The failure to consult gardaí about plans to create a Garda reserve has created an atmosphere of mistrust between officers and the Minster for Justice, it was claimed this evening.
The president of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) told delegates at its annual conference that Michael McDowell had used "the most disgraceful methods" in progressing his plan to create a reserve force under Garda supervision.
Mr Paschal Feeney said the minister had "airily brushed aside" AGSI concerns in 2003 when the proposal was included in the Garda Bill which was rushed through the Oireachtas last year.
Mr McDowell said at the time the reserve was included as "enabling legislation" and there were no plans to introduce a volunteer force during the lifetime of the current Government.
However, he later surprised Garda representative bodies by announcing plans to recruit reservists by the end of 2006.
"No wonder there's now a complete lack of trust between you and us Minister. You disgracefully abandoned all pretense at partnership and consultation - in spite of the national wage agreements - and you carried out negotiations by press release," Mr Feeney said.
Mr McDowell is in attendance at the conference in Killarney, Co Kerry and is due to address delegates later tonight.
Mr McDowell has said he will put his proposals to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and the Garda Conciliation Council. But Mr Feeney said he had already indicated that the reserve would be implemented and the move was likely to be merely "cosmetic".
He questioned why the AGSI should co-operate with these bodies, considering the circumstances.
Mr Feeney referred to reservists as "auxiliaries" and "pretend police" who pose a threat to the welfare of gardai and undermine their profession. "They will be a hindrance and they will further divert gardaí from real police work".
The resources to recruit and train reservists should be allocated elsewhere, Mr Feeney added. Gardaí were operating with substandard equipment including "clapped-out vehicles" which were a danger to themselves and the public, Mr Feeney said.
He noted that detection rates where reserve forces operated in other jurisdictions were lower than that of the Garda. And he accused the Minister of suppressing information obtained by his department which showed reserves in the London Metropolitan force were not working well.
He rejected the association of increasing the retirement age from 57 to 60 with the reserve issue. Some 370 members were being lost every year because of the rule and Mr McDowell knew it should be scrapped, Mr Feeney insisted.
"You have a doctrinaire agenda and that agenda is fundamentally against any of the public services. You have a Thatcherite approach and, if you succeed, you will fundamentally damage the fabric of the Garda service".
Mr McDowell's claim that the gardai would be defying the law by not co-operating with the reserves was treated with disdain. Mr Feeney said his members were entitled to representation but would not break the law or their oath of office.
"However there will be no co-operation with your foolhardy, politically-driven concept of an auxiliary police force for the Republic of Ireland."