Should Gardai be exempt from pension levy

[Nugget]

It would be entirely logical to exempt the Gardaí from the pension levy. Therefore the government could count on their loyalty to beat the sh1te of of strikers (which is the primary role of the guards). Before the miners' strike Thatcher gave the British police a pay rise and they then merrily beat the hell out of every man, woman and child in the mining towns.

[MadAsHell]

It would be entirely logical to exempt the Gardaí from the pension levy. Therefore the government could count on their loyalty to beat the sh1te of of strikers (which is the primary role of the guards). Before the miners' strike Thatcher gave the British police a pay rise and they then merrily beat the hell out of every man, woman and child in the mining towns.

Saw a documentary on this once, it was very clear that many of the "Local" police were left to deal with the resentment left by what were primarily metropolitan based riot squads sent "north" to knock heads.

Does anyone really think there will really be an outbreak of widespread, popular civil disobedience!
And if so are we expecting that the Gardai will man/storm the barricades. Unlikely on both counts i think.

[louis bernard]

What makes the gardai so special?

They are not special, and they like all other people paid from the public purse will have to get it into their heads that the country is borrowing money at penal rates of inerest to pay them.

[jane5]

The reason behind the objection to the pension levy is quite logical actually.

The Gardaí are objecting to paying a pension levy based on their monthly/fortnightly earnings ie: basic pay plus overtime. If they earn 500 euro a week, and make 300 in overtime, they pay pension levy on gross earnings of 800 euro per week.

However, their pension entitlements are calculated based ONLY on their basic income. The overtime is not taken into account.

Their overtime is MANDATORY. They have no choice whether or not they can do it.

Hence it is quite unfair that they pay the pension levy in its current form.

They should either pay a pension levy based on their basic wage that their pension is being calculated from, or they should receive a pension based on their total wages plus overtime.

But paying in some cases, huge amounts towards the pension levy, and not receiving a pension based on those amounts is incredibly unfair. I wonder it is even allowed.

[Jack White]

The reason behind the objection to the pension levy is quite logical actually.

The Gardaí are objecting to paying a pension levy based on their monthly/fortnightly earnings ie: basic pay plus overtime. If they earn 500 euro a week, and make 300 in overtime, they pay pension levy on gross earnings of 800 euro per week.

However, their pension entitlements are calculated based ONLY on their basic income. The overtime is not taken into account.

Their overtime is MANDATORY. They have no choice whether or not they can do it.

Hence it is quite unfair that they pay the pension levy in its current form.

They should either pay a pension levy based on their basic wage that their pension is being calculated from, or they should receive a pension based on their total wages plus overtime.

But paying in some cases, huge amounts towards the pension levy, and not receiving a pension based on those amounts is incredibly unfair. I wonder it is even allowed.

Do you think they have been making adequate contribution (both cash and service years) thus far ?

Do you accept the pervasive impression that their pension is a very juicy one ineed, all things considered ? And would possibly still be so, even if the contribution were to be increased substantially ?

I'm not standing over the figures or opinion here... http://www.independent.ie/national-n...m-1664588.html but they serve as a point of discussion.

[darkhorse]

Gardai are among the highest paid of all the PS and their pension entitlements are among the best in Europe - with the right to retire at 50 years of age. So if push comes to shove, then sorry lads - NO MORE OVERTIME ALLOWED

[hmmm]

The Pension levy was a government fudge to get a paycut through and everyone who has any clue realises this. This endless bleating about how it relates to pensions is tiresome.

[loner]

of course not

silly thread

Agree--they can retire on full pension at 50 or thereabouts--the Govt is now expecting some workers to wait til 68

[politicaldonations]

The reason behind the objection to the pension levy is quite logical actually.

The Gardaí are objecting to paying a pension levy based on their monthly/fortnightly earnings ie: basic pay plus overtime. If they earn 500 euro a week, and make 300 in overtime, they pay pension levy on gross earnings of 800 euro per week.

However, their pension entitlements are calculated based ONLY on their basic income. The overtime is not taken into account.

Their overtime is MANDATORY. They have no choice whether or not they can do it.

Hence it is quite unfair that they pay the pension levy in its current form.

They should either pay a pension levy based on their basic wage that their pension is being calculated from, or they should receive a pension based on their total wages plus overtime.

But paying in some cases, huge amounts towards the pension levy, and not receiving a pension based on those amounts is incredibly unfair. I wonder it is even allowed.

in return for being levied on overitme they get to retire in middle age. I think thats a fair deal. We can change the name of the levy to the Early -Pension levy,just for them, if it will make them feel better.

[Congalltee]

Cutting the pay of a police force can lead to very dangerous consequences. Blind eyes turned, speeding tickets sorted, charges dropped or worse harassing non-payers. There is a very real threat of increased corruption, in the profession we least need it in.