GRA pension levy case adjourned

The High Court has adjourned the legal challenge by the Garda Representative Association to the public sector pension levy.

The High Court has adjourned the legal challenge by the Garda Representative Association to the public sector pension levy.

The judicial review proceedings were initiated by the GRA against Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan last July and were mentioned today before Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill.

On consent of both sides, the judge adjourned the matter for three weeks.

The levy, which came into effect on March 1st, was introduced as a measure to reduce the public sector pay bill by some €1.9 million in 2009 and over €2 billion in a full year. The Department of Finance estimates it deducts 7.5 per cent from the average public-sector salary.

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The GRA, which represents 12,000 gardaí below the rank of sergeant, is challenging the procedure by which the measure was introduced. It has claimed gardaí are losing some €300 a month as a result both of the pension levy and the postponement of a planned 6 per cent pay rise.