GARDAÍ ARE TO be bussed into Dublin from rural areas on Budget Day to police the capital in the wake of a Garda group’s call to not work overtime.
The move follows the recent announcement by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) that their members had entered a de facto work-to-rule by not agreeing to work overtime on Budget Day 10 October and Halloween night 31 October – as well as 17 and 24 October.
The rank-and-file gardaí have also voted in favour of a proposal to strike on 10 November.
The action began yesterday with gardaí withdrawing from taking voluntary overtime shifts.
The gardaí have colloquially begun to call the action the ‘Drew Flu’ – which is a reference to their 1998 withdrawal of labour known as the ‘Blue Flu’, when gardaí called in sick in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Last month, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) members took a vote of no confidence in Commissioner Drew Harris – with 98.7% of the 85% member turnout backing the motion.
Sources have said that management in Garda Headquarters have contacted Assistant Commissioners across the country directing them to provide gardaí from other locations.
This redeployment from stations elsewhere in the country will see gardaí that are public order unit qualified as well as uniformed gardaí redeployed.
It is understood that these gardaí will be rostered to work on the day in their stations but will be sent to Dublin instead.
The GRA’s current position that it will not return to the negotiating table unless there is a withdrawal of the implementation of the old, pre-Covid roster on 6 November.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said on Sunday that she had confidence in Harris and would not intervene in the dispute.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said in a statement that the force does not provide specific operational details of policing plans for events.
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