THE first public demonstration by gardai in the history of the force is due to take place in Dublin today in support of a demand for a commission of inquiry into pay.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which has been riven by splits and internal disputes, announced yesterday that the demonstration along O'Connell Street to the gates of the Dail was still going ahead despite the internal problems.
The acting general secretary of the GRA, Mr P.J. Stone, yesterday said the demonstration would give an indication of the level of support for the association's demand for a commission of inquiry on garda pay. The demand has already been turned down by the Minister for Justice who said there was "no enthusiasm" in Government for such a development.
The demonstration was originally supported by middle management levels in the Garda but the associations representing sergeants, inspectors and superintendents withdrew their support two weeks ago.
The level of support for the march is increasingly uncertain, as division and disagreement among gardai both inside the GRA and among dissident elements appears to be spreading.
It appears serious divisions may be emerging in the Garda Federation, the main break-away garda group which represents an estimated 2,500 officers, mostly in Dublin.
Federation members from south Dublin are holding a meeting in the Garda Social Club in Harrington Street tonight to protest at the actions of the federation's leadership over attempts to re-unite the federation with the GRA.
One south Dublin member said yesterday: "We are opposed to the ballot because it does not address the issue of garda pay. We did not leave the GRA with a view to getting back into it. Changing the structures of the representative association has nothing to do with the issues of pay and pensionability of allowances. That has to be discussed before the federation will discuss going back into the GRA."
Tonight's federation meeting will not be addressed by its president, Mr Frank Gunne, or national secretary, Mr Chris Finnegan, it is understood.
The meeting is also expected to hear criticism over a recent decision by the leadership to repay £50,000 of a controversial loan of £90,000 from the Department of Justice to meet legal expenses.
The decision to repay the loan without notifying the membership has caused disquiet, members say.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, yesterday said she hoped the garda groups could settle their internal dispute and avoid her having to dissolve the GRA and replacing it with a new statutory staff association.
Speaking on RTE yesterday, Mrs Owen criticised the decision of the GRA executive to refuse to ballot its members on terms for the reunification with the dissident garda elements.
She pointed out that she has prepared legislation to create a new association but had not as yet implemented this.
However, she said that if the disputing groups did not agree to terms for a settlement agreed with the ICTU General Secretary, Mr Peter Cassells, "I will have no option but to bring forward that legislation"
Efforts are also continuing to try and rescue the planned ballot of the 8,300 officers of garda rank to set up a united representative association.