Gardaí angry over delay in overtime and allowances payments

Some gardaí are now calling for the payment anomaly to be fixed this week, ahead of when the wages are due to be paid on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

Anger has been expressed by gardaí that a significant amount of their wages will not be paid on time next week.

Overtime and allowances could make up to 2.5 times a member’s basic pay on average, with some earning significantly more, a source said.

“Some people have mortgages that they might miss payments on now. One person is getting married.

“People have bills going out at the time their wages come in, and some gardaí are now worried that this may affect their credit rating. Some are afraid they will not be able to pay their rent or childcare,” a Garda source said.

Some gardaí are now calling for the payment anomaly to be fixed this week, ahead of when the wages are due to be paid on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

If there’s a problem with wages, it should be rectified immediately.

“This is causing unnecessary financial pressure on members. I’m sure there’s a way it could be dealt with during the week," a source added.

A statement from An Garda Síochána said that every Garda member gets paid basic pay every week without fail, adding that Garda pay has not been suspended in any Garda district.

“Allowances (night duty, overtime etc…) are routinely paid either on week three or week four in any four-week pay period, depending on specific processing periods,” the statement said.

“Due to the processing timelines connected with the proximity of the two bank holiday weekends (St Patrick’s and Easter), allowances in some Garda districts will be paid in full on week four.”

However, a Garda source said that Easter is an expensive time for many members and there is anger that overtime and allowances will not be paid when they’re due.

It’s affecting morale.

“It’s not that we’re not getting paid, but it will be delayed for one week and it will have an impact on a certain number of members," one garda said.

Some of the impacted regions are South Dublin, West Dublin, and Kildare, but it may impact many more divisions, a Garda source said.

Overtime is frequently required by the realities of the job, they said.

If a garda is investigating a crime, or needs to attend court, or has to tell someone that a family member has died, but their shift has just ended, “you’re not just going to go home and wash your hands of it,” they said.

The overtime system is unnecessarily bureaucratic, time consuming, and unwieldy, with multiple supervisors having to sanction overtime before it can be claimed, one garda source said.

“Overtime is voluntary, but the amount of bureaucracy and administration it takes to submit it is ridiculous. The system is not built for purpose.”