Over 700 gardaí off sick each day last year, up 5% from year previous
Ken Foxe
Over 700 gardaí were off sick each day last year from accidents on duty, due to mental health struggles, or from malicious injuries suffered while working.
Figures from An Garda Síochána show that a total of 257,129 days were lost in 2024 due to illness leave, a rise of about five per cent from the previous year.
An Garda said recent increases were linked mainly to injuries on duty, reflecting the “unpredictable and dangerous nature of frontline duties undertaken by gardaí nationwide.”
The number of days taken off due to illness last year was around eighteen for each member of the 14,000-strong-force, according to records released under FOI laws.
Injuries on duty accounted for nearly a quarter of all sick days, with officers taking 60,578 off because of accidents at work.
There were a further 7,701 days lost because of injuries suffered during road traffic accidents while critical illness accounted for 33,194 sick days.
Gardaí were forced to take 19,315 days of illness leave after being maliciously injured in the line of duty, the figures showed.
There was a very small number of sick days – just six in total – taken by officers who suffered a malicious injury while they were off duty.
Other categories of illness included 45,999 days for flu, COVID or viral illness and 7,769 for musculoskeletal injuries.
Gardaí suffering from mental health issues took 2,443 days illness leave, while more than 58,000 days of sick leave were not categorised.
Other sick leave included 5,844 days for pregnancy-related issues, 382 days of post-pregnancy leave, and 6,368 days of occupational illness arising from duty.
Asked about the figures, An Garda Síochána said the welfare of staff was of “paramount importance” and that their members faced unique challenges.
A spokeswoman said: “The Garda Commissioner is on record as highlighting the physical danger and associated risks to health that comes as part of being a member of An Garda Síochána and working to keep people and communities safe.
“In addition to the physical danger – shift work, long hours of duty and working outdoors often during poor weather conditions also add to potential health risks for operational members.”
The spokeswoman said there had been recent increases in the number of days lost due to injuries on duty and in the area of critical illness.
“In both of these categories,” the spokesperson said, “absence periods can be and are often quite extended, so a small number of individuals will account for this larger increase.”
The spokeswoman said there had been a significant decrease in mental-health related absence over the past two years as well as flu and other viral illnesses.
She added that managing sickness and injury was a key priority and that members off duty were fully supported by the organisation with a wide range of employee welfare supports.
