A new garda roster and working time agreement has been voted on and implemented by Gardaí.
The rota was part of the Croke Park Agreement and its stated aim was to improve the welfare of Gardaí under reduced resources.
It is the first time that the garda roster has been fundamentally changed in 40 years.
Announcing the completion of the project Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said it would produce savings for the taxpayer and would be able to cope with increased demand for the policing of major events and investigations.
The new rosters have been developed within the existing garda budget while at the same time are designed to provide for a more effective match between the supply of manpower and the demands for manpower, a statement from Commissioner Callinan says.
It adds that the new roster provides for overlapping shift patterns.
The overlapping periods provide for a 25% increase in the number of staff working at these times.
The overlaps increase in duration and change to coincide with periods of increased demand.
The new system will also provide improved flexibility by changing the shift start times to coincide with increased demand for the policing of major events and investigations and with scheduled court attendance.
The Commissioner says “I am aware that the design and development of a new roster for an organisation as large as An Garda Síochána is very complex. The need to deliver on many and varied demands adds to this complexity”.
“The new Garda Roster enables An Garda Síochána to meet our commitment to the Croke Park Agreement and to the communities we serve”.
“The Roster and the Working Time Agreement are now agreed and implemented nationally and will be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that it achieves it’s objectives in full” he added.
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