Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

One of the allowances payable to new gardaí has been abolished. In replies to parliamentary questions I have indicated that it is not my intention to see it restored. We had a considerable debate about there being too many allowances, a debate to which I believe the Deputy contributed. We now have a more rational pay structure.

For example, substitution is subsumed into teachers' core work and should be remunerated accordingly rather than as an add-on payment. We are introducing remarkable and groundbreaking change in An Garda Síochána. The Minister for Justice and Equality is establishing a new Garda authority, the chairperson of which has been named. This is something for which I have campaigned for a decade and I am glad to see it happening. We have a considerable number of good people in An Garda Síochána who want reform and to do things differently. The report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate showed a great many shortcomings that need to be addressed.

See this speech in context