asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that police constables in England earn up to £1,000 per annum; and that there are no written language examinations for qualified persons; and if he will take steps to have the rates of pay of the Gardaí revised to bring them into line with those obtaining in Britain so that younger members of the Gardaí will not be forced by economic circumstances to leave the force to join the police forces in Britain, where they will enjoy more attractive remuneration and better working conditions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Pay.
14.
As I said in reply to a similar question on the 7th December, 1960, a scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for members of the Garda Síochána up to and including the rank of Chief Superintendent, which came into operation in June 1959, provides that all matters coming within the scope of the scheme will be dealt with exclusively through the machinery of the scheme. Such matters include claims and proposals relating to pay.
The present rates of pay of members of the Force covered by the scheme, which are contained in the Garda Síochána Pay Order, 1960, followed from the Government decision to give effect in full to the findings of the Arbitration Board which sat in April last to consider a claim for increases of pay.
May I ask the Minister, in view of the fact that advertisments have appeared in the daily newspapers asking for qualified persons to join the police in England at £1,000 a year, how he expects to get qualified persons to join here?
Applications for membership of the Garda Síochána are coming in now as fast as they ever did.
May I ask the Minister what objection he has to putting the Garda on the same financial standing as the English police?
I have no objection but there is an arbitration scheme for which they have campaigned since the establishment of the force. They have got it only recently and under that scheme they can seek what they think is best. If the arbitrator thinks their claim is reasonable it will be granted.
Does the Minister agree that the rate of pay should be £1,000?
Is there any evidence available to the Minister that, after being in the Garda Síochána for a year or two, members can leave here and join the English police and will not be required to undergo the training there that has been given to them by the Irish Government?
I shall be replying to another question in a moment and I shall give the answer to that.