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Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Just 49 gardaí have applied for the €36,000 career break

Last month, senior officers complained that the scheme could impact manpower.

FEWER THAN 50 junior members of An Garda Síochána have applied for the incentivised career break offered to them last month.

Just 49 applications for the scheme had been received by the Garda Commissioner by close of business on 11 April.

However, rank-and-file gardaí do have more time as the closing date is not until 31 May.

Minister Alan Shatter says it is “not possible to predict” the level of interest until that date.

The three-year career break could be worth up to €36,000 for younger members of the force. Successful applicants will receive an annual payment of €12,000 or a lump sum of 75 per cent of gross pay and allowances (up to €30,000).

Officers can apply for a variety of reasons, including foreign travel, further education or other employment opportunities.

Commentary in media reports last month indicated that the scheme was not welcomed by senior officers as it could impact manpower.

However, in a response to a parliamentary question, the Minister dismissed such claims. He said:

The operation of the incentivised career break scheme is subject to the operating requirements of An Garda Síochána not being significantly adversely affected and I am informed that applications will be considered in that context.

It is understood that officers with particular skills or those who work in high demand areas would be refused entrance into the scheme.

Currently, there are 13,000 gardaí working in Ireland with plans to recruit a further 300 in train.

Last year, the Western Australian Police force began a campaign to recruit trained officers from the UK and Ireland to fill vacant roles.

Read: 20,000 people apply for jobs in An Garda Síochana

More: There are 359 departmental staff currently on career breaks

Related: Australian police force poaching trained gardaí

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44 Comments
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    Mute aboutallthethings
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    Apr 19th 2014, 7:41 AM

    Between the €36k incentive and the Oz lads looking for our cops, I really can’t see how the Gardai who are single / no real ties here, will stay. As a public sector worker, if this incentive was available to my fellow work mates and I, there wouldn’t be many if us left!!

    On that note, is this incentive only available to the Gardai?

    Happy weekend to you all, I’m off to work. Enjoy the sun ye feckers :)

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    Mute James O Donoghue
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    Apr 19th 2014, 1:48 PM

    Well the problem with the western oz police is if a guard has more then 7 years service here no matter what age the they will not accept you. The vast vast vast majority of guards have more then that. As for this lump sum its probably taxed to bit too

    17
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Apr 19th 2014, 5:54 PM

    They upped it to 10 years for this recruitment drive.

    3
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    Mute Neil Mason
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:40 AM

    Dont let the smoke and mirrors of this fool you or the public. They are rejecting the majority of applications . Most of them are not even getting past the supers desk, friend had to come home from canada as he had it all agreed then the pulled the plug last minute as it was going through and threatened him with marching orders if he didnt come home. Absolute joke how they treat young members of the force. Disgrace.

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    Mute Keith Wizzy
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    Apr 19th 2014, 12:56 PM

    Agreed. Witnessed a similar fiasco in Social Work with the HSE. Though there was absolutely no financial package offered if successful. You wouldn’t believe the percentage of social workers who attempt carer break and you couldn’t blame them.

    22
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    Mute Joseph O'Regan
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    Apr 19th 2014, 7:42 AM

    A force that is stretched to the limit, hit by corruption and out of touch minister offering badly needed officers leave of absence. Not sure if I’m missing something here!

    241
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    Mute TOP CAT
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:06 AM

    Any chance that Gob*&*&* Alan Shatter would take a permnaent career break?…..

    228
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Apr 19th 2014, 7:59 AM

    Paying people not to work, sure it’s the Irish way

    166
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    Mute Marlon Major
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:15 AM

    I agree! Why should we be paying for their “Career Break”?

    If they are on good standing and there is a college degree that will supplement their job and would benefit gardai. .. Then should pay for their education. Many people work and enhance their education at the same time. Why should the gardai be any different?

    If they want to travel… Let them quit the force and go on holiday.

    I believe this benefit is a waste of money and is supported by the tax payers of this country. If the officer don’t like their job, then they should quit the force.

