Gardaí challenge new rules on sick pay

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin made a sudden U-turn to include gardaí with other public servants in new sick leave regulations after a senior trade union official threatened to ballot their members, the High Court has heard.

Yesterday, in a legal challenge by the four bodies that represent members of An Garda Síochána, High Court President Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns was told members of the force had been informed they would be initially excluded from the new regulations.

As part of the new regulations, sick leave on full pay has been reduced from six months to three.