LAST UPDATE | 22 Nov 2024

THE GARDA COMMISSIONER has issued a directive to gardaí to not comment on “matters of a political nature” during the election after a garda group issued a strongly worded criticism of new discipline regulations. 

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) also sent out a press release which lays out an alternative manifesto for the upcoming election. 

The discipline issue however has caused the GRA to engage legal counsel and in a document sent to members it said it would ensure employment rights would be protected. They have criticised the rushed nature of the implementation. 

Separately, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has issued a missive to members also criticising the new measures. 

The new dispute centres around the impending introduction of new discipline regulations as contained in Policing Security and Community Safety Act 2024 which will be enacted next month.

The controversy is centred around the replacing of the garda Discipline Regulations 2007 with new measures in the Conduct, Standards of Professional Behaviour, and Performance and Attendance Regulations.

The GRA has said it will “not stand over” a risk of injustice against its members. 

‘Diminish human rights’

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), has also issued a missive to its members criticising the move and said the new regulations “will diminish the human rights”.

AGSI held an urgent meeting today in regard to the situation.

Both AGSI and GRA raised the issue that the new regulations do not have a facility to deal with minor incidents and that the new regulations meant that members of the Force would face more serious consequences for minor incidents. 

The new regulations include punishments to discipline issues such as a fine of two weeks wages or dismissal.

Yesterday, the Commissioner’s office issued a direction or order to gardaí to refrain from commenting on the General Election.

The email outlined the importance of maintaining An Garda Síochána’s status as a “non-political organisation”. 

The Irish Defence Forces has issued a similar warning to its members not to comment on the election.

‘Engaging with associations’

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: “The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (COFPI) recommended that the current system of garda discipline be reviewed and replaced with a system that distinguishes between misconduct and performance related issues.

“The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 implements this recommendation by providing for Regulations to be made on the performance, conduct and standards of professional behaviour of Garda members.”

The spokesperson added that the department “has been engaging with the Garda Associations since before the Summer in relation to these Regulations and engagement is on-going”.

A number of issues have been raised by the Garda Associations and the Department have already resolved a number of these matters.

“The Department continues to engage with the associations with a view to resolving the outstanding issues which have been raised,” the statement noted.

It has been a turbulent year with the GRA in dispute with An Garda Síochána and Commissioner Drew Harris over proposed rosters.

Both garda representative groups, AGSI and GRA, had voted against accepting the arrangements for gardaí.

Back in September 2023 rank and file members of the GRA voted in a ballot in which 99% of voters expressed no confidence in the Commissioner two weeks ago.

There had been a serious breakdown in the relationship between the GRA and Garda Headquarters with the representative body ruling out inviting Harris to their annual delegate conference in April. 

Updated by Órla Ryan