GRA conference to confront Minister over reforms

Penalty points and the establishment of a reserve Garda force top the agenda at the 25th Annual Delegate conference of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) which takes place in Galway tomorrow.

The Association is expected to echo demands made at last month's AGSI conference for the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, to put in place a computerised network to deal with the Government's penalty points system for drivers.

Gardai have warned that they will not continue to adhere to the current system until such a network is implemented, as there have been concerns over the stationary provided, the rectification of mistakenly endorsed licences and the manpower available to deal with the administration of such a system.

Concerns will also be broached over the establishment of a "Garda Reserve Force" intended to free-up resources and allow trained gardaí return to the streets in a crime fighting capacity.

The conference is expected condemn what it describes as the "dramatic reductions in funding the Garda Building and Maintenance Programme" and calls for the Central Executive Committee to negotiate a "substantial increase in the Budget Allocation."

Issues such as pay and pension amendments along with a review of the duties of "probationary gardaí" will also be discussed.