THE IMPACT of income levies and additional taxes is so extreme on trainee gardaí they have less disposable income than people on the dole and are falling into serious debt, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said.
GRA president Michael O’Boyce said because the age limit for joining the force had been increased to 36, many trainees entering the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, are now older people with mortgages and young families.
They were taking home €150 per week and were being forced into borrowing significantly to survive while training. They would graduate in a “new environment” where the income they thought was secure was greatly reduced.
“It’s an expensive business, becoming a guard,” Mr O’Boyce said at the opening of the GRA’s annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry. “Many young gardaí I’ve spoken to are seriously considering whether they can stay in the job. There are a number of young guards who have less [disposable] money to live on on a weekly basis than those on unemployment benefit.”
Morale was slipping and the new taxes and levy regime to come into effect on May 1st would make things worse, particularly for young members. The same issues were encouraging senior members to take early retirement because continuing to work once they were entitled to a pension was a much less attractive proposition.
The GRA represents all rank and file gardaí, some 12,000 in a force of over 14,000 members.
GRA vice president Damien McCarthy said young gardaí at the bottom of the pay scale had been left with a sense of “shock and demoralisation”.
The economy would not be helped into recovery by targeting young gardaí at the front line of policing with income, health and pension levies.
“A large percentage of our young members are in financial difficulties who didn’t foresee this happening when they signed up to the job. They are now left dealing with a very serious situation.”
Gardaí entering the force had never been under the impression that the economy would negatively impact their remuneration. Pay scales that “had been set in stone” had now been changed.
Gardaí with mortgages on fixed rates were suffering worst and “feel hard done by”. Many of these were now in negotiations with their lenders about how they were going to meet their repayments.
The association’s general secretary, PJ Stone, said when the pension levy was being introduced, gardaí were in a position where they felt they almost had to apologies for having a job and pension.
Many public and private-sector workers dealing with the consequences of levies and additional taxes were able to seek part-time work to supplement their incomes. Gardaí were not permitted to do this. The force had also been excluded from all pay talks.
“In 2009, to leave people excluded from any type of negotiations that relates to their pay and conditions of employment; not only is it morally wrong, it’s morally unjust.” Gardaí, who were at the front line in dealing with violence and often risked their lives, should be treated fairly, he said.
Delegates are set to debate a range of motions around retaining their remuneration at a time when they say their work is becoming more complex and violent. Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern will address delegates today.
