THE parties involved in the Garda representation dispute are to begin talks today under the chairmanship of ICTU general secretary Mr Peter Cassells. They are expected to last two to three weeks.
Sources in the Garda Representative Association report internal tensions arising from an apparent attempt last week to elect a general secretary to replace Mr John Ferry, who resigned in January.
It had been anticipated that the election would take place only after talks with the other parties had been completed.
The talks involve the GRA, the breakaway Garda Federation and representatives of four rural Garda divisions which also split from the GRA but did not affiliate to the federation.