The association representing rank-and-file gardaí this evening described a meeting with the Garda Commissioner as “a complete waste of time” after he refused to defer the deadline for a new roster.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has also said that Commissioner Drew Harris has “invited conflict” after refusing to move on the November 6 deadline.
GRA delegates will convene for a special conference in Kilkenny on Wednesday morning where they will discuss the next course of action.
Sources have said that “nothing is off the table” including frontline gardaí refusing to work overtime for events including Budget Day on October 10.
The policing of this event requires a large amount of gardaí operating on overtime with several public order units expected to be deployed, particularly following protests outside Dail Eireann when it returned last week.
Sources told the Irish Independent that one course of action being considered is that gardaí will refuse to work overtime for the event.
“The is a lot of anger and nothing is off the table. The possibility of frontline gardaí declining to work overtime for Budget Day is an option which will be considered which would have an impact on the number of gardaí available at Leinster House.
“This could have a knock-on effect on regular frontline policing as well. However, this will all have to be discussed among delegates on Wednesday when a collective response will be decided on”.
The GRA have been at loggerheads with the Garda chief over his plans to re-introduce a pre-pandemic roster in November.
Mr Harris has offered to enter into negotiations through either the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) or internal mechanisms.
The GRA have said they will not enter negotiations while the roster deadline remains in place, with the Commissioner refusing to renege on this at a meeting on Tuesday.
After the meeting the GRA’s General Secretary Ronan Slevin said that it was a “complete waste of time” and that their relationship with Mr Harris is “in many ways irreparable”.
“Two weeks ago our membership sent a clear message when almost 99pc of those balloted voted No Confidence in his leadership. Sadly, any talks since then to try and repair this damage have failed which completely vindicates the result of this ballot.
“Yesterday we formally wrote to the Commissioner requesting once again that the date for the changing of our roster of the 6th November is removed or deferred to ensure that our members won’t have to change their working patterns twice in a short space of time.
“We even gave a commitment that the GRA would then immediately enter these proposed talks in good faith as we always have, actively trying to find an acceptable solution. It must be remembered that we were the only Association to remain in talks during the 64 days of negotiations at Westmanstown, which highlights our commitment to the process,” Mr Slevin said.
“Furthermore, we explained that even if we managed to reach an agreement, our Association would require at least six weeks to conduct a ballot of our members, therefore the impending date of November 6 needed to be addressed as it would not allow for meaningful, open negotiations.
“However, the Commissioner has simply told us today that he is not for moving on the November 6th deadline and that, in his words, ‘the roster will change on that date’.
“It is our view that the Commissioner has now invited conflict and it will be up to our delegates at tomorrow’s specially convened conference to chart the direction of the actions to follow,” Mr Slevin added.
A Garda spokesman said: “As part of long standing efforts by all parties to get collective agreement on a new roster, the Garda management side and the four Garda Associations met again today. A final decision regarding next steps has not been made. All parties have asked to consider possible next steps. A further meeting has been scheduled for Thursday.”
