The president of the Garda Superintendents Association (GSA) Noel Cunningham said he awaits the full details of the proposed reforms, to see “the mechanics of how it will work.”

Union representatives of rank and file police today passed a vote of no confidence in Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde over his decision to reduce his full-time reserve force by more than half.

Police chiefs in Northern Ireland today urged the British government to resist any political attempts to axe their full-time reserves.