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SIX MONTHS PAY is to be offered to senior members of the gardaí to encourage them to retire before the age of 60.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will today bring the proposals for the early retirement severance programme to Cabinet for approval.
The aim is to incentivise 30 Garda members at senior ranks to take retirement before the maximum retirement age of 60.
The Garda Commissioner Drew Harris will seek 30 senior Garda officers to avail of the severance package.
Up to 30 surplus posts across senior ranks will be identified as part of the move.
These include 20 at the rank of Superintendent, eight at Chief Superintendent level, and two at Assistant Commissioner level.
Voluntary basis
The programme is to be on a voluntary basis, and to be limited to members of Superintendent rank and above, but not including the Garda Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.
Garda civilian staff at the level of Executive Director or Assistant Secretary level can also apply.
The Garda positions will fall vacant as a result of the organisational restructuring within the force. Any civilian staff positions will be replaced.
Gardaí that avail of the offer will get the six months pay, in addition to their normal pension and lump sum entitlements.
The additional cost of the package will be €6.5 million during 2020.
The early retirement package for senior Garda officers is one of the recommendations from the Commission on the Future of Policing.
The retirements will result in a reduction in the number of senior Garda positions required at divisional level.
Restructuring plans
However, it is understood that this plan forms a vital part of the restructuring of the Garda organisation into the new Garda Operating Model which aims to reduce the number of divisions from 28 to approximately 19.
The €6.5 million cost of the roll out includes the costs of paying the severance gratuities that fall due in 2020, and also the additional costs associated with bringing forward lump sum and pension payments that would not otherwise fall due to be paid until later years.
Garda members who avail of the early retirement programme will not be permitted to rejoin the Garda organisation, either as sworn members or civilian staff.
The programme will be launched in the coming weeks, with a closing date for
acceptance at the end of January 2020.
The Garda Commissioner alone will decide who is granted early retirement.
Gardaí who are allowed to retire early will leave their positions in April 2020, however some departures will be on a phased basis depending on take-up and the locations in which those availing of the programme are serving.
While the number of senior ranking members will be reduced, the Commissioner is understood to be increasing the number of lower-ranking officers at Garda level, Sergeant and Inspector level as these are the “most visible difference to the public on the ground”.
There are now approximately 14,330 gardaí nationwide, supported by over 2,900 Garda staff. It is expected that a further 700 gardaí will be recruited in 2020, however this is believed to be dependent on the Commissioner’s decision on how best to balance the number of gardaí and Garda staff.
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Life in the Public Sector. Meanwhile the rest of us have to wait until 68 and get FA pension.
@Towger: is this news to you. It’s always been the case. Change yer job. Also the average life expectancy of people who work similar shift as police forces worldwide is only about 10byears after they retire. Considering they can retire in their fiftys. They might be dead before you get your pension. Stop stressing out about other people .
@Seaniecp: Well said sergeant.
@Seaniecp: this seems to be the superintendents who were recently appointed in the last year losing their divisions rather than any competence drain. It’s akin to giving a load of employees a pay rise, knowing the positions would not be tenable. It is a waste of public resources, made directly by Harris to soften the blow off reductions with public money.
@Seaniecp: 2,its 2 years …
@Seaniecp: No and I have long being amazed with the figures. It costs well over a million (1.7 from some sources) to fund the average Garda pension. Not many in the private sector have that sort of pension fund. Certainly not the average worker.
@Towger: you should of joined the guards , simple
@Towger: would you prefer they kept paying people to work in posts no longer required? Oh no wait let me guess you’re vaunted precious private sector would just kick them out the door, no wait they wouldn’t theyd have redundancy payments. Interesting, so this is actually cheaper than if the private sector did the same thing. Hmmm
@Brin: article says it’s a recommendation of the Future of Policing Commission….
@Towger: you do realise that Gardaí pay into their pensions and what you are referring to is the very generous pre 1995 pension. Post 1995 and even later the post 2013 are far less generous and come with many stipulations like, you cannot draw the “full” pension before the national pension age and at that stage they get one pension not two.
