Minister’s call for Garda recruits to say ‘no’ criticised

The largest Garda staff body has strongly criticised Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald for telling new recruits to say ‘no’ when they are given an instruction they believe is wrong.

The Garda Representative Association said this could be taken as “encouragement to indiscipline” or construed as “licence to mutiny”.

PJ Stone, GRA general secretary, said that such a directive to new gardaí could “only end in trouble”. He was responding to comments made earlier this month by Ms Fitzgerald to 100 recruits on their first day at the Garda College, Templemore.