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DELEGATES WILL BE arriving at the Malton Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry this evening for the annual Garda Representative Association conference which starts tomorrow morning.
The conference for the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) two weeks ago touched on issues like protection for whistleblowers and further provisions of tazers for gardaí. Just like the AGSI conference, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter will not be attending the GRA’s in Kerry – but this time it’s because he wasn’t invited.
He’ll be missing out on discussions of old favourites like pay and conditions under the Haddington Road Agreement, resourcing and recruitment, and garda morale after the GSOC controversy.
Apart from the obvious ones, here are some of the other key topics on the agenda for the two day conference that we’ll be keeping an eye on.
Guns: There will be a motion calling for members to receive tactical training in how to deal with various firearms incidents and familiarisation training in a range of weaponry that they might encounter.
Driving: A review of the driving course allocation policy will be discussed and there will be a debate on the use of personal driving licences on duty.
Uniforms: The need for rigid-style handcuffs and an operational summer shirt (so they don’t have to wear a tie on hot days) will also be discussed.
Protest: Remember the clashes between gardaí and students at that protest in 2010? The GRA will be debating GSOC’s report which criticised An Garda Síochána’s handling of it and accused them of providing misleading and inaccurate information.
Safety: There will be a motion to highlight assaults on gardaí and demand that the Department of Justice publish statistics every year on numbers of assaults as well as action taken.
Drunks: Delegates will also debate the legal implications of detaining intoxicated prisoners in garda stations.
Recording: A motion is on the agenda to seek a change in legislation to remove the need for interviews to be written down when they’ve been electronically recorded.
We’ll be bringing you the latest news from the conference in Killarney over the next couple of days so keep your eyes peeled. You can also follow @michellehtweet for updates throughout the day.
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Hopefully he won’t and leo won’t be taoiseach again
Wishful thinking maby
We can dare to dream
@Richarddoherty: He says he is committed to the continuation of the unprecedented coalition. Lol, of course he is, it’s the only thing he hasn’t spoofed about.
Sorry what support , like we didn’t bail out the banks either , clinging to power at all costs
@Willie Bill Bryan: Remember his spoof attack on Fine Gael policies just before the last election, he somehow thought we had forgotten that his party had propped up Fine Gael in the “confidence & supply” deal for the previous five years whereby they supported every motion FG put before the Dail.
“Fine Gael need to come out of government, they’ve been there too long, they haven’t delivered on key issues such as housing, health and the impact of cost of living on many people.”
“The people want a new government. That means a completely new government”
Michael Martin January 2020.
@Declan Doherty: That’s it, he also accused FG of behaving in a “Jekyll & Hyde” manner to the electorate!!! The neck of him, he’s the looney Jekyll & Hyde character of Irish politics. He’d sell his granny.
@Declan Doherty: and he said he kept getting the same message on the doorsteps that voters wanted FG out of government. He then goes into government with then as equals.he just wanted the gig as taoiseach. He doesn’t really care about housing and the other issues
Martin is delusional. And as for Leo, I don’t see how we can accept a leak and a proven lia_r as Taoiseach. A week is a long time in politics and we have a long time to go before these changes happen.
Martin and Leo will more than likely retire by next General Election, live off their pension and perks, in the mean time they’ll take what ever they can and not give a fiddlers….
Dustin the turkey has better leadership skills and would do a better job than Mehole.
The problem is this current rainbow, is going to hand Sinn Fein, if they do get in a very poisonous chalice. I can see Micheál surviving a heave although Leo might be pushed under a bus as well although he has a few that will take the hit for him. When the dust settles and the covid bill has to be paid then we will see, who can make lemon curd toast not taste bitter.
@Twitruser2021: that why they’re throwing money around like confetti so the country will be well and truly broke when sinn Fein win the next election the mess will need a big shake to get the repayments in and the middle don’t have it any more
@Twitruser2021: Leo could be out after investigation of his leak. Also damaged by Dublin Bay South carry on.
@Peter McGlynn: That’s not going to happen Peter. Those guys are untouchable.
Peaky blinders!
The problem is this current rainbow, is going to hand Sinn Fein, if they do get in a very poisonus chalice. I can see Micheál surviving a heave although Leo might be pushed under a bus as well although he has a few that will take the hit for him. When the dust settles and the covid bill has to be paid then we will see, who can make lemon curd toast not taste bitter.
Michael gets a Taoiseach’s pension before he loses the next election and gets fired out by the rest of his buddies and rent-a-gob Leo “leading the nation” as Taoiseach into another election which might get him personally by the fifth count again!
Dead man walking …we got a dead man walking here.
@BK: looking more than likely its gonna be an inside job that’s gonna take him out. Every press conference it gets worse and worse. Remember the whole “The banks weren’t bailed out”…
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