Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
OVERTIME FOR MEMBERS of An Garda Síochána is to be capped across the country, it emerged tonight.
A new directive released to gardaí states that overtime is to be strictly restricted to budget going forward in a bid to stem costs.
The first five months of 2018 saw such work run over-budget in the force by nearly €12 million.
“Each district, division, and region must take measures to ensure that no overtime is approved which will exceed the relevant budgetary allocation in that roster,” a memo from the Garda executive states.
In the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), each member will see their overtime capped at 50 hours per roster (each of which runs roughly along the same lines as a calendar month).
“Only in exceptional circumstances and with the express permission of the divisional officer, subject to health and safety considerations/working time agreements, can a member exceed this 50 hour cap in any one roster,” a missive distributed to the DMR states.
It’s understood that the cap will see overtime denied for back office and administrative functions.
“Careful management of time and adttendance should take place to ensure that annual leave and rest days are not being taken to maximise overtime payments,” a memo from the Garda executive reads.
An Garda Síochána has been contacted for comment on this matter.
It emerged last December that one Garda was paid €68,641 in overtime for the first 11 months of 2017.
Almost €107 million was spent on Garda overtime in total for the first 10 months of last year.
In November 2017 it emerged that no overtime was to be allowed for gardaí whatsoever for the following December – however this plan was later backtracked upon after a deal was struck to pay for that overtime from the 2018 budget.
With reporting by Michelle Hennessy
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
This is disgraceful in light of the Trojan work the Gardai did in the Jastine Valdez and Ana Kreigel cases. I’d rather see free legal aid being capped for repeat offenders to save a few quid.
Cut politicians pay and ex-ministers pensions instead.
@David Huston: absolutely.
@David Huston: lock em up
@FrustratedASDMum: if you’re guilty you should foot the bill
Capping Garda overtime is not a good idea. The idea that overtime is by choice is not a reality. Rather the overtime is a necessity due to lack of proper resources being available to public. It’s cheaper and better to hire more Garda.
@Rory: that would mean common sense Rory. our lot don’t do that.
Yet some retired politicians can be paid around 3000 euro a week pension that are 75% funded by the taxpayer…take a bow Maire and Brian.
Meanwhile our politicians gave themselves another pension increase only about 3 weeks ago, and are soon to be off on their 3 month summer holidays!
They sure do take the biscuit these politicians, and what’s more shameful, loads of gombeens around the country turn a blind eye to their disgraceful behaviour and vote them back in in the elections. It’s an idiotic country we live in!
@Adrian: In the long run of things we are run by numptys for numptys. Had to rearrange the words for The Journal ‘happy speech checker’. Feel free to sub in words for ‘numptys’.
Sly move announcing this on the night of the referendum ………..
@gregory murphy: good day to bury bad news
It can’t work without it.
But sure aren’t they keeping us all safe?
Only for them we would be in serious trouble.
They do a great job and deserve the overtime.
surly 12m is not a lot in the grand scheme of things
@Leitrim303: When you consider what the state spent on that farce Irish water and also the PSC fiasco I’d have to say your correct….
@Leitrim303: the budget is being pushed up by the gangland threats. They still linger. Taking the foot off the pedal is foolish
@Michael Powell: Any government that runs us, it’s like a school, act first. Think later.
Serves them right , if Leo can’t have 5 million for a budget of 5-10 people , why should 13,000 Gardai have anything .
Restricting Garda overtime is like restricting The water Firefighters are allowed use to fight fires. Utterly stupid!!! Criminals don’t work 8-5 Monday to Friday. Investigations don’t stop on the clock. This is typical “Do it on the cheap” Policing by people that have never wore a uniform, walked a beat, informed a family of the death of a loved one, tackled a violent criminal or helped a victim of crime. Policing by Bean counters.
@Mick Jordan: I don’t think anyone thinks that criminal work 8-5 – but the 24 hour nature of the job should be reflected in the different shifts similar to what nurses do. Guards are more than adequately compensated with the average guard able to retire at 52 on a pension that would cost the private sector worker about €1.4m. I think that guards do an amazing job for the most part but the overtime budget does need to be reined in. It has gotten a little ridiculous and every time it is questioned it is taken as a criticism of the guards. It isn’t.
@Sean: Tell you what Sean. Apply to join the Gardai they are recruiting at the moment. You too then have the “Golden Pension” and Early Retirement. But remember you will have to spend thirty years dealing with the underbelly of society, attending incidents where bodies have been mutilated or burned beyond recognition,informing devastated parents their only child has been found raped and murdered, unarmed facing down armed criminals, investigating paedophile rings, assuring some 80 yr old who has had their life savings stolen in an aggravated burglary that they are safe.
@Sean: the reason the garda budget is so high is there is no other option.Hospitals get around nurse overtime by employing agency staff at greater expense.
@Michael Powell: People like Sean would the first and loudest to complain if they themselves needed the Garda, but due the cap on overtime were not swift enough to get to them and deal with their problem. It’s a case of “I’m alright Jack” until something happens then it’s “Where were the Gardai, I pay my taxes, this is not good enough”. What he doesn’t seem to comprehend is Gardai have days off, Annual Leave, are on Sick Leave from injuries sustained on duty, attending Court (much of which can be on their rostered off days), policing large events like the recent concerts, and doing such trivial things like investigating murders, rapes and robberies.
