27/02/1926: The Garda Siochana Allowances Order, 1926.

Department of Justice.

THE GARDA SIOCHANA ALLOWANCES ORDER, 1926.

In exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 12 of the Police Forces Amalgamation Act, 1925 , and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I Caoimhghin O h-Uigin, Minister for Justice, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, do hereby order that the allowances to be paid to the members of the Garda Siochana shall, as from the first day of March, 1926, be in accordance with the rates and conditions hereinbelow specified:—

1. Rent Allowance.

(a) Rent allowance shall be paid at the following rates to every member of the Force for whom, or (if married) for whose family suitable official quarters are not available:—

In the case of a married member of the Force for whose family official quarters are not available the rate normally payable shall be that applicable to the place where the member is stationed. Where the rent allowance at the place of residence of the family is at a rate lower than that applicable to the station of the member concerned the lower rate shall be paid; but if at a higher rate, the Minister for Justice may authorise payment at the higher rate if he is satisfied that suitable accommodation for the family cannot be obtained in reasonable proximity to the station of the member.

(b) Where a married member of the Force, having been transferred, is unable to find suitable unfurnished quarters for his family in reasonable proximity to his new station he may be granted a special temporary allowance in addition to the allowance payable under paragraph (a) of this Article towards meeting the extra expense necessarily involved by reason of his being obliged to take furnished quarters at that station. Each case of this nature will be considered on its merits and the appropriate allowance shall be fixed by the Minister for Justice within such limitations and subject to such restrictions as may from time to time be laid down by the Minister for Finance.

(c) For the purpose of this Order a widower with a child or children under the age of 16 years shall be regarded as a married man. Where the child or children have reached the age of 16 years the Minister for Justice with the consent of the Minister for Finance may authorise the continued payment of rent allowance, if he is satisfied that the circumstances of the case warrant such a procedure.

(d) The Deputy Commissioner of the Force who formerly served as Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police shall, while he continues to hold office as Deputy Commissioner, be entitled to rent allowance at the personal rate of £120 per annum.

2. Subsistence Allowance.

(a) No claim for subsistence shall ordinarily be allowed where the absence from station is less than 10 hours in the case of Officers and less than 8 hours in the case of lower ranks. Subject thereto in cases of necessary absence on duty the following rates of subsistence allowance shall be payable:—

Provided that a reduction of one-fourth shall be made in the foregoing rates of night allowance for Chief Superintendents and Superintendents after a stay of 14 nights in one place, or for the whole period if the officer concerned knew beforehand that his stay would exceed 14 nights; and provided also that for periods in excess of 30 nights in one place special rates shall be fixed according to the circumstances of the case.

Provided that:—

(1). A reduction of 2/- per night shall be made in the foregoing rates of night allowance where the man concerned was provided with sleeping accommodation.

(2). A reduction of one-fourth shall be made in the foregoing rates of night allowance after a stay of 14 nights in one place or for the whole period if the member concerned knew beforehand that his stay would exceed 14 nights. For periods in excess of 30 nights in one place special rates shall be fixed according to the circumstances of the case.

(3). In the case of an absence of less than 24 hours where the expense of lodging was not incurred the night rates of subsistence allowance shall not be payable unless the absence was of not less than 18 hours duration and covered the period from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

(4). The foregoing rates of night allowance shall not apply in cases of men sent on temporary service for which provision is made in clauses (5) and (6) hereof.

(5). Where men proceed on temporary service to another sub-district they shall, if unmarried, or if married and already separated from their families, be entitled to an allowance at the rate of sixpence per night for not more than the first seven nights of absence; if married and not already separated from their families they shall receive an allowance at the rate of two shillings per night fox not more than the first thirty nights of absence: Provided that, in the case of any man proceeding on temporary service to a place outside the Division in which he is serving, the Minister for Justice may, on the grounds of hardship or exceptional expense thereby involved, sanction a special allowance at a rate not exceeding one half of the ordinary night rate of subsistence allowance.

