asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that the pay and allowances of Gardaí are not adequate; and what steps he is taking to improve them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pay and Allowances of Gardaí.
37.
I do not accept that the pay and allowances of Gardaí are not adequate.
The Garda Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme, established by the Government in consultation with the Garda Representative Bodies, deals with claims relating to pay and allowances and the Scheme provides that matters coming within the scope of the Scheme are to be dealt with exclusively through the machinery of the Scheme.
All the recommendations of the Conciliation Council have been accepted in full by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Finance. Similarly, the Government has accepted in full all the findings of the Arbitration Board.
Might I ask the Minister if he is aware, as he must be from evidence, that the Garda pay does not measure up to the needs of the moment? Will he tell me if there is not pending any consideration by his Department of any claim in this direction at the present time?
In 1966-67 the rates of pay of all ranks were covered in the way those cases are usually determined by arbitration. The conciliation and arbitration have a continuing procedure worked out by agreement between the Government and the Garda Representative Bodies. They process all pay through this machinery.
Does the Minister not agree that the pay and allowances of those men are not adequate?
(Interruptions.)
I have heard the Representative Bodies.
The Minister is not a trade unionist and does not know anything about unions. He is not any judge of what a trade union is and he has no right to offer any opinion on this.