Members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) have called on the Government to end the freeze on Garda pay which was implemented earlier this month as part of the Fempi financial emergency legislation
Introduced last year, Fempi financial emergency legislation allows the Government impose sanctions on members of organisations deemed to have rejected a collective agreement.
These sanctions include the loss of protection from compulsory redundancy and a freeze on pay increments for two years, affecting new recruits the most.
Gardaí have been subjected to a pay free since the beginning of July 2016.
Dozens of GRA representatives gathered outside Government Buildings on Tuesday morning in protest at the implementation of the Fempi legislation. They want the pay freeze suspended until the Government completes their part of the Haddington road deal.
The GRA’s view is that Fempi legislation should not be imposed given that a review of an Garda Síochána - a condition of the Haddington Road Agreement - has not yet been completed.
Under the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement, a review of Garda pay and conditions was to be completed before June 2014.
Speaking outside the Department of Public Expenditure, GRA president Ciarán O’Neill warned that the pay freeze would affected 63 per cent of GRA members, meaning 6,500 gardaí and their families around the country would be affected.
“In particular, this pay freeze is most unfair on our newest recruits,” said Mr O’Neill. “They have already been subject to the arbitrary abolition of their rent allowance, being paid €23,171 annually.
“That’s just over minimum wage - for being kicked, spat at, punched and threatened - all in the course of a day’s work. Between this pay freeze and the loss of the rent allowance, these recruits are being denied over €6,000 annually.”
Mr O’Neill underlined how gardaí took pay cuts in 2008 and accepted a moratorium on promotions, while many members had worked an extra three days annually without pay over the past three years.
“Gardaí are the only public servants who work a 40-hour week and we feel that this contribution should be recognised by the government. Gardaí are unique public servants and we should be treated in a different manner to other public servants.”
Damian McCarthy from the DMR South Central Division says graduates from Templemore are being offered “a disgraceful salary” and described as “unsustainable” Garda attempts to protect the State on reduced resources and reduced numbers.
“We’ve been ignored by the Taoiseach, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance and the Department of Justice,” said Mr McCarthy. “This country is on the brink of a crisis in terms of police men and women struggling to do their job.”
“No other public sector worker has suffered as much as the Garda Síochána in terms of the consequence of the moratorium on recruitment,” he said. “We’re set on the course for a major collision with Government.”
