Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I ask the Tánaiste to provide an update on the ongoing negotiations with Garda representative organisations. While I fully understand she cannot provide details of the discussions, I ask her to provide information on the number of meetings that have taken place and so forth. I am aware that representatives of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, are due to meet departmental officials again tomorrow to try to find a resolution before Friday's industrial action. I also note the AGSI stated today that it did not have any progress to report. While I understand the Tánaiste is limited in terms of providing details of the ongoing discussions, I ask her to provide information on the nature of the discussions, the number of meetings held and at what level and whether she is hopeful of finding a resolution to the problem.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As he stated, the negotiations are at a sensitive stage. For the moment, we must concentrate on securing a satisfactory resolution to the ongoing talks. I assure the House that every effort is being made to resolve the dispute in the only way that it can be resolved, namely, through negotiation.

Intensive discussions are taking place. I know the House will understand that I am anxious not to say anything publicly which would make the resolution of the issues involved any more difficult. Everything that can be done is being done. The resolution of outstanding concerns lies in further engagement and I will continue to facilitate that.

I do not want to mislead the House by pretending there is some easy solution to hand. On the one hand, the Garda associations feel a genuine sense of grievance about their pay and conditions, a grievance felt by many public service workers and others as a result of the great sacrifices which had to be made, given the dire economic circumstances this country faced. While it is easy to understand and sympathise with this, what this Government cannot do is take measures which could only have the effect of endangering the progress we have made in leaving those dark days of economic ruin behind us.

We all have great admiration for the difficult job which members of An Garda Síochána do, day in, day out, in protecting our community. However, we cannot let that admiration and respect blind us to the consequences of trying to resolve this dispute outside general policy in regard to public service pay. Against that background, we need the discussions to continue to see whether we can reach agreement on measures which are possible within the context of the Lansdowne Road agreement. Of course, they have to be fair to gardaí, to other public sector workers and to the wider community, which has to pay for these measures.

As Deputies are aware, the agreements reached between the Department of Justice and Equality and the GRA and the AGSI addressed in a very positive way the issues raised by them in the course of the negotiations which took place over a number of months. In particular, the agreement sought to address the concerns they have articulated in regard to the pay of new recruits, the additional hours that gardaí are required to work, their access to pay determination and dispute resolution bodies and the completion of the review of An Garda Síochána - the Horgan review - which will be available in a number of weeks. The agreement included very significant benefits, including the restoration of the rent allowance worth over €4,000, or 17%, annually to new recruits and also, in the case of the GRA, the lifting of the increment freeze from 1 January.

It is very disappointing that these terms have been rejected and that the announcement has been made in regard to industrial action and withdrawal of service. The reality of any negotiations is that both sides do not get everything they want. However, we must continue in the coming days to work with great intensity to map a way forward, which we will. While our focus is on achieving that, work is ongoing in the background in regard to contingency planning and indeed I met with the Garda Commissioner to discuss issues relating to the dispute, including contingency plans.

Clearly, the reality is that very significant challenges will be faced in this country if there is a widespread withdrawal of labour by a substantial number of gardaí. I believe the Garda commitment to serve our community will inform the discussions that are taking place. I believe all sides must wholeheartedly focus on those discussions in an effort to resolve the dispute. I appreciate the support of this House.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The AGSI is due to have another round of discussions tomorrow. The Minister might inform us when the GRA is due to meet Department officials. While we do not want to say anything that may jeopardise those ongoing negotiations, it is important for the general public to know what is happening. That is why I put down this Topical Issue in that it gives the Minister the opportunity to reiterate that every opportunity to try to resolve this will be explored. This is not just about pay, as the Minister knows. There are other issues on the table and the AGSI in particular is, for example, seeking the recognition of the European Social Charter, which was ruled on in 2014. I am sure all of that is part of the negotiations.

The Minister said she has met the Garda Commissioner in regard to the contingency plans. Although I am sure she is not going to go into what those contingency plans are, again, it is an opportunity to put on the public record that if the industrial action does go ahead, there are very robust contingency plans being worked on at the moment that will be implemented if necessary.

I want to wish the Department officials, the Minister and the Garda representative bodies every success in trying to resolve this. As the Minister said, no side is going to come out a winner or a loser in this and the only way it is going to be resolved is around the negotiating table. I hope the negotiations bear fruit, hopefully before this Friday but, if not, certainly before the following Friday.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the approach he has taken. The Government understands the very real anger that is out there which, as I said, is shared by many in the public sector and the public at large because of the very tough decisions that had to be taken in recent years and the impact that has been felt so deeply by many people, including gardaí, who feel it very deeply. However, it is important to be clear that withdrawal of service, industrial action or threats of industrial action will not achieve something in contravention of wider public pay policy. Nonetheless, I believe there is scope for an agreement, which is what we want to focus on.

Intensive work is ongoing. The Deputy asked about meetings with the GRA. There have been meetings today and there is a meeting with the AGSI again tomorrow. I assume these meetings will continue. Detailed discussions are ongoing which I hope can lead to satisfactory outcomes, with goodwill all round.

In regard to the contingency planning, as I said, I have met with the Garda Commissioner in this regard and we are liaising very closely with the Garda authorities about all aspects of the dispute, as the Deputy would expect. The Garda associations have already stated that some emergency cover would be provided. The extent and nature of that cover is very important in terms of managing the situation. The Garda Commissioner will have to take any and all actions available to her to mitigate the impact and effects of any withdrawal of labour.

There is no point pretending the planned action, if it goes ahead, will not constitute a very significant challenge to this country. Given the scale of the work the 12,800 gardaí do, day in, day out, whether in regard to cash in transit escorts, preventing burglaries, gathering intelligence, dealing with fatal road traffic accidents and the whole range of other work they do, it is a hugely significant issue if that labour is withdrawn and would have a huge impact. I make no apology for repeating that the focus of the Government remains on engagement, negotiations and, ultimately, finding a pathway to resolution and agreement in the coming days. We want all sides to keep talking, discussing and trying to find a solution. That is what is happening at present and I hope we will have a positive outcome.