Gardaí urged to refuse to police EU presidency and Irish Open over pay row
The organisation representing rank-and-file gardaí is urging its members not to cooperate with the planning of the EU presidency and the Irish Open, at Donald Trump’s Doonbeg resort, unless their pay and conditions demands are met, writes Garreth MacName.
Several urgent motions were passed yesterday at the Garda Representative Association’s annual delegate conference in Westport, Co. Mayo.
They related to fears over the strain which the GRA says will be placed on its members during Ireland’s EU presidency, which starts in July and runs until the end of the year.
The motion passed at the conference yesterday called on the Government to “immediately resolve the outstanding issues in relation to the pay and conditions of our members, and until such time as this is achieved we will advise our members not to cooperate with the planning for, or the policing of, the EU presidency and Irish Open”.
Another motion which was passed directed GRA general secretary, Ronan Slevin, to write to the Garda Commissioner and inform him that the Midlands Working Time Agreement 2024 has to be complied with in full during the EU presidency.
The agreement is an agreed shift roster to enhance work-life balance.
In another stark warning to the Government, a third urgent motion was passed, stating: “This conference directs the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and officer board to take any and all actions that they feel accurately reflect the lack of progress of the issues we have raised.
“And that the general secretary writes to [Expenditure] Minister Jack Chambers informing him that because of these constant obstructions faced with his department, we are now in dispute with his office.”
Following this debate, new GRA president Niall Hodgins said: “This is a dispute that has gone on for far too long. Minister Chambers and his department have continuously placed us on the long finger and kicked us down the road and refused to honour already agreed positions.
“We urgently demand the following actions: Solve the issues regarding subsistence, travel and allowances [to counteract inflation]; the 1% pay increase that was due last September and a seat at the negotiating table for the upcoming National Pay Talks.
“If these issues are not resolved in the coming weeks, the GRA will advise our members not to cooperate with the planning for, or the policing of, the upcoming EU presidency and Irish Open golf tournament.”
Speaking about the toll the EU presidency will place on gardaí, deputy general secretary of the GRA James Morrisroe said: “The concerns are that we don’t have resources. We’re languishing at about 14,500 gardaí and as we saw in the exceptional event over the past week, a week and a half ago, we just don’t have the numbers to police these circumstances.
“So with the extraordinary events coming up in the presidency, we certainly feel that our members will be stretched to the pin of their collar.
“Leave will be cancelled. Rest days will be cancelled. There are 71 days, potentially, of extraordinary events where rest days, possibly, will be cancelled.
“We would be very concerned in relation to the welfare of our members in relation to the policing of the EU presidency.
“We have seen in the events of the past weeks what can happen at a moment’s notice... There is potential for disruption during the six months. It’s a long six months.
“I just feel we don’t have the numbers and this would be a welfare issue for our members.”
Speaking about the possibility of President Trump visiting the Irish Open in September, Mr Morrisroe said that this would be another huge ask for gardaí on the ground.
He added: “That’s an extra event... The possibility of Donald Trump coming to that, that’s a huge security concern for our members.
The Irish Open will be held at Trump International Golf Resort in Doonbeg. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
“We would be expected to police that again at a moment’s notice. Donald Trump might decide this evening to come tomorrow morning, so it’s just drop everything and go to where he is.
“Our members are suffering from burnout as we speak.”
The Department of Public Expenditure was contacted for comment.
