Some 500 gardai who have served with the United Nations in the past decade may receive a windfall in back pay following a five-year negotiation over allowances.
The original allowances, negotiated between the Department of Justice and the associations representing officers up to inspector rank, classed gardai serving with the UN as "observers" only.
However, the Chief Superintendents' Association rejected the classification, insisting their members were acting as "peacekeepers".
The distinction between "observer" and "peacekeeper", is significant in that the danger in acting as peacekeeper adds to the allowance. In 1994, when the chief superintendents began negotiations, the "observer" allowance was £11.34 a day and the peacekeeper allowance was £35.58.
The chief superintendents argued that their members were as much in danger as military personnel who received the higher, peacekeeper allowance. The Department rejected this and negotiations proceeded through almost five years of conciliation and finally arbitration before Mr Gerard Kelly SC.
Last month, the arbitrator found on behalf of the chief superintendents on all counts. The arbitrator agreed that gardai had served in operations and circumstances where they were acting as peacekeepers. They had also encountered highly dangerous situations. Although no gardai have been killed as a result of hostile fire on UN missions, several have been injured.
The CSA said some of its members served on highly volatile UN missions. About 500 gardai have served on year-long missions with the UN. About 55 are currently serving in former missions in former Yugoslavia and Cyprus.
Although the Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors agreed the previous arrangements over UN allowance, the decision is expected to effect all gardai who have served or are serving on UN missions.
The decision by the arbitrator is expected to effect all officers who have served and could mean pretax payments of around £8,000 each. The settlement of the back pay is still under discussion.