Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I rise today to ask the Taoiseach on my behalf and that of my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group to please intervene in the situation pertaining to An Garda Síochána, the Garda Representative Association, GRA, and the Garda Commissioner. As we know, there was an unprecedented vote, with 99% of GRA members voting no confidence in the Garda Commissioner. There was a great flurry of activity and anxiety and angst in spite of the fact the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, said she had full confidence in the Garda Commissioner, as had the Government. Intensive efforts were made last weekend by senior members of the GRA and senior officials at, I believe, assistant commissioner level to try to resolve this issue of the extra roster being introduced. The Garda Commissioner said last November that he did not have enough members to reintroduce it. That was a great effort and there was great hope. The GRA met the Garda Commissioner yesterday. He just closed the book on them and dismissed any meaningful discussions, which will not be happening. The fifth roster is coming back in on 6 November. The GRA is meeting in emergency session this morning and we are facing a crisis.

I remember the Garda Síochána blue 'flu in 1998, and we do not want that again. Gardaí have to act and I and the Rural Independent Group have full confidence in An Garda Síochána but we have absolutely no confidence in a Garda Commissioner who seems to be out of touch and arrogant and who is not listening to even his senior officers. We have a dilemma here and either the Government intervenes-----

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