Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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150. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to increase pay rates for members of An Garda Síochána (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38859/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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New trainee Gardaí receive a basic allowance of €184 per week plus a living allowance of €77.92. After 32 weeks of training, Garda recruits are attested and move on to the first point of the Garda pay scale €23,171 rising to a maximum of €45,793 per annum after 19 years. The Garda pay scale does not include any allowances and does not reflect the full earnings of a Garda. Newly attested Gardaí are assigned to frontline duties and work the Garda Roster which attracts unsocial hours payments. Such payments amount to between 25% and 30% of their earnings. Even at the entry level of €23,171 and the lower end of unsocial hours scale, this will add almost €5,800 to their salary.

As the Deputy will be aware my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, has brought forward the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015. I welcome the fact that this Bill starts the process of the phased restoration of remuneration to public servants, including members of An Garda Síochána. The Bill provides inter alia, for any public servant whose annualised salary is below €24,001 to receive an increase in gross pay of 2.5% from 1 January 2016; and for those on annualised salaries between €24,001 and €31,000 to receive an increase in gross pay of 1% from 1 January 2016. Additionally, all public servants will benefit from the Pension Related Deduction (PRD) measures contained in the Bill.