Senior Garda officers will not carry out investigations on behalf of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) as part of a protest which will also impact on the implementation of planned policing reforms.
Garda superintendents and chief superintendents earlier this week commenced working “in strict compliance with the core duties of the Garda code”.
The move forms part of a protest at the failure by the Government to implement a 25 per cent increase in an existing weekly allowance of between €150 and €180 paid to compensate them for having to be available outside of regular working hours. The increase was recommended as part of a review finalised last year.
Garda sources told The Irish Times that the senior officers would continue to run policing in their local divisions, but they would not cooperate with a variety of other work they have always carried out. The sources said the senior officers were reluctant to withdraw from that work but felt they had been left with no option and were now determined to persist with their action.
The most significant work the senior officers are now refusing to carry out is their central role in implementing the new Garda operating model. It involves the biggest restructuring and modernisation of the force in its history and is the mainstay of the reform programme under Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
The senior officers are also refusing to carry out investigations on behalf of Gsoc, which investigates complaints about