Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is of great concern that gardaí are considering taking industrial action on 4, 11, 18 and 25 November. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, should come to the House next week to discuss the issues involved. Gardaí have been extremely patient and involved in negotiations for months. It was raised in the Dáil in June by Deputy Micheál Martin, leader of Fianna Fáil. We met their representative organisations last December. They have genuine grievances in this regard.

Both the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, and the Garda Representative Association, GRA, are reasonable and constructive representatives of the force. The executives of these organisations have to respond to their membership who feel very much under attack from public service restrictions and the fact that new Garda recruits are on a very low salary. In fact, it is impossible for a young garda to live in Dublin now as rent assistance for them has been withdrawn. The whole issue should be resolved in a practical manner. I am sure the former justice Minister, Senator Michael McDowell, would make a major contribution to a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality. All the issues involved could be discussed here in a practical way.

When he was Minister, Senator McDowell brought in major reforms and improvements. He was an effective Minister introducing joint policing committees, which have played an important role in local areas. No other public servant has to go to work with a stab vest on. We have to bear in mind the danger gardaí put themselves in every day on our country’s streets. It is a dangerous business, particularly with the growth of the Kinahan and other types of gangs. We cannot afford for gardaí to take the industrial action they are proposing. They are being forced into taking action to get a result. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to the House next week to outline the situation as she sees it? We can then put questions to her from the point of view of the people we represent, namely, gardaí at GRA and AGSI levels.

I declare an interest as I am a nominee of both organisations on the labour panel. I make no apologies for that, however. Senator McDowell will recall we represented our views to him on many occasions when he was Minister.