Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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53. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated first year and full year cost of the proposed agreement with the Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors set out by the Labour Court on 3 November 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34059/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, following intensive negotiations between the Government, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court last Thursday issued a recommendation in relation to the dispute. On foot of this the GRA and AGSI agreed to defer the intended industrial action for last Friday to facilitate a ballot of their membership. This was a very welcome decision by the Garda associations and has ensured that a full policing service remains in place. The Associations have also now deferred the further three days of industrial action planned for this month.

The Government fully respects the decision of the Labour Court as the independent industrial relations body of last resort in the State and yesterday agreed to accept the recommendation of the Labour Court. 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.

The independent recommendation of the Labour Court seeks to address the concerns that have been articulated by the representative bodies in relation to their pay and conditions including of new recruits, and their access to the statutory dispute resolution bodies. The nature of the Labour Court's recommendation is such that some of the cost of the implementation of the proposals, if they are accepted by the members of AGSI and the GRA, depend on the amount of overtime worked in any year. That said, I am advised that, depending on a number of variables, the estimated gross annual cost of implementing the Labour Court Recommendation could exceed €50m; however, this gross cost will be offset by statutory deductions for tax, PRSI, etc., which will reduce the net Exchequer cost.

It is important now that members of AGSI and the GRA are afforded the time and space to give the Labour Court's recommendation the detailed consideration that it deserves.