by Louise Doyle
THE chairman of Donegal Joint Policing Committee (JPC) Councillor Gerry McMonagle has called for a zero approach to assaults on gardaí, as stark figures reveal worrying levels of injury at work.
Figures obtained by the Donegal News under the Freedom of Information Act reveal 26 gardaí were absent from work over an eight-month period from June 2023 to February of this year due to occupational injury/ illness arising from duty.
A total of 2,931 days were lost to sick leave absence due to occupational injury/illness arising from duty in the same eight-month timeframe.
The FOI figures released to this newspaper by An Garda Síochána show that between June 2023 and February 2024, 446 gardaí in Donegal Division took sick leave.
The overall number of days lost due to sick leave in the same time frame was 9,923.
Sick leave absences fell into three categories of occupational injury/illness arising from duty, critical illness and ordinary illness.
A breakdown of the FOI figures show that between June and December 2023, 277 garda members in Donegal Division were on sick leave absence.
Fifteen gardaí were off sick because of occupational injury/illness arising from duty.
Ordinary illness accounted for 257 garda members taking sick leave, while five garda members availed of sick leave because of critical illness.
The number of days lost due to sick leave absence from June to December 2023 was 7,750.50, according to the figures.
Illness arising from duty accounted for 2,383.50 days of absence, while ordinary illness saw 4,075 days lost. Critical illness accounted for 1,292 days of absence.
Meanwhile, in the first two months of this year, a total of 169 garda were on sick leave absence.
Eleven garda members were off work due to occupational injury/illness arising from duty, while 150 garda members availed of sick leave due to ordinary illness.
Critical illness accounted for eight garda members taking sick leave.
Occupational injury/illness arising from duty saw 548 days lost to sick absence.
Ordinary illness accounted for the highest number of days lost to sick absence (1,203.50), while critical illness saw 421 days lost.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Cllr McMonagle described the figures as “very high” and said they were indicative of the pressures gardaí are under in the job.
“In Donegal we have had incidents of garda cars being rammed which is an occupational injury. The number of days gardaí have taken off sick tell me that the injuries they sustained were not minor and much more needs to be done for their protection.
“I think what is needed a proper welfare system in place to help gardai get back to work as soon as possible.The amount of gardaí off sick due to operational duties is evidence that gardaí need more support.”
Cllr McMonagle said that the high level of garda absence due to sick leave also leaves communities feeling more vulnerable because of a decreased policing presence.
“Thousands of days lost due to sickness shows the scale of the issue. With gardaí off on sick leave, this also leaves a garda presence on our streets under pressure, leaving people feeling vulnerable.”
Roll-out of body camera use by gardaí will begin in 2025, but the cameras will normally only be switched on when members are using their garda powers. Cllr McMonagle believes this resource will “go a long way” to protect gardaí.
“Gardaí are under severe stress. The sentence handed down to people who come before the courts charged with assaulting gardaí is not acting as a deterrent. We need to look at this going forward in terms of tougher sentences but also in garda numbers because we do need more gardaí on our streets.
“We need a zero tolerance approach. We can see as clear as day the stress gardaí are under, the lack of resources and support. We need more resources and stronger sentences for those who cause injury to gardai. We need to send out a message that such attacks on gardaí will not be tolerated.”
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