Vol. 5 No. 8
asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will issue a statement showing:—
(a) The strength of the Gárda Síochána.
(b) The salaries of the officers and men, terms of employment, pension rights, etc.
(c) The strength of the old R.I.C. in the area now known as Saorstát Eireann, in 1914.
(d) The salaries of the R.I.C. officers and men, terms of employment, pension rights, etc., in 1914.
The strength of the Gárda Síochána on the 27th October, 1923, was:—
1 Commissioner,
1 Deputy Commissioner,
1 Assistant Commissioner,
1 Surgeon,
16 Chief Superintendents,
28 Superintendents,
69 Inspectors,
814 Sergeants,
3824 Guards. — Total, 4755.
In addition, there are 28 Cadets in training.
The rates of pay at present in operation are:—
Commissioner—£1,300 per annum.
Deputy Commissioner—£1,000 per annum.
Assistant Commissioner—£900 per annum.
Surgeon—£700 per annum.
Chief Superintendents—£650—25— £800 per annum.
Superintendents—£400—20—£600 per annum.
Inspectors—£310—10—£360 per annum.
Sergeants—£5 per week, with annual increments of 2/- per week to £5 12s. 0d.
Guards—£3 10s. 0d. per week, with annual increments of 2/- per week to £4 10s. 0d. per week.
Cadets are receiving pay at the rate of £5 per week.
The foregoing rates are, in all cases, subject to a deduction of 2½ per cent. as a contribution towards pension.
These rates were authorised in April, 1922, as a temporary arrangement. Prior to the passing of the Gárda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923, all appointments to the Force were on a temporary basis. Under the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of that Act, the powers of appointment and dismissal are vested, as to officers, in the Executive Council, and, as to Sergeants and Guárds, in the Commissioner. Section 9 of that Act conferred on the Minister for Home Affairs, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, the power of making a Pension Order for the Force. Such Order, before coming into operation, would require to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and approved by resolution of Dáil Eireann. The making of a Pension Order is being deferred pending the passing of permanent legislation for the regulation of the Force. It is proposed to introduce a Bill for this purpose at an early date.
As none of the R.I.C. records were transferred to the Irish Government, it is not possible to furnish strictly accurate figures showing the strength of that Force in 1914. The following figures may, however, be taken as an approximately accurate estimate of strength on the 1st January, 1914, exclusive of those stationed in the Six North-East Counties, viz.:—
|
1 |
Inspector General, |
|
|
1 |
Deputy Inspectors General, |
|
|
2 |
Assistant Inspectors Gen eral, |
|
|
1 |
Commandant of Depot, |
|
|
1 |
Barrack Master, |
|
|
1 |
Surgeon, |
|
|
30 |
County Inspectors, |
|
|
163 |
District Inspectors, |
|
|
179 |
Head Constables, |
|
|
1587 |
Sergeants and Acting Ser geants, |
|
|
5893 |
Constables. |
|
|
Total, |
7859 |
The rates of pay for the various ranks in 1914 were:—
Inspector General—£1,500 p.a., rising to £1,800 p.a. after 5 years.
Deputy Inspector General—£1,000 p.a., rising to £1,200 p.a. after 5 years.
Assistant Inspector-General—£700—25 —£800 per annum.
Commandant of Depot—£600 p.a.
Barrack Master—£400 p.a.
Surgeon—£400 p.a.
County Inspectors—£350—20—£450 per annum.
District Inspectors—£135 per annum, rising to £300 p.a. (In addition, good service pay varying from £12 to £50 p.a. was paid to a limited number of County and District Inspectors.)
Head Constables—£109 4s. 0d. to £119 12s. 0d. per annum.
Sergeants—£91 to £96 4s. 0d. per an.
Acting Sergeants—£85 16s. 0d. per annum.
Constables with more than 6 months' service—£59 16s. 0d. to £80 12s. 0d. per annum.
Constables under 6 months service— £52 per annum.
The rates of pay were increased in 1916, and again in 1918, and finally in 1919. Rates based on the rates prescribed by the Desborough Committee in England were authorised for the R.I.C.
The grant of pensions to members of the R.I.C. was governed by a number of statutes, the more important of which, in 1914, were the Constabulary and Police (Ireland) Act, 1883, and the Constabulary (Ireland) Act, 1908.
The pension terms were considerably improved by the R.I.C. Pensions Order, 1922.
Will the Minister give me the bulk sum of both, and the totals so that I could make a comparison of the totals for (b) and the total for (d)?
I have the individual items set out here, the pay for each rank, both in the case of the Civic Guard and of the R.I.C., but I have not made up the tot, and I am not in a position at the moment to give the tot to the Deputy, but the answer sets out the matter in full, and that will be circulated to the Press and given to Deputies.
