Garda threat to ‘turn off goodwill tap’ over pay cuts

Rank-and-file gardaí will “turn off the goodwill tap” as part of a work to rule from Feb 22 if the Government tries to cut their pay and conditions through Croke Park II.

While exact details of the industrial action is being kept under wraps, it is likely gardaí will refuse to use patrol cars which do not fit health and safety criteria, will not allow gardaí to drive the cars without proper training, and will not use their own mobile phones or personal computers for work purposes.

GRA president John Parker said the more than 11,000 members of his organisation would be “turning off the tap of goodwill if the Government insisted on breaching the terms of the original Croke Park Agreement as part of the negotiations on the new deal”.

Yesterday the GRA central executive committee voted no confidence in Justice Minister Alan Shatter and sought an urgent meeting with Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.

The commissioner later issued a statement saying he had arranged a meeting “very soon” to listen to the concerns.