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Updated at 10.30pm: There’s been something of a breakthrough at the talks. For our latest story – which will be updated throughout the rest of the night – click here.
Updated at 9.40pm:
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE of Garda rank-and-file body the GRA is meeting tonight to discuss a recommendation from the Labour Court.
It comes as last-ditch efforts to avoid a strike by Garda members continue.
As of this evening, 10,500 GRA members and 2,000 higher-ranked members of the AGSI are due to go on strike from 7am tomorrow. Three more strike days are also scheduled to take place later this month.
The GRA said in a statement last night that any non-binding recommendation from the Labour Court would be put to members for a ballot
The statement said, however, that the threat of the four strike days would remain in place “unless we hear of substantial and significant progress towards real and tangible increases in pay”.
A recommendation from the Labour Court had initially been expected tomorrow, but earlier the GRA negotiating team was called back to the Dublin 4 court for an update on its position.
GRA President Ciaran O’Neill, speaking to reporters on his way in, said the news from the Labour Court this evening had been a “welcome development”.
“We’ve already committed that we are going to ballot our membership on the recommendation,” he said.
The GRA’s executive committee, the CEC, has been meeting since around 8.30pm to discuss the court’s recommendation.
An update is expected later this evening.
Separately, members of the AGSI remain at the Labour Court tonight as efforts continue to avert their threatened strike tomorrow.
Commissioner
In a brief press conference this evening Garda Commissioner Noirín O Sullivan moved to reassure the public, telling reporters that garda members would be on duty tomorrow.
Flanked by senior officers, she said that the force would have “members of all ranks working right around the country”.
“I want to thank those members for the work that they will do tomorrow and the challenges they will meet, the policing and security challenges that they meet every single day.”
The men and women of the gardaí and their families had endured hardships and challenges over the last number of years, she said.
And despite that they have stood up, they have done their duty.
The Commissioner issued a directive on Tuesday of this week ordering members to show up for work tomorrow. Superintendents were asked to contact each garda individually to ask them if they will be available for work.
GRA row this afternoon
The GRA’s negotiators were initially asked to attend the Labour Court at 3.30pm this afternoon – but their attendance at the court was delayed after a meeting of the CEC ran on longer than expected.
Earlier today, the officer board of the CEC – essentially its top officials – announced that a number of specialised units were being asked not to go on strike tomorrow.
According to sources, that announcement was made without consultation of the wider CEC – a 31-strong body that guides the GRA’s policy.
It’s understood the wider membership of the CEC was angry at being left out of the loop. However, that executive committee meeting later ended and the team headed back to the court for renewed efforts aimed at ending the dispute.
Strike scheduled
Garda rank-and-file members, along with the sergeants and inspectors of the AGSI, announced several weeks ago that they planned to go on strike tomorrow and on four other Fridays in November as the latest development in a long-running dispute over pay and access to the state’s industrial relations mechanisms.
- with reporting by Michelle Hennessy
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This country baffles me sometimes… constantly people moaning about a lack of transport and then something really positive like post 1am Luas gets proposed and people are like “nah I’ll walk home thanks” and other comments drowned in negativity. Blame the government all you want folks, a lot of our lack of progress is due to this “no thanks, not in my backyard” generation ruining it for the rest of us.
@The CFC Standard: red line at 8pm on a Friday is pretty rough, imagine 1am? They need to provide proper security to run it at this time.
@The CFC Standard: agreed – there’s also the reality that far too many of our wonderful people behaviour Friday and Saturday nights needs to be called out – it’s little wonder drivers would choose to work 7am until 7pm rather than tolerate the drunken abusive and often outright dangerous behaviour of so many people during the wee hours – so many comments complain about the lack of drivers on the road after midnight and wouldn’t take that risk for love or money and love to point the blame at everyone else in society – seems to be so much hypocrisy in ireland these days
@Fephie Stitz: I totally agree. I wouldn’t feel safe. It’s like that during the day too.
Good news but there should be security on every Luas, especially late nights.
That sounds lovely & safe
Not a hope. Ill walk home thanks
@John Doyle: So, if you lived in say; Saggart, you’d walk the 30km (4hrs) from the city centre home at 1am. Wow, the hyperbole is strong with you.
@Alan Wright: off ye pop I’ll jump on the luas with the 4 big stt security lads on board
@Darren Callaghan: What? I’m advocating for people to take the luas, it was the other guy that wants to walk.
@John Doyle: you could hitch a ride in an ambulance after you’ve been mugged by a couple of scrotes out on bail?!
Brilliant news hopefully it will be 24 hrs when the demand is there
They’ll do both and then drop back to the gteen line only due to antisocial issues.
They could investigate why only 29% of drivers are working at busy periods. Used to be where they would only work at those times. Sounds like there are enough taxis but they don’t like working when someone is going to get sick or abuse them or fight them or flee. Come on Eamonn
@Simon: or maybe taxis are become less of a cash business and drivers aren’t thinking it’s worth it anymore. Accepting card and using apps like freenow, the taxi driver pays a % of the fare to use that service. Cash is king. And the king is dead.
@Ciaran: well said
@Ciaran: in a post-covid society cash is becoming rare or it will be. Everything is becoming digital and for the better
Could we not allow non taxi licenced Uber drivers to operate Thursday to Sunday 10pm to 3am only? They could be Garda vetted and registered with the national transport authority.
Can’t believe Ryan advocating using public transport when he’s single handedly turned the city into a velodrome ……on yet bike Ryan…..Luas drivers already start earlier and finish later than every other public transport provider in the country now you just want them finishing later whilst your green mates work from home and cycle into the city on a Saturday for some bobble tea and some vegan ice cream…..increasing the trams to later operations will only increase anti social activity. The only way it works is if we have Transport Policing …..but you’d rather focus on cycle lanes
Folks, don’t forget to pack your stab vest and crash helmet in your backpack for these after hours Luas journeys home after those extra late nights out in our fair city. Good luck!!
Can we get rid of closing time constraints, and add more night links and 24 hr luas (restricted time table depending on demand) like any sensible European country
If you are getting I get to have luas at 1-1.30am, then you also need then at 4-5am for those of us who start work early
Great. I don’t live in Dublin, but this seems like an eminently sensible plan.
12% hike in taxi fares, ffs… Nobody else in the state getting half that percentage of a rise…. Incredible
Brilliant news … provided the line doesn’t run right outside your bedroom window ,,.?
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