Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, following intensive negotiations between the Government, the GRA and the AGSI, facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court issued a recommendation. In the case of individual members, the recommendation for the GRA and AGSI would provide extra remuneration of approximately €4,000 on average to a member of the service over the next 12 months through an increase in the value of the rent allowance by €500, bringing it to €4,655 per annum with effect from 1 January 2017, the integration of the rent allowance in the new amount of €4,655 into salary, with consequential increases in unsocial hours and overtime payments also with effect from 1 January 2017, and the introduction of a €15 premium payment per annual leave day to compensate for the uncertainty attaching to the taking of leave by gardaí and other recommendations. The Government has made it clear that it is committed to introducing legislative change to give the Garda associations the right of access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. On foot of the Labour Court recommendation, the GRA and AGSI agreed to defer the intended industrial action.

The Government fully respects the decision of the Labour Court as the independent industrial relations body of last resort in the State and agreed last week to accept its recommendation. The outcome of the process is now being examined in detail by all sides and it is hoped that it will form the basis for a final resolution of this dispute following the balloting of members of AGSI and the GRA in due course. Once the outcome of the ballots is known and if the proposals are accepted, the additional budgetary cost will be the subject of discussions between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In that regard, officials of both Departments have had an initial discussion on the issues. The Deputy will agree that what is most important at this juncture is that members of the AGSI and the GRA are afforded the time and space to give the Labour Court's recommendation the detailed consideration that it deserves.

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