The gardai have suspended industrial action following a decision yesterday by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) to resume negotiations on a pay offer from the Government.
The decision was taken by the 26-member central executive of the GRA after it was presented with an improved Government offer, following last Saturday's 24hour stoppage by gardai which left the State largely without police cover.
Details are being withheld by both sides but it is understood the offer is similar to a deal struck with the Prison Officers' Association two years ago which was worth, at its upper limit, 13.5 per cent for officers with long service.
The offer is made under the Programme for Competitiveness in Work (PCW) pay round which should have ended 18 months ago. The gardai have still to negotiate under the current pay programme, Partnership 2000. Government sources insist the offer to the GRA, which had originally settled under the PCW but was allowed to renegotiate, does not breach public pay guidelines.
The sources say the deal includes a relatively low overall increase of around 5.5 per cent, with a further 4.5 per cent or thereabouts productivity-related pay and the rest in top-up payments for long service.
In a statement yesterday, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, welcomed the GRA's announcement "that work stoppages which had been signalled to take place in the period immediately ahead will not now proceed".
Mr O'Donoghue met members of the GRA leadership including the deputy general secretary, Mr P.J. Stone, yesterday morning. Shortly afterwards, Mr Stone left and recommended the Government's pay offer to the GRA executive.
Mr O'Donoghue said that "from the point of view of the general public and the Garda force itself, it was essential that the issues of concern to gardai should be addressed at the negotiating table. Arrangements will now be made to proceed with negotiations without delay."
The GRA said its executive had decided to "suspend industrial action and re-enter discussions on pay".
It added: "Today's meeting of the organisation was specifically designed to hear the views of the entire executive on this most important issue. The final decision taken was in the best interests of the members, which was always our priority throughout this entire process. "The decision taken to re-enter talks was taken on the basis that the first strand of these discussions will be finalised by Friday, June 26th, 1998.
"The present difficulties in relation to Garda pay should never have arisen. GRA appeals to successive governments to effectively tackle the blatant injustice which had arisen were continually ignored.
"It is now imperative that all the parties involved engage in discussions which are open, constructive and capable of devolving an option which will eventually get the approval of Garda membership."