(6). Where, owing to the absence of reasonable messing facilities or the nature of the duties upon which they are engaged, men on temporary service are obliged to purchase their meals they shall be granted in lieu of the allowances specified in clause (5) above, a special allowance not exceeding 4/- a day towards meeting the extra expense necessarily incurred. The rate and duration of such allowance shall be fixed by the Minister for Justice according to the circumstances of each case.

(7). When an allowance is payable under clause (5) or (6) above to a man on temporary service the amount of same shall be deducted from the subsistence allowance which may be payable in respect of a night's absence from the temporary station or post.

(8). For the purpose of this Order a man shall not be regarded as being on temporary service unless, having proceeded for temporary duty to another sub-district,

(a) the period of such duty was not less than 24 hours;

and

(b) he was provided with suitable sleeping accommodation at the temporary station or post.

Absence for the purpose of attending meetings of the Representative Bodies or Disciplinary Inquiries shall not be regarded as absence on temporary service.

(9). Men accompanying Headquarter Officers on Inspection Duty outside Dublin may, if their absence from Headquarters is not less than 5 hours, be granted special subsistence allowance at such rates as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance.

(b) Subsistence allowance shall not be paid to any member of the Force in respect of absence for the purpose of attending a Promotion Examination.

(c) Subsistence allowance shall not ordinarily be paid in respect of absences on duty performed in the day time within a distance of two miles from the Station.

(d) Members of the Force who have been suspended from duty may be granted at the discretion of the Commissioner a special subsistence allowance in lieu of pay, during the period of suspension at the following rates:—

Where a member having been suspended is dismissed or resigns without having resumed duty no allowance shall be paid to him in respect of the period of suspension except the aforesaid special subsistence allowance.

3. Locomotion Expenses.

(a) Officers shall be paid the actual locomotion expenses necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duty. Chief Superintendents and higher ranks shall be allowed first class and Superintendents second class train fares, but where second class is not available Superintendents may be allowed first class fares. Public conveyance shall be utilised whenever the nature of the duty permits. Officers and Inspectors using their private motor cars or motor cycles in the performance of their duty shall be paid mileage allowance at such rates as may from time to time be fixed by the Minister for Finance.

In cases where the Minister for Justice shall see fit he may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, fix an inclusive locomotion allowance at any time for a particular district or division.

(b) Inspectors and lower ranks shall, where railway vouchers have not been issued, be allowed their actual train fare (third class) for travelling on duty, except on patrol duty; or if a train is not available the cost of the least expensive form of suitable conveyance. All such locomotion expenses shall be certified by the District Officer, and in any case where trains have been used or cars hired it must be clearly shown that bicycles could not reasonably have been used.

(c) Locomotion allowance at the following rates shall be paid to Superintendents and Inspectors stationed in the Dublin Metropolitan Area (excluding Headquarters and the Depot) to cover all expenses of locomotion within that Area, viz.:—

(d) No payment will be made in respect of locomotion expenses incurred by any member of the Force in attending a Promotion Examination.

4. Cycling Allowance.

(a) An allowance at the rate of £5 per annum shall be paid to each Inspector, Sergeant and Guard outside the Dublin Metropolitan Division who has been directed by the Commissioner to provide himself with a bicycle for use on duty. The payment of this allowance shall be subject to a certificate by the District Officer that the member concerned has in his possession a bicycle in good order and is willing to use the same on police duty when ordered to do so.

(b) Sergeants and Guards stationed in the Dublin Metropolitan Division who are directed to use bicycles on duty may be paid cycling allowance at such rate as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance.

5. Transfer Expenses.

Members of the Force transferred from one station to another, unless transferred as a punishment or at their own request, shall be allowed expenses of transfer within such limitations and subject to such conditions as may from time to time be fixed by the Minister for Justice with the sanction of the Minister for Finance.

