Garda Dispute: Five-Day Work-to-Rule Cancelled After Overtime Concessions
Negotiators secured new payment rules for travel and rest days just hours before the industrial action was set to begin during major summits in Dublin.
By Amit Ricci ·
Garda Representative Association members will not begin their planned five-day work-to-rule action today, following a last-minute agreement with police management. The Central Executive Committee voted late yesterday to suspend the strike for the remainder of the week. This decision came after receiving assurances from Commissioner Justin Kelly that specific grievances regarding working hours had been addressed.
The industrial action was scheduled to start this morning, coinciding with two high-profile international summits in Dublin. Ireland is currently holding the EU Presidency, making the timing of the dispute a matter of logistical concern for the state. The core of the disagreement involved allegations that management had breached working time agreements. The GRA also cited an excessive reliance on enforced overtime as a primary driver for the action.
Commissioner Kelly announced revised overtime rules specifically for officers assigned to Thursday's European Political Community summit. Under the new terms, officers who must travel on overtime during a rest day that has not been cancelled will receive payment equivalent to a normal tour of duty. This payment is capped at six hours. The changes respond to direct feedback from frontline gardai regarding their welfare during major events.
Management also introduced provisions for officers traveling between 50 and 100 kilometers. Previously, these individuals did not qualify for overnight allowances. They can now submit claims on an exceptional basis. Additional adjustments were made to travel payments and late hotel checkouts. The Rosters Review Group is currently examining outstanding issues related to travel time calculations.
The GRA described the outcome as a series of wins for its membership. The association stated it was satisfied with the commitments provided during the discussions. It acknowledged the difficult working conditions officers faced during the negotiation period. The GRA thanked Commissioner Kelly and his team for their engagement in the process.
The association issued a message to its members, praising their patience and dedication throughout the intense negotiations. The work-to-rule action, which had been set to disrupt policing services for five days, is now paused for the rest of the week. The summits in Dublin will proceed with the revised overtime arrangements in place.
No further dates have been set for additional industrial action. The current pause allows both sides to implement the new travel and payment rules. The next major international event remains the EPC summit scheduled for Thursday.
