Government must stop ‘taking advantage’ of gardaí – GRA

The Government must stop “taking advantage” of an Garda Síochána and treat them with “respect” by honouring the terms of the Haddington Road agreement, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said.

The association called on Thursday for the Government not to freeze the payment of increments until a planned full review of Garda pay is completed.

Under the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement, a review of Garda pay and conditions was to be completed before June 2014.

Speaking at a protest outside Leinster House on Thursday, GRA president Ciarán O’Neill said two years later, this review had failed to take place and called on the Government to finalise it without delay.

He said the GRA would not consider the Lansdowne Road Agreement until the review under the Haddington Road Agreement had been completed.

Mr O’Neill also warned that a pay freeze imposed under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (Fempi) would impact 63 per cent of GRA members, or 6,500 people. He warned that new recruits, who are paid about €23,000 a year, would be worst hit by the freeze.

The Fempi sanction can be enacted on organisations that refuse to accept a collective agreement.

“Pay freeze will hit newest recruits hardest,” said Mr O’Neill. “For this they are being kicked at, spat at, punched, threatened and abused and this is all in the call for the day’s work.

“The Government is denying them their increments meaning they’ll be stuck in this salary for another two years.”

Frank Thornton from the Limerick Division who took part in Thursday’s protest outside Leinster House said the morale of members was “in the gutter”.

“In my own division, the new recruits; they’re borrowing off parents, friends and relatives just to survive and to travel and commute. They want to be guards but they’re not being given any help.”

Damian McCarthy from the DMR South Central Division said personnel were exhausted and being forced to “work for nothing” after sustaining numerous pay cuts.

A number of gardaí had to work overtime over the past fortnight to meet the security requirements during the visit of American vice president Joe Biden, said Mr McCarthy.

“A large number of personnel over the previous weekend were directed to work to ensure that the security of Joe Biden’s visit was a success,” he said. “That has all sorts of consequences in relation to finances and childcare and work-life balance.”

“It shows the flexibility we have given to the State over the last number of years and I’m not sure how long that can continue.

“The hours gardaí are expected to work are unsustainable,” he added. “That’s why our members are exhausted - working for free, working extended tours of duty on direction.”

Mr O’Neill called on the Government to postpone the introduction of the pay freeze from Friday, July 1st until they fulfil their obligations under the Haddington Road Agreement.