Ahern tells GRA to apologise to Irish people

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has demanded that the Garda Representative Association (GRA) apologise to the people of Ireland for scathing comments which he says forced him to pull out of an address to the organisation's annual conference in Limerick.

Ahern said that accusations in a speech planned but not delivered by outgoing GRA president Michael O’Boyce that the Government had been "corrupted by years of power" amounted to an attack on the institutions of the State.

The Minister also vowed that any moves by the garda rank and file representative body from becoming a fully fledged trade union would never succeed as long as he was in office.

With relations between the two sides at such a low level, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy summoned GRA chiefs to a meeting in Phoenix Park headquarters tomorrow over the intended political attack.

Mr Ahern, who snubbed an invitation to the GRA conference over the garda’s broadside, said efforts were being made to give the representative body more power.

“I want to make it clear that the GRA are effectively campaigning to become a full trade union – as long as I am minister the organisation will never become a trade union,” the minister said.

GRA general secretary PJ Stone and incoming president Damien McCarthy have been summoned to Garda HQ in Dublin.

It is understood the leaders have been called in to explain Mr O'Boyce's planned attack on the Government, his last address as the head of the GRA.

The withering criticism, which accused Fianna Fáil of “national sabotage” and protecting “economic traitors”, was circulated among the media before the minister snubbed his invitation and the speech was pulled.

After the row, the Commissioner warned that officers should stay out of politics and concentrate on fighting crime.

He has also refused to rule out disciplinary action in relation to the planned speech.

Newly-elected GRA leader Damien McCarthy has said he fully backs his predecessor.

Mr Ahern also announced plans to restart recruitment to the force by the end of the year as 216 new officers took part in a passing out ceremony at the Garda College Templemore.

“A recruitment drive will be necessary to compensate for retiring members and to keep Garda numbers up to approved levels,” the minister said.

“It is my top priority to maintain Garda operational strength at a level, agreed with my colleague the Minister for Finance (Brian Lenihan), necessary to cope with the challenges you face.”