Strike row to dominate GRA meeting

It was unclear last night if this Friday’s planned Garda strike will be resolved at today’s meeting of the Garda Representative Association as an escalating internal dispute is set to dominate.

It is thought that a motion of no-confidence may be entered at the body’s Central Executive Committee in relation to GRA general secretary Pat Ennis.

It stems from a decision last Thursday by the six-member GRA officer board to significantly increase emergency cover for Friday’s strike without the consent of the full 31-member CEC. That strike was called off at the last minute by a narrow margin (20 votes to 17) at a particularly tense CEC meeting.

The Irish Examiner has been told a number of people on the committee will support a motion of no-confidence this morning.

Sources said these members will not be willing to discuss the issues of strike deferral or the ballot until the leadership of the association is dealt with.

That will leave Garda management, the Government and the public unsure as to what will happen this Friday and whether or not the 10,330 members of the GRA will be working.

Mr Ennis and other members of the six-member officer board held a press conference at 12.30pm last Thursday at which Mr Ennis announced that a further 14 garda units and areas had been added to the four units they had already exempted from Friday’s strike.

The surprise development followed what sources said was a strained meeting with Garda management that morning in which police bosses warned of a “catastrophe” facing the country if far greater emergency cover was not provided.

There have been claims from numerous sources that Garda management figures had told GRA leaders that “martial law” could be introduced – claims that have been rejected by Garda HQ and the Government.

There are also claims that this longer list of 18 units and areas had previously been presented to the CEC and been rejected.

As part of the decision to hold a ballot, the CEC would have to draw up some kind of briefing document and decide whether or not they should recommend it.

There is considerable dispute within the CEC at the financial benefits of the Labour Court deal and an accountant is due to brief the committee today.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, representing 2,080 mid-ranking officers, decided to defer the three remaining strike days pending their ballot.