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”.

”When a garda puts on a uniform they are a target by criminals. The respect for the gardaí is gone,” he said.

“They have to wear stab vests when they go out to work and they are on the minimum wage.

“There’s no doubt [gardaí] are struggling,” he added.

Mr Lynch said he “cannot understand” how prison officers are entitled to such allowances and gardaí are not, even though gardaí assist with prison escorts.

“Gardaí have to escort dangerous people from jail to court. Why should they be doing that?

“It’s the job of a prison officer. It’s putting the lives of gardaí in danger,” Mr Lynch said.

“There are unarmed, uniformed gardaí, escorting dangerous prisoners who have committed murder and the like, to and from courts everyday around the country,” he said.