The "most fundamental" review of the Garda Siochana in its 75-year history has been announced by the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue. However, the proposals, which will include major changes in policing in Dublin, immediately prompted calls from Garda staff associations for extraordinary pay increases in line with the 17 per cent rise given to nurses earlier this year. Pay rises in line with those being spoken about by gardai of around £50 a week could cost the State at least an additional £30 million a year.
The Garda Representative Association acting general secretary, Mr P.J. Stone, said yesterday he would seek pay increases "much better" than those given to nurses and to prison officers, who received a 13 per cent increase under the PCW.
He said: "The nurses and prison officers have got agreements for increases under the PCW, and I don't think the guards can be treated any differently."
The Minister yesterday confirmed that pay negotiations would take place alongside the proposed review of the force.
The Minister announced a "fundamental" review of the force which, it is estimated, could take three years to complete. The review, it is expected, will lead to a new relationship between government and the force and new powers for the Garda Commissioner, who will be responsible for budgets and obliged to produce a policing policy document annually.
The efficiency proposals relate to the present rostering system in Dublin, where officers in 43 stations are on a three-shift, 24-hour system. It is proposed to alter this radically to free up to 500 officers a day for anti-crime work.
Mr O'Donoghue said yesterday, however, there would be no closures of Garda stations during the lifetime of the Government. He also promised that proposed changes in the criminal justice legal framework would be included in a Criminal Justice Bill he hopes to publish next year. The changes would give gardai longer periods of detention for questioning suspects in serious crimes and greater powers to search for and seize evidence.
He said he had "some reservations" about proposals to change rules on the suspect's right to silence, but he would consider legislating to allow juries to draw an "inference" about the suspect's refusal to answer garda questions.
The Association of Chief Superintendents last night welcomed the Minister's proposals. A spokesman said: "We are glad to see he is taking steps which can only help to provide better police services for the public and to combat serious crime more effectively."