Gardaí entitled to danger money ‘like prison officers'

A former detective garda has hit out at the lack of “danger money” for gardaí even though he claimed they are doing the same job of prison officers, who have shared in a €1m allowances for dealing with dangerous criminals.

Sean Lynch, now a Fianna Fáil councillor, has called for “danger pay” for gardaí, after it was revealed during the week how officers at Portlaoise Prison shared a €1m windfall in the so-called “environmental allowance” back pay.

Mr Lynch, who, as a key member of the armed force in Limerick helped crush many of the city’s notorious gangland crime lords, hit out at the government and garda management for leaving gardaí financially “high and dry”.