to the residents in respect 

of payments made for maintenance. 

Information in relation to the Home can be obtained direct 

from: 

8 



Ms Mary Hanley, Head of Nursing Care and 

Services, 

Raheny House Nursing Home, 

476 Howth Road, 

Raheny, 

Dublin 5. 

Tel. 01 8311199 

Fax 01-8510213. 

REPORT fROm TREVOR GRANT, ChAIRmAN Of 

ThE ASSOCIATION Of ExPERT mORTGAGE 

ADVISORS 

Debt Repayment Difficulties? There are an 

increasing range of solutions. 

Whilst the most recent Central Bank statistics issued 

show that the number of mortgage-holders in arrears 

continues to fall for the tenth consecutive quarter there 

are still a total of 88,292 (11.8 per cent) of accounts in 

arrears at end of quarter four 2016. The number of 

accounts in arrears over 90 days at end-December was 

61,931. 

The level of personal stress that loan repayment 

problems can bring into the family home and the 

workplace should not be underrated and it often has a 

detrimental and negative impact on the borrower’s 

domestic, social and working environment. Therefore it is 

vitally important that any borrower facing such 

difficulties take a proactive approach in dealing with this 

issue. 

Debt issues can arise for many reasons including, 

• Illness / Accident 

• Loss / Reduction in Income 

• Falling rents/rental voids 

• Increased Repayments 

• Marital/Relationship Breakdown 

The good news is that generally in genuine cases, 

Lenders will come to arrangements which broadly suit 

the financial circumstances the borrower finds 

themselves in. Wherever possible they do not want to 

repossess homes but they do want proactive 

engagement from those in difficulty and revised and 

maintained alternative repayment arrangements. 

The bad news is that Lenders will always act in their own 

best interests and this is rarely the same as the 

borrowers. Also the road to obtaining a revised 

repayment schedule can be long and hard, however 

ultimately it is definitely worth it. 

Even experienced property investors can be intimidated 

by the prospect of dealing directly with their Lender(s) 

when they require a revised mortgage repayment 

structure. In addition any borrower who finds themselves 

in financial distress needs a plan to be put in place 

regarding their entire debt and not just those specific to 

individual Lenders. In this regard there is a real need to 

obtain the advice of a qualified and authorised 

independent advisor on what can be a very personal and 

emotive issue. 

Key tips for distressed borrowers are: 

• Do not ignore Lender correspondence 

• Acknowledge your debt repayment issues 

• Always repay what you can reasonably afford 

• Prioritise your home loan repayment 

• Obtain independent advice from a qualified 

professional 

• Engage with your Lender 

The debt crisis has been raging for many years and 

those borrowers that have not yet put a long term 

solution in place are financially and mentally exhausted. 

It is vital for their financial and mental well -being that 

they commit to engaging with their Lenders to put such 

an arrangement in place. 

Lenders can and do engage and agree to long term 

arrangements based on the borrower’s unique personal 

financial circumstances. This may involve a debt write 

down dependent on personal circumstances. Properties 

in negative equity can be sold with an arrangement put in 

place regarding any residual debt arising and some 

unsecured creditors will accept lump sum payments in 

full and final settlement of larger sums outstanding. All is 

dependent on the borrowers personal circumstances. 

Recently amended bankruptcy and personal insolvency 

legislation greatly assists the negotiation position of 

borrowers in financial distress, even those who cannot 

or do not wish to avail of the legislation. The period for 

bankruptcy has now been reduced to one year 

(previously 3 years) and borrowers now have the right to 

appeal a decision by a creditor to veto their personal 

insolvency application. 



The range of solutions available to borrowers in distress 

has developed significantly in recent years both formal 

and informal. Those who have not done so to date are 

best advised to discover the solution best suited to their 

personal circumstances. Key to putting such a solution in 

place is ensuring that your financial position is presently 

correctly to your Lenders and this is best done with the 

assistance of an authorised and qualified advisor. 

Trevor Grant is the Chairman of The Association of 

Expert Mortgage Advisors 

www.aema.ie 

E mail trevor@aema.ie 


4 bENEfITS 

fOR mEmbERS 

lIfE ASSuRANCE SChEmE 

SERIOuS IllNESS SChEmE 

SAlARy PROTECTION PlAN 

ADDITIONAl VOluNTARy CONTRIbuTIONS 

hOuSE INSuRANCE SChEmE 

IllNESS/INjuRy SChEmE 

38th Annual Delegate Conference 81



GARDA SIOChANA mEmbERS AND SPOuSES 


Pay Codes 151/115 

The GRA Life Assurance Scheme since its inception in 

1968 has proven to be one of the most innovative and 

successful schemes of its type. The impact of collective 

bargaining power for a specific group of workers 

culminates in significantly enhanced terms and 

conditions as compared to what might be achieved on an 

individual basis. Tempted by the cumulative premiums of 

our membership the insurers are disposed to offering 

extremely keen terms in order to avail of the business. 

The scheme for our membership has proven to be a 

resounding success in terms of the security it provides 

for our membership and the unrivalled premium to benefit 

ratio. To obtain a similar degree of cover on an individual 

basis on the open market a member can expect to pay a 

much inflated premium. 

To become members of this scheme, members must join 

at the earliest opportunity and be members of a 

recognised Garda staff association for the duration of 

cover until retirement. Thereafter, members may retain 

cover up to 70 years of age. As with all Group Schemes 

one cannot opt out and later re-enter the Scheme, as such 

a scenario would prejudice the ethos of the collective 

bargaining power of such a scheme which relies on 

consistency of rules and diversity of membership. 

The Association through its broker, PenPro, endeavours 

to obtain the maximum benefit for our members. The 

Scheme has been renewed from 1 April 2015 for a three 

year period. When renewing any group protection 

scheme, insurers take into account the number of 

members, gender mix, and most particularly the average 

age of the membership and the claims paid out versus 

premiums paid in. As there were no new recruits in the 

last number of years, there have been no new entrants to 

the scheme, and therefore the average age of the 

membership has increased. However, on the plus side, 

the claims paid in 2014 was quite good compared with 

previous years, see claims table on next page, allowing 

for the negotiation of increases in benefit for serving 

members in the 40 to 50th birthday (€35,000 increase) 

and 50th to 60th birthday (€25,000 increase) age 

categories and for retired members in the 60th to 65th 

birthday (€15,000 increase) age category. The cost has 

remained unchanged. 

Benefits/Cost (to apply from 1.4.2015 to 31.3.2018) 

Serving Members 

Age Next Birthday Benefit Net Cost 

20th – 40th Birthday €350,000 €5.10 per week 

40th – 50th Birthday €260,000 €5.10 per week 

50th --60th Birthday €250,000 €5.10 per week 

Retired Members Scheme 

50th – 55th Birthday €175,000 €32.50 per month 



65th – 70th Birthday €10,000 € 2.00 per month 

The Association is also pleased to advise you of the 

following benefits: 

• Death cover for children of members aged under 21 

years is €7,500 

• If a serving member loses a limb or eye or is paralysed as 

a result of an accident, a benefit of €15,000 is payable. 

