The Garda Representative Association (GRA) is to press ahead with balloting its members on industrial action despite warnings from Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern and Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy that such action would be illegal.
The GRA’s national executive last night ended two days of talks at its headquarters in Dublin after it was decided not to defer or cancel the ballot.
GRA sources said the decision to ballot its members had been taken at a meeting last Saturday and the association would not be deterred by subsequent negative reaction.
Speaking this morning, Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the move was "unprecedented" and "entirely misguided". He told this morning's edition of
Morning Irelandthat he felt "no good" would come from a garda strike.
He said a "burden of responsibility" was placed upon gardaí that was "different and higher" than the average citizen.
As such, Mr Flanagan said such a move would be "unthinkable" that they would engage in industrial action.
Mr Flanagan accepted that Garda morale was at an "all-time low" and called on the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner to "ensure" that there is dialogue.
He said there had been an "unprecedented" number of garda retirements due to "fear and uncertainty" about their pensions and income.
He said the Minister for Justice had treated gardaí with a "lack of respect" and questioned what other cuts or measures "which are adverse for the proper running of the Garda Síochána" that Mr Ahern has in mind.
Sources within the association said the ballot papers would be printed in the next fortnight and posted to members as soon as possible. The result, which would be known next month, would inform the GRA's plans to protest over the pay cuts for public service staff announced in the Budget as well as at the association's exclusion from recent, and future, talks on public sector savings and reforms.
Separately yesterday, the president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Jack O'Connor, said it was open to unions to set a date in January and say they would stop work and that "they would not start again until it was over one way or the other".
Alternatively, there could be a more focused campaign over a longer period which would have less effect on the citizens of the country, he said.
The GRA represents almost 12,000 rank-and-file gardaí in a force of 14,500. GRA sources said the logistics of organising the postal ballot may take longer than first anticipated. It has begun the process of finding a returning officer and is also planning a system of independent oversight by auditors.
Mr Ahern has described the plans as an "affront to democracy".
A statement issued by Garda Headquarters last night said Mr Murphy would not be commenting. Instead he would wait to hear directly from the GRA.
A spokesman for Mr Ahern said the Minister had made it "abundantly clear" that the GRA "needs to reflect very carefully".