    120
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    Mute Maggie may
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:24 AM

    The purpose is to cut the pay bill for the next 3 years. It was offered in the hse last year but only was agreed for admin staff all front line staff were refused as it would impact services.

    119
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:27 AM

    Ah well that’s ok then, I thought they were paying people not to work, my mistake

    56
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    Mute Gary Brennan
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:14 AM

    When ya do the maths it’s actually not much more a week than a social welfare payment. It’s about €230 a week. I know people that never worked a day in their life getting a lot more every week in social welfare and any way as another poster state did be surprised if 10 front line guards get approved for it countrywide, it’s purely a cost cutting exercise as far as I can see

    111
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:41 AM

    Totally agree Marlon- no way would you see this in the private sector.

    22
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    Mute Gerard Hall
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    Apr 19th 2014, 10:46 AM

    Thats another department I believe…

    18
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    Mute Joe Keaveny
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    Apr 19th 2014, 11:49 AM

    Who’d want to be a guard anyway…this must be the only country where dirtbirds have more rights than the police or indeed normal hard-working citizens.

    109
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    Mute Ian Campbell
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:41 AM

    36k over 3 years…..12k a year. unless the person is single and has no mortgage and can get another job no one will take this option. It’s halfing the wage bill per year for some garda and it’s reducing it by more than 70% for others per year but that’s if they take it. Private sector and the public are all for Haddington road and all for reducing the wages of civil servants and have them working for more hours and for less money and when a deal is brought in to really cut the wage bill like this people still have a problem. It’s one or the other

    82
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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:20 AM

    Hey, career breaks what a complete insult to the private sector workers. Sinead, I suggest you investigate this career break “incentive” throughout the complete public service and see how many are on paid career breaks at the moment. The work ethic for some employees within these groups leaves a lot to be desired I’m afraid and the level of laziness is shocking and some not all would not last 5 minutes if they had to actually work.

    75
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    Mute jason bourne
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:25 AM

    Wow, so much drivel in one little comment! I’ve a great idea why don’t I stoke up the flames on the auld public v private sector argument. Get in your time machine and return to 2011 please.

    191
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:30 AM

    Most people in the Public sector work very hard, some don’t. Most people in the private sector work very hard, some don’t.

    265
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    Mute Marlon Major
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:46 AM

    Another difference between private sector workers and public sector workers. .. Is that, if you don’t do your job or are lazy… You are fired. You loose your job. In the public sector, you can be lazy or inept in your job… And all that happens. .. Is that you’ll be passed along.

    Yes there are hard and lazy working people in both sectors… But it is the public sector that my taxes go to support.

    What’s wrong with striving effective, efficient and quality services and staffing in the public sector? We pay for it!

    51
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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:54 AM

    Hey, no doubt about it some work extremely hard and for little or know thanks but the ones who don’t get fired when caught out in the private sector and in doing so protecting the company and the jobs of their colleagues. This is not the case in the public sector!
    It’s pretty simple…
    Work ….. Get paid.
    Work hard ….. Get paid better.
    Don’t work…… Don’t get paid.
    Can’t work ….. Get taken care of.
    Take a career break……. No problem but don’t get paid as well.

    22
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    Mute Pat Mustard
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:57 AM

    I worked on the public service once, years ago when I finished college. I could not get over how little work that was done, I came in as a clerical officer for one year to cover someone and was doing my job and that of an assistant staff officer as well who was out on maternity. Even having the jobs of two staff I still barely had enough to do over a 5 day period and often had to pretend I was doing work to look busy. I noticed this with every other staff member in there, they did sweet f*ck all most of the time.

    This was the only time I worked in the public service and I will never forget it, as it was the easiest and most laid back job I ever done, with the laziness of some staff knowing no bounds. Of course this was administration, and obviously front line public service do a great job, but this attitude was endemic back then and I wonder has it changed much since the early 00′s.