• Trainee Gardaí are included for €30,000 Life 

Assurance cover for their first 32 weeks, increased to 

€60,000 for the next 32 weeks, at no cost to the 

Trainee. 

Tax Relief 

Part of the scheme for Serving Members is approved by 

the Revenue Commissioners and this allows 80% of the 

premium to qualify for tax relief at the members’ marginal 

rate of tax. The tax relief is given as a top line deduction 

by Garda pay. The tax relief passes on real savings to 

members as illustrated below: 

Premium 

Weekly 

Gross premium €7.50 

Premium eligible for tax relief €6.00 

Less tax relief @ 40% €2.40 

Net premium: €5.10 

Deduction Code – Payslip 

As the tax relief is given on part of the premium Garda 

Pay need to operate two deductions on your payslip as 

follows: 

GRA Life A Code 7115 €6.00 

GRA Life B Code 6151 €1.50 


Section 4: Benefits for Members 

Claims Experience 

Year 

Amount 

2008 €6,206,750 

2009 €7,105,330 

2010 €6,500,542 

2011 €6,282,500 

2012 €3,016,776 

2013 €4,045,000 

2014 €2,465,865 

2015 €4,657,500 

As can be seen above, following a good claims year in 

2014, we saw an almost doubling of claims paid in 2015. 

One of the most positive influences on any group scheme 

is the joining of new young members to keep the average 

age of the membership stable. Because there has been 

no recruitment for quite a number of years, there have 

been no new members joining the scheme and this has 

brought about an increase of some 8 years in the average 

age of the membership. Now that recruiting, be it at a 

lower level than previously, has started again the 

eventual inclusion of the new recruits as premium paying 

members will be most welcome. On a positive note, at 

present the scheme is showing a small positive variance 

between premiums paid and claims paid. Our Brokers, 

PenPro, will keep the scheme under review and alert the 

Association if the claims position deteriorates to such an 

extent that it may cause difficulty for the scheme. 

The Association believes that in continuing to provide 

existing benefits, without interrupting the main 

components of the scheme, that the actual cost reflects 

good value for money. In keeping with the best ethos and 

traditions of the GRA in maintaining a “group scheme”, 

we believe that the averaging of costs across the 

scheme reflect the caring attitude we have for each 

other, and that young and old benefit accordingly. 

maternity/unpaid leave 

During maternity leave the member and spouse/partner if 

applicable, will continue to be covered under the scheme 

and premiums will continue to be deducted from pay in 

the normal way. In the event of the member then taking 

unpaid leave our insurer will continue cover for up to 18 

weeks and waive the payment of premium. In the event 

of the member not returning to work after the 18 weeks it 

is their responsibility to ensure that premium is paid, 

otherwise cover will cease. 

Career breaks 

Members who avail of career breaks will continue to be 

covered for Life Assurance benefit under the Scheme, 

provided premiums continue to be paid, in advance, on a 

yearly basis. Cover will be maintained for a maximum 

number of five years. 

Spouses life Assurance Scheme – GRA members 

Spouses of members of the Garda Representative 

Association who are members of the Life Assurance 

Scheme are included in the cover arrangement for a 

benefit of €115,000 until such time as the member retires 

or ceases to be a member of the Association. 

The Association has negotiated life cover for partners of 

members of the Association and the benefit and terms 

are equal to that applicable to spouses of members, i.e. 

€115,000. 

Records on Database 

Members should ensure that their details recorded on the 

database at the GRA office are up to date in relation to 

their status etc. This is in the member’s/spouse/partner’s 

best interest. The Association urges all members to make 

a will. 

Cessation of Cover 

A member ceases to be covered for Life Assurance 

benefit when one of the following events occur: 

• On survival to his/her 70th birthday 

• On his/her leaving, or ceasing to be employed in the 

permanent service of the Garda Siochana before the 

earliest retirement age except where a member retires 

early due to illness. 

• On the date which a member ceases to contribute to 

the Scheme. 

• On the date which a member ceases to be a fully paid 

up member of the Garda Representative Association 

• Not a member of the relevant scheme on the date of 

promotion 

• Not a fulltime member of a recognised staff 

association in An Garda Siochana thereafter on 

promotion. 

On perusal of the above terms, I believe you will accept 

that all ranks are greatly benefiting from a scheme that is 

administered and operated by the Garda Representative 

Association. I trust you will agree that this arrangement 

represents the best possible terms available as 

illustrated by the benefits and premium as outlined 

above. 

The Association would like to thank all members who 

have continued to contribute to the scheme in their own 

interests and that of their spouses/partners and families. 


83


SERIOuS IllNESS SChEmE 

Pay Code 6152 

The Garda Representative Association's serious illness 

scheme pays out more claims per capita than any other 

scheme across the public service. There is insufficient 

empirical evidence as to why this might be; but it 

reinforces the need for such a scheme. A great number 

of our colleagues have benefitted when they needed it 

most. 

The terms of the Garda Representative Association's 

serious illness scheme, as with all such group insurance 

schemes, have to be regularly (normally every three 

years) renewed through a negotiation process with the 

insurers. In the three years prior to the last renewal of 

the scheme on 1st November 2013, the Underwriters, 

Friends First, recorded a loss of €3.61 million which 

resulted in an upwardly revised quotation to the 

Association. 

The Association raised this issue with members at 

various seminars and meetings, and the feedback was 

that the scheme is highly valued by members and that 

the scheme be continued with sufficient and appropriate 

benefits by increasing the premiums accordingly. 

The Central Executive Committee agreed the following 

terms for a three year period effective from 1 November 

2013. 

A new category of benefit referred to as “Partial 

Payment” was introduced whereby the insurers, for less 

severe illnesses, pay a reduced benefit of: 

• €15,000 to serving members and their 

spouses/partners 

• €10,000 to retired members and their 

spouses/partners 

Benefits 

Benefit Full Partial Category of 

member 

A lump sum of €85,000 €15,000 Serving members 

A lump sum of €85,000 €15,000 Spouses/Partners 

of members 

where spouse/ 

partner cover is 

chosen and 

premium is being 

paid. 

A lump sum of €42,500 €10,000 Retired Members 

A lump sum of €42,500 €10,000 Spouses of retired 

members where 

spouse cover is 

chosen and 

premium is being 

paid 

A lump sum of €25,000 € 5,000 Children of 

members (child 

cover will not 

apply until their 

1st birthday) 

A lump sum of €25,000 € 5,000 Trainee Gardaí 

(this covers the 

period of training) 

COST 

The premium for the above benefits is €4.83 for a 

member and children and €8.78 for a member/spouse or 

partner and children. Trainee Gardaí are covered free of 

charge for their term of training i.e. 64 weeks. 

• €5,000 to Trainee Gardaí and Children. 



