Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, I am just stating a fact. When these talks were going on last weekend, where was the Commissioner? He was at the rugby match in France. We think he has no interest in his members. I plead with him to give resources to gardaí in Tipperary, so they can defend themselves and the public. Goodness knows, the community in Clonmel want to thank the Government and everybody involved but especially the gardaí on the way they supported the families following the tragic incident in which four young lives were lost. I met them at the month's mind mass for one of the girls last Sunday. We think of the way the gardaí rallied around and of the unfortunate gardaí who came on the scene first. They mind us all, and we saw last week how they mind us in this House. There is a thin blue line, however, between public order and what the gardaí stand for, and we must support them.

We must have a Commissioner who supports, respects and will listen. Some 99% is an unbelievable figure and it is the almost unanimous view of the rank and file members. We meet them every day and they look after communities and we expect them to do so. We compliment them on the drug seizure yesterday but only for them where would we be? They are not being respected by the Commissioner; it is as simple as that. We face a huge crisis with this Commissioner but the Minister for Justice just blandly says she supports him any which way.

Efforts were made last weekend, which we all appealed for, and we were hopeful that the introduction of this roster would be delayed until we had more talks and time for respectful negotiations. The Commissioner then just closed the book on it yesterday. He was at the rugby match when they were trying to sort it out and this is what happened. The GRA is meeting today in emergency session and we could have some kind of industrial action. We do not want that and cannot afford it because gardaí are under too much pressure on the ground as it is.

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