Conference Report 2016

Section 1: Pay and Allowances
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
38th Annual Delegate Conference
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