Despite its contention that it will not settle for anything less than a 15 per cent back-dated pay increase before entering talks on any future productivity, the Garda Representative Association was apparently happy to accept the minimum public sector pay award at the outset of the last pay round in 1994.
In February 1994 the GRA central executive committee, which included the current core leadership of the association, voted to accept a pay deal which made garda allowances "pensionable", in lieu of a basic pay increase.
The association confirmed by letter on May 25th, 1994, it was prepared to accept the basic Government public sector pay increase so long as the Government agreed to a deal which made the various "allowances" gardai earned eligible as salary for the purposes of the force's indexlinked pensions.
The May 1994 pay deal itself was for 2 per cent of basic pay for the first 12 months of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work (PCW) round; 2.5 per cent for the second 12 months; 2.5 per cent of basic pay for the following six months; and 1 per cent of basic pay for the final six months.
The acceptance of the minimum pay increase enraged the mainly younger Dublin gardai who were expecting a high basic pay increase to meet their high living costs and who had little interest in pension deals. About 2,500 members, mainly in Dublin, split from the GRA and formed the breakaway association, the Garda Federation.
However, the majority of older and rural-based gardai remained faithful to the GRA and were apparently content with the "pensionability" deal. In its annual report of 1995, the GRA stated: "Our successful claim for pensionability of allowances, which ostensibly led to division within the association, has been of enormous benefit to those who retired since 1st January, 1993, and to their dependants.
"On average, retirees have benefited since 1st January, 1993, by way of a gross additional retirement gratuity of £4,575 while those in regular receipt of unsocial hours earnings receive approximately £5,800 by way of additional gratuity. Likewise, pensions increased by between £30 and £43 per week depending, of course, on unsocial hours earnings for the three years prior to retirement."
According to Government and GRA sources, there is now a broad acceptance among senior gardai and Government officials that the maximum the GRA can expect is a 7 per cent basic pay increase with a further 6 per cent depending on further productivity agreements.
It is understood the three other Garda staff groups, associations, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), the Garda Superintendents' Association, and the Chief Superintendents' Associations, would be prepared to settle within limits that could be agreed by Government. Only the GRA remains outside a possible settlement scenario.
According to GRA sources, there is some concern that the association is heading into industrial conflict without having a clearly defined leading figure.
The association, which had undergone a period of internal turmoil arising from the 1994 split, has re-established itself as a properly constituted organisation only since May last when a new 26-member central executive committee was elected. About half the CEC members are newly-elected figures with little experience of national pay negotiations.
At the top, the GRA also has had no general secretary since the last incumbent, Mr John Ferry, retired in January 1997 citing health reasons.
It is effectively led by two men, Mr P.J. Stone, a former detective garda from Waterford, and the GRA president, Mr John Healy, a detective at Store Street station in Dublin. Mr Stone's actual position is that of deputy general secretary, but he has been referred to in the media as "acting general secretary".
Mr Healy is the son of the Kerry Independent TD, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, who addressed the rally following the GRA protest march through Dublin city centre to the Dail on April 21st last.
Relations between Mr Healy-Rae and the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, have been strained since Mr Healy-Rae was not selected as a Fianna Fail candidate in the Kerry South constituency.
The fact that Mr Healy's father was able to win a seat and achieve a position of some status in the Dail as one of the Independents supporting the Government has impressed many GRA members, who now look to Mr Healy as a potential leader with good political connections.
Mr Healy has emerged as a powerful figure in the GRA with support on the CEC. He is being tipped by some senior GRA figures as a likely new general secretary. ail was strident in its criticism of the Government's pay offer and was well received by the demonstrators. Mr Stone's speech, by comparison, was muted. Government sources say they suspect there is little prospect of a resolution of the pay dispute with the gardai until there is an internal settlement of the leadership contest in the GRA.