Garda Commissioner to meet GRA today

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy will meet with the leadership of the Garda Representative Association later regarding the controversial speech that was never made at its annual conference.

In it, outgoing President Michael O'Boyce accused the Government of being corrupted by years of power.

It prompted an angry response from the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, who said gardaí should not stray into politics.

The Justice Minister also demanded an apology for the Irish people, whilst Commissioner Murphy has said gratuitous comments about corruption have no place within the gardaí.

In the address, which was distributed to the media in advance but in the end was never made, Michael O'Boyce accused the Government of "national sabotage" and of being "corrupted by years of power".

The comments forced Minister Dermot Ahern to pull out of a scheduled appearance at the annual conference of the GRA in Limerick.

It is understood Fachtna Murphy will issue a stern warning to the new GRA president Damien McCarthy - who has said he fully supports the sentiment and remarks of the speech - and to general secretary PJ Stone at Garda Headquarters later.