THE Government's review of efficiency of the Garda Siochana appears to be heading for controversy over a decision to exclude the unofficial Garda staff association, the Garda Federation, from deliberations.
Documents seen by The Irish Times show the rem it for the review states that those conducting the review will "meet at an early date with recognised Garda representative bodies at every level".
Members of the Garda Federation, which represents about 2,500 members, mostly in Dublin, believe that the term "recognised" has been inserted specifically with the intention of excluding them from negotiations.
The federation spokesman, Mr Chris Finnegan, said yesterday that the review body would either meet the federation officially "or not at all". He pointed out that the review body apparently would not have the views and opinions of a large portion of the force's detective and technical sections in Dublin because they were members of the federation.
The terms of reference state that the review should include views and submissions on the "role and functions of the force, its management structures, policing practices, manpower and other resources issues, training and development and deployment of resources, including manpower".
Mr Finnegan said these were "issues of critical relevance to gardai, especially in Dublin," and the federation would have liked to make submissions.
The review is being carried out by the Strategic Management Initiative co ordinating group, which is hiring consultants to examine the "efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the gardai. It was set up after the murder of the journalist Veronica Guerin.
Garda management was concerned that the Government was hiring more consultants to look at the force after management consultants had spent 21/2 years examining the Garda's structures and management prior to the introduction of a £30 million information technology programme.
The Government has made it incumbent on the new Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, to implement recommendations of the new review, which are to be made before Christmas.
A statement by the Government, dated July 9th, says "The appointment of Mr Byrne, which is for seven years, will be on the basis of a contract which will, inter alia, require him to co-operate fully with the efficiency and cost effectiveness review of the Garda Siochana announced by the Minister for Justice on July 2nd.
"He will also be required to implement, on a time scale to be determined by the Government and the Minister or Justice, such decisions as may be taken by the Minister for Justice on foot of interim or final recommendations of the Strategic Management Initiative co-ordinating group."