GRA says penalty points have made gardai unpopular

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) will today call on Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to address the lack of leadership…

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) will today call on Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to address the lack of leadership by Garda management which it says was highlighted in the interim report of the Morris Tribunal.

The call will be made at the GRA annual conference in Tralee, where delegates will also claim that the penalty points system has made gardaí very unpopular. There will be a debate on how the "negative impact" can be minimised.

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy and Mr McDowell will address the conference today.

Delegates will also call for the provision of mobile phones to all Garda cars, and for the force's telecommunications system to be completely modernised.

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Delegates also want gardaí to stop using their own computers and cameras in the course of their work, so these items would be supplied by the State.

One motion seeks a pay increase for members with between 25 and 30 years' service.

The same motion, put forward by the Roscommon/Galway East and Cork North divisions, is also seeking a further increment for gardaí who opt to remain in the force after 30 years, when they can choose to retire.

Another motion from the Carlow/Kildare division is a 7.5 per cent increment for gardaí who have achieved a proficiency in Irish needed to work in Gaeltacht areas even if they are not serving in the Gaeltacht.

Motions on the agenda also call for changes to the way tribunals of inquiry are conducted. A call for greater legal representation for any garda called before a tribunal will also be discussed.

A motion tabled by delegates from the Tipperary and Donegal divisions has requested that a minimum of three judges be appointed to all future tribunals.