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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Pay.

William Cotter

Ceist:

14 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Justice if he will establish a special commission on Garda pay as sought by the Garda Representative Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

It might be helpful to the House if I were to describe briefly the current mechanism for dealing with pay in the Garda Síochána.

After long and detailed discussions some years back with the associations which represent the various ranks in the Garda Síochána, the present Garda conciliation and arbitration scheme was put in place. The scheme provides for a Conciliation Council and an Arbitration Board which may deal with pay claims on behalf of members of all ranks up to and including the rank of chief superintendent. The scheme is similar to other schemes operating elsewhere in the public service and provides for the direct participation of representatives of the Minister for Finance in negotiations under the scheme.

The scheme works well and the associations have had marked success in pursuing pay claims under it. Since I January 1988, the associations have secured pay increases for their members of the order of 23 per cent. Over the same period, incidentally, the rise in the consumer price index was about 14.3 per cent. Furthermore, the Government are committed under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress to conceding further pay increases to the Force of the order of 13 per cent between now and the end of 1993, including special increases totalling 6 per cent which were also negotiated by the associations on behalf of their members. Between 1 January 1988 and the end of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress period the cumulative increase in Garda pay will be nearly 40 per cent.

In these circumstances, I see no need for a special commission to consider Garda pay and I do not propose to establish one.

It is my information that the Garda are not entirely happy with the present situation. They believe that the present conciliation and arbitration scheme is extremely cumbersome and slow and does not deal with many of the items about which they are concerned. Unlike other groups, they do not have the right to strike and they believe their pay and conditions are not on a par with other sectors of the public service. While I accept that all their grievances may not stand up, I imagine the issue of certain allowances——

I am very sorry to interrupt the Deputy. I am most anxious to facilitate him in eliciting information, but we must proceed at Question Time by way of supplementary question. I have to dissuade the Member from making statements tantamount to speech making.

Thank you, a Ceann Comhairle. In these circumstances, would the Minister not reconsider the position so that justice can be seen to be done and set up a special commission or arbitration board to look at every aspect of Garda pay, which is not possible under the present conciliation and arbitration scheme?

I have answered that already.

Let us proceed to Question No. 15.

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