Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was heckled and jeered at the annual GRA Conference - after claiming he already compromised in the ongoing rosters row.
Speaking at the annual conference of the GRA, Commissioner Harris was met with boos and jeers from garda members when he claimed he had “already made compromises” on the issue and said he “cannot be the only one making compromises.”
The row over rosters has been ongoing for some time, with members fearing a return to unworkable and unpredictable shifts.
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Following the Commissioner’s divisive speech the GRA’s Deputy General Secretary Ronan Slevin told the media that the body, which represents gardai across the country, were seriously annoyed by what the force’s boss had to say.
“We have serious issues with what the Commissioner said to the conference today.
“He indicated that he’d already made compromises and is willing to make further compromise in relation to the rosters in AN Garda Siochana.
“This is further from the truth. We have sought to meet him over the last number of months to continue negotiations in an attempt to find a resolution to this matter and he has declined to meet us.
“The impasse that he mentioned today in conference is brought about squarely and utterly by himself by not negotiating with the association.
“We have presented a workable solution which would resolve this said impasse but he is refusing to negotiate with us on this matter.”
GRA President Brendan O’Connor added: “The atmosphere in the room was indicative of the feeling the commissioner lacked a bit of sensitivity to the strength of feeling on the issue.
“It is about members and their work life balance and how it impacts their families. Policing is a difficult career. It does impact on families.
“Loved ones are going out of the house at Christmas at the weekends when everyone is off and the guards are going to work.
“I just thought it was a bit insensitive that it has been referred to in a flippant manner.. We are the people who have made the compromise.”
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