asked the Minister for Justice if he has any proposals to set up improved negotiation procedures for the Garda Síochána to investigate such areas as work conditions, disciplinary complaints, transfers and promotions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Negotiation Procedures.
24.
The Garda Síochána Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme, which was revised extensively in agreement with the Garda Representative Association, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and the Representative Body for Chief Superintendents in November, 1977, includes improved negotiation procedures to investigate the areas referred to in the Question and other areas as well.
The Louden Ryan Committee of Inquiry recommended that the Garda Consultative Council should be reactivated. As matters which they stated this Council should deal with are ones which may be discussed by the Conciliation Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme and as the scheme provides that matters within the scope of the scheme will be dealt with exclusively through the scheme, the recommendation cannot be implemented except by altering the C. & A. Scheme. It is at present being considered by the conciliation council.
In view of the fact that the undertaking to set up these satisfactory negotiation procedures was included on page 37 of the Fianna Fáil Election Manifesto, could the Minister be specific about precisely how far his pledge to introduce such procedures, particularly with regard to work conditions, disciplinary complaints and transfer on promotion has got?
I think that the Deputy has missed the thrust of my answer, which is that the improved procedures which were agreed on between the management—my side, if I may use that phrase—and the representatives of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and the Association of Chief Superintendents, are working quite satisfactorily.
If that is the case, after three years of gestation of these procedures, how is it that repeated complaints have been made, both by the Garda representative bodies and by individual gardaí about the contents of the question, indicating clearly that there is no agreement, certainly, on their part with the optimistic view of the Minister that matters have advanced to the stage he believes they have.
I have said to the Deputy quite definitely and quite firmly that the garda representative associations and the other associations involved are satisfied that the scheme is operating satisfactorily right now. If there are improvements to be made—and no scheme is beyond improving—then it is open to either side to try to negotiate further improvements.
Would the Minister not agree that, apart entirely from the conditions of service, the appalling conditions of some of the Garda stations throughout the country require immediate attention. The longer this is put back, the longer will we have those dirty, smelly Garda Stations where people have to go to do business and where the gardaí have to work and live most of their lives. Would the Minister not agree that something should be done immediately about this?
It is fair to say, in reply to Deputy Tully, that not enough money was spent by this Government, the Deputy's Government or all the governments before that, on the repair of Garda barracks throughout the country.
Would the Minister not agree that something should be done immediately about that as a matter of urgency?
The time has expired for questions.
I think it is fair to say, in reply to Deputy Tully, that I am concerned with the problem he has raised. I know a number of stations in towns and villages and a number here in the city as well where conditions are not as we would want them to be. I am trying to organise some sort of crash programme to do something about them because I believe that if they were improved and repaired the morale of the members working from these stations would be so much improved.
Deputy Harte, a final supplementary.
If the Minister says that the arrangements are now working well between his office and the Garda representative bodies, is the Minister saying that the Garda representative bodies when they speak publicly in criticism of the Minister are talking a lot of poppycock and inventing all of this?
Might I say to the Deputy that he is so far off the mark there he does not even know what is or is not being said by the associations, that there has been no——
The Minister is not listening——
——personal criticism of me by any of the associations publicly or privately.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
Nobody mentioned anything about the Minister personally.
People out there know it.
I should like to give notice that I propose to raise the subject matter of Question No. 14 on today's Order Paper on the adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the critical situation whereby small farmers in the west have not been given their budget rise.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the national school in Coolderry, Birr, County Offaly.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.