An increase in the Garda training allowance is still €4 below the minimum wage and is not going to make any significant difference to recruitment campaigns, the general secretary of the Garda Representative Association, Ronan Slevin, has said.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee announced on Wednesday that she was increasing the garda trainee allowance from €305 per week to €354.
Mr Slevin told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that recruitment campaigns have not resulted in the numbers promised.
Resignations and retirements have made it even more difficult to meet targets. Actions taken by government have not been sufficient to deal with the current staffing levels within the force, he added.
At a time when there was full employment in the economy, more efforts would be required to encourage people away from other forms of employment, he pointed out.
While accommodation and food were included at the training college in Templemore, for 10 weeks of the eight-month course, recruits would be on placement which could require extra accommodation costs.
“You don't get anything extra, even though you may have to take more accommodation. And you have to remember, if we're bringing people into this job from other forms of employment, they are more likely going to have a partner, children and already financial commitments in terms of car purchases, mortgage purchases even before the transition. It is a training position for a full-time career. We have a recruitment crisis as it stands and this will not deal with that.
“It's a career that's worthwhile. Without a doubt, I'd recommend it to anybody, but nobody is going to pursue that career if there is no financial reward for it. At the end of the day, you're going to have to earn a living that's going to meet the cost of living to be able to buy a house, be able to have a family and support that family.
"And what's being offered as a trainee allowance is just not going to me to fulfill that need. It is still €4 below the minimum wage per hour? That's unacceptable.”