IllNESSES COVERED 

The illnesses covered under the terms of the Scheme are 

outlined hereunder: 

Full Benefit payment Specified Illnesses 

Alzheimer’s Aplastic Aorta Graft 

Disease Anaemia Surgery 

Bacterial Meningitis Balloon Benign Brain 

Valvuloplasty Tumour 

Benign Spinal Blindness Cancer 

Cord Tumour (total) 

Cardiomyopathy Chronic Lung Coma 

Disease 

Coronary Artery Creutzfeldt- Deafness (total) 

Surgery 

Jacob Disease 

Encephalitis Heart Attack/ Heart Valve 

Heart Structural Replacement 

Repair 

or Repair 

HIV Infection Kidney Failure Liver Failure 

Loss of Loss of Major Organ 

Independent Speech Transplant 

Existence 

Motor Neurone Multiple Multiple System 

Disease Sclerosis Atrophy 

Paralysis of Limbs Parkinsons Pre-Senile 

Disease Dementia 

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Progressive 

Supranuclear Palsy Pulmonary Artery Surgery 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Severance of Limbs 

Stroke 

Systemic Lupus Third Degree Traumatic 

Erythematosus Burns Head Injury 

Partial Benefit Payment Specified Illnesses 

Brain Abscess Carcinoma Carotid Artery 

drained via in Situ Stenosis 

Craniotomy 

Cerebral Coronary Ductal 

Arteriovenous Angioplasty Carcinoma 

Malformation 

in Situ 

Low Level Serious Accident Surgical 

Prostate Cancer Cover Removal of 

One Eye 

Third Degree Burns 

(lesser) 

The above is just a basic list of illnesses covered. A 

booklet giving full explanations, pre-existing conditions, 

relevant survival periods and exclusions is available from 

the GRA office. Only the definitions in the Master Policy 

will determine the validity of a claim. 

REVIEw 

The next renewal of the scheme, when the plan will be 

renegotiated taking into account the number of 

members, age of the membership and particularly the 

variance between premiums and claims paid, is due to 

take place on 1st November 2016. Since the last renewal 

on 1st November 2013 up to 31st March 2016 the 

Underwriters, Friends First, have recorded a loss of 

€870k, brought about particularly by the recent increase 

in the number of claims. In the first quarter of 2016, 15 

claims have been paid and in addition there are 17 claims 

being processed. It is also very important to keep the 

average age of the membership steady and this is done 

by the introduction of new younger members. With no 

recruitment for many years there have been no new 

entrants to the scheme, and therefore the average of the 

membership has increased. The claims experience is of 

particular concern and our Brokers PenPro are in 

discussion with the underwriters and will revert in due 

course. 

mATERNITy/uNPAID lEAVE 

During maternity leave the member and spouse/partner if 

applicable, will continue to be covered under the scheme 

and premiums will continue to be deducted from pay in 

the normal way. In the event of the member then taking 

unpaid leave our insurer will continue cover for up to 16 

weeks and waive the payment of premium. In the event 

of the member not returning to work after the 16 weeks it 

is their responsibility to ensure that premium is paid, 

otherwise cover will cease 

CAREER bREAKS 

Members who avail of career breaks will continue to be 

covered under the scheme, provided premiums continue 

to be paid, in advance, on a yearly basis. Cover will be 

maintained for a maximum number of five years. 

mEmbER’S DETAIlS 

Members should ensure that their details recorded on the 

database held at the GRA Head Office are up to date in 

relation to their status. This is in the member’s/spouse/ 

partner’s best interest. The Association advises that all 

members should make a Will. 


85


SAlARy PROTECTION PlAN 

Pay Code 6165 

“when a claim is in payment members will never 

have less than 5% of Relevant Earnings” 

The new Salary Protection Plan which was introduced 

on the 1st July 2015 is a properly structured plan 

dovetailing with the new Public Service Sick Pay 

Arrangements. If you wanted evidence of how important 

the new plan is, you only have to look at the figures 

below of an actual claim administered by our brokers 

Penpro. 

mAIN fEATuRES Of ThE PlAN ARE AS 

fOllOwS: 

Eligibility 

All GRA members with more than 13 weeks to go to age 

60. 

Disablement 

Unable, due to sickness or injury (not on duty) to carry 

out your own occupation (Garda). 

Category Type of Pay Amount Basis of Calculation 

Pay while Serving Basic Pay €42,138 Garda Pay Scale 

Rostered Pay €10,029 

Rent Allowance € 4,155 

Total Serving Pay €56,322 

Without Salary Protection Sick Pay – First 13 weeks €46,293 (Basic + Rent) 

Sick Pay – 14 to 26 weeks €23,147 (Basic + Rent) x 50% 

Sick Pay – After 26 weeks €11,264 (TRR/Pension Rate of Pay) 

With Salary Protection 

First 26 weeks Sick Pay – First 13 weeks €46,293 (Basic + Rent) 

Sick Pay – 14 to 26 weeks €23,147 (Basic + Rent) x 50% 

From Salary Protection Plan €19,095 (75% of Total Serving Pay) 

Total Income €42,242 (less Sick Pay of €23,147) 

After 26 weeks Sick Pay – After 26 weeks €11,264 (TRR/Pension Rate of Pay) 

From Salary Protection Plan €30,978 (75% of Total Serving Pay) 

Total Income €42,242 (less Sick Pay of €11,264) 

8 



whEN wIll bENEfIT bE PAID? 

After 13 weeks accrued sick leave in a non-serious illness 

case and 26 weeks accrued sick leave in a serious 

illness case ie. the scheme will dovetail with Public 

Sector sick pay rules. 

Accrual of sick leave to qualify for benefit payment: Any 

sick leave accrued by a member before becoming a 

member of the plan will not be used when calculating the 

deferred period. Sick leave accrued by members of the 

existing plan during their membership of that plan will be 

taken into account. 

RElEVANT EARNINGS 

For the purpose of calculating benefit relevant earnings 

will be your Superannuation Earnings ie: Basic Pay + Rent 

allowance + Rostered Pay + other reckonable allowances. 

hOw IS ThE bENEfIT CAlCulATED? 

The benefit is calculated as 75% of relevant earnings. 

Maximum benefit will be 75% of relevant earnings less ill 

health early retirement pension, social welfare benefit, 

pension rate of pay, or any other replacement income 

from any other source. The GRA Illness/Injury Scheme 

benefit of €75 per week which is paid after 5 weeks for 

13 weeks will not be taken into account when calculating 

benefit. 

Maximum benefit for member over 50 with 30 years 

service is 25% of relevant earnings. 

wIll ThE bENEfIT INCREASE DuRING 

PAymENT? 

Yes. The benefit will increase by 3% p.a. or the Consumer 

Price Index whichever is less. 

whEN wIll ThE bENEfIT CEASE bEING PAID? 

• Joined pre 1.4.2004: Age 50 or 30 yrs service 

whichever is later. 

• Joined post 1.4.2004: Age 55 or 30 yrs service 

whichever is later. 