6. Uniform Allowance.

(a) Officers: An initial allowance of £50 shall be paid on first appointment as an officer, except in the cases of officers promoted from the rank of Inspector who received an initial uniform allowance on appointment to the rank of Inspector in which cases the allowance on promotion to officer rank shall be £20. An annual maintenance allowance of £15 shall be paid after the first year's service as an officer. The initial allowance shall be paid to the Deputy Commissioner who was formerly the Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police. It shall not be paid on promotion from one officer rank to another.

(b) Inspectors: An initial allowance of £30 shall be paid on 'first appointment to Inspector rank and an annual maintenance allowance of £10 after the first year.

(c) Lower Ranks: Where uniform is not supplied fitted by a contractor an allowance shall be paid for making up uniform at such rates as may from time to time be authorised by the Minister for Justice with the sanction of the Minister for Finance.

(d)Uniform Allowance shall not be paid to Officers or Inspectors who are in receipt of plain clothes allowance.

7. Boot Allowance.

Boot allowance at the rate of 1/6 per week shall be paid to all members of the Force not being of higher rank than Inspector.

An allowance at the same rate shall be paid to Superintendents serving in the Dublin Metropolitan Area (excluding those attached to Headquarters or the Depot).

8. Plain Clothes Allowance.

Members of the Force employed in plain clothes, under the authority of the Commissioner, shall be paid a plain clothes allowance at the following rates while so employed:—

Provided that this allowance shall not be paid unless the member concerned was employed in plain clothes for at least seven days within a calendar month.

9. Detective Allowance.

Members of the Force who are employed under the authority of the Commissioner on detective duties shall be paid an allowance at the rate of 7/- per week to cover casual expenses incidental to detective work: Provided that this allowance shall not be paid unless the member concerned was employed on detective duties for at least seven days within a calendar month. It shall not be paid to men engaged merely on clerical duties in connection with detective work.

10. Transport Allowance.

An allowance at the rate of 30/- per month shall be paid to members of the Force wholly employed as drivers or mechanics in the Motor Transport Section. This allowance shall be paid to drivers for the Detective units stationed throughout the country.

11. Hospital Expenses.

Where the local medical attendant or the surgeon certifies that the removal to hospital of a member of the Force suffering from illness is necessary an allowance will be made to cover reasonable removal expenses.

Where the illness is due to injuries received in the course of duty without wilful default or negligence, the Minister for Justice shall have power to authorise payment of hospital expenses necessarily incurred.

12. Miscellaneous Allowances.

(a) An allowance at the rate of £150 per annum shall be paid to the Superintendent acting as Private Secretary to the Commissioner.

(b) An allowance at the rate of £6 per annum shall be paid to each of such members of the Force as may be employed as ex-officio Inspectors of Weights and Measures in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, with the consent of the Minister for Finance.

(c) In case of duty of an exceptional character or in any special circumstances not provided for in this Order, the Minister for Justice may, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, authorise the payment of such allowance as he shall consider to be appropriate.

13. The allowances authorised by this Order shall be subject to such stoppages in respect of periods of illness or suspension as may be prescribed by the Minister for Justice with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance.

14. None of the allowances specified in this Order, or authorised under paragraph 12 (c) hereof, shall be taken into account for the purpose of computing the pension or gratuity of any member of the Force, or the pension, gratuity, or allowance of a wife, child, or dependent of any member of the Force.

15. This Order shall come into operation on the 1st day of March, 1926, as from which date the Dublin Metropolitan Police Allowances Order, 1920, and the Garda Siochana. Allowances Order, 1924, shall cease to have effect.

16. In this Order the word " Force " means the Garda Siochana.

17. This Order may be cited as the Garda Siochana Allowances Order, 1926.

Dated this 27th day of February, 1926.

C. O H-UIGIN,

Minister for Justice.

I hereby sanction the foregoing Order.

EARNAN DE BLAGHD,

Minister for Finance.

27th day of February, 1926.