“Today marks the end of Croke Park and social partnership,” says John Redmond, General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors.
Redmond was reacting to media reports this lunchtime that Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, T.D. intends to push for new cost reductions in the public sector in 2013.
AGSI represents over 2,000 higher ranking Gardai at Sergeant and Inspector rank.
“Further cuts to public sector pay is outside the Croke Park Agreement. To date Croke Park has saved over €1.5 billion and our members have played their part. While Minister Howlin suggests that a new round of cuts will be ‘above the terms of Croke Park’, I’m afraid AGSI beg to differ.
“Our pay has already been cut by a massive amount over the past 36 months – 7% general pay cut, 5% pay allowances cut, 25% reduction in travel and subsistence, 5% levy from universal social charge. This is against the backdrop of a 10% reduction in Garda numbers and an increase in working hours from eight to 10 hour days.
“Our members will not be silenced on this latest attack to public sector workers. We will stand tall in the face of unpalatable pay reductions which will further impact on morale within an already stretched force,” says Redmond.
Currently there are 39 reforms happening within an Garda Síochána under the GRACE Programme (Garda Reform in a Changing Environment) and John Redmond asks, “what else do Government want us to do? Policing is undergoing significant reform and our members are working through this.”
Members of AGSI will consider joining the Pre-Budget National Anti-Austerity Protest taking place in Dublin on Saturday 24th November.
Download and listen to John Redmond’s interview on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 here…
Read Irish Times article here….
John Redmond’s was also interviewed on RTE television’s lunchtime news.
John is featured at 12 minutes 16 seconds.
Download an article in the Evening Herald here.
