PDForra does not see prospect of troops policing streets

Both PDForra and the minister with responsibility for defence, Paul Kehoe, do not envisage troops coming onto the streets to keep order if the Garda Representative Association (GRA) goes ahead with its planned strike action next month.

Mr Kehoe yesterday made his view on the issue known as he attended the annual conference of PDForra, the organisation which represents more than 7,000 men and women in the Defence Forces.

The Defence Forces can act as an “aid to the civil power” and Mr Kehoe said it would be up to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald to ask for them to be deployed in the event of an emergency situation.