Garda body rejects calls for pay or pension cuts

GARDAÍ have come out fighting against calls for pay cuts and a revision in pensions but have conceded that a pay freeze may be acceptable to members of the force.

Gardaí say they are already facing poor working condition and that calls for “arbitrary pay cuts” were simply “unfair and unsustainable”.

Ahead of a crunch meeting with government officials on the economic crisis, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) union’s general secretary PJ Stone said: “Certainly there is scope within that for some sort of a deferral until the situation improves and until such time as this country is in a position to meet its obligations.”

A pay freeze could be looked at within the concept of the national pay agreement, he added.

Delivering a strongly worded letter to Department of the Taoiseach, GRA officials said speculation caused by IBEC’s proposals on pay and pensions was causing fear and real difficulties.

Already gardaí were paying the new 1% pay levy and faced more scrutiny over defaulting on loans than the ordinary public.

According to the GRA, when gardaí are pursued through the civil courts for non-payment of lawful debts, the issue can become a disciplinary matter that can even lead to dismissal.

“The cutbacks that are right across the board are biting deeply into Garda ability to conduct front- line policing.

“You can’t expect us to crumble entirely in our facilities and abilities to do the job. We’re giving our blood, sweat and tears. Our people out there are being assaulted night after night... they’re being complained of, harassed and threatened — our people are being shot,” the GRA official added.

The GRA warned any notion of pay cuts would ultimately be tearing up the partnership agreement. There were ways of generating money rather than at the expense of men and women policing the frontline, he said.

The notion of changing pension systems was also rejected by the GRA.

Public sector pensions should have been taken into the equation during the last round of benchmarking, the GRA official added. Pension restrictions were already in place for some rank and file gardaí who had joined the force after 1995, it was added.

“We shouldn’t start to punish people who as yet haven’t come into the force,” Mr Stone argued.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors also met government officials yesterday but said no proposals had been put to the union about pay changes since the national pay agreement.