• Joined post 1.1.2013: Age 60. 

COST 

1.29% of Relevant Earnings. Premium qualifies for full tax 

relief given as top slicing relief by Garda Pay. 

Relevant Gross Weekly Tax Net Weekly 

Earnings Premium Relief Premium 

€32,000 €7.94 20% €6.35 

€40,000 €9.92 20%/40% €7.94/€5.95 

€45,000 €11.16 40% €6.70 

€55,000 €13.64 40% €8.20 

€60,000 €14.88 40% €8.93 

TO jOIN 

An Application Form will be available at the PenPro stand 

at conference or contact PenPro @ 01-2000 100. 

ARE ThERE ANy RESTRICTIONS? 

Yes. 

(a) Back related claims will be paid for a maximum 

period of 5 years. This restriction has been included 

initially to safeguard the plan. However it will be kept 

under review. 

(b) For members over 50 with 30 years’ service benefit 

will be paid for a maximum of one year. 


8


ADDITIONAl VOluNTARy 

CONTRIbuTIONS 

(AVCs) 

Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) qualify for tax 

relief at the marginal rate of tax which for most members 

is 40%. For every €1 invested, 60 cent is paid by the 

member and 40 cent is paid by Revenue. 

The interest earned on any savings in banks, building 

societies, credit unions attracts Deposit Interest 

Retention Tax (DIRT) at a rate of 40%. The GRA AVC 

scheme is a Revenue approved scheme and as such is 

exempt from taxes on growth in the fund. Many members 

retire at a time when they still have sizeable outgoings at 

home such as a mortgage, children going to college etc. 

By making an AVC you can build up a sum of money to 

supplement your pension in retirement with the aid of 

Revenue. 

Members close to retirement should avail of the “Last 

minute AVC”. The profit to be made from a last minute 

AVC is approximately 37% of the amount invested. 

For AVC advice contact PenPro @ 01 – 2000100 

hOuSE INSuRANCE SChEmE 

The PenPro facilitated House Insurance Scheme is 

proving to be worthwhile – with two out of three 

members who get a quote placing their house insurance 

through the scheme. 

The scheme provides: 

• Keenest premium rates – substantial savings 

• No administration fees 

• Independent quoting – not tied to any one insurer 

• Advice provided on levels of cover and policy excess 

• Cover can be arranged in one phone call. 

For a quote and advice----LoCall 1890 – 989464 



IllNESS/INjuRy SChEmE 

Enhanced Benefits 

An added benefit of GRA membership is the payment of 

€75 per week if a member suffers illness or an injury 

sustained off duty for more than five weeks up to 13 

weeks. This cost-free benefit, if taken with the Income 

Protection Scheme can abate the hardship caused by 

loss of earnings through illness and injury. 

CONDITIONS Of ThE SChEmE 

1. The Association will normally pay from its funds and 

on an ex gratia basis the sum of €75.00 per week 

for up to thirteen weeks to members who are 

medically certified as being unfit for duty through 

absences for extended periods. 

Benefit is payable for up to 13 weeks in respect of 

any one specific illness over a two year period (to 

the end of the 18th week from the commencement 

of the absence). 

2. The Scheme applies to absences through illness 

which commenced on or after the 1st January, 1989 

and absences through injury from the 1st May, 1989. 

3. Benefit will not be payable in respect of absences 

resulting from an injury on duty. 

4. Benefit will not be payable where a claim is pending 

against a third party. 

5. The ex gratia benefit will not apply to the first five 

weeks of any period of non effectiveness. 

6. A five-week excess period will apply to each 

separate period of non-effectiveness. 

7. A member claiming benefit under this arrangement 

should do so within ten weeks of commencement of 

non-effectiveness. 

8. Each claim will be accompanied by a Doctor’s 

certificate on a form, which will be provided from 

this office. 

9. Benefit will not be payable in respect of absences 

occasioned by alcoholism. 

10. The Central Executive Committee reserves the right 

to require a claimant for benefit under this 

arrangement to submit to an examination by a 

medical referee nominated by the Association. 

11. Any serious irregularity in the making of a claim or 

the making of a false claim for benefit provided for 

herein will automatically disqualify the claimant from 

all Association’s benefits. 

12. The Central Executive Committee reserves the right 

to be the final arbiters. 

ClAImS ExPERIENCE 

€102,859.13 was paid out of Association funds in respect 

of illness/injury claims for 2015 – this represents a 

decrease of 46.6% compared to payments in respect of 

claims for 2014. 

The following is an analysis of claims experience for 

2015, together with an overview of expenditure since the 

introduction of the scheme in 1989 up to the 31st 

December, 2015. 

Illness Claims 2015 60 claims processed 60,409.13 

Illness Claims 2014 3 claims processed 525.00 

Illness Claims 2012 1 claim 525.00 

Injury Claims 2015 84 claims processed 40,050.00 

Injury Claims 2014 4 Claims 1,350.00 

OVERVIEw Of SChEmE 

1989 €55,083.65 

1990 €99,750.41 

1991 €119,608.38 

1992 €82,001.27 

1993 €53,056.10 

1994 €55,010.95 

1995 €53,573.33 

1996 €76,642.96 

1997 €65,872.94 

1998 €64,642.67 

1999 €49,904.96 

2000 €35,833.67 

2001 €41,833.75 

2002 €36,470.44 

2003 €44,359.00 

2004 €36,070.00 

2005 €36,505.00 -> 


8


2006 €39,869.06 

2007 €57,241.00 

2008 €66,076.20 

2009 €147,789.87 

2010 €164,315.36 

2011 €242,830.87 

2012 €265,741.37 

2013 €281,134.13 

2014 €192,948.27 

2015 €102,859.13 

Total expenditure since the inception of the Scheme = 

€2,566,115.20. 

0 


5 ANNuAl 

DElEGATE 

CONfERENCE 

REPORT fROm 3Th ANNuAl DElEGATE 

CONfERENCE 

DElEGATES TO 3Th ANNuAl DElEGATE 

CONfERENCE 


1


REPORT fROm 3Th ANNuAl 

DElEGATE CONfERENCE 

mOuNT wOlSElEy hOTEl, TullOw, CO CARlOw. 28–2 APRIl 2015 

OPENING Of CONfERENCE 

The President, Mr Dermot O’Brien, officially opened 

Conference at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 28th April 2015. He 

welcomed delegates and guests to the 37th Annual 

Delegate Conference and delivered his opening address. 

Pay and Conditions dominated proceedings at the 2015 

Conference. The theme of the 2015 Conference was 

“Pay Back Now”. 

ATTENDANCE 

The Standing Orders Committee were responsible for the 

registration of delegates to Conference. The register is 

retained at the GRA Head Office. 

ADOPTION Of STANDING ORDERS 

The President Demot O’Brien, proposed the adoption of 

Standing Orders. 

Joe McGivern, Division 2, seconded the adoption of 

Standing Orders and on a vote Standing Orders were 

adopted. 

