A CONTINGENCY ROSTER that was introduced for gardaí during the Covid-19 pandemic has been extended for six months.

This contingency roster system sees gardaí work four 12-hour shifts and then have four days off – a system which has proven very popular with rank-and-file members of the force.

It had been due to expire next month, but will remain in place until 3 September.

A garda statement issued today said: “In January 2023, Commissioner Harris informed all Gardaí that in order to provide them with certainty they will receive three months’ notice of any change to the existing roster.

“That commitment was delivered upon when it was confirmed yesterday that the contingency roster would be extended to 3 September 2023.”

Yesterday, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said it will hold a series of so-called ‘days of action’ in response to the ongoing industrial relations dispute over proposed rosters.

Both garda representative groups, AGSI as well as the Garda Representative Association (GRA) had voted against accepting new working time arrangements for gardaí.

“In March 2020 members moved overnight to a new roster to police the Covid-19 pandemic and undertakings by the Garda Commissioner that we would return to our normal working patterns have not been honoured,” AGSI general secretary Antoinette Cunningham said yesterday.

The issue centres around work times which would see specialist gardaí, such as detectives, move to an office-based role working nine to five daily.

In the new roster, they would work six days on/three days off, then seven days on/two day off and then seven days on/three days off. 

AGSI said its members had rejected the proposed new Garda Roster in November citing work-life balance issues, and a requirement to work up to an additional 47 days per year, for some members – they rejected the roster proposals by 63% in a ballot of members.