AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA expect to be €13 million behind their 2014 target for savings agreed under Haddington Road, the force’s Executive Director of Finance said today.
Gardaí were asked to make €29 million in savings as part of the agreement on public sector pay, but are on target to achieve only €16 million of that amount.
There was also a comparable shortfall in overall savings 2013 — with just €9 million of the projected €15 million achieved.
Appearing before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee today, Michael Culhane said that further savings could yet be identified.
“As part of the Haddington Road Agreement the Garda Inspectorate is also conducting a review of measures which may identify some additional savings,” Culhane said.
Michael Culhane [Oireachtas.ie]
Pay cuts
Initial estimates for the year put the expected savings from pay cuts imposed on those earning over €65,000 at €2 million, Culhane said — but there was a €700,000 shortfall in that category.
“Having done an analysis of people in receipt of a payment that is over €65,000, that measure will yield a saving of €1.3 million.”
“Work is obviously ongoing in terms of new measures that can be put in place to achieve the savings targeted.
“If there is a shortfall, we’ll have to address that matter with the Department of Justice [and] with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
That’s part of ongoing discussions that we would have.
Fianna Fáil’s Sean Fleming noted that the figure was “a long way short of the actual target” and said he would be concerned if it was indicative of a broader trend across the public service.
Culhane, Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan and other senior figures from the the force’s management were before the panel of TDs to discuss their accounts for 2012.
The Garda appropriation account for that year showed a gross expenditure of €1.46 billion — a 6.7 per cent reduction on 2011.
Salaries and pensions accounted for 87 per cent of expenditure.
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