APPOINTmENT Of TEllERS 

The following delegates were appointed to act as Tellers 

for the duration of Conference: 

Shane Travers 

Galway 

Joe Cawley 

Waterford 

Neville McCormack SDU 

Bernard Sheehan Cork City 

Gerard Naughton Galway 

ElECTION Of TRuSTEE 

Dermot O’Brien, President, advised delegates that he 

was taking names from the floor for the position of 

Trustee. 

The following candidates were proposed and 

seconded: 

Name Station Division 

BONNER, Shane Traffic Dept. DMR South Central 

BYRNE, Julie-Anne Tallaght DMR South 

CHARLES, Danny Store Street DMR North Central 

SWEENEY, Gerry Galway Galway 

Result of ballot 

Gerard Sweeney Galway 49 

Julie-Anne Byrne DMR South 

Danny Charles DMR North Central 

Shane Bonner DMR South Central 

The President informed delegates that Gerard Sweeney, 

Galway Division was deemed elected to the Board of 

Trustees for five years. 

Note: 

• Gerard Sweeney, Galway Division serves on the Board 

of Trustees for five years. 

• Peter Egan, DMR South Division serves on the Board 

of Trustees for four years. 

• James Boyle, Cavan/Monaghan Division serves on the 

Board of Trustees for three years. 

• Joe McGivern, Sligo/Leitrim Division serves on the 

Board of Trustees for two years. 

• Michael Egan, Carlow/Kilkenny Division serves on the 

Board of Trustees for one year. 

ElECTION TO ThE STANDING ORDERS COmmITTEE 

Dermot O’Brien, President, advised Conference of the 

members nominated for election to the Standing Orders 

Committee. The nominees are as follows: 

FINN, Deirdre Shankill DMR East 

HEDDERMAN, Yvonne Irishtown DMR South Central 

HENNESSY, Liam Ballivor Meath 

KIRWAN, Damien Crumlin DMR South 

LESTER, Ian Togher Cork City 

WARD, Eamonn Moville Donegal 

2 


Section 5: Annual Delegate Conference 

Result 

Dermot O’Brien, President, advised Conference of the 

result of the ballot and indicated that the following 

members would comprise the Standing Orders 

Committee for one year: 

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS TO mINISTER 

Votes: 

Liam Hennessy Meath 109 Votes 

Deirdre Finn DMR East 97 Votes 

Damien Kirwan DMR South 87 Votes 

Eamon Ward Donegal 82 Votes 

Ian Lester Cork City 79 Votes 

Dermot O’Brien, President, welcomed the Minister for 

Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D. He then 

proceeded to deliver his address to Conference and told 

the Minister that Garda pay is on top of the agenda and 

not talk of reform and modernisation. 

Minister Frances Fitzgerald thanked the President for his 

invitation to address Conference and delivered her 

address during which she promised increased investment 

to ensure a sustainable future for An Garda Siochana. He 

said “the first thing to restore faith with the members we 

represent is to pay back what is rightfully ours”. 

Yvonne Hedderman, DMR South, was elected as substitute 

to the Standing Orders Committee in accordance with the 

Constitution and Rules of the Association. 

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS TO COmmISSIONER 

Dermot O’Brien, President, welcomed the Garda 

Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan, to Conference. He then 

proceeded to deliver his address to Conference and 

stressed that professional leadership was required 

across the organisation and not heavy handed 

incompetence. On conclusion, he invited the 

Commissioner to address Conference. 

COmmISSIONER’S ADDRESS TO CONfERENCE 

Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan thanked the President for 

his invitation to address Conference and delivered her 

address during which she emphasised that her priority is 

to build the best police service in the world. The 

Commissioner made herself available to Conference for a 

Question and Answer session. The President thanked 

the Commissioner for a very productive session. 

TREASuRER’S REPORT 

Pat Ennis, Treasurer, made a detailed Power-Point 

presentation of the Accounts to Conference addressing 

questions received by him in accordance with the 

Constitution and Rules of the Association. Joe McGivern, 

Division 2 formally proposed the adoption of Accounts 

for year-end 31st December, 2014. Gerard Sweeney, 


3


Division 5, seconded the proposal and on a vote the 

Accounts were adopted. 

Pat Ennis, Treasurer, took the opportunity to thank 

Conference for their co-operation and support.. 

CEC REPORT 

P J Stone, General Secretary addressed delegates on 

the various topics contained in the CEC Report. He 

informed delegates that “if we don’t get access in the 

coming weeks on our entitlement to be heard in respect 

of our pay and the recovery of what was taken from us, 

we will have failed our membership and we will have let 

them down. He said that he was not prepared to 

negotiate on any issue relating to productivity until we 

first recover what we are rightly owed, on the deficit 

which we have already given. If there is any suggestion 

that we are becoming complacent weak or that we can 

be taken for granted, the message that has to go from 

Conference is that the Association and its membership is 

ready to do whatever is required in order to fulfil the need 

for our members to be properly remunerated. On behalf 

of the Association he thanked delegates for their 

commitment to the Association and said they deserve 

the appreciation of the entire membership. 

The President, Dermot O’Brien, proposed the adoption of 

the report, this was seconded by Gerard Sweeney and 

on a vote the Report was adopted. 

GuEST SPEAKERS 

Martin Sheehan, Penpro gave a detailed presentation to 

Conference delegates on the new enhanced Income 

Protection Plan which was due to commence on the 1st 

July, 2015. 

He told delegates that the income would be payable after 

an excess period of an accrued 13 week period. The 

benefit of 75% would be made up from all pensionable 

remuneration (basic pay plus pensionable allowances) 

and that the cost of 1.29% would be deducted in a similar 

manner i.e. pensionable remuneration. He urged 

delegates to take away the documentation circulated at 

the opening of Conference and said that information 

meetings would be scheduled throughout the various 

Divisions.. 

ClOSE Of CONfERENCE 

Bernadette Connell, Chairperson, Conference 

Arrangements Committee, thanked the delegates and 

everyone involved in the preparation for Conference and 

asked Conference to remit the selecting of a venue for 

Conference 2016 to the Central Executive Committee. 

Conference agreed to remit to the CEC the choice of 

venue. 

Dermot O’Brien, President, thanked delegates for their 

support through Conference and brought Conference to 

a close at 18.00 hours on Wednesday 29th April 2015. 

4 



mOTIONS bEfORE GRA ANNuAl 

CONfERENCE 2015 

mOTIONS CARRIED 

1 “That Conference calls on the Minister for Justice 

and Equality to reverse all emergency pay cuts and 

austerity measures enforced on members since 

2008 as a matter of priority.” 

Action: Referred to Strategy and Services Sub 

Committee. 

2. “That Conference directs the Central Executive 

Committee and secretariat, in light of the much 

publicised recovery in the Irish economy, to make 

whatever provision is necessary, so that the GRA is 

fully prepared to pursue all avenues open to the 

Association to: 

(a) recover the non-discretionary losses in our 

earnings since 2008 and, 

(b) pursue full compensation for all of the 

productivity delivered by our membership during 

the economic recession of the last six years.” 


