Shatter conference shut-out the first in garda history

The Justice Minister will not be invited to the Garda Representative Association's annual conference this year, with the same fate possible for Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.

The conference takes place in Westport in Co Mayo at the end of April.

It comes as four AGSI sergeants who walked out on Minister Alan Shatter and the Commissioner at their conference this week now say they have full confidence in the Commissioner.

This is the first time that any Garda representative group has not invited a Justice Minister to an annual event.