Plea over compensation delay for injured gardaí

Gardaí injured in the line of duty are waiting up to six years for compensation, a conference heard today.

The delay is being blamed on a shortage of medical officers to assess injuries and the need to obtain certificates from the Department of Justice.

The Garda Representative Association, which represents 9,500 rank-and-file members, said the delay was unacceptable.

“The members of An Garda Siochana being injured on duty are entitled to compensation. A period of waiting for up to six years is not good enough,” said Garda John Healy from Letterkenny station in Donegal.

Injured gardai must wait up to two years for an appointment with a medical officer, and then obtain a ‘serious injury’ certificate from the Department of Justice before they can lodge a claim under the Garda compensation scheme.

At the annual conference in Kerry today, Garda Bob Ryan from Anglesea Street station in Cork proposed that the GRA should have its own medical advisor.

“We have a member in Cork city who was injured in the ramming of an official car. He was out for 12 months and ordered by the Garda surgeon to resume duty for four hours a day, three days a week,” he said.

“He did but because of his injuries, he was unable to continue.”

Garda Donal Flannery from the Garda College spoke in favour of the motion to demand a second medical officer.

He said there was a need for more support from Garda management for gardai who were traumatised by attending the scenes of fatal road accidents and suicides.

“There are colleagues out there working every day, suffering mental problems such as stress and depression,” he said.

Delegates voted in favour of a motion to demand the appointment of a second Garda medical officer.

Garda Paul Browne, the head of the GRA’s legal sub-committee, said there were many gardai who had to retire from the force due to the injuries they received.

“A member went to a house with another garda and there was a domestic incident. The husband just got violent and he pushed the member over the table. He hurt something so badly in his back that he could never walk again,” he said.

Mr Browne said a tribunal would soon be set up for minor injuries, which are currently not covered under the Garda Compensation Scheme.

“If it’s classed as a non-serious injury, you cannot be compensated. Members are injured on a nightly basis around the country in minor scuffles and while arresting people. So we’re working very hard on that,” he said.

According to a GRA survey last year, 83% of gardaí had been exposed to situations were physical assault was likely and 57% had been exposed to situations were needle stick injuries were likely.