Gardai now best paid workers in the state - CSO

MegamanBoo

Is it still the case that when Gardai finish training they're just assigned to another part of the country?

I'd say that's very off putting these days to potential recruits.

I think typically these days people might see AGS as a job for life which they might go for in their late 20's or 30's. At this point they'd likely have a stronger idea of where they want to settle, or ties with partners or kids.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429494#Comment_121429494

No of course not, that statement would have made way more sense. Your OP was just an odd minimalist statement and could be assigned to huge swathes of professions.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121428933#Comment_121428933

Never heard that in my life about not to bother to study hard.

The requirement have come down but still a decent level of education required so to me they don’t have a point if it was true

Plenty of other professions which don’t have a requirements around study and a lot easier than the Garda and a lot better paid

By the closing date of the competition applicants must:

(a)     have obtained an Irish Leaving Certificate with a grade D3 or O6 minimum in five subjects at Ordinary Level*, or

(b)     hold a minimum of a Level 5 Major award (120 Credits) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), or

(c)     hold a recognised qualification (at Level 5 or greater), deemed comparable to the above in terms of both level and volume of learning as determined by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)          

AND

(d)     be proficient in either or both of the following:

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429497#Comment_121429497

the pay scales are all available for every job on the web.

Dealing with the public is the reason why none of them are well paid and comparison mean they are not

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429560#Comment_121429560

Really, sure.

So do you think the gardai are worth the money considering the points I’ve raised, or are you happy enough to criticise them?

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429721#Comment_121429721

I've no idea if they're over/under paid to be honest.

Id have to know one personally to truly know.

I remember being a young man working in my local Bank branch pre crash and the amount of gards with multiple rental properties was eye watering.

hymenelectra

That's great news for the 11 gardai still employed in the country.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429847#Comment_121429847

Actually found this on a thread on boards from 2007. God knows why it wasn't archived but how was a Grada buying multiple properties in the boom on 40k max wages?

Pay and Allowances

During the initial 58 weeks training period, €169.46 per week, plus lodging allowance (€68.18 per week while in the Garda College, €115.00 while training in Garda Stations).

On Appointment to An Garda Síochána

Annual salary of €22,523.00 rising by increments to €40,472.00 (July 2004 rates). Rent and other allowances are also payable.

tayto lover

If you have to rely on overtime then you are in the wrong job.

Peter Flynt

The Irish Times .... in the service of FF/FG with lies, damned lies and statistics.

Peter Flynt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429988#Comment_121429988

The standard reply of every Official Ireland/FF/FG bootlicker on here is to talk about the extra money they can earn from overtime. . . . as if the public sector are the only ones paid for overtime.

tom1ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429988#Comment_121429988

Or your outgoings are too high?

Cut your cloth and all that.

con___manx1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121428968#Comment_121428968

I work the same roster as the gardai and belive me it's not easy to do overtime. Your talking about a 60 hour week then.

mikethecop

That thread sort of blew up in your face there didnt it op ?

just so you know i got paid approx 640 Euro Last Thursday at midnight , mind you i was standing on a street wearing body armor and helmet and worked approx 30 more overtime hours between then and Monday , I ll be working xmass eve and xmass night as well as new years this year instead of being with my family ,

how much do you feel its worth ? how much would you ask ?

Goldengirl

To be fair I think a lot of people would think that overtime is overtime and is not included in annual salary.

It is usually serving some agenda when salaries are published including overtime ,and usually inaccurate generalizing about the amount of such extra work people actually do. And not everybody works 'overtime '.

Why should people not get paid extra for work that is outside of normal working hours ?

Also maybe the gardaí should be applying for danger money after the abuse they got last week and the aggression many face everyday from the clientele they deal with ?

Its not like they are particularly given the tools to deal with such dangers.

I would not like to see armed police on the street everyday but at the same time it's not on to expect people to face such aggression in their work with either no protection, or no monetary compensation .

I suppose by getting rid of favourable rosters and overtime we are doing the general public a favour ,is that the implication ?

Who would benefit from cutbacks? Not the ordinary person but thugs , criminals or others intent on antisocial or criminal behaviour.

I also question the existence of this thread and why now?

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429847#Comment_121429847

Yes . Bank officials used to get danger money iirc ...go figure

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430423#Comment_121430423

Not during my stint in a branch we didn't and that was during the peak of so called toger kidnappings.

We'd get emails telling us to change routes home/look our for suspicious cars etc but no dollars.

Padraig Mor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430309#Comment_121430309

Strange way to look at it TBH. What is very worrying though is the number of people who don't seem to comprehend simple statistics. I've seen multiple posters here who cannot look past their belief that Gardai are lowly paid and fall back to "but but point 1 of the salary scale is €xxx", "I only got paid €yyy", etc. For clarity:

1. These figures are produced by the Central Statistics Office, not the Irish Times.
2. The figures represent the *actual amounts paid* to workers in the period under examination. Of course overtime and premium payments are included - indeed, that's one of the main points - the overwhelming majority of Gardai 'top up' their listed salary by significant amounts (given they've been mentioned multiple times, note the same is true of nurses).
3. Of course they're pre tax figures. People saying they only received €640 or whatever is being disingenuous - the gross figure will be well in excess of that.
4. The ~€1580 weekly figure is the payment received on average by Gardai in Q3 2023. Yes, some Gardai will earn less (especially those earlier in their career). Yes, some will earn more. But given the breakdown of Garda ranks, it is undoubtedly accurate to state that "most" Gardai earned around that figure.
5. I have not said that Gardai get paid too much or too little, although I personally do question whether the public are getting value for money. However, a debate on the issue cannot be had without established accurate facts first - especially given the furore with Gardai refusing to move back from the temporary Covid rosters - because (it seems to me) - it's a handy number for them with guaranteed comparatively large amounts of premium payments.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121428895#Comment_121428895

Basic pay is further supplemented by 25%-30% (depending on shift pattern) in allowances. The majority of these allowances are for working "unsocial" hours- nights/weekends/public holidays etc. (Source: Minister Fitzgerald, Parliamentary Question response).

Working these hours is part and parcel of doing a 24-7 job and it is what was signed up for. It is perfectly reasonable that these additional payments are made for working these shift patterns.

The 12 hour COVID working arrangements enhances pay even further - as pointed out by others.

Potential-Monke

Yeah, the overtime money was great, especially if you could get the handy overtime at matches, or festivals, etc, where not much extra follow up work was expected (public order overtime sucked, guaranteed extra follow up work with no extra time to do it). Was great to see the extra few bob come in. But it wasn't worth it. I haven't worked a single hour of overtime since I quit, and I don't miss it (and earning less). I'm earning the initial wage and I spend all my time at home. I can't understand people who think it's a money making job. It's not. It's average at best with some of the worst work available. It's only good if you climb the ranks high enough, and that's not available to most members. Sure, some jobs are more "dangerous", but very few will have actual people out to get you, that's the hard part of a Garda. Just ask D/Gda Donohue, if heaven exists. The higher ups are definitely skewing the figure. Harris is on €250k before additions...

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429476#Comment_121429476

Because the allowances add an additional 25%-30% to basic pay. It is also a job with an entry requirement of a pass leaving certificate. (Notwithstanding that many entrants have higher qualifications).

I don't know many who join the public sector to get rich. Job security would seem to be a major factor though.

mikethecop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430570#Comment_121430570

In farness given you expertise in the area ....... o wait.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429479#Comment_121429479

With full service, yes, their combined pension, like for all public servants, will be 50% of former salary.

But the State Pension element does not start until age 66.

hoodie6029

Any chance that this is in furtherance of a recruitment drive? Numbers are down, ‘Forget them aul computers and college. The pay is great here. Come work where the scum of the earth will spit on you and walk free from Court, free to spit on you again’

Peter Flynt

"Hello Irish Times? Pwaschal here. . . . Having a bit of trouble here with the Gardaí. No, not recruiting. Don't care if we're understaffed or they're leaving. They seem to think they're worthy of a decent pay rise on account of what went on with the far right last Thursday. Little do they know we're the far right eh? Anyway any chance you could run a piece on how great they have it? Yeah? Thanks"

nolivesmatter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121428986#Comment_121428986

Is a 34k starting salary and job security for someone without a particular skillset that bad? And most people I know aren't earning near 50k regardless of how long they've been working, public or private.

I wouldn't have an issue paying them some more, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect it to be competitive with private sectors where demand for certain skills will obviously cause a rise in salaries.

Gusser09

Some Gardai are underpaid, some are overpaid. The same goes for nurses. Like any career there are good ones and bad.

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430812#Comment_121430812

Yes,they’re not spending years studying and thousands of euros in college fees. Their 2 year training costs them nothing. In fact,do they receive an allowance? Nurses spend 4 years training and it costs them thousands.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430683#Comment_121430683

That (50%) is not the case for anyone recruited into the public sector since 2013.

Geuze

Yes, for staff hired since 2013, it's 50% of career-average earnings, not 50% of final salary.