    50
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    Mute Sean Costello
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:58 AM

    Yawn. Do public service workers not pay taxes as well? You should take up the “your taxes” thing with the government. They’re spending a hell of a lot more of “your taxes” on repaying bondholders than public servants. They’re paying a hell of a lot more of your taxes to give tax breaks to multinational corporations. They use your money so that shell, statoil et al can write off every cent it costs to make corrib operational. But hey, it’s much easier to attack other workers.

    134
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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:04 AM

    Hey, there’s nobody attacking the works here. Workers are what makes this Country but it’s the none working employees that are helping to break this country. They are a bit like the insurance fraudsters I suppose taking money out of yours and mine pockets!

    15
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    Mute Sarah Jane Colhoun Scally
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    Apr 19th 2014, 12:30 PM

    So go work in the public sector if you feel theyre so much better off. what is the point of arguing over who’s hardest working. id rather tackle the issue of tds and govt in the country than the entire public sector.

    27
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    Mute Martin Stapleton
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    Apr 20th 2014, 12:15 AM

    So it would seem that the majority are in favour of continued paid career breaks for our civil servants. I look forward to someone explaining the logic of this to me. Good night!

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    Mute Adam Graham
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:50 AM

    I’d say it’d be career suicide to take this break. Unless you’re planning to leave, retiring or are only in the door this wouldn’t be a great option.

    35
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    Mute Martin Coyle
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:10 AM

    What about a 3year break for our government and all Tds in Dail? That would save loads more money.

    23
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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:39 AM

    I saw my arm off(well not really) if I was offered such a break. To get 3 days off in my god forsaken money maker would be party time.
    And no take up, guess It’s personally more gratifying to surf the pulse system or play cards with a few tins and Doritos in the back of the paddy at 3 am whilst being nicely paid…pffft

    21
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Apr 19th 2014, 12:07 PM

    Funnily enough I didn’t see Doritos scattered all over the road in Cork yesterday when a garda was deliberately knocked off his bike.

    There was a pipe bomb left outside a garda’s house this week as well, can’t see why anyone might want to get out of that job.

    50
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:40 AM

    Why do they need to incentivise. The incentive is that there’s a job waiting for you when you come back.
    Why not see how many go for it without incentives and then see what adjustment they need and apply retrospectively to those that left in the first wave.

    9
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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Apr 19th 2014, 11:13 AM

    Can those red thumbing explain why the law of supply and demand shouldn’t apply here?

    5
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    Mute Marlon Major
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    Apr 19th 2014, 11:23 AM

    I agree with you Peter!

    4
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    Mute Eagle eye
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    Apr 19th 2014, 3:28 PM

    I believe that 36k is pre-tax and would be significantly less in the hand. It’s pittance unless you have another form of income

    8
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    Mute Straighttalker
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    Apr 19th 2014, 2:13 PM

    Shatter is a fool and a control freak he’s trying to leave his mark on everything he can, and he’s making a complete mess of everything the clown needs to go now before he does anymore damage

    8
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    Mute Trevor Beacom
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:13 AM

    That career break is more then my salery. Ill gladly take it

    6
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    Mute Ian Campbell
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:40 AM

    You work in a full time job that pays less than 12k per year???? I smell lies my friend. Minimum wage at 40hr per week is 16k

    74
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    Mute Trevor Beacom
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:46 AM

    My apologies i hadn’t read that it was over three years. Thats dole money they are being asked to take.

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    Mute Anastasia Morley
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:49 AM

    The test that was for getting in the Garda who done it because you got so far and then just got an email to say you failed ??????

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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Apr 19th 2014, 8:51 AM

    Nope, not a clue.

    37
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    Mute Dawn Keeballs
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:06 AM

    I can see why

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    Mute Breda Claffey
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    Apr 19th 2014, 9:15 AM

    Wat?

    25
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    Mute Montys Moonshine
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    Apr 19th 2014, 12:27 PM

    Failed miserably I’d wager.

    12
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    Mute George Grey
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    Apr 19th 2014, 3:51 PM

    Lunacy, sheer lunacy. Paying people for career breaks! Utterly bewildered by the logic of such a scheme.

    4
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