‘My peers earn twice as much as I do’

“I am a probationer garda stationed in Dublin. I have always wanted to be a garda, so when the opportunity to join came up, I jumped at the chance.

“I knew it would be a tough job but worthwhile. I unfortunately find myself at a crossroads.

“I travel between an hour and two hours per work shift, with the petrol costing on average €60. I have looked into renting but the prices in the Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow areas are completely out of my range.

“I have moved in with my girlfriend’s grandmother, who has a spare room, and I pay her €100 a week for rent. I pay for my health insurance, which is €30 a week, and I pay into schemes such as the GRA and the IPA and the credit union. This leaves me with approximately €100 left to spend on food or to save for the week.

“I have no way to apply for a mortgage and would get laughed out of the bank if I tried. I love the job and I love the excitement of every new day and night. I enjoy the camaraderie and I love the unit I work with.

“I am constantly told that I shouldn’t have to put up with the abuse given to the guards, especially on my pay scale. I have already put my life on the line, when confronted with armed stand-off situations or stabbing incidents and public order affrays.

“Due to the rearranging of the pay scheme it has left me at an extreme disadvantage when compared to my peers, who may have joined seven years prior to me and earn at least twice as much as me in take-home pay a week. I feel it has become a major problem for me and I may have to abandon my dream job and find another job.”