Committee. 

3. “That Conference calls on the Minister for Justice 

and Equality to have rent allowance paid to new 

entrants to An Garda Síochána from 2014.” 

Action: Referred to the Officer Board. This was 

raised with Minister Fitzgerald at meetings held on 

the 4th November 2015 and again on the 27th 

January 2016. 

4. “That Conference calls on Government to 

immediately repeal the Financial Emergency 

Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 which 

granted the power to alter terms and conditions of 

employment of members of An Garda Síochána 

without consultation and agreement.” 

Action: Referred to Officer Board. The Officer Board 

wrote on this issue to the Chairman of the 

Haddington Road Review Mr. Ray Mc Gee and also 

to the Director General of the WRC, Mr. Kieran 

Mulvey. We have since raised this at meetings with 

Mr. McGee. In addition, the Officer Board met with 

the three Senators on the 19th January 2016 on 

and as a result met with the Minister for Justice on 

the 27th January 2016 on this specific matter. 

7. “That Conference seeks a minimum period of 48 hours’ 

notice from Garda management on the cancellation 

of directed overtime and that a compensatory rate 

of 50% of the applicable hourly overtime rate to a 

minimum of three hours be paid in lieu.” 


Committee. 

11. “That Conference seeks to have clear and 

unambiguous guidelines issued in respect of 

temporary transfers to ensure they do not deprive 

our members of their entitlements and that an 

appeals mechanism be introduced for temporary 

transfers.” 

Action: Referred to Transfers Sub Committee. 

12. ”That Conference demands that a code of practice 

be implemented for the allocation of training courses 

so that the system is transparent and equitable.” 

Action: Referred to Training Sub Committee. 

14. ”That Conference calls on the Garda Commissioner 

to provide comprehensive training to all Garda 

members on procedures on stopping vehicles that 

fail to comply with a lawful direction/signal by 

members of An Garda Síochána.” 


15. ”That Conference seeks that annual firearms 

training would incorporate tactical training and 

would also include and deliver tactical training to all 

authorised firearms card holders.” 


19. ”That Conference demands a minimum of one patrol 

van with the capability of transporting prisoners per 

Garda District.” 

Action: Referred to Information Technology Uniform 

and Equipment Sub Committee. 


5


28. “That Conference calls on the Minister for Justice 

and Equality to ensure that each District 

Headquarters is upgraded to a standard capable of 

providing a modern police service.” 

Action: Referred to Accommodation Sub 

Committee. 

30. “That Conference calls for the re-instatement of the 

Uzi submachine gun (or an equivalent) and the 

introduction of ballistic shields for all members who 

attend armed incidents.” 

Action: Referred to Uniform IT and Equipment Sub 

Committee. 

31. “That Conference calls for the introduction of leg 

restraints for use by all operational members.” 

Action: Referred to Uniform, IT and Equipment Sub 

Committee. 

35. “That Conference demands that the Department of 

Justice and Equality draft legislation in relation to 

mandatory sentences on conviction for those who 

carry out assaults on members of An Garda 

Síochána.” 

Action: Referred to Legal Assistance Sub 

Committee. 

37. “That Conference seeks that in line with the Public 

Service Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 

2013, that a defibrillator is installed in every Public 

Office for use by members of the public and Gardaí 

in the interest of public safety and that adequate 

training be provided to members of An Garda 

Síochána.” 

Action: Referred to Health and Safety Sub 

Committee. 

40 “That Conference demand that frontline members 

are immediately trained in the use of non-lethal 

personal protective equipment ECD (Taser) and that 

it is issued at station level as soon as possible.” 


Committee. 

41. “That Conference seeks the immediate 

implementation of PULSE, internet and e-mail 

access along with supporting IT hardware to all nonnetworked 

Garda Stations across the country.” 


Committee. 

42. “That Conference demands the implementation of a 

long term recruitment plan to address the crisis of 

staff shortages in An Garda Síochána.” 

Action: Referred to Officer Board. This motion has 

been in part addressed with the re-commencement 

of recruitment. However, the Officer Board has 

called on both the Minister for Justice and Mr. 

Raymond McGee at meetings with them to support 

the carrying out of an Optimum Number Survey for 

the Force. 

mOTION REmITTED bACK TO CENTRAl ExECuTIVE 

COmmITTEE 

13. “That Conference seeks that the Garda 

Commissioner undertakes a review of the training 

provided to Gardaí to ensure that a comprehensive 

and appropriately staffed CPD programme is 

developed and delivered to members as a matter of 

urgency.” 

Action: Referred to Training and Career 

Development Sub Committee. 

mOTIONS NOT REAChED 

Motions No. 5, 6, 8, 9,10, 16, 17,18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 

26, 27,29, 32, 33,34, 36, 38, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 

were not reached. 

AmENDmENTS TO RulES bEfORE CONfERENCE 

2015 

CARRIED 

Rule 4 

Candidates for the office of Trustee shall be nominated 

by any Divisional Committee of the Association. At the 

date of their nomination, election and continuance in 

office they shall be members of the Association in good 

standing and serving members of a Divisional 

Committee. They shall be delegates at the Annual 

Delegate Conference at which they are elected. A 

Trustee shall not be a member of the Central Executive 

Committee and shall not hold the office of President, Vice 

President, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, 

Assistant to the General Secretary (no matter how 

described) or be an employee of the Association. 

Addendum Rule 64 

After the word “Association” in last line of current rule 

add the following sentence "In the event of a Trustee not 

 



being re-elected to the Divisional Committee during his 

term of office he will remain as a de facto Trustee, and 

shall attend the next Annual Delegate Conference for 

that purpose, until the position is filled at Conference, 

notwithstanding the requirements of Rule 64”. 

Amended Rule 64 reads: 

Candidates for the office of Trustee shall be nominated 

by any Divisional Committee of the Association. At the 

date of their nomination, election and continuance in 

office they shall be members of the Association in good 

standing and serving members of a Divisional 

Committee. They shall be delegates at the Annual 

Delegate Conference at which they are elected. A 

Trustee shall not be a member of the Central Executive 

Committee and shall not hold the office of President, Vice 

President, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, 

Assistant to the General Secretary (no matter how 

described) or be an employee of the Association. In the 

event of a Trustee not being re-elected to the Divisional 

Committee during his term of office he will remain as a de 

facto Trustee, and shall attend the next Annual Delegate 

Conference for that purpose, until the position is filled at 

Conference, notwithstanding the requirements of Rule 

64. 

Rule 3 

73. General Secretary 

(a) There shall be a General Secretary of the 

Association (hereinafter referred to as the “General 

Secretary”) who may be a member of the 

Association or a member of An Garda Síochána 

other than a member of the Association or a person 

who is not a member of An Garda Síochána. 

(b) The General Secretary shall be appointed by the 

Central Executive Committee and such appointment 

and conditions attaching thereto shall be ratified by 

the next Annual or Special Delegate Conference 

following the appointment. 

