Garda criticism of sick leave changes rejected

Minister Brendan Howlin and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have rejected criticism concerning their handling of a bid by the four Garda representative bodies to be excluded from changes to public sector workers sick pay entitlements.

The cost of sick pay generally in the public sector was estimated to have cost the State €500m in 2012.

Principal officer Louise McGirr, in a statement to the High Court, rejected claims the views of Impact’s general secretary Shay Cody should not have been taken into account when the minister decided the new regulations would be applied to members of the force.