Gardai are today expected to begin implementing further work-to-rule procedures including a refusal by officers without special training to drive squad cars.
The refusal to comply with what are generally seen as voluntary policing procedures is part of a build-up of industrial measures leading to another one-day strike on July 11th when the Tour de France is due to start in Dublin.
The threat to the tour is causing serious concern at Government and Garda management level.
The tour organiser in Ireland, Mr Pat McQuaid, has said there is no question of the tour being called off if adequate policing is not available.
However, senior gardai have privately expressed the view that it would be impossible to seal virtually the entire centre of Dublin without adequate police resources because of the risk from public order offences.
The use of alternatives to proper policing - private security firms or the Defence Forces - would be highly detrimental to the image of the force, senior sources said.
There is no formal comment available from Garda or Government sources about the potential threat to the tour, one of the largest sporting events ever to have been planned for this State.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) called on its members from today to refuse to drive squad cars under the procedure known as "chief's permission".
Under this system, which is widely used by the force, officers without special training in driving are allowed to drive squad cars. This has been a matter of concern as there have been a number of accidents involving young officers driving squad cars without having received the specialist training course at Templemore Garda College. One young officer, who was driving under the "chief's permission" procedure, was killed in a road accident in Dublin last January.
Garda representative sources said yesterday it was not clear what impact the call for restrictions on driving squad cars would have. This would only become clear over the coming days.
The squad car ban is to be followed by an escalating number of industrial actions including a ban on overtime and refusal to carry out certain court-related work.
Traffic corps officers have already been implementing a ban on on-the-spot driving fines. This has concerned senior management as speeding is the primary cause of road deaths and serious injuries.
Garda management have sent out a circular stating that where officers encounter speeding they are obliged to give out tickets. Also where there were aggravating circumstances officers should proceed by way of court order.
Garda management has issued a directive that officers on traffic duty should issue on-the-spot speeding tickets in instances where offences have taken place. The previous guidelines on issuing the tickets said officers may issue the tickets.
Garda representatives were in talks with management at the Phoenix Park Depot yesterday over the industrial action by their members.
The new executive of the GRA is to meet today and tomorrow to review strategy in its dispute with the Government over pay. The executive is expected to explore the possibility of renewed talks with the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue.
The acting deputy general secretary of the GRA, Mr Tony Hand, said yesterday that the association remained available for talks at any time with the Minister and his officials.