Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, I was not in a position to attend the AGSI conference on the evening of Monday, 14 April for personal reasons. I was also scheduled to attend a meeting in Luxembourg on Tuesday, 15 April regarding my duties as Minister for Defence. My difficulties were explained to the general secretary of the AGSI and, while he was understandably disappointed, I believe he understood the position in which I found myself. Officials from my Department attended and the question of arranging for a replacement speaker to make an address on my behalf did not arise. I also wrote to the general secretary of the AGSI expressing my regret at not being able to attend and also recording my appreciation for the service that his members and indeed all gardaí provide on a daily basis in countering crime and maintaining the security of the State.

I greatly value continued engagement with the AGSI and the other Garda representative bodies on a wide range of policing issues. In this context I have since received a very constructive letter from the general secretary of the AGSI on the case for the widest possible level of consultation on the review of the Garda Síochána, and I will carefully consider his views.

I did not receive an invitation to attend the GRA conference in Killarney this week. I did not receive an invitation to attend its conference last year either. It is of course entirely a matter for the GRA to decide whom it wishes to invite to its conference and how it should conduct its business, but again I want to make clear that I favour positive engagement with the Garda representative bodies on policing issues. I would be more than happy to meet representatives of the GRA or the other Garda associations at any time. We certainly should be able to have a frank, open and constructive discussion on policing matters, particularly at a time of significant policing reform, and I look forward to that engagement.

It is a time for review and reform in respect of An Garda Síochána and pursuant to the Haddington Road agreement issues relating to the efficiency, effectiveness, structure organisation, staffing and deployment of An Garda Síochána are being addressed. I look forward to the positive and constructive engagement of the Garda associations in that process.

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