Gardai to shun talks on proposed reserve force

The dispute between Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and gardaí over plans for a new reserve Garda force escalated last night, with Garda staff associations informing the Minister's officials that they are not prepared to engage in consultation on the issue.

In a letter last night to the justice spokespeople of the main Opposition parties, Mr McDowell said he regretted the decision by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) to undertake a series of protest meetings on the Garda reserve. "My door remains and will remain open for consultation," he said.

Mr McDowell said the associations had decided to hold protest meetings before they had had an opportunity to consider specific plans for the reserve force drawn up by Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy.

Despite this, he was determined to maintain cross-party support for the mooted reserve force. "This issue is too important to allow for point-scoring. Of course, it would be tempting to reply to some of the intemperate language that has been employed on the matter in the last few days.

"To describe, as has been done, the overwhelming consensus of the Oireachtas for a reserve as 'crazy' and 'dangerous' is not helpful," Mr McDowell said.

Yesterday's talks between the staff associations and Department of Justice officials followed a protest meeting in Sligo on Monday attended by about 1,000 GRA and AGSI members.