Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Martin for raising this question. It is of the utmost seriousness for the country, for society and for the members of the Garda Síochána. The motto of the Garda, as everyone is aware, is to work within communities and to protect the public.

This matter has taken up a great deal of time from the point of view of the Government, particularly for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality. I share the deep concern of Members about the implications of possible industrial action by the GRA and the members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, this Friday. The Cabinet discussed this in some considerable detail yesterday. It was briefed on the significant offer made in an attempt to resolve it. While we are anxious that the matter would be resolved, we have made it perfectly clear that this must be resolved within the constraints of the Lansdowne Road agreement.

For many years, members of An Garda Síochána have sought access to the institutions or machinery of the State in terms of settling disputes and dealing with matters relating to pay and conditions. Government has accepted that principle and the WRC has been available, as has been pointed out, on an ad hocbasis until we put in place the statutory issue to allow both the commission and the Labour Court to be available to them.

Deputy Martin is well aware that the WRC is a negotiating board whereas the Labour Court is a board of arbitration - it is the highest arbitration facility in the State. I hope that the GRA and the AGSI, whose representatives are meeting representatives of the Labour Court today, will listen carefully to what the court has to say. It is independent in the way that it does its duty. However, I have to point out that it is normal procedure, as it has been in many other cases in the past, where Labour Court officials become involved independently for them to suggest to people that they take a deep breath and stand back from the industrial action while the officials look at the issues involved. Those issues include access to the WRC and the Labour Court and questions about pay and the restoration of pay.

I do not want to say anything that would in any way disrupt the conversations taking place in the Labour Court today. The meetings that took place yesterday with the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the GRA and the AGSI were good meetings. There were constructive and positive. There was a willingness to see that this matter might be resolved. No one in this country wants to see a situation where, for the first time ever, the entire Garda force, including members of the AGSI, will withdraw their services or not carry out their public duty. I do not want to see that happen and no one else wants to see that happen. This is a matter of the gravest seriousness but there is time for the proposed action to be postponed. I hope the Labour Court, given its independence, can realise that outcome following discussions with the GRA and the AGSI.

See this speech in context