Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 1 December 2016, if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the reply. [39386/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the decision by Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors members to accept the recommendation of the Labour Court which sought to address the concerns that have been articulated in relation to their pay and conditions, the pay and conditions of new recruits, and their access to the statutory dispute resolution bodies.

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

In making its recommendation the Court acknowledged the uncertainty that Garda members face in availing of approved annual leave due to the requirement to attend Court even at short notice when on annual leave, resulting in the cancellation of their leave and any plans they may have made. To compensate for the uncertainty attaching to the taking of annual leave by members of An Garda Síochána the Recommendation provides for a payment of a €15 premium payment per annual leave day to the ranks of Garda, Sergeant and Inspector on commencement of the next leave year. The implementation of this is to be agreed among all parties. The recommendation also provides for:

- the restoration of the rent allowance of €4,155 per annum to new recruits as of the date of acceptance, the 5 December;

- 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;

- the implementation of a long-standing recommendation of the Garda Inspectorate by way of the introduction of paid 15 minute pre-tour briefing or tasking sessions with effect from 1 January 2017.

In relation to the information previously requested by the Deputy, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. As advised in my reply to Parliamentary Question No 130 of 1 December 2016, the Commissioner has informed me that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available and would require a disproportionate amount of Garda time and resources to compile.