John O'Donoghue
Question:1 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the plans, if any, she has to heal divisions and encourage enterprise within the Garda Síochána: and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5297/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Síochána Dispute.
Batt O'Keeffe
Question:39 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice if she will accept and implement the Mulvey report. [4216/95]
Robert Molloy
Question:147 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, she will take to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Garda Síochána Act that there be one association representing members of the Garda rank including detectives. [5621/95]
Liz O'Donnell
Question:148 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice, in view of the continuing dispute in the Garda Representative Association, the decisions, if any, she has made following her recent meeting with the groups involved; if she will meet them again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5622/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 39, 147 and 148 together.
In September last year, my predecessor, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, requested Mr. Kieran Mulvey, chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission to assist, in a personal capacity, in efforts to resolve the dispute in the Garda Representative Association. Both sides in the dispute, the Garda Representative Association and the Garda Federation, agreed to Mr. Mulvey's appointment. On 27 October 1994, Mr. Mulvey, having had a series of meetings with the groups involved, submitted a report containing his recommendations for settling the dispute.
In December 1994, the Garda Federation, following a ballot of their entire membership, voted to accept the Mulvey report in full. The Garda Representative Association convened a special delegate conference on 24 January 1995 to discuss the Mulvey report. That conference voted to reject the findings of the Mulvey report with the exception of two minor proposals.
The sides involved in the dipute appear to be as far apart now as they ever were. In fact, the situation worsened recently when a third group, representing members of the Garda Representative Association in four Garda divisions, became involved in the dispute. This group is in favour of the acceptance of the Mulvey report.
I invited all sides in the Garda dispute to meet me on 22 February last, so that I could fully understand each sides position. I listened attentively to what was said and I have since given the problem careful consideration.
I have invited the representatives of the three groups concerned in the dispute to meet me again on Monday next, 20 March 1995, for further discussions with a view to resolving the differences between them. Proposals which I might put forward to settle the dispute will be based on the long standing premise of one association which will represent all members of the Force at the garda rank in relation to pay and conditions. As I have invited the Garda Representative Association, the Garda Federation and the third group to meet me I am anxious to put my proposals to them first, as would be the normal practice in disputes of this kind.
The attainment of success will require tolerance of differing viewpoints and a willingness on all sides to reach an acceptable settlement. I will do my best to encourage a positive approach by all sides.
Does the Minister accept the Mulvey report in its totality and that morale within the Garda Síochána is approaching an all time low, as witnessed by the disputes between the lower and senior ranks about the recent Lansdowne Road fiasco? Does she further accept it is her responsibility to ensure that one unified body is put in place without further delay in the interests of morale within the force?
The Garda Federation has accepted the proposals in the Mulvey report and the four divisions have indicated their support for them. However, the Garda Representative Association rejected them. I am endeavouring to find a positive solution to the dispute within the Garda so that further divisions are not created. The Garda Representative Association has accepted elements of the Mulvey report. I hope that when I meet it again next week we can move forward, under proposals which I will put to it, in resolving this dispute which has given rise to low morale among a large number of gardaí who no longer feel they are represented by the Garda Representative Association, because it is my job to ensure that all gardaí are represented by it. At present approximately 9,500 gardaí deserve representation. The Garda Federation represents approximately 2,300 gardaí while the new group represents approximately 1,000. I do not want to impose a solution which will further exacerbate this problem. I want to approach it in a positive way to ensure a resolution.
Is the Minister of the view that internal discipline within the GRA should be modelled on discipline within the force?
I do not know if the Deputy is referring to some particular element where there is a lack of discipline. The Garda Representative Association was set up under the 1977 Garda Act. One of the reasons the dispute arose was that elements of the Garda believed that the association was not representing them properly. Last July a number of gardaí withdrew from the executive because of differences with other members. Any solution to the problem will have to involve a recognition by the Garda Representative Association that it must represent all gardaí and that if changes need to be made in the way committees are elected and appointments are made then they will have to be implemented.
Will the Minister say why certain members felt that the Garda Representative Association was not representing them adequately.
I am sure the Deputy knows the answer to that question. It would not be helpful for me to rehash the newspaper reports about the dispute between various elements of the Garda. Suffice it to say that I am very disturbed that this dispute is continuing. Like other Members, I was extremely disturbed by the scenes at last year's Garda Representative Association Conference in Galway and I want to ensure that similar scenes do not recur. My motivation in meeting the Garda Representative Association, the Garda Federation and the other group last week and next week is to try to find a resolution to this dispute as quickly as possible so that gardaí will have an effective representative body.