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Tánaiste and Minister
for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell):
The Oireachtas provided
for the establishment of the Garda Reserve in section 15 of the Garda
Síochána Act 2005, and on foot of proposals received from the Garda
Commissioner I drafted regulations governing the recruitment, training
and deployment of Reserve Gardaí. All of the Garda representative bodies
were invited to engage in constructive discussion of those draft
regulations. The regulations were approved by Government in July and
recruitment for the Reserve commenced in August.
Both the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and the Garda
Representative Association, while advising their members to comply with
any orders regarding implementation of the Reserve, have declared their
continued opposition to the Reserve. This is a clear contravention of
the terms of the new social partnership agreement Towards 2016, which
requires “co-operation with the implementation of policies, initiatives
and reforms following Government decisions or the enactment of
legislation (primary, secondary or EU).” A continued unwillingness on
the part of the two associations to accept this fundamental principle of
Towards 2016 will prevent the application of that agreement, including
its provisions on pay increases, to their members.
I should say that, notwithstanding the position of both associations,
members of all ranks have co-operated with the recruitment,
interviewing, security vetting, equipping and training of applicants for
the Reserve, and the first group of 37 Reserve Trainees was welcomed to
the Garda College in Templemore last Saturday to commence training.
Finally recent remarks attributed to the General Secretary of the GRA to
the effect that members of the Garda Reserve would be “hated and
despised” represents, on the face of it, a deplorable attitude for a
Garda towards his fellow citizens, the Oireachtas and the democratically
expressed will of the people as contained in the Garda Síochána Act
2005.
I have therefore asked the Garda Commissioner to investigate this
reported remark and to furnish an early report to me on the matter. |
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