Monthly Archives: September 2015

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Circular 145/15 The draft Policy Authority Bill

To: All Civilian Members, An Garda Siochana

Crc: 146/15

Date: 29th September 2015

Re: Draft Bill to establish new Police Authority

Dear Colleagues

I am writing to you on foot of queries regarding the Bill before the Houses of the Oireachtas which will be enacted in the near future establishing the Garda Authority. In the first instance I will address the question of Civil Service Status which is obviously very important to members.

Head 6 of the Bill is as follows;

19.—(1) The Garda Commissioner may appoint such numbers of persons as civilian staff of the Garda Síochána as may be approved by the Authority with the consent of the Minister given with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(2) The Garda Commissioner shall determine the grades of civilian staff and the numbers in each grade in the categories of professional, administrative and specialist staff, as may be approved by the Authority with the consent of the Minister given with the approval for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(3) A member of civilian staff of the Garda Síochána is a civil servant of the Government.”

Section 19 provides that the current arrangements for the appointment of Civilian Staff continues. However, it is important to point out from this Section that the Commissioner shall determine the grades and numbers of Civilian staff, subject to the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The pay and terms of conditions of employment for grades represented by the CPSU will continue to be negotiated in the same way as other Civil Servants. Protections set down in the 2005 Act for Civilian staff transferring under the Commissioner from the Department continue.

In this context changes in terms and conditions of employment are only possible through the Collective Bargaining system negotiated with the appropriate Trade Unions.

To be clear Management have confirmed in discussions that there will be no change in terms and conditions on enactment of the Legislation.

Having said that the establishment of the Authority will be a major transformation in the context of the wider Government Reform Programme. The Bill to establish the Authority provides among other things, as follows;

  • The Authority will comprise a Chairperson and eight other members appointed by Government following a selection process conducted by PAS.
  • Making nominations to Government for the positions of Garda and Deputy Garda Commissioners and appointing Garda Chief Superintendents, Superintendents and Assistant Commissioners.
  • Appointing Civilian Staff at Principal Officer Level and above.
  • The Authority will approve a three year strategy statement and annual policing plan submitted by the Commissioner.
  • The Authority will establish a code of ethics within twelve months which will include civilian staff.

Further discussions on these matters will take place with senior Management and the Civil Service Unions over the coming weeks and we expect to meet the Executive Director of HR on the 7th October.

The Garda National Committee will also meet this month to consider all aspects of the Bill and the outcome of discussions with Management, following which a further update will issue to all members. CPSU Head Office is arranging to travel to as many locations during October and November to fully brief members on this and other matters.

The Executive Committee will also receive a full briefing from the undersigned this week and will obviously support the members fully through this process.

Derek Mullen

Deputy General Secretary

 

 

 

CPSU Circular, Other

Circular 145/15 ICTU Childcare Survey

To: Each Branch Secretary – For the attention of All Members

Crc: 145/15

Date: 29th September 2015

Re: ICTU Childcare Survey

Dear Colleagues,

The cost of childcare is widely acknowledged as being too high in Ireland and poses an intolerable burden for working families.  As part of the Trade Union campaign for an effective solution, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is carrying out a survey of union members.  The survey can be accessed via the attached link – http://irishcongress.polldaddy.com/s/childcare?p=1

Members are asked to disseminate this survey widely through your networks and encourage members to complete it.  The survey results are anonymised.  There is no way for Congress or anyone else to associate a response with an individual. This does not therefore pose any data protection issues.

As a National Organisation ICTU have a unique opportunity to try to influence the national discussion on childcare that will no doubt be a topical issue in the upcoming General Election. The larger the survey sample, the more valuable the results will be and we ask you to cooperate in ensuring as many of your members as possible complete the survey.

The deadline for completion is midnight on Monday 19th October.

