SÍOCHÁIN 1947 GOLD SCOTT MEDAL WINNER SEAN TIGHE CELEBRATES HIS CENTENARY YEAR WINTERAutumn 20152019 ISSN 1649-5896 www.gardaretired.com SCAN QR CODE FOR www.gardaretired.com MEMBERS’ AREA EDITORIAL COMMENT DARK ECONOMIC CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON For the past decade we in Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association have yearned for the dawning of the day when we see our pensions restored to what rightfully they should be. There are mixed signals all around as to whether this new dawn is about to become a reality, or whether we are heading for another financial crisis, writes Paschal Feeney, GSRMA General Secretary. udget 2020 will be delivered by Minister for to manage pay expenditure at a sustainable level, which BFinance and Public Expenditure and reform Paschal allows for the recruitment and retention of appropriately O’Donoghue on 8 October 2019. This budget shall set the skilled staff. scene for what we can expect next year. What if anything has FEMPI achieved when the global The Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA), which financial crisis began in 2008, and when the government is running from 2018, is due to terminate in December had to reduce expenditure to stabilise the public finances? 2020. The cost to the Exchequer in terms of pension At the time, the public service pay and pensions bill restoration has been put at €877million; and many are accounted for 35% of current expenditure. asking ‘But what did I get from that?’ FEMPI has seen a major turnaround in that regard. In reality the benefits to different categories or income Budget 2020 was or is expected to deliver in positive groups ranged from 6.2% to 7.4% at the top. New terms, even if that positivity is ever so small. entrants to the public service gained 10% under the new Tax cuts with spending increases in or about €700 Pension Service Pension Scheme. million is earmarked in the draft announcement. The ratio At the end of the PSSA agreement, the FEMPI Act(s) we are told will be at the rate of 2:1 in favour of increased reductions will be reversed for all public servants, serving spending. That would break down meaning an average of and retired, whose earnings equate up to €70,000. In €233 million to tax reduction with approximately €466 reality this will mean almost 90% of the public service, million in terms of spending. with the percentage more in terms of public service The vexed question of whether Old Age pensioners pensioners alone. Public service pay expenditure is a shall receive a lump sum of €5 per week or a more function of two key drivers – the numbers of public modest amount (if there is a figure more modest than servants employed, and the rate at which they are paid. €5). Further USC modifications and the usual tinkering As of 2019 there are over 330,000 full time (or with allowances. All of this is prefaced on BREXIT, the equivalent) public servants, working in a variety of areas unknown factor. including policing, education and health, and many others Obviously as we get neared to the deadline for the The official line is that in 2019, the public service pay bill withdrawal treaty to take effect, it seems a ‘No Deal’ is estimated to be €18.7 billion, or approximately one Brexit is clearly on the cards. Will that then unleash a new third of current expenditure. Financial Crisis? Will FEMPI be replaced with BEPA (Brexit Emergency Provisions Act)? MANAGING PAY EXPENDITURE All is yet to be revealed. The problem in Ireland is that In this context, the objective of public service pay policy is emergency legislation never seems to disappear. Síocháin 1 CONTENTS SÍOCHÁIN 1947 GOLD SCOTT MEDAL WINNER The Official Magazine of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association SEAN TIGHE CELEBRATES HIS CENTENARY YEAR WINTERAutumn 20152019 ISSN 1649-5896 www.gardaretired.com SCAN QR CODE FOR www.gardaretired.com MEMBERS’ AREA Autumn 2019 GSRMA member Sean Tighe, who was presented with a Volume 48 • Issue 3 • ISSN 1649-5896 Gold Scott Medal in 1947, marks his centenary year on 19 September 2019! 4 ASSOCIATION NEWS 67 THE AMALGAMATION his life in 1940 protecting the State, It’s 94 years since the Gardaí are never forgotten. amalgamated with the Dublin 32 IN-HOUSE REPORT Metropolitan Police – two disparaging police forces who 77 BAPTISM IN AGIA MARINA eventually came together with a Trevor Laffan, Cork City Branch, 37 AGM 2019 MOTIONS certain amount of disgruntlement who was on UN peacekeeping and suspicion of each other. duties in Cyprus in 2014, recalls a baptism in no-man’s land to which 48 GSRMA SOCIAL OUTINGS he was invited. May: Lancaster & Lake District 70 ALLIANCE UPDATE Nov: Ennistymon, Co. Clare GSRMA’s key pension issues are Nov: Christmas Markets, Belfast pension restoration, pension 81 CORK BRIDEWELL STATION Jan ‘20: Bundoran, Co. Donegal increases and negotiation rights. As the centenary celebrations of May ’20: Costa Brava, Spain After the current Public Service the founding of An Garda Síochána Sectoral Agreement expires on 31 move closer, Síocháin focuses on December 2020, the Public Service the first Garda Station built by the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 55 Pension Deductions (Pension Irish Free State – the Bridewell Levy) will have finished for most Garda Station in Cork City. A copy of an architectural statement gives ST PAUL’S GARDA CREDIT members. 