Members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents 11,000 rank-and-file gardaí, will not co-operate in planning for the European Union presidency, which Ireland is to take on in the second half of next year.
The move is in protest at management policies in An Garda Síochána, including Commissioner Drew Harris’s strict approach to discipline and use of suspensions.
At the GRA’s annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, delegates on Tuesday agreed it would not attend any meetings with Garda management “in relation to planning for the EU presidency” until its complaints are dealt with.
The presidency will see Ireland hosting dozens of high-profile events and dignitaries between July to December next year and will involve significant garda resources.
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Approving the emergency motion, the GRA said it was withdrawing co-operation until agreement is reached on Garda travel and subsistence rates.
Management must also cease alleged ongoing attempts to reduce injury benefits for gardaí and must introduce a new suspension policy in consultation with the GRA, it said.
“There’s a general frustration among our members and a feeling that their terms and conditions are under constant erosion,” said Brendan O’Connor, a GRA delegate from Co Donegal, who proposed the motion.
“People are angry. People are just fed up,” he said. Gardaí feel they are “under siege”.
“The criminals are laughing. The criminals aren’t under attack, but gardaí feel under attack. And a lot of those attacks are coming from within the organisation,” he said
The motion to withdraw co-operation passed by a healthy margin, but some delegates raised concerns.
Former GRA president Jim Mulligan said the Government was going to plan for the presidency without or without GRA members. He said members should participate in planning otherwise their interests will not be represented.
One of the main frustrations expressed by GRA members was the suspension of gardaí for lengthy periods of time for what it has said were often relatively minor matters.
For the second year in a row, Mr Harris was not invited by the GRA to address the conference.
However, Garda headquarters issued a statement rejecting the association’s characterisation of the suspensions policy.
It said 96 gardaí were suspended out of a total of 14,200 members. Ten of those were suspended for assault, 12 for domestic violence or coercive control, eight for sexual assault or sexual misconduct and 17 for drink- or drug-driving.
“Is the GRA saying these gardaí shouldn’t be suspended for such alleged serious offences?” Garda headquarters asked.
In relation to the GRA’s contention that people were leaving the organisation in large numbers due to working conditions, An Garda Síochána said just 1 per cent of gardaí resigned last year. The average rate for international police services is 10 per cent, it said.
“These are all points that the Commissioner would have dealt with directly with the GRA and GRA members at the GRA conference, but the GRA executive decided to deny him that opportunity,” the statement said.
