Garda numbers falling

Garda force strength reduces as economic woes force retirements


Rowan Gallagher

UNCERTAINTY as to the repercussions of budget cuts is leaving Gardaí all across Mayo with no choice but to retire early - leaving a hole in the workforce that isn’t being filled.
A raft of experienced Gardaí are retiring all across the county and young Gardai with much less experience are taking on their workload, according to a Garda spokesperson.
At a recent Joint Policing Committee, Castlebar Superintendent, Willie Keaveney, who retired last week, expressed his concern about the amount of retirements in the Garda force around Mayo.
It is believed that uncertainty about pension entitlements and the possible reduction in the lump sum payment upon retirement has led many Gardaí to choose to retire early. Speaking to The Mayo News last week Supt Keaveney said that he was worried about the new trend because young Gardaí need senior staff to supervise them.
“We are losing very experienced people and the young Gardaí need some sort of supervision and their quality of work needs to be monitored. There is no doubt that there will be some short falls in the force and some rural stations may suffer,” Supt Keaveney said.
Since the beginning of the public service recruitment moratorium, 1,200 Gardai have left the force nationally, and have yet to be replaced.
The Gardaí have now become a much younger force. 60 per cent of the Garda workforce have under 10 years experience with 45 per cent having less than five years service.
A Garda Representative Association spokesperson said that increased work loads, uncertainty in pension security and low morale have lead many Gardaí to consider retirement as soon as possible.
“Uncertainty and workload has increased - everyone is under a lot of pressure for less pay. They are disillusioned. Crime increases under three circumstances, one is recession, two is reduced policing and three is reduced morale and the Gardai tick all these boxes.
“People need to see a bit of vitality in the work force to be motivated - there needs to be senior staff for guidance and share experience with the junior staff” added the spokesperson.
Speaking to The Mayo News last week Fine Gael spokesperson for Social Protection expressed his worry that the Garda numbers in Mayo were dropping and the most experienced are leaving.
“It’s a very worrying development - we are losing the very best and most experienced. People are afraid and the government need to come out now and lets these people know that they are needed and that there futures are secured.
“It is the rural areas that will suffer the worst and that’s just not good enough - there are Garda stations in rural areas in Mayo where there are never any Gardai already,” Deputy Ring said.
According to the Garda Representative Association it would take 38 weeks to train a Garda to a basic standard and have then in stations but that in the four year plan the Government hope to cut the force a further 1,500 through retirements.
Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern confirmed last week that 350 Gardaí have retired or are intending to retire by the end of 2010 so far this year.
Minister of State for Labour Affairs, and Public Service Transformation Dara Calleary told The Mayo News last week that he is keeping in close contact with the outgoing Minister Dermot Ahern.
“The difficulty in Mayo is the rural areas cover by Gardai and I am keeping in close contact with Dermot Ahern about this.
“We were able to give some sort of certainty in the Croke Park Agreement in that the pension entitlement will be calculated on the salary in 2009 for new retirees and not after the cuts on December 7. The lump sum that they would get is one issue that could be affected. I would really like to thank the Gardai for the great work they have done in Mayo,” Minister Calleary concluded.