@Sean: Mathematical Poetry with them figures.
@Sean: Guards can’t retire at the age of 52, it’s 55 years of age.
@Sean: overtime is actually cheap policing. The government only pays extra when it’s needed and save have to employ extra police. Most guards don’t and won’t do any overtime.
@Sean: So so much wrong with that statement
A, Minumum retirement age is 55
B, Tha pension value going up with the days of the week it seems. Be 2 million in no time. Can you provide maths supporting this allegation? The reason I ask is because the people that are quoted for that number can themselves not produce the maths.
C, No the shifts cant cover because theres not enough Gardai. Sean, look around. 12,000 (they say 13 now but thats trainees and reserves) is nothing for a population over 5million and a jurisdiction the size of Ireland. Now take away the office staff and divide the remainder between 5 shifts. Now take training,leave, sickness, court and station duties into consideration. Its laughable how little Gardai are actually policing this country at night. Nurses FYI dont seek out patients and are also understaffed and pushing the overtime limits. Just like the prisons are, and the fire brigades and the national ambulance service.
Just take a look at Hungary, Spain, France, Germany, London, New York, LA, WAPOL, Portugal, Sweden or even Gibraltar. Gibraltar has more manpower per head of population and more resources FFS!
Double the police force and build more prisons. That’s what people want. Now people are not safe walking their own streets and no police on the beat. Forget all other projects like sports funding and deal with the crisis of people living in fear.
Hmmm, seems all we’ve heard is new resources, new recruits etc and now capping of overtime, seems mixed messages coming from dept of justice.
Hopefully the criminals while also abide by this memo…..
@Kerry Blake: * will
@Kerry Blake: surely an opportunity to set up a committee to investigate this, with say 15k top ups for any of our “fine” public representatives who might be interested.
Completely unrealistic.
Three serious murder enquiries this week, I cant see how detectives will be able to carry out a professional investigation, without working overtime.
Get their real employer the Maltese falcon to chip in…
One example of gaurds dragging out OT is the traffic management after GAA matches at stadiums all over the country. They cause more chaos than anything else slowing the traffic up
@Alana: how do you come to the conclusion they’re on overtime?
@Ohhh_reeally: wow name calling online. Very brave of you…
@Alana: Thats paid by the GAA and its hard to fit 80,000 people into a street designed for 8000 but sure, you know better
@Stephen Walsh: ya well I can hardly call round you pleb. You put idiotic statements on a public forum then you should expect to be called an idiot
@Ohhh_reeally: You use insulting words because your brain can’t think quick or smart enough. Obvious really. Go back to bed good chicken. You’ll need all your energy to sign on.
I can understand where people are coming from on this .
But someone being paid 63,000 in overtime
That nearly 2 more jobs for people
That the problem
@Kipper O Keeffe: Hows it a problem? Work the hours, get the pay.
I feel sorry for that person, either needs to work those hours or will be dead before he can spend it.
Life is short, work to live not live to work
Great decision. I feel so confident now that the crime rate will drop. I can also be assured that I can walk around my city without fear of random assault. The crime statistics say the opposit, but what relevance do they have really.
This ovetspend is as a result of the botched pay deal.
Overtime payments were given disguised as a Pay rise./ restoration.
This money came out of the overall budget, AGS wasn’t given any extra money to pay for the pay restoration.
@mike: Ah, no, it wasnt
not at all
not one bit
It would be justifiable if the Overtime was Worked not Cooked .
@Seosamh Snr Nolan: explain please
I’d rather pay for Garda overtime than some fake USC tax to cover illegitimate European debts and a fleet of 182 Audis. Just saying. Like.
How much of that EARNED overtime was taken back by the tax man, they won’t mention that
They are doing (or claiming for) ridiculous amounts of overtime as soon as they were able to claim for it again. Never see them on the streets doing their job though. A few acting as full time security for drug dealers at the expense of the taxpayer.
Not to mention working 20 years and geting a full pension.
Should ban overtime and hire more gardai if there is demand.
@Stephenkee: wow its gone from 30 years to get a pension to 20 years…please post the link that shows a Garda can retire on full pension after 20 years…
@SFLounyTouny: Yeah was typo. 30 years. That is early 50s in most cases.
Marginal tax rate for public service employees is 62.5%. so from the 107m the net cost was 40.125m. Averaged out over 12000 stands at €3344 per person per year or net €65 per week.
@Dec OR: Yeah but don’t let the facts get in the way of a good, bitter rant over front line public service employees’ pay and retirement benefits.
I’d rather scrap the outrageous salaries of the politicians and use that to fund the police service and train them properly to deal with the rising crime in this country.
It’s the public that vote in the politicians…
@Rory: Yeah , but it’s the politicians who lie through their back teeth .
Are you aware that what you’re saying is , we need a revolution .
ah God this is terrible news, the poor guards God help them, sure ya wouldn`t begrudge them an extra few quid, what is the world coming to atall atall, surer they are all Mother Theresa`s every last one of dem , poor souls, the only thing is to have a collection for them, pub quizes , fun runs , sleep in`s that sort of thing, anything to help out maybe a live aid style concert in crocker ? people pledge donations etc/
Shameful.
Just deband and start all over
A great day for the criminal fraternity of Ireland.
Absolute joke. Disgraceful watch crime grow but not in certain areas. If my child is harmed from this I will come after the Queen responsible
have your say