LAST UPDATE | 20 Sep 2023

DURING A MEETING earlier today the Justice Minister told the Garda Representative Association (GRA) that the Garda Commissioner would present a “number of  options” to end the dispute at a meeting tomorrow.

It is understood that the Minister asked the GRA to enter talks to resolve the industrial relations impasse. 

Gardaí at present work a four-day-on-four-day-off roster which was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Drew Harris has said he will introduce a revised roster of six-days-on-four-days off in November regardless of opposition from the GRA. 

This week’s meetings follow last week’s overwhelming no confidence vote in the Commissioner from the rank-and-file policing body – with 98.7% backing the motion.

The GRA met the Justice Minister today and will meet Commissioner Drew Harris for crisis talks tomorrow.

Sources have said that McEntee told the GRA members that the Commissioner will be presenting “a number of options” which she hopes will begin to find a way through the current crisis. 

McEntee also told the rank and file representatives that the older roster – known as the Westmanstown roster – was “not ideal”.  

The Department of Justice confirmed that an offer will be made tomorrow by the Commissioner.

“The Minister told both meetings that the Commissioner will put forward options tomorrow to move forward on the rosters issue. She hopes that all parties engage constructively and in good faith to reach an agreement,” a statement from the department said. 

Brendan O’Connor, President of the GRA, said that his group is willing to discuss the issue but said that it’s proposed roster is the only working time arrangement that they will accept. 

“The meeting went all right – we discussed the issues and we articulated our members concerns. The Minister knows, in no uncertain terms, what those concerns are – we gave a copy of our roster proposal and this will be explored with the Commissioner tomorrow,” he said. 

O’Connor confirmed that the Minister had asked for the GRA to enter talks to solve the ongoing dispute. 

“The Minister wants this resolved by sitting down and talking – our proposal is the solution as we see it and we will explore that. 

“We have been very open – we are a solutions-based organisation and we want to find a solution but we cannot and will not compromise on our members’ work life balance and the vote has shown there is a ground swell of support from our members. 

“We will be guided by what our members want us to do,” he said.

This morning, The Journal reported that Commissioner Drew Harris had written to the GRA and, in an email, stated that the six-days-on-four-days-off roster was unworkable – this roster would require the workforce to be divided into five teams rather than the current four.  

The GRA claims that the roster as proposed by the Commissioner will require gardaí to work 31 more days per year.

Ronan Slevin, the GRA’s general secretary, said that a confidential garda report from 2019 stated that the six-day roster was unworkable. 

“It has been obvious to us that the five-unit structure was unworkable given the continued recruitment and retention crisis in An Garda Síochána.

“During the Westmanstown process and again at Conciliation the GRA tabled a solution based on 4 units which would allow management to maximize resources on the frontline while maintaining the numbers in Specialised units. No units would need to be disbanded or redeployed as will happen under the Commissioner’s current plan,” he said. 

Slevin added that garda management continues to reject their proposal even though, they claim, it would allow the garda organisation to “maximise their resources” while helping members to enjoy a work life balance.

During this morning’s meeting, the GRA also discussed retention and recruitment, pensions and other garda matters. 

In regard to suspensions and discipline, it is understood that the Minister said she would raise the GRA’s concern about how these processes were being handled.

Earlier, speaking ahead of the Dáil’s return this morning, Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin addressed the issues facing An Garda Síochana and the row that has dragged on between force members and the Commissioner in relation to Garda rostering.

Ó Ríordáin said the Policing Authority now needs to step in on the rostering dispute.

With additional report from Jane Matthews.