Top gardaí called tonight for buildings coming under the control of NAMA to be reinvented as stations for their officers.

TRADE unions and associations representing more than 100,000 public servants have reacted angrily to an alleged attempt to gag the military and prevent it from joining with an alliance fighting pay cuts proposed by the McCarthy report.

GARDA retirements are running at twice the projected rate, new figures suggest.

THE Garda commissioner is to press ahead with plans for armed regional support units despite strong opposition from middle-ranking gardaí.

SENIOR Garda officers yesterday vowed to fight proposals to fast-track promotions through its ranks.

Senior Garda officers today vowed to fight proposals to fast-track promotions through its ranks.

MIDDLE-RANKING gardaí yesterday backed Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s controversial crime bill.

SENIOR gardaí have urged immediate action on the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate that members of the force be better equipped and trained to deal with incidents involving firearms.

SENIOR gardaí yesterday demanded the functions of the Special Criminal Court are extended to tackle “extreme gangland crime”.

The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell today vowed to tighten up laws to fight the escalating gun crime culture taking a grip on the country.

Rank-and-file gardaí joined senior officers today to wish the new head of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate success in the role.

Gardaí today demanded more firearms training to deal with the increase in gun crime.

There is an appalling scarcity of civilian support staff for the Gardaí, a conference heard today.

JUSTICE MINISTER Michael McDowell last night warned the garda associations of a public backlash against them if they are seen to scupper the Garda Reserve.

The general public may turn on the Gardaí if a reserve force is not welcomed, Justice Minister Michael McDowell warned tonight.

Senior gardaí will become baby-sitters for hundreds of volunteers if the planned Reserve goes ahead, it was claimed tonight.

EXPERIENCED gardaí would have to keep one eye on rioters and another on reservists if Minister for Justice Michael McDowell pushes through plans to create a back-up force, it was claimed last night.

Gardaí tonight said no other profession would tolerate the “mad hatter scheme” for a volunteer reserve.

THE Government’s Garda Reserve was thrown into disarray last night after gardaí refused to co-operate with it.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell tonight called on garda associations to back him on plans for a 4,000-strong volunteer garda reserve force.

SENIOR garda criticism of the garda reserve plan was wide of the mark, Justice Michael McDowell said yesterday.

THE Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) last night warned that the proposed garda reserve force could attract people who want to go on a power kick and settle old scores with neighbours.

ANY lingering illusions about the extent of IRA involvement in organised crime in Ireland have been well and truly dispelled by the main body operating at the cliff face of the fight against crime - the gardaí.

VICTIMS of crime, such as the sisters and fiancé of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney, should no longer be treated as bystanders, gardaí said yesterday.

GARDAÍ are asking for the power to detain parents who refuse to go to garda stations when their children are being held there.

POLICING in Ireland will go back to the Dark Ages if the Government adopts a recommendation to centralise gardaí in district headquarters, a garda leader will tell his organisation’s annual seminar today.

Senior gardaí backed Government plans today for a fully-resourced traffic corps to stop the carnage on the roads.

A range of new measures are needed to tackle “the evil of the drugs trade”, senior gardaí claimed today.

GARDA sergeants and inspectors yesterday came out strongly against any move to centralise the force, close stations or reduce opening hours.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors have demanded an explanation from the Government over claims that that the IRA killers of garda Jerry McCabe were to be released from prison under the aborted peace deal that was supposed to restart the peace process last October.

GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy yesterday broke his silence on the RTÉ Prime Time programme on alleged garda brutality, describing it as unbalanced and biased.

By Cormac O’KeeffeBR>GARDAÍ yesterday demanded that Justice Minister Michael McDowell either withdraw or back up with evidence comments that garda were being bribed by journalists.

ELECTRONIC tagging should be used to track dangerous criminals such as sex offenders, a garda representative said yesterday.

MIDDLE-RANKING gardaí have complained to management that traffic law enforcement is not being given a sufficiently high profile.