McCabe’s widow to meet garda representatives

THE wife of slain Detective Garda Jerry McCabe will meet garda representatives at a special meeting to be held in Limerick next month.

The national executive of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) decided yesterday to hold a special session in Limerick to discuss their options on Government proposals to release Garda McCabe’s killers.

It’s understood no actions were ruled out at a GRA executive meeting yesterday, including a possible march in Dublin.

“We intend holding a special executive meeting in Limerick on January 7,” said GRA president Dermot O’Donnell. “At that meeting we will consider the other options we have on the table. I’m not prepared to say what they are.”

Mr O’Donnell said Ann McCabe would be invited to meet the executive in Limerick.

“The entire executive would welcome the opportunity to make her acquaintance. If she has anything to say we would be very anxious to hear it.”

He said the position of the GRA - which represents 10,000 rank-and-file gardaí - was simple.

“Our bottom line is clear, that these people should serve out every last day of their sentence. They shouldn’t be party to any agreement. It was a criminal act that they embarked on and as such they should be treated as any other criminal in terms of serving out their sentences.

“We think countenancing any other position would totally undermine our members going about their duty and put them at phenomenal risk.

“The one safeguard that they have is the fact that people who commit violent crimes against guards and are convicted will serve out every last day of their sentence.”