A MEETING BETWEEN GARDA representative bodies and Commissioner Drew Harris has ended without a resolution to the dispute over proposed garda rosters. 

The meeting at Garda Headquarters was called when the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors voted to reject the proposal. 

The Garda Representative Association had previously rejected the new working time arrangements automatically due to a vote an annual conference.

The crisis meeting had some urgency about it as a deadline of 30 October was approaching when the extension to the emergency Covid-19 roster would end. 

Sources have said that both AGSI and GRA representatives told the Commissioner that their members would not accept the new rosters.

It is understood that Harris told both groups that he would only accept two options which would either see gardaí revert back to a pre-Covid-19 roster of six days on with four days off or the implementation of the new proposed roster. 

Sources said the Commissioner told the GRA and AGSI that he would extend the emergency roster until 27 November and in the intervening weeks he would consult with Assistant Commissioners to decide on what the next course of action would be.

AGSI had asked the Commissioner to re-enter fresh negotiations and it is believed Harris had said he would consider this option. 

A statement was requested from AGSI and GRA. 

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “An Garda Síochána does not comment on the detail of meetings between the Garda Commissioner and Garda associations.

“Commissioner Harris met the Garda associations today in relation to the recommendations from the independent facilitator on a revised Garda roster.

“Following the meeting, the Commissioner will now consult with senior management colleagues to consider the next steps in the process.”

This roster saw the majority of operational gardaí across the country work a special four-day shift rotation of 12 hour shifts. 

On Monday it was announced that the AGSI rejected the roster proposals by 63% in a ballot of members. In the same ballot the memberships voted to accept proposals regarding pay by 93%.

The dispute centres around work times which would see specialist gardaí, such as detectives, move to an office-based role working nine to five daily.

Gardaí affected by the change are unhappy with an arrangement which would see them working for seven straight days before receiving two rest days. 

The issue is around so-called “non-core” units which make up specialist gardaí such as detectives and community policing. In the new roster, they would work six days on/three days off, then seven days on/two day off and then seven days on/three days off.  

There are also concerns about the possible loss of allowances for working unsociable hours because they would not be expected to perform night duty.