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9th January 2011
Mr Aengus Fanning
Editor
Sunday Independent
Independent House
27 – 32 Talbot Street
Dublin 1
Dear Mr Fanning
RE: Gardaí wll have almost half year off under deal (Sunday Independent 8/1/2012)
The article by Jim Cusack in last Sunday’s paper was misleading. The first sentence made a ridiculous, sensationalist assertion that ‘could see gardaí receive 174 days’ annual leave’. There was no mention that gardaí are required to work throughout weekends, bank and public holidays. Weekends and public holidays account for 113 days each year – but are not viewed as annual leave entitlements by anyone – except perhaps Mr Cusack?
Mr Cusack failed to acknowledge that the length of garda shifts will increase from eight to 10 hours in many cases –
and some standard weeks will see some gardaí working 60 hours for their basic salary. This core omission seriously skews the reality, leaving the reader the (false) perception that members of the Force are
having their working hours reduced. While everyone else in our community sleeps or enjoys their Christmas dinner, the country’s frontline public services remain on duty. This went unacknowledged in the
article.
Members of An Garda Síochána have an old adage in the form of an equation; R+2 = D because so many gardaí died within two
years of retirement as a direct consequence of working constantly rotating shifts that furthermore did not take account of additonal time needed to attend court nor compulsory additional working hours whenever
directed. Throughout the history of the Force, gardaí have worked unsocial and unhealthy rosters, which are now being addressed because they breach European Law. The new roster system is being designed to
redistribute staffing levels to meet the needs of Government and increasing crime while garda numbers are being drastically reduced to dangerous levels.
I trust you will address these issues now they have been brought to your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Damien McCarthy
President
Garda Representative Association
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