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WORK STRESS, ASSAULTS and arbitrary suspensions will be the key discussion points as rank and file gardaí meet for their annual conference this week.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) will meet in Westport for the next three days with the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Minister for Justice Simon Harris both set to address the conference.
The theme is “Breaking Point” – President of the GRA Brendan O’Connor will tell delegates later today that there is a growing problem with morale.
“I will discuss these further at the conference, from the ongoing Roster negotiations, to concerns of growing inflation and the rising costs of living, to assaults on our members and a growing problem with morale.
“Many members have felt undervalued, under-resourced and disenfranchised by garda management and we now face a serious issue with both recruitment and retention which has seen the garda strength contract while many of our members tell us of tales of endless bureaucracy which restricts movement, commitment and their work life balance,” he said.
O’Connor has called on delegates to stand together and unite to face the challenges ahead.
“As you know, the theme for this Conference is Breaking Point, a very powerful yet poignant message, and one which carries an enormous significance for our members who continue to go above and beyond the call of duty to protect the public as we promised to do, yet we continue to come under attack from external and internal parties.
“But we have strength when we stand together, and we will continue to challenge garda management and government departments on all matters that concern the health, safety and wellbeing of our members,” he added.
One key motion due to be discussed comes from delegates in Meath in regard to the practice of suspensions as gardaí are investigated for discipline matters.
The motion states that there is a “high level of suspensions” and called on the Commissioner to carry out a review into the practice.
The motion said there is “the lack of a transparent decision making process in the consideration of whether a member should be suspended”.
They have asked the Commissioner to introduce a “strict criteria” to determine if there is a need for suspensions.
There is also a motion looking at the crisis in recruitment and retention and calls for exit interviews to be introduced of resigning gardaí.
There are a number of motions looking at the burden of bureaucracy on gardaí – a entry from the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) West grouping identified the volume of investigations which gardaí are having to conduct.
They have called on a “maximum number of investigations”, they have also called for an examination of a Performance Accountability Framework (PAF) as it was having a profound impact on “members’ wellbeing and in particular stress levels.
Louth division gardaí as well as their colleagues in the DMR South Central have called for an immediate study of stress levels caused “overloading” of bureaucracy.
Cork City division has called for action to be taken immediately to reduce the “numerous assaults” on gardaí.
The conference takes place in Westport, Co Mayo until Wednesday.
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This seems like an unfairly negative slant on her performance.
I didn’t think Guam was part of the Virgin Islands!
Let’s just hope that this socialist/elitist couple is done in 1 term. No you can’t.
Ron Paul 2012
Right, let’s hope for a President that campaigns on literally not doing anything as President. Let’s hope for an isolationist President that abandons all overseas allies that rely on the US/NATO for their national defence, including us (just like pre-WWII USA, which we all know turned out just swimmingly for the world). Let’s hope for a President who wants to turn the USA into a confederation of independent states where, much like Europe, a coherent voice is nearly impossible to find in times of crisis.
Last but certainly not least, let’s hope for a President that believes the Earth is 6,000 years old, and the universe was created in 7 days.
As pleasant as it is to listen to a good debater and apparent voice of reason among the so-called Republican “candidates”, he would make an awful, awful President.
The “socialist/elitist” couple. You really need to look up the definitions of both of those words.
@Muc so you’re hoping for a President who attacks Iran on a spurious WMD charge .and as a result oil will hit $250 – £300 a barrel and the shitty economy we have will be completely flushed . Thats provided China don’t mind their economy being fucked by the US and go to war (and if you think that won’t happen you need to read a few PLA general’s speeches )
@Jeff
So the solution to all this is to completely abandon all foreign operations of the US armed forces and let Russia and China extend their circles of influence in the ensuing vacuum? As well as leaving defenseless allies such as ourselves, Japan, South Korea, Iraq, Libya, Egypt and a rake of others high and dry?
Not justifying the stupidity of Bush’s foreign policy but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater here. Also, a rebuttal of the rest of the reasons why Ron Paul would be a shit President would be nice.
@Muc Beag. Iraq an ally? Oh yeah, I forgot the US stomped them into alliance but this is a good thing according to you.
The “security” that you seem to think is so important seems to me to be the biggest threat to global security at present not Russia and not China.
Not only is it completely insane to think that in this supposed modern day and age where we can clone living species and perform medical miracles previously thought not to be possible that countries are still going to war and butchering poorer nations because of their resources but an ordinary citizen supporting these jingoistic policies is beyond comprehension.
In times of crisis their so called “coherent voice” didn’t do really do much for the people of New Orleans after Katrina did it?
It is a special type of lunatic that supports the past and current insane aggressive US foreign policy over a more peaceful one which is essentially what Ron Paul is about. My only fear is that the extremist nut bags like yourself will know exactly what to do if he ever gets into power.
Less of the name calling there. I’m not a “nutbag”, “lunatic” or whatever else and I certainly don’t support “insane aggressive US foreign policy” – which you have to admit has been toned down since Obama came in (withdrawal from Iraq, limited involvement in Libya and Arab Spring, economic rather than military responses to Iranian nuclear ambitions etc). What I am opposed to is complete termination of current overseas operations, particularly the likes of South Korea.
Going to add to your point about Katrina/New Orleans – Lehman Bros. When they called up the White House asking for a bailout, “Dubya” wouldn’t even take the call. In the end it cost us ten times what a bailout there and then would’ve cost. That bad decision was not the fault of the US’s federalist structure, as it was possible to call the White House with such a request, but the failure of former President Bush and his 8 years of dreadful leadership.
Do you really think there would’ve been a more swift response to Katrina if the US were a loose confederation of independent states, as Ron Paul would envisage? Do you think the military could be mobilised faster if the problem lay solely with the state of Louisiana, again as Ron Paul would envisage? Do you think human rights would be improved in America if all the power lie with the states (think about it, with such direct democracy they could vote in racist laws without any consequences from federal government). Do you think the dollar would be better off, or even exist, without the Federal Reserve?
As much as I like him, his Presidency would be a disaster for the USA and the world.
Seems like she has had to put up with a lot of nonsense since her husband became president.
lol, “isolationist”? WTF does that have to do with Ron Paul? And how the f*ck is U.S. taxpayer responsible for European security? Europe has to grow some balls and pay for its own security or shut the f*ck up and take it in the a**. And yes, the retard will be a 1 term president, no doubt.
Ron Paul wants to end all overseas operations of the US military, so in foreign policy terms he would be considered an “isolationist”. As in he wants the US to be isolated from world geopolitics.
Reality is they are the protectors of a lot of countries that would be too small to defend themselves, yet provide the US with military bases in exchange for defense (less-so Europe, more-so South Korea, Japan, Taiwan etc).
Also, the military-industrial complex created by these overseas operations does generate stimulus for the US economy. Indeed, a form of Keynesian “pump-priming”.
Obama’s currently favourite to retain his position at the White House, by the by.
Seems like a bit of a cow in fairness but anybody in a position like that is going to have a nastier side to them
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