(c) The General Secretary shall be employed on a full 

time basis under contractual agreement and shall 

fulfil such duties as are assigned to him by the 

Central Executive Committee. 

(d) Where the person so appointed is a member of the 

Central Executive Committee, a Divisional 

Committee or District Committee he shall cease to 

be a member of such Committee or Committees 

upon ratification of his appointment by Annual or 

Special Delegate Conference. Pending such 

ratification his position on such Committee or 

Committees shall be temporarily filled by another 

member co-opted to such Committee or Committees 

for that purpose. 

(e) The General Secretary shall be responsible for the 

safe custody of all reports, papers and resolutions 

passed or approved by Conference. 

(f) The General Secretary shall be responsible for the 

day to day supervision and running of the office of 

the Secretariat at the Association Headquarters and 

for the deployment and management of the staff 

therein. 

Proposed Amendments to Rule 73 

73 (b) In line 2 replace the word “shall” with the words 

“will require to” and continue to end. 

At end after the word “appointment” add the following 

words “The appointment will after a period of three 

consecutive Annual Conferences excluding the 

Conference at which the person was ratified be subject 

to re-appointment and remuneration review and will 

require to be endorsed by two thirds of the votes cast by 

the CEC members, and the re-appointment will require to 

be further ratified by the following Annual Delegate 

Conference, without any limit on the number of such reappointments.” 

73 (c) In line 1 add the words “a defined” after the word 

“under” and continue to line 2 

In line 2 add the word “/her” after the word “him” and 

continue to end 

73 (d) In line 2 Add the word “/she” after the word “he” 

and continue to line 4 

In line 4 add the word “/her” after the word “his” and 

continue to end. 


73. General Secretary 

(a) There shall be a General Secretary of the 

Association (hereinafter referred to as the “General 

Secretary”) who may be a member of the 

Association or a member of An Garda Síochána 

other than a member of the Association or a person 

who is not a member of An Garda Síochána. 

(b) The General Secretary shall be appointed by the 

Central Executive Committee and such appointment 

and conditions attaching thereto will require to be 

ratified by the next Annual or Special Delegate 

Conference following the appointment. The 



appointment will after a period of three consecutive 

Annual Conferences excluding the Conference at 

which the person was ratified be subject to reappointment 

and remuneration review and will 

require to be endorsed by two thirds of the votes 

cast by the CEC members, and the re-appointment 

will require to be further ratified by the following 

Annual Delegate Conference, without any limit on 

the number of such re-appointments. 

(c) The General Secretary shall be employed on a full 

time basis under a defined contractual agreement 

and shall fulfil such duties as are assigned to 

him/her by the Central Executive Committee. 

(d) Where the person so appointed is a member of the 


Committee or District Committee he/she shall cease 

to be a member of such Committee or Committees 



ratification his/her position on such Committee or 




(e) The General Secretary shall be responsible for the 

safe custody of all reports, papers and resolutions 

passed or approved by Conference. 

(f) The General Secretary shall be responsible for the 

day to day supervision and running of the office of 

the Secretariat at the Association Headquarters and 

for the deployment and management of the staff 

therein. 

Rule 4 

74. Deputy General Secretary 

(a) The Central Executive Committee shall employ a 

suitably qualified member or non-member to hold 

the position as Deputy General Secretary. An 

appointment to the office of Deputy General 

Secretary and the conditions attaching thereto shall 

be ratified by the next Annual or Special Delegate 

Conference held following the appointment. 

(b) The Post of Deputy General Secretary will be filled 

on a full-time basis under contractual agreement. 

(c) He will assist the General Secretary in the provision 

of the Secretariat function to the Association. 

General Secretary, otherwise the day to day 

functions of the Deputy General Secretary shall be 

the responsibility of the General Secretary. 

(e) The Deputy General Secretary may attend meetings 

of the Central Executive Committee by leave of the 

Committee, but he shall not be a member of the 

Central Executive Committee, shall not vote on 

matters submitted to a vote of the Central Executive 

Committee and shall not propose or second motions 

at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee. 

(f) Where the person so appointed is a member of the 


Committee or District Committee he shall cease to 

be a member of such Committee or Committees 



ratification his position on such Committee or 




Proposed Amendments to Rule 74 

74(a) In line 3 replace the word “shall” with the words 

“will require to” and continue to end 

At end and after the word “appointment” add the 

following words “The appointment will after a period of 

three consecutive Annual Conferences excluding the 

Conference at which the person was ratified be subject 

to re-appointment and remuneration review and will 

require to be endorsed by two thirds of the votes cast by 

the CEC members, and the re-appointment will require to 

be further ratified by the following Annual Delegate 

Conference, without any limit on the number of such reappointments.” 

74 (b) In line 1 add the words “a defined” after the word 

“under” and continue to end 

74 (c) In line 1 Add the word “/She” after the word “He” 

and continue to end 

74 (e) In line 2 Add the word “/she” after the word “he” 

and continue to end 

74 (f) In line 2 Add the word “/she” after the word “he” 

and continue to line 4 

In line 4 add the word “/her” after the word “his” and 

continue to end 

(d) The Deputy General Secretary, shall in the absence 

of the General Secretary, deputise for him and shall 

perform all the functions and duties assigned to the 

8 




74. Deputy General Secretary 

(a) The Central Executive Committee shall employ a 

suitably qualified member or non-member to hold 

the position as Deputy General Secretary. An 

appointment to the office of Deputy General 

Secretary and the conditions attaching thereto will 

require to be ratified by the next Annual or Special 

Delegate Conference held following the 

appointment. The appointment will after a period of 

three consecutive Annual Conferences excluding 

the Conference at which the person was ratified be 

subject to re-appointment and remuneration review 

and will require to be endorsed by two thirds of the 

votes cast by the CEC members, and the reappointment 

will require to be further ratified by the 

following Annual Delegate Conference, without any 

limit on the number of such re-appointments. 

(b) The Post of Deputy General Secretary will be filled 

on a full-time basis under a defined contractual 

agreement. 

(c) He/she will assist the General Secretary in the 

provision of the Secretariat function to the 

Association. 

(d) The Deputy General Secretary, shall in the absence 

of the General Secretary, deputise for him and shall 

perform all the functions and duties assigned to the 

General Secretary, otherwise the day to day 

functions of the Deputy General Secretary shall be 

the responsibility of the General Secretary. 

(e) The Deputy General Secretary may attend meetings 

of the Central Executive Committee by leave of the 

Committee, but he/she shall not be a member of the 

Central Executive Committee, shall not vote on 

matters submitted to a vote of the Central Executive 

Committee and shall not propose or second motions 

at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee. 

(f) Where the person so appointed is a member of the 


Committee or District Committee he/she shall cease 

to be a member of such Committee or Committees 



ratification his/her position on such Committee or 




Rule 5 

75. Selection and Appointment of General Secretary, 

Deputy General Secretary and Assistant to the 

General Secretary. 

