Courts face chaos over disruption by Gardaí

GARDAÍ are on a collision course with Justice Minister Dermot Ahern over threatened industrial action which would cripple the operation of the country’s circuit and high courts within two weeks.

Last night, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) confirmed their members intend, on March 22, withdrawing from an informal system which allows officers to appear as witnesses in circuit and high court cases, without being formally summonsed.

GRA vice-president Damien McCarthy said: “We will merely be strictly enforcing the principles of law, whereby Garda witnesses should be formally summonsed to appear.