Chief Superintendents , currently on a salary of 110000, receive a pension of 55000 euro and a tax free lump sum of 165,000 euro. This proposal would give them an additional 55,000 on their lump sum, presumably tax free as well. Nice work if you can get it.
@Colonel Grant: A lot of the guards also take on another job once they retire and after 3 years they can receive the old age pension as well once they reach 66.
@The next small thing: You must work for ten years in the private sector to build enough stamps to qualify for an old age pension, Gardai did not pay the rate of stamp in service to qualify and once they receive the old age pension they are taxed more on their work pension like everyone else.
I think this is a shortsighted decision. The loss in experience will be detrimental to the force
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: it’s not about experience, it’s about getting fresh blood to help change the culture. If I were them I’d grab what’s on offer!
@John Flood: Spot on John!
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: Not all experience is positive.
@Fachtna Roe: And not all is negative.
@John Flood: It’s about paying younger people to fill the jobs less. My guess is as good as yours.
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair:
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/former-high-ranking-psni-officer-14429362
The Strategic Transformation Office led by former Chief Superintendent Ivan Farr PSNI will lead the garda change programmes.
Maybe they could count breathalysers in their spare time.
@BewaretheBeardies:
Listening to RTÉ yesterday, an interview with Bertie Ahearn. He referred to himself and former ‘Taoiseachs’ not availing of free transport which would be available to him. Taoiseachs. I know that his facility with the English language is appalling, but this is really shocking!
@Desmond Lyons: Will you be ok hun?
@Desmond Lyons: Don’t know why they are involving that disgraced politician whose key suggestion was that the nay-sayers should go kill themselves.
@Dnom: bugger should be in jail
@Desmond Lyons: Taoisigh. Better now? :)
I wonder are they shifting out the bullies so as not cause embarrassment.If so everyone who takes the offer will be under suspicion
They’ll take the 6 months bonus, and then return to work under some loophole. And hey presto, more money down the drain…
@Thefallguy: Did you read the article at all ?? It’s not a “bonus” its a redundancy payment. The position is gone for good. The article also quite clearly says that anyone who takes up the redundancy offer will not be re-employed in either a sworn garda role or civilian position. Open your eyes before showing everyone you’re an eejit.
@Alan Dillon: no need really..can you just say nothing.
And why would an experienced Garda be asked to retire early considering you would still have to pay his pension anyway just hire more gardai, somebody messing around with numbers again
@Paddy Dunne: getting rid of the dead wood at the top. Inspectors and sergeants are the ranks that actually run the police at the sharp end and there has not been enough of these for years.
@Gus Sheridan: may you live long enough to be called ‘dead wood’.
‘ to encourage them to retire before the age of 60, that’s late for a cop, only the Irish allow such lunacy.
@Rodger 6: Americans can retire after 20yrs, in their 40’s….
@Rodger 6: How many 60 year old police do you want working?
Amazing reading the comments here how many people just saw words “Gardaí” & “retire” & jumped into rant at public servants pension. Newsflash Gardaí of all ranks like ALL public servants fund their pension pots it is not a gift. And after 30+ years of 24/7 365 duties missing children’s 1st steps/words birthdays weddings bar mitzvahs et Al while dealing with death injury rtc’s suicides murders domestic violence followed by the obnoxious”haven’t you got nothing better to do” brigade usually at chucking out time or having been stopped for speeding rs bloody hard earned!
In any case this scheme applies only to those at Superintendent rank & above & will open spaces for some damn fine younger inspectors & superintendents to make their mark & help haul a fine force into 21st century
Omg
@popeye Doyle: ROFL PMSL etc.
And once gone can’t be investigated or charged with anything.
@Ian James Burgess: Idiotic comment. If someone commits a crime they can be charged regardless of what their job is
@Barry Goodwin: I didn’t say a crime but mismanagement etc
@Ian James Burgess: you said charged, which refers to a criminal prosecution. If you want to make allegations of misconduct against any retiring super, feel free to contact GSOC now; they won’t be allowed to leave with a disciplinary complaint hanging over them. Just make sure you have evidence.
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