GARDAÍ HAVE BEEN told that no further overtime will be sanctioned for members in a number of instances with immediate effect.

In a letter circulated from Garda HQ yesterday, it said that overtime was suspended for in the following instances:

• hours in excess of a 12-hour shift
• hours worked on rest days, including weekend and public holiday overtime on rest days
• hours worked supplementing units

The letter added that all existing controls in relation to overtime expenditure would continue to apply and that budgets would be confirmed separately to address the total overtime available to the end of this year.

Overtime in the above situations can only be granted with written prior approval from the Deputy Commissioner of Policing and Security, John Twomey. 

In January, TheJournal.ie reported that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has earmarked a €23 million reduction in spending for the Dublin region as he told his chiefs across the country to keep their budgets in check for the year.

While overspending on overtime in the capital had been reduced in recent years, it was hoped to reduce this overspend further this year. 

In a statement to TheJournal.ie, a garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána intention is to work within the annual budget provided to it by government. This is stressed continually to Garda managers at all levels throughout 2020.

“The Garda Commissioner has commented on the current status of the Garda Budget in the April monthly report to the Policing Authority which is published on the Garda website. www.garda.ie.

“An Garda Síochána is not going to comment on operational matters.”

With reporting from Garreth MacNamee