No 'meeting of minds' in reserve force talks

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has warned members of An Garda Síochána that the Government could implement simple measures to overcome any programme of resistance to his plans for a Garda reserve force.

After talks in Dublin last night with the Garda Representative Association (GRA) on the Garda reserve, Mr McDowell said there had been "no meeting of minds".

Asked what he would do if members of the GRA and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), refused to co-operate with the Garda reserve, he said it could be established in "centralised units".

"I did make it clear that a policy of ignoring or marginalising volunteer reservists could be countered quite easily by establishing it on a centralised unit basis, but that I didn't think that was desirable."

He expected members of the force to be disciplined. It was the duty of all members to uphold the law and all regulations of the force. Provisions for a reserve force were now law and had "overwhelming" public support.

Mr McDowell said the retirement age of permanent gardaí, sergeants and inspectors would be increased from 57 to 60 if the reserve was accepted.

This would provide a new layer of supervisors needed to manage the reserves and they would be given enhanced remuneration. Some 400 extra sergeants posts and smaller number of inspectors posts had already been decided upon.

A spokeswoman for Mr McDowell said centralised units could involve units of reservists at first being attached to two or three major Garda stations in Dublin city centre.

A small number of gardaí would be assigned to supervise reservists on duty, as is required under the new legislation. These would in turn be under the command of a chief superintendent.

This would mean only a small number of gardaí would be needed to supervise a relatively large number of reservists in areas where high visibility policing was required, such as Temple Bar on weekend nights.

It may be much more difficult for a small number of rank-and-file gardaí to refuse to a chief superintendent to co-operate with the reservists, than for the entire membership of the GRA and AGSI to adopt a policy of non-co-operation. The spokeswoman declined to comment on this.

Mr McDowell said the reserve force would add to the current force, not seek to replace any of its functions. Reservists would not be involved in investigating crime or other complex procedures. Positions would be advertised soon. It would be made clear that any application would get "preference in recruitment" if they applied later to be members of the permanent force.

The reserve force would never be used to the disadvantage of full-time members "in wage negotiations and the like". He urged members of the force opposed to the plan to reconsider.

GRA general secretary PJ Stone said the Garda reserve initiative was being used as a "con job" to deflect attention from the poor level of resourcing within the Garda. "We believe An Garda Síochána at the current time is not receiving Government support, it is not being properly resourced despite what the best efforts of the Minister may be in this regard".

He reiterated the GRA's long-held approach to the reserve force. "The position of the GRA, in conjunction with the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, is that of non-co-operation," he said. Mr McDowell will hold talks this afternoon in Dublin with AGSI, at which a similar lack of progress is expected.