Pitiful equipment, low morale and increased assaults to dominate GRA conference

(Left to right) Ronan Slevin, Interim Deputy General Secretary, Frank Thornton, GRA President and Brendan O’Connor, GRA Vice President ahead of the 44th annual GRA Delegates Conference. The strength of the force is around 14,000 whereas it should be up to the same level as Scotland's - 17,243. Picture: Conor Ó Mearáin

Garda equipment is “pitiful”, morale is very low, assaults on members of the force are increasing and there isn’t the required nationwide level of manpower to provide the public a proper service.

These issues and calls for improved pay and conditions are set to dominate the annual two-day Garda Representative Association (GRA) conference which gets underway in Westport, Co. Mayo, tomorrow.