Gardai set to oppose reserve force plan

Garda sergeants and inspectors are on a collision course with Minister for Justice Michael McDowell after talks between the two parties on plans for a Garda reserve broke up yesterday without resolution.

Members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) are to be given the chance to dictate the association's policy towards the reserve force when it holds its annual conference in Tralee, Co Kerry, in March.

Many delegates are expected to call for sergeants and inspectors to refuse to co-operate with the reservists. Those calls are expected to be echoed at the annual conference of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) a fortnight later in Galway city.

It is envisaged that all reservists could only be deployed on the beat under the supervision of full-time gardaí.

If both representative associations passed motions of non co-operation, Mr McDowell's plans for a reserve force would be unworkable.

An AGSI delegation emerged from yesterday's talks at the Department of Justice in Dublin, saying no substantive progress had been made and reiterating its "total opposition" to a reserve force.

Mr McDowell insisted the Garda Síochána Act, enacted last July, provided for the establishment of the reserve adding a significant majority in the Dáil had supported this legislation.

He did not believe the reserve force would attract criminal or subversive elements who would join only to access confidential Garda intelligence, which has been alleged by AGSI.

"I would expect that the commissioner would put in place a vetting procedure as strict as the vetting procedure for entry into An Garda Síochána itself. It will be very important to protect the community from infiltration of any aspect of An Garda Síochána, full-time or reserve."

He also rejected AGSI suggestions that the reserve force would attract people who would join in order to use their powers against people they knew and disliked. Such abuses had not happened internationally and there would be strict rules here governing the power of arrest.

AGSI president Joe Dirwan said his association was objecting to the very idea of a reserve force rather than opposing details of the plan.

"We feel that it will destroy morale within the uniform section of An Garda Síochána. We don't see any need for it. We asked the Minister to resource more fully the existing force. We object in principle to the creation of a second tier police force."

Mr Dirwan said civilian support staff in An Garda Síochána numbered 10 per cent of the 12,000 full-time members. Internationally this was as high as 40 per cent. The shortfall in Ireland needed to be addressed. Training deficiencies also needed attention.

"If there's a question of deployment and management of the existing force, then Garda management should look at those issues and address them. But we don't see any place for a reserve force within An Garda Síochána," Mr Dirwan said.

Mr McDowell said he had initially envisaged a reserve force of around 1,200. However, Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy had written to the department last July and requested a reserve force of about 4,000. Mr Conroy was currently drafting proposals for the reserve force. When these were received by Mr McDowell he would consult with AGSI again.

The reserve force is to become operational by September when 900 recruits are to be in place. This is expected to increase to 4,000.

Reservists will not receive payment and will work 24 hours each month. They will have all the powers of full-time gardaí, including the power of arrest. Training will be carried out over 24 hours: two hours over 12 weekends. Applications will be open to any member of the public aged from 18 to 57.