THE announcement of an "agreement" between the feuding Garda representative groups, announced only 12 days ago, appears to have been premature.
A document containing proposals to resolve the dispute was agreed at negotiations chaired by the ICTU general secretary, Mr Peter Cassells, but was predicated on the removal from office of a senior figure in the Garda Representative Association, according to sources close to the negotiations.
It is understood an assurance toe the effect that the GRA assistant general secretary, Mr P.J. Stone, was prepared to resign was given to Mr Cassells by the Department of Justice but this was not agreed with Mr Stone.
Mr Stone said yesterday that at no time had he agreed to such a proposal. He said: "I felt very hurts to have been drawn into the middle of something I have had no hand, act or part in. There is an agreement which will be put to a ballot. I did not enter into any agreement so there is no reason why I should be brought into that decision.
"I will be at the helm as long as I am employed (by the GRA). I have the full confidence of the CEC [central executive committee."
He rejected a Sunday newspaper report that he was leaving his post.
It is now unclear where the "agreement" announced to journalists by the Department of Justice stands.
According to sources, officers in the break-away Garda groups had demanded Mr Stone's removal from office and received what they believed to be a categoric assurance that "all impediments" had been removed.
Meanwhile, Mr Stone and officers from other Garda associations are holding open meetings for gardai around the Republic to highlight the growing concern and anger over the failure to keep up with other public sector areas on pay 55
A meeting is to be held this evening in Portlaoise. It is one in a series for officers up to the rank of superintendent.
The executive of the Chief, Superintendents Association has ruled against participation in the series of meetings despite pressure from members to do so.
The general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, Mr George Maybury, said yesterday there was considerable anger because it was felt the Government refused to recognise gardai as social partners for the purpose of public pay reviews. He said the meetings would continue until the Government agreed to a hold a commission on Garda pay.