Parts of the State were left with only a skeleton police force yesterday as about 40 per cent of the 8,500 officers of garda rank marched on the Dail in pursuit of a claim for higher pay.
The protest, which attracted support from about 3,500 officers of garda rank, was the largest mounted by members of the force. It left many stations operating on skeleton staff levels. A smaller march to the Dail took place on April 16th last year.
The support shown for yesterday's march raises the prospect of disruption of routine police work throughout the Republic, including traffic control, as a result of industrial action timed for the beginning of next week's May bank holiday.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has appealed to all its members to participate in a "national day of protest" on Friday, May 1st, when there is traditionally heavy traffic on the roads.
The GRA is not saying publicly what form of action it contemplates, but members are being privately encouraged to call in sick for 24 hours, a prospect which is causing consternation among Garda management. Until Friday week, the GRA is mounting a daily picket at the Dail.
The proposed day of action is the first such protest since 1961 when members of garda rank carried out a brief work-to-rule to be allowed form a staff association.
The industrial action prompted the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, to issue an appeal to his force yesterday to pursue their pay claims through "persuasive argument" rather than street protest.
In a statement issued after yesterday's march, the Commissioner said he was conscious that the force "should be properly remunerated for the difficult task that is policing today".
He added: "Being a member of An Garda Siochana brings with it a certain uniqueness which should be recognised by all in pay negotiations. The Commissioner is of the view that such claims should be pursued by persuasive argument and not street protest, irrespective of whether members feel hurt or disillusioned by initial offers. It is time for courage and maturity by all so that this trying time can be brought to a just finality."
Addressing the protesting gardai who filled Molesworth Street, opposite the Dail, the GRA president, Mr John Healy, said the march was only the start of a campaign for a just pay award.
He said that in the face of the public demonstration, the Government had upped its initial "miserable" pay offer of 5.5 per cent to 7 per cent, and added: "What we have is a pay crisis. I want the Government to know this a crisis that can't be ignored."
The GRA general secretary, Mr P.J. Stone, said Association members should be aware that while it was being condemned for holding yesterday's public demonstration, "we will be even further decried for implementing other aspects of our campaign."
The GRA has already written to its members saying it completely rejects attempts to have a pay rise tied into productivity agreements which would mean a review of rostering and work practices and the increased civilianisation of Garda jobs.
A circular to the GRA membership pointed out that the Government negotiators had insisted on introducing productivity elements into the pay negotiations. It added: "We, as an association through its membership, cannot allow this to happen. For too long we have been put into the invidious position of having to trade off our working conditions for pay.
"Essentially, what the Government wants in order to satisfy the requirements of public-sector pay is to increase the present offer by an Exchequer-neutral arrangement which effectively means you will be paying for your own pay rise. Such a position should not and cannot be allowed to develop.
"It would be very easy at this stage to go into negotiations on the basis of productivity, but the Association is of the view that the membership as a whole would not thank us for this approach.
"It is clear from the directions that came from open meetings and the sounds that are still coming back from divisions that members of garda rank are of the view quite rightly that they have given enough."