Seven hundred low-paid women clerical workers in Garda stations are seeking equal pay with members of the Garda, who are paid over £5,000 a year more when they perform the same duties. If the women are successful, the cost to the Exchequer will be £12 million.
The Civil and Public Service Union lodged several test cases with the Government equality service on Monday. The union's deputy general secretary, Ms Rosaleen Glacken, said yesterday there were several close precedents and the union was confident that it had a very strong case.
If the union is successful, the outcome could affect Government strategy to "civilianise" other aspects of the security and law enforcement services. Since civilians were first brought into Garda stations to carry out duties that did not require the use of powers reserved to members of the Garda, the number of clerical staff has grown from 100 to 700.
Further civilianisation of the service has been restricted in recent years by a combination of public sector recruitment embargoes and an agreement between the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Representative Association, which reserves 258 clerical posts for gardai unfit for more active duties.
At present there are 400 gardai carrying out clerical duties. They can earn over £22,000 at the top of the scale, plus a special allowance of £1,000 a year.
The maximum a civilian clerical officer can earn is £17,175, and they receive no special allowances.
The CPSU is taking the test cases on the basis of gender discrimination. Ms Glacken points out that 90 per cent of the gardai carrying out clerical duties are men, while 99 per cent of the civilian clerks are women.