Conference Report 2016

Section 1: Pay and Allowances
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
38th Annual Delegate Conference
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