MEDIA: “Time is right for Govt to give Gardaí pay rise”

IN THE MEDIA

Breakingnews.ie reports on the AGSI 2015 Annual Delegate Conference

The head of the AGSI says the public would not raise an eyebrow if Gardaí were given a pay rise.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors holds its annual conference in County Meath today, where it is expected that salaries will top the agenda.

Public service pay has been slashed by 14% since the financial crash and Gardaí say the Government promised to end the cut backs once the economy turned the corner.

General Secretary of the AGSI, John Redmond, says the time is right now to raise pay in the force.

Mr Redmond said: “If it was a different time, I would say that eyebrows would be raised. The time is right now. It is seven years since the emergency occurred.

“Everybody has suffered, whilst 14% was taken from our pay, I wouldn’t expect that we are going to get 14% back straight away.

“But I do think that the Government is going to have to accept that the emergency is over and have to make some gesture.”