Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has cancelled his appearance at the Garda Representative Association (GRA) annual conference in a row over comments to be made in a speech at the event.
Mr Ahern said he was “extremely disappointed and dismayed” to have read the circulated remarks due to be delivered by association’s outgoing president Michael O’Boyce later today.
Mr O’Boyce was intending to accuse the Government of “national sabotage” in his final speech.
In the address, which was circulated to the media before being pulled by Mr O'Boyce, he was planning to say anger within the force at a government who has slashed lower-income salaries “to protect economic traitors” would soon find an outlet. Mr O’Boyce said Irish workers were paying the price for this “treachery”.
In the speech, Mr O'Boyce was intending to say gardaí and other public sector workers had endured an "unrelenting, distasteful and vitriolic attack from the Government and their wealthy cronies" during the past year and a half. "This was distasteful and unbelievable considering the role garda take in society," a copy of the address stated. "It most definitely verged on incitement to hatred."
Mr Ahern said he was extremely disappointed and dismayed to have read the circulated remarks.
The Minister described the speech as an "unprecedented political intervention" by a Garda representative which "have no place in a modern democracy".
He said: “They besmirch the long-held excellent reputation that An Garda Siochána has earned for serving the people and institutions of this State without fear or favour. No democrat could tolerate such political interventions by any member of a police force.”
Mr Ahern said he refutes “utterly” the allegations made in the speech and that the “force is ill-served by such political interventions. In light of these facts it is impossible for me to attend the GRA conference.”
The Minister has also withdrawn his department officials from the conference, a GRA spokesman said.
Delegates cheered and clapped when GRA secretary general PJ Stone announced Mr Ahern would not be attending.
Prompted by Mr Stone, there was a sustained standing ovation for Mr O'Boyce for having "the courage, the conviction to represent guards in times of need".
Earlier, gardaí criticised the Minister over his remarks that the force was among the best paid and resourced in Europe. Delegates at the conference claimed they are enduring third-world conditions in stations around the country.
Garda Ultan Sherlock, based at Stepaside in the Dún Laoghaire division, said it was absolutely farcical that Mr Ahern ranked the force among the best off in Europe, earlier this year. “Our colleagues in Macroom are about to walk out of the station, because they are working in a hovel,” he said. “The Garda training centre is empty, members are leaving everyday.”
Delegates passed a motion condemning Mr Ahern as being out of touch with the reality over Garda resources.
Gda Thomas Keane, of Ennis station in the Clare division, said 160 cars in the Garda’s entire 260-strong fleet in were more than four years old. Of these, just 47 per cent passed the NCT, with 14 retested after minor work and 61 cars needing major repairs.
Gda Keane said it defied logic the force was spending €10,000 a year repairing vehicles when new cars could be bought for €20,000.
The conference heard the Garda has not bought any new patrol cars for two years, with some of the fleet having clocked up more than 300,000km.
Garda Ray Wims, based at Carrick-on-Shannon in the Sligo/Leitrim division, said the main patrol car in Sligo town was “grounded” because it could not be repaired.
“We have stations which are in third world conditions, we have stations where there is a majority of females and there are no facilities for changing or showers,” he added. He said the deplorable conditions are reflected around the country.
Additional reporting PA
