EU rejects garda pension claims

MORE than 700 retired gardaí have had their claims for equal pension treatment rejected by the European Ombudsman.

In a letter to Michael Murphy, leader of a retired garda lobbying group, the Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, refused jurisdiction on the grounds that it was a domestic matter and she had no power to deal with the actions of Irish authorities.

“I am extremely disappointed,” Mr Murphy said. “All we wanted was equality and what is our due.”

Justice Minister Michael McDowell last year rejected the group’s claim for an increase in payments.

Mr Murphy said he and his colleagues are being denied their full pension rights under the current scheme being operated by the Department of Justice. The scheme has been the target of a relentless campaign by the 69-year-old grandfather from Limerick who retired as a detective in 1988.

It has also been regarded as an unfair system by many politicians. While in opposition, Defence Minister Willie O’Dea wrote to Mr Murphy saying he regarded the scheme as unconstitutional.

Legislation, introduced in 1993, distinguished between gardaí who retired before the new law and those who left the force afterwards, giving the latter a better deal.

“Members retiring after 1993 have their allowances, such as night duty pay etc., taken into account when calculating their pension. However, pre ’93 retirees like myself don’t get that. There is a big difference. It works out at about €40 a week. It means we are being discriminated against,” Mr Murphy said.

As well as the 730 garda retirees, there are a further 700 or so widows of gardaí who are similarly affected.

“Members of the force had to retire at the age of 57, irrespective of family circumstances,” he said. “Many of them still had children going to school or college and it made things very difficult for them.”

Mr Murphy said he would continue to lobby politicians to ensure justice was done. “It is up to the politicians to give us our rights. Every year there are fewer of us left alive and sometimes I think they are just waiting for us to die.”