Changes to Garda retirement age ?

Delancey

Below is taken from todays Sunday Business Post , I would have thought it very difficult from a legal standpoint to implement these changes ?




Senior gardaí have told the government to suspend the hiring of any new recruits to the force and increase the retirement age for existing gardaí.

Operational commanders have lobbied the government to curb recruitment, amid claims that the growing wage bill has created a drain on operational resources.

In a series of confidential briefings to the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, and officials from the Department of Finance, the Association of Garda Superintendents (AGS) also said there was an urgent need to raise the retirement age of 60 years, amid concerns over an exodus at senior levels.

In a private meeting with Ahern, the AGS, which represents more than 180 operational commanders, insisted that there was an urgent need to increase the retirement age by three to four years to reduce predicted losses of experienced officers at inspector and superintendent ranks.

Of the force’s 181 superintendents, 101 have at least 30 years’ service, which makes them eligible to apply for retirement immediately.

The AGS has said that, as a result of a decision to extend the retirement age of the force three years ago from 57 to 60, there is now a major exodus of top commanders who had delayed retirement in 2006.

Any dramatic increase in retirements this year would also place a further burden on the Garda budget, which has earmarked €29.9 million for pensions and related costs for 2009.

The delegation told Ahern that the departure of experienced officers was exacerbated by the uncertainly over future plans to tax gratuities paid to retiring members.

The proposals are part of reforms sought by top officers amid increasing pressure on the force’s budget and on manpower in the top ranks.

They are part of a submission to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan outlining the body’s proposals for future garda financing.

pa990

feic that ... i'm on the count down to 30

TheNog

delancey42 wrote: »

Below is taken from todays Sunday Business Post , I would have thought it very difficult from a legal standpoint to implement these changes ?




Senior gardaí have told the government to suspend the hiring of any new recruits to the force and increase the retirement age for existing gardaí.

Operational commanders have lobbied the government to curb recruitment, amid claims that the growing wage bill has created a drain on operational resources.

In a series of confidential briefings to the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, and officials from the Department of Finance, the Association of Garda Superintendents (AGS) also said there was an urgent need to raise the retirement age of 60 years, amid concerns over an exodus at senior levels.

In a private meeting with Ahern, the AGS, which represents more than 180 operational commanders, insisted that there was an urgent need to increase the retirement age by three to four years to reduce predicted losses of experienced officers at inspector and superintendent ranks.

Of the force’s 181 superintendents, 101 have at least 30 years’ service, which makes them eligible to apply for retirement immediately.

The AGS has said that, as a result of a decision to extend the retirement age of the force three years ago from 57 to 60, there is now a major exodus of top commanders who had delayed retirement in 2006.

Any dramatic increase in retirements this year would also place a further burden on the Garda budget, which has earmarked €29.9 million for pensions and related costs for 2009.

The delegation told Ahern that the departure of experienced officers was exacerbated by the uncertainly over future plans to tax gratuities paid to retiring members.

The proposals are part of reforms sought by top officers amid increasing pressure on the force’s budget and on manpower in the top ranks.

They are part of a submission to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan outlining the body’s proposals for future garda financing.

TBH I have no interest in this claim cos the Superintendents position is filled from ranks below which we all know is plentiful. Plenty of members from Garda to Sergeant to Inspector are more than willing to move up a level as far as Superintendents. The AGS should be more concerned with the lower level ranks which are suffering far more.

There is little point in complaining of a reduction in higher management which lets face it is to some part down to a reduction in wages and the possibility of cuts in gratuity rather than trying to face it as if a reduction in promotions.

Management will have no problem replacing those that retire at Super level but what about those that retire at Garda level?

0x0121

delancey42 wrote: »

Below is taken from todays Sunday Business Post , I would have thought it very difficult from a legal standpoint to implement these changes ?




Senior gardaí have told the government to suspend the hiring of any new recruits to the force and increase the retirement age for existing gardaí.

Operational commanders have lobbied the government to curb recruitment, amid claims that the growing wage bill has created a drain on operational resources.

In a series of confidential briefings to the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, and officials from the Department of Finance, the Association of Garda Superintendents (AGS) also said there was an urgent need to raise the retirement age of 60 years, amid concerns over an exodus at senior levels.

In a private meeting with Ahern, the AGS, which represents more than 180 operational commanders, insisted that there was an urgent need to increase the retirement age by three to four years to reduce predicted losses of experienced officers at inspector and superintendent ranks.

Of the force’s 181 superintendents, 101 have at least 30 years’ service, which makes them eligible to apply for retirement immediately.

The AGS has said that, as a result of a decision to extend the retirement age of the force three years ago from 57 to 60, there is now a major exodus of top commanders who had delayed retirement in 2006.

Any dramatic increase in retirements this year would also place a further burden on the Garda budget, which has earmarked €29.9 million for pensions and related costs for 2009.

The delegation told Ahern that the departure of experienced officers was exacerbated by the uncertainly over future plans to tax gratuities paid to retiring members.

The proposals are part of reforms sought by top officers amid increasing pressure on the force’s budget and on manpower in the top ranks.

They are part of a submission to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan outlining the body’s proposals for future garda financing.

If they up the retirement age do you think they will up the recruiting age?

FGR

I'd say the AGS are referring more so to the mandatory retirement age as opposed to the years service required to be eligible for retirement.

There would be uproar from all ranks if our contracts were adjusted from 30 years service to anything more.

0x0121

ForegoneReality wrote: »

I'd say the AGS are referring more so to the mandatory retirement age as opposed to the years service required to be eligible for retirement.

There would be uproar from all ranks if our contracts were adjusted from 30 years service to anything more.

I thought they were talking about giving someone the choice to stay till 65 if they wanted to.Man, im just clawing at straws here cos im 34.came home from england last year hoping to join.35 next year so im ****ed.

pa990

A lot of guys are getting out as soon as they have 30yrs served.
It doesnt mater what age they are, or how many years that they could work on.

ie. A Garda that would be 52 in November, might have 30yrs service the following December is deciding to retire in December, even thought he would be perfectly entitled to work on for a few more years.

Even if the retirement age was raised to 70, this guy will still be leaving once he reaches the magic 30, and that seems to be the attitude amongst many.

Sierra Oscar

Reminds me of Martin Donnellan's case, and the same argument that the Sate were outlining still applies: allowing senior officers to stay on would block promotional paths.

TheNog

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Reminds me of Martin Donnellan's case, and the same argument that the Sate were outlining still applies: allowing senior officers to stay on would block promotional paths.

Very true but it makes me wonder would Martin Donnellan still want to stay in the job if he knew his gratuity would be taxed.

If Im honest the only people who would be grateful for an extension of the retirement age would be people like me who joined up too old to serve the full 30yrs and are faced with having to buy a few years in pension.

deadwood

TheNog wrote: »

Very true but it makes me wonder would Martin Donnellan still want to stay in the job if he knew his gratuity would be taxed.

....or if he wasn't on the Board of Directors of EBS?:rolleyes: