A NEW INDUSTRIAL relations problem has broken out in An Garda Síochána as civilian staff are rebelling against a move that could see them tied to the organisation and not permitted to transfer out of it.
High level talks have taken place between the Commissioner Drew Harris and representatives of civil service union Forsa in a bid to avert a major dispute, sources told The Journal.
It is the latest staffing incident to impact An Garda Síochána; both the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors are currently in a row with the Commissioner over new rostering arrangements.
The issues with civilian support staff in the gardaí is affecting 3,323 workers.
Their roles are seen as key to freeing up gardaí to deploy onto the streets. They work as clerical officers in stations, manage call-taking and inputting incidents into the garda computer system. There are also civilians working in the technical bureau.
Sources have said that there are serious concerns that civilian staff will be treated unfairly under the controversial new Policing Security and Community Safety Bill.
Civil servants can move across State entities at present – for instance a civil servant working in the gardaí can transfer to Revenue or other agencies. The concern is that people will be stopped from transferring out of the gardaí if the law is introduced.
Sources have also said that the civil servants are concerned that they could be subject to Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission oversight and also subject to drug tests in line with their garda colleagues.
The civilian garda staff have concerns about this and they believe they must remain under the civil service code – these are the regulations that people working across the civilian arm of the State must comply with.
While Drew Harris’s stance on the civilian staff’s unhappiness is as yet known, other parts of the controversial new law governing policing in Ireland have already been met with scorn from the Garda Commissioner.
The Commissioner strongly criticised the Policing and Security Bill, which he said would grant powers to the Garda Ombudsman that are disproportionate, unconstitutional and would not withstand a challenge in court.
Harris also said the bill would introduce “a wide range of oversight bodies” with clashing and conflicting remits. He claimed that the Bill would cause the commissioner to be more focused on reporting to the various bodies than leading gardaí.
The bill, he said, would also outsource key areas of control from the commissioner to different oversight bodies and will not create an accountable, trusted and effective police service. This view was supported by garda representative bodies.
News of the civilian garda staff issue comes as rank and file gardaí are set to ballot on a vote of no confidence in Drew Harris in relation to a dispute over rosters.
The civil servants working in the garda organisation were originally given the title of garda staff as part of the One Organisation Project – it was pitched to them as a way of showing respect to them.
The project has been stated as a way where the civilian employees feel that they are part of the policing organisation.
“The issue now is they are voting with their feet. There are instances of civilian staff resitting the civil service exam and applying for jobs outside of An Garda Síochána.
“There is a lot of fear there and it is ultimately about the uncertainty,” one source explained.
The garda civilian staff are also concerned about working from home entitlements.
A Department of Justice spokesperson said that the changes to garda staff under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill come in the wake of a recommendation in the Future of Policing in Ireland report.
The department said that document, which looked at the effectiveness of An Garda Síochána, suggested that garda staff be recruited directly to An Garda Síochána, rather than the civil service.
“The Minister acknowledges the concerns of current Garda staff regarding the proposals in this Bill and wants existing Garda staff to be reassured that there will be no changes to their terms and conditions, including their status as civil servants of the Government, when the Bill is commenced.
“Any such changes can only take place on foot of further detailed engagement with the recognised trade unions concerned through the normal industrial relations structures,” the spokesperson added.
The department added that the new Bill would enable scales of pay and terms and conditions would continue to be the same as before.
“Dialogue has and will continue to take place between the Department’s officials, Garda management and staff trade unions in relation to this matter. The Department has already met with both Fórsa and AHCPS (Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants) in relation to their members’ concerns, and these discussions will continue,” the spokesperson added.
A garda spokesperson confirmed that management in the organisation has been liaising with the Department of Justice and trade unions representing the interests of garda staff to find a way to solve the problem.
While multiple sources claimed that 260 garda staff have moved on from the organisation this year, the garda spokesperson said that the number is 91 as of the end of June.
The garda spokesperson said there have been appointments of 352 garda staff in the same period.
It said that a report to the Policing Authority outlined why garda staff leave the organisation.
“Garda staff are civil servants and like all civil servants are entitled to transfer from An Garda Síochána to another relevant State body either as part of civil service competitions or under the civil service mobility programme.
“An Garda Síochána is not aware of any “projected” number of Garda staff who might leave during the rest of 2023 and how that might actually be calculated or derived from,” the spokesperson explained.
The garda spokesperson has claimed that the number of garda staff at end of June 2023 was 3,323. The number of Garda staff at end of June 2022 was 2,937 according to garda statistics.
A statement was requested from a Forsa official.
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