From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
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From today, Garda members will have access to the industrial relations machinery of the State, due to the enactment of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2019.
The Act provides that Garda members will now have access, through their Representative Associations, to the services of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Labour Court to facilitate resolution of industrial relations disputes.
In parallel, new internal dispute resolution mechanisms have been introduced in An Garda Síochána, including training and the appointment of specialist staff.
Welcoming the change, Minister Flanagan said:
"Management of industrial relations in An Garda Síochána now comes under the direct remit of the Garda Commissioner. This is in keeping with the vision of the Commissioner as the ‘true CEO’ of An Garda Síochána, as set out in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and contained within its Implementation Plan, ‘A Policing Service for the Future.
"I am confident this new approach will be a positive change for all stakeholders."
Minister Humphreys added:
"This is an important day for industrial relations. A clear and stable industrial relations environment in An Garda Síochána is in everyone’s interest."
These new arrangements have been established through the work of a number of stakeholders – in particular the Workplace Relations Commission, Garda management, the Associations representing Garda members and the Inter-departmental Working Group on Industrial Relations Structures for An Garda Síochána, chaired by Mr. John Murphy.
ENDS
The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2019 was commenced by Order signed by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, with effect from 1 February 2020.
The Act amends the Industrial Relations Act 1990 Act to include members of An Garda Síochána and the Garda Commissioner for a number of purposes.
Prior to commencement of the Act, agreed changes to internal Garda dispute resolution mechanisms were implemented. These changes were agreed by the Garda Commissioner and the Associations representing Garda members, under the remit of the Working Group on Industrial Relations Structures for An Garda Síochána, chaired by John Murphy.
Mr Murphy is the former Secretary General, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.