Sir, - Reading Maire Geoghegan Quinn's thought-provoking article (March 29th) a number of points spring to mind. Her simplistic assertion that "the drop in morale is related to the debilitating internal feud between the Garda associations" does not stand up to scrutiny. As a resolution to this dispute is near at hand, it should follow that there will be a boost in Garda morale. There will be no boost.
The reality is (something that successive Ministers for Justice don't want to recognise) that low Garda morale is related to two issues. Firstly, that the force has been used as a political football over the years and that successive Governments have only paid lip service to "the fight against crime" and, secondly, the absence of a structure to deal with Garda pay grievances on an ongoing basis.
Maire Geoghegan Quinn may find it "surprising" to see Commissioner Byrne passing comment on the zero tolerance issue. However, it is refreshing to have a Commissioner who doesn't feel so trammelled by necessary political impartiality that he cannot comment on arrant sound bite nonsense. Zero tolerance worked in New York. Unfortunately when Irish politicians of any party talk about zero tolerance what they mean is, zero tolerance of certain crimes as defined by me and my party. Until such time as the resources are put in place to allow the Garda to tackle all crime in a systematic way, and until such time as politicians take crime issues seriously and not just at election time, there will always be anecdotes such as those related by Maire Geoghegan Quinn.
Of course Gardai do not want to be marching on the streets. Of course it would better if justice was done and a commission on pay was set up now. Public support is not an issue. If public support was the criteria for settling pay disputes, then very few of them would be solved. The fact is that Gardai have been humiliated by the successive National Wage Agreements. They have been humiliated by being ignored at the negotiating table. Their staff associations have been humiliated by being brought into conciliation and told, that is what has been negotiated on your behalf - take it or leave it. And people wonder why Garda morale is low!
Maire Geoghegan Quinn could do this country a great service in the few months she has left as a parliamentarian if she spent her time lobbying her colleagues to take the crime issue seriously and not just as election gimmick material. She could also do a great service by turning up at Parnell Square on April 16th and marching along with the Gardai to Dail Eireann in support of their demand for a commission of enquiry into their pay. - Yours, etc.,
Fahan,
Co Donegal.