Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When the pay deal was agreed in November 2016 and the strike was averted, everyone assumed that the deal would include all ranks within An Garda Síochána, as had happened in all previous agreements. Mr. Horgan completed the report focusing on industrial relations procedures and recommendations and everyone assumed that the pay deal, as agreed, would apply to all ranks. It then appeared that there were agreed reports drafted for each of the different Garda associations and this led to the requirement for an agreed report for superintendents and chief superintendents. Those two ranks raised the matter with the previous Minister for Justice and Equality and, I understand, were given assurances that it would be sorted out. They were subsequently told it would be sorted at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, on the fringes of new talks. The WRC facilitated the discussions and departmental officials from the Departments of Justice and Equality and Public Expenditure and Reform agreed to extend the terms of the pay deal in full to the ranks of superintendents and chief superintendents. All of the payments were designed to ensure that they did not impact the Lansdowne Road agreement. Subsequently, the Department seems to have reneged on this agreement and is now denying the superintendents and chief superintendents the pay rise everyone assumed they were going to receive.

I note the Minister stated he is keen to resolve this issue but he should note that everyone assumed at the time that this pay rise and the pay deal would apply to all ranks. What we do not want to happen is that any pay rise for An Garda Síochána would be limited to some ranks, which would make industrial relations within the force even more difficult in the future.

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