Yours sincerely,

Theresa Dwyer

Assistant General Secretary

CPSU Circular

145-150929 All Members re. ICTU Childcare Survey

To: Each Branch Secretary – For the attention of All Members
Crc: 145/15
Date: 29th September 2015
Re: ICTU Childcare Survey

Dear Colleagues,

The cost of childcare is widely acknowledged as being too high in Ireland and poses an intolerable burden for working families.  As part of the Trade Union campaign for an effective solution, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is carrying out a survey of union members.  The survey can be accessed via the attached link – http://irishcongress.polldaddy.com/s/childcare?p=1

Members are asked to disseminate this survey widely through your networks and encourage members to complete it.  The survey results are anonymised.  There is no way for Congress or anyone else to associate a response with an individual. This does not therefore pose any data protection issues.

As a National Organisation ICTU have a unique opportunity to try to influence the national discussion on childcare that will no doubt be a topical issue in the upcoming General Election. The larger the survey sample, the more valuable the results will be and we ask you to cooperate in ensuring as many of your members as possible complete the survey.

The deadline for completion is midnight on Monday 19th October.

Yours sincerely,

Theresa Dwyer
Assistant General Secretary

Download word version below
145-150929 All Members re. ICTU Childcare Survey.td

CPSU Circular

146-150929 All Members Garda & Justice

To: All Civilian Members, An Garda Siochana
Crc: 146/15
Date: 29th September 2015
Re: Draft Bill to establish new Police Authority

Dear Colleagues

I am writing to you on foot of queries regarding the Bill before the Houses of the Oireachtas which will be enacted in the near future establishing the Garda Authority. In the first instance I will address the question of Civil Service Status which is obviously very important to members.

Head 6 of the Bill is as follows;

19.—(1) The Garda Commissioner may appoint such numbers of persons as civilian staff of the Garda Síochána as may be approved by the Authority with the consent of the Minister given with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(2) The Garda Commissioner shall determine the grades of civilian staff and the numbers in each grade in the categories of professional, administrative and specialist staff, as may be approved by the Authority with the consent of the Minister given with the approval for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(3) A member of civilian staff of the Garda Síochána is a civil servant of the Government.”

Section 19 provides that the current arrangements for the appointment of Civilian Staff continues.  However, it is important to point out from this Section that the Commissioner shall determine the grades and numbers of Civilian staff, subject to the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The pay and terms of conditions of employment for grades represented by the CPSU will continue to be negotiated in the same way as other Civil Servants.  Protections set down in the 2005 Act for Civilian staff transferring under the Commissioner from the Department continue.

In this context changes in terms and conditions of employment are only possible through the Collective Bargaining system negotiated with the appropriate Trade Unions.

To be clear Management have confirmed in discussions that there will be no change in terms and conditions on enactment of the Legislation.

Having said that the establishment of the Authority will be a major transformation in the context of the wider Government Reform Programme. The Bill to establish the Authority provides among other things, as follows;

  • The Authority will comprise a Chairperson and eight other members appointed by Government following a selection process conducted by PAS.
  • Making nominations to Government for the positions of Garda and Deputy Garda Commissioners and appointing Garda Chief Superintendents, Superintendents and Assistant Commissioners.
  • Appointing Civilian Staff at Principal Officer Level and above.
  • The Authority will approve a three year strategy statement and annual policing plan submitted by the Commissioner.
  • The Authority will establish a code of ethics within twelve months which will include civilian staff.

Further discussions on these matters will take place with senior Management and the Civil Service Unions over the coming weeks and we expect to meet the Executive Director of HR on the 7th October.

The Garda National Committee will also meet this month to consider all aspects of the Bill and the outcome of discussions with Management, following which a further update will issue to all members. CPSU Head Office is arranging to travel to as many locations during October and November to fully brief members on this and other matters.

The Executive Committee will also receive a full briefing from the undersigned this week and will obviously support the members fully through this process.

Derek Mullen

Download word version below
146-150929 All Members Garda & Justice. dm