AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA has introduced new roster and working time arrangements which the Garda commissioner says will see a 25 per cent increase in the number of gardaí working at certain times of the day.
Martin Callinan said this evening in a statement that this is the first time in over 40 years that rosters and working time for gardaí been “fundamentally changed”.
He said that the new measures have come at no extra cost the taxpayers and within the existing budget for the force as well as meeting its commitment to the Croke Park Agreement.
Callinan explained that the new roster provides for overlapping shift patterns which will see a 25 per cent in the number staff working at these times.
The overlaps increase in duration and coincide with periods of increased demands on the Gardaí, according to Callinan.
He said: “Improved flexibility is achieved by changing the shift start times to coincide, with increased demand for the policing of major events and investigations and with scheduled court attendance.”
He said that the process of designing and implementing the new roster and working time arrangements was ”very complex” and acknowledged the commitment of the various Garda staff associations to the measures introduced.
“The Roster and the Working Time Agreement are now agreed and implemented nationally and will be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that it achieves it’s objectives in full,” he added.
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