Outline proposals for garda pay are negotiated

Outline proposals for a pay increase for rank-and-file gardai have been negotiated, and are due to be finalised this morning, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Justice.

Garda Representative Association (GRA) negotiators are expected to be in a position to report to their organisation's national executive at 11 a.m. today on the proposals.

If the proposals are passed by the GRA's executive, they will be put to a ballot of the association's membership of more than 8,000 gardai. The ballot could take up to a week.

The current dispute over pay has been the most serious in the history of the Garda Siochana. Thousands of gardai have marched on the Dail and called in sick on two so-called "Blue Flu" actions, which left the State policed by a skeleton force of trainees, probationers and gardai of officer rank.

Discussions on the Government's latest offer i are already a week behind schedule.

The revised offer is believed to include a 9 per cent pay increase, which comprises the Government's original offer of 5.5 per cent along with a 2 per cent `down-payment' on future productivity under the Strategic Management Initiative and an additional 1.5 per cent allocated to "past productivity".

Gardai are likely to get an additional 4.75 per cent increase under the Partnership 2000 agreement if they accept the offer, despite the fact they aren't signed up to the agreement at present.

While the total pay increases under such a regime would add up to more than 13 per cent, the GRA went into the negotiations with the Government demanding 15 per cent with no strings attached. At present, a garda with three years service earns £15,597 a year, and is entitled to a range of allowances covering rent, overtime and night duty.

A key element of the deal for the gardai is the length of time payments are to be backdated. The GRA is understood to have pressed for a four-year retrospective payment, but the final offer was thought likely to be two years, leading to payments of up to £1,700 per garda as soon as the deal is accepted.