WORDS of respect have poured in for Limerick woman Antoinette Cunningham who is to step down from service with An Garda Síochána after 33 years in the force.
She will hand over the reigns of her position as General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in April.
Thanking colleagues, friends, and family “who supported me on the way”, Inspector Cunningham said it had been “an honour and a privilege to serve” the people of Ireland in her long Garda career and she was “looking forward to the next chapter”.
One burning issue she would like to ease for force members before she officially steps away from her role in AGSI is that of pay for Gardaí.
The Knocklong native tweeted on January 26 that she was “working through the night on behalf of the AGSI to secure a better pay deal for members”, a plan which will be put to the union’s members.
Paying tribute, Antoinette’s colleagues in AGSI said she “made Irish policing history by becoming its first-full time female official in a Garda representative organisation”.
“On her way to achieving that career-defining milestone, Antoinette was also the first woman to serve at every executive level of the Association – Branch Secretary, National Executive member, President, Deputy General Secretary, and General Secretary.”
Ms Cunningham served in Killarney, Roxboro Road, and Mayorstone Garda Stations in Limerick and worked for 10 years as a training sergeant in the Garda College in Templemore for 10 years.
Her qualifications are some of the highest in the force, including a Master’s degree in Adult Learning and Education from NUIG and a BA Degree in Training and Education.
In 2021 she was honoured with the University of Galway Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy, and Government in recognition of her significant contribution in the field of policing.
“When asked, Antoinette would say that her proudest achievement occurred in 2019 when, after three years of lobbying, she was responsible for securing a change in the legislation to allow Gardaí access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court,” a statement from the AGSI said.
“As President of the AGSI, she led her members to the brink of unprecedented strike action over pay and conditions in late 2016 before the issues were sorted out at talks.”
Inspector Cunningham also led the AGSI through the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that although there was “no handbook to police a pandemic, as frontline emergency responders, we stood strong to help protect communities, and we did it with grace and commitment”.
The National Executive of the AGSI also paid tribute to their General Secretary starting it was “very fitting for Antoinette to announce her retirement on St Bridget’s Day — a day to reflect on the achievements of Irish women and Antoinette has achieved so much on behalf of the Association”.