Where a vacancy arises in the office of General 

Secretary or in the office of Deputy General Secretary, or 

in the office of Assistant to the General Secretary, the 

Central Executive Committee shall cause an interview 

board to be established, comprising members of the 

Central Executive Committee and a person or persons 

nominated by such outside bodies as may be designated 

by the Central Executive Committee. The interview board 

as so constituted shall interview candidates who may 

have been shortlisted for consideration for the vacant 

office. The interview board shall then propose one 

person and one person only to the Central Executive 

Committee. Before being appointed to office the person 

proposed shall receive the endorsement of two–thirds of 

the votes cast by the members of the Central Executive 

Committee and the appointment shall be further ratified 

by the Annual Delegate Conference or a Special Delegate 

Conference. 

Proposed Amendments – Rule 75 

75. In line 9 replace the word “shall” with the words “will 

require to” and continue to line 11. 

In line 11 replace the word “shall” with the words “will 

require to” and continue to end. 


75. Selection and Appointment of General Secretary, 

Deputy General Secretary and Assistant to the 

General Secretary. 

Where a vacancy arises in the office of General 

Secretary or in the office of Deputy General Secretary, or 

in the office of Assistant to the General Secretary, the 

Central Executive Committee shall cause an interview 

board to be established, comprising members of the 

Central Executive Committee and a person or persons 

nominated by such outside bodies as may be designated 

by the Central Executive Committee. The interview board 

as so constituted shall interview candidates who may 

have been shortlisted for consideration for the vacant 

office. The interview board shall then propose one 

person and one person only to the Central Executive 

Committee. Before being appointed to office the person 

proposed will require to receive the endorsement of two– 

thirds of the votes cast by the members of the Central 

Executive Committee and the appointment will require to 

be further ratified by the Annual Delegate Conference or 

a Special Delegate Conference. 



DElEGATES TO 3Th ANNuAl 

DElEGATE CONfERENCE 

Delegates 

representing 

Roscommon/ 

Longford: 

Stephen McDonagh, 

Eoin Browne, 

Tom Kennedy and 

Justin Browne 

Delegates representing Donegal: Eamonn Ward, Louis Browne, Brendan O’Connor, John Monaghan and Enda Dunne 



Delegates representing DMR West: 

Ciaran Cleary, Kevin O’Connell, 

Shane Kelliher, Sean White, 

Gabriel Newton and Keith Plunkett 

Delegates representing 

Louth: Robbie Peelo, 

Catherine Rennick and 

Shane Fennell 

Delegates 

representing 

Laois/Offaly: 

Mark Connell, 

Derek Flynn, 

Mick O’Connell and 

Tim Dawson 


101


Delegates 

representing Kerry: 

Damien Ryan, 

Eddie Walsh, 

Kevin Lynch and 

Seamus Moriarty 

Delegates representing Kildare: 

Michael Egan, 

John Joe O’Connell and 

Tom McTigue 

Delegates 

representing 

Cork West: 

Andy McCarthy, 

Mary Galvin, 

Martin Hegarty and 

Jason Collins 



Delegates 

representing DMR 

North: Mark Scott, 

Colin Moran, 

John McCarthy, 

Ciaran Kennedy, 

Karl McManus and 

Brian Pentony 

Delegates 

representing Garda 

HQ: Brian Gibbons, 

Martin Kilbane, 

Elaine Duane, 

Pat McConnell, 

Pat Ennis, 

Sheila Ganley and 

Enda Dwyer 


103


Delegates 

representing Cork 

North: Omar Fitzel, 

John Parker and 

Mark Nolan 

Delegates 

representing 

Sligo/Leitrim: 

Joe McGivern, 

Jack Kelleher, 

Ray Wims and 

Ben Lynch 

Delegates 


East: Sean Greene, 

Deirdre Finn, 

Jim Mulligan and 

David Lestrange 



Delegates representing Mayo: 

Kenneth Barrett, Kevin Conroy, 

Vincent O’Boyle, William Horan 

and Ronan O’Grady 

Delegates 

representing SDU: 

Neville McCormack, 

John McCann, 

Michael Lally, 

Padraig Hanley, 

David Kelly, 

Ciaran O’Neill and 

Michael Kilfeather 


105


Delegates 


South: Ciaran Baker, 

Julie Anne Byrne, 

Karina Carroll, 

Peter Egan, 

Damien Kirwan, 

Bernadette Connell 

and Pat Tarrant 

Delegates representing DMR North Central: Niall Hodgins, James Brennan, John Healy (Deputy General Secretary) 

Graham Morgan, Shane Cullen, Danny Charles, Aileen O’Meara and Fergal Flynn 

10 



Delegates 

representing Clare: 

Dominic Curtin, 

Paul Coleman and 

Paul Crowley 

Delegates 

representing 

Garda College: 

Michael O’Donnell, 

Donal Flannery and 

Mark O’Meara 

Delegates 

representing 

Waterford: 

Ronan Slevin, 

Mark Hobson Shaw, 

Joe Cawley an 

Colm O’Callaghan 


10


Delegates 

representing 

Wicklow: 

James Lillis, 

Aidan Whelan and 

Piaras O’Sullivan 

Delegates 

representing 

Kilkenny: 

Brendan Power, 

Gerard Comerford 

and Michael Egan 

Delegates 

representing 

Tipperary: 

Michael O’Mahony, 

Tom Finnan and 

Richard Kennedy 



Delegates 

representing 

Galway: Shane 

Travers, 

Don Connellan, 

Gerard Naughton, 

Dermot O’Brien and 

Gerard Sweeney 

Delegates representing Cork City: Benard Sheehan, Edmund O’Donoghue, Michael Corcoran, Ian Lester, Padraig Harrington, 

Robbie Stone and Stephen O’Sullivan 


10


Delegates 

representing 

Westmeath: 

Enda Browne, 

Brendan Hogan and 

Conor Staunton 

Delegates 

representing 

Cavan/Monaghan: 

Derek Rochford, 

Cathal Doherty, 

James Morrisroe 

and James Boyle 



Delegates 

representing 

Wexford: 

Derek Campion, 

Patrick O’Brien and 

John Kennedy 

Delegates 

representing 

Meath: Liam 

Hennessy, 

Peter Devine, 

Ray Dennison and 

Owen Ganly 


111


Delegates representing Limerick: Adrian Egan, William Collins, Cathal O’Gorman, Alan O’Donnell, Frank Thornton, 

David Givens and Brian O’Dwyer 

Delegates representing DMR South Central: Alan Cummins, Jeffrey White, Shane Bonner, Greg Devoy, Julie Greene, 

Damien McCarthy and Yvonne Hedderman 


Garda Representative Association 

5th Floor 

Phibsboro Tower 

Dublin 7 

Telephone: 01–830 3533 

Fax: 01–830 3331 

Email: gra@indigo.ie 

Web http://www.gra.ie

Conference Report 2016

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