Further support for public service reform

Middle-ranking gardaí and senior civil servants have become the latest groups to vote in favour of accepting the Haddington Road Agreement on public service reform.

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants, which represents 2,650 senior civil servants 64% in favour of acceptance. It had previously comprehensively rejected the Croke Park II terms.

The union’s general secretary Dave Thomas said the new agreement was a modest improvement on the provisions of Croke Park and went some away towards addressing the “manifest inequalities” of the latter.

The vote in favour of the HRA by the Association of Gardaí Sergeants and Inspectors was even more comprehensive at 93%.

Meanwhile, in the face of almost blanket support for the HRA Unite trade union which rejected the agreement in its vote, it has decided to re-ballot its public sector members with recommendation for acceptance.

The union executive said it fears its members will be unfairly disadvantaged if they do not sign up to the terms.