Gardaí should have the right to strike if industrial relations talks break down, the new president of the Garda Representative Association has said at the association's annual conference in Bundoran.
The GRA also said the force needed safer squad cars and warned if there was no progress on this issue before September 1st, officers would implement a work-to-rule campaign.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has said he is opposed to any measures which would allow gardaí withdraw their services. The force performed a key role in protecting the public and this was why it did not have the same right to strike as the rest of the workforce.
GRA president, Mr Dermot O'Donnell, said other international police forces had the right to strike and there was no justification in the Garda being banned from taking such action.
"In Europe generally, with the exception of the UK, you find that most of the countries have various elements of industrial action open to them on a scaled basis. There are models out there we can look at. This is an area we should be aiming at." In Germany, for example, the police had a clear 10-point plan outlining how they would cease certain duties, rather than going on an all-out strike. Much of these related to administrative functions and did not put lives at risk.
Addressing the conference, Mr O'Donnell said he was determined to work tirelessly in the promotion of Garda rights and entitlements.
"In particular, our association must prepare itself to confront any and all excesses contained in the Garda Bill and also point out its deficiencies and missed opportunities, such as failing to provide for a legitimate means of industrial action, that our members could exercise as a last resort or when negotiations break down."
A "top priority" must be establishing a strong pay campaign which would ensure any future benchmarking deal would bring about a rise in Garda pay.
Mr John Egan, GRA vice president, said safer squad cars were urgent. If steps were not taken by September to begin upgrading the force's fleet of cars to make them safer, officers would embark on a work-to-rule campaign. This would probably involve refusing to use their own mobile phones at work. Currently officers use the phones to communicate with each other while on duty because they believe the force's radio system is not secure.
