GRA demands gardaí be given back Uzis and ballistic shields
As part of a no-confidence motion at its annual conference, rank-and-file members of the force will also question if the retention and storage of such data is in breach of the Data Protection Acts.
With violent attacks on the rise, gardaí also want the reinstatement of the Uzi submachine gun or an equivalent firearm, and the introduction of ballistic shields for all gardaí who attend armed incidents.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) will also demand that leg restraints be issued for use by all gardaí and that members attending traumatic incidents be automatically referred to an external professional counselling service.
However, calls to claw back lost pay are expected to dominate the GRA’s 37th annual conference, which gets under way this evening in Tullow, Co Carlow.
GRA president Dermot O’Brien will tell 151 delegates, representing 10,400 members of the force, gardaí should have the right to directly negotiate pay and conditions with their employer, the Justice Department.
He will say that the past six years have proved difficult for rank-and-file gardaí “who have stoically continued to police throughout, despite the pay reductions and emergency financial legislation that specifically targeted public sector workers unfairly”.
Many gardaí have had their homes repossessed and others are struggling to keep up mortgage repayments due to a combination of buying property in the boom and having their wages cut by an average of 14%.
Garda O’Brien will also say the force has recently been rocked by allegations and perceived crises in its leadership and management “which has undoubtedly damaged the morale of members on the frontline”.
He will add that while the public appreciates and distinguishes that the frontline garda is not responsible, the corporate image has been damaged and his members are on the receiving end of negative commentary, directed at the organisation.
The GRA is also concerned with the slow pace of recruitment, which has been reactivated after a number of years in hiatus.
In addition, it wants every Garda district which oversees motorways to be provided with a marked jeep, equipped with appropriate road safety equipment.
It wants driving schools at Templemore and Garda headquarters to be properly resourced with an adequate, suitable fleet of motorcycles and cars, to deliver proper standards of training.
These deficiencies were identified in the recent Garda Inspectorate report
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