58 a detailed description of the Garda UNION Station building. St Paul’s Garda Credit Union, one of GARDA REUNIONS 16 of Ireland’s largest credit unions, 72 A silver anniversary celebration in has announced the €10 million early July was a unique occasion collaboration with FEXCO, the since the 50 or so former and Irish-based international financial serving Gardaí assembled in the technology company, to form a new Aisling Hotel for the event were all joint venture called Metamo. founding members of the Garda Federation. 60 LIDDY MEDAL AWARDS The latest Liddy Medal winners were presented with their awards at the GSRMA Annual Conference in Athlone’s Sheraton Hotel in June. 84 THE QUIET MAN Dick Farrelly, who spent the final period of his 39 years’ service in the 75 GARDA MEMORIAL DAY CDU Finance Department at Dublin Marie Hyland says the Garda Castle, was a successful songwriter, Memorial Day is very important to whose classical song ‘The Isle of her so that people like her father Inisfree’ was adapted as the theme Garda Richard Hyland, having given music for ‘The Quiet Man’ movie. 2 Síocháin CONTENTS 90 MICHAEL HUNT runner-up prize for ‘Mass Hypnosis’. A centenary commemorative Sadly he passed away on 15 August, service took place on 22 June in and never got to realise his new- GSRMA EDITORIAL found creative writing goals in life. Monasterevin, Co. Kildare at the BOARD graveside of RIC Detective Inspector Pascal Feeney Michael Hunt, who was killed whist (Editor & General Secretary) on duty in Thurles, Co. Tipperary on 23 June 1919. 00 MEMORABILIA PAGE Billy Saunderson 101 MEMBERSHIP FORM 105 OBITUARY NOTICES 95 GAELIC FOOTBALLERS 112 ARCHIVE SNAPSHOTS The 1940s were the halcyon days of John O’Brien the Garda Síochána and the All-Ireland Football Championships. 116 CROSSWORD It was also a decade when a number of immortal Garda Gaelic football players helped unfurl their county 118 IN THE FRAME colours in Croke Park to huge acclaim for the first time. 120 POETRY CORNER Michael Coleman 97 SHORT STORY Noel Mulhern (Sligo/Leitrim Branch) 122 BULLETIN BOARD attended the 2018 Short Story Competition Awards Ceremony in Dublin last November to receive his 127 NOTICEBOARD SÍOCHÁIN is published by Ocean Publishing, 14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-6785165; Email: [email protected] Website: www.oceanpublishing.ie Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Managing Director: Patrick Aylward Association, In-House Editor: Grace Heneghan GSRMA House, In-House Designer: Catherine Doyle 5 Harrington Street, Dublin 8. PRESS CONCIL OF IRELAND Tel: 01-4781525 SIOCHAIN is a full participating member of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the office of the Press Ombandsman. In addition to defending the freedom of the press, the scheme offers readers a quick, fair and free Fax: 01-4785127 method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact Email: [email protected] the office of the Press Ombudsman visit www.pressombudsman.ie or www.presscouncil.ie or LoCall 1890 208 080. Website: www.gardaretired.com The views expressed in SIOCHAIN, unless expressly stated, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor, the Editorial Board, the GSRMA, Ocean Publishing, the Garda Commissioner or An Garda Síochána. Opinions expressed YOU CAN ALSO by the authors and services offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by the GSRMA. All rights reserved. No part of SIOCHAIN may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission FOLLOW US ON from the Editorial Board and the Publisher. Copyright © 2019 Ocean Publishing Facebook www.facebook.com/GardaRetired Twitter www.twitter.com/GardaRetired Síocháin 3 ASSOCIATION NEWS Joan Cahill, BALLINA BRANCH Ballina Branch (front row), Congratulations to Branch Vice-Chairman who was Mick Staunton and his wife Áine who have just presented celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A with her native of Clifden, Co. Galway, Mick joined the Long Service force in September 1964 and spent his entire Certificate service at Ballina Garda Station. at a recent Meanwhile, members extend their sympathy function to Jim Friel, Branch Chairman, on the recent in Ballina, death of his sister Mary Heraghty in Glasgow. pictured with She has been laid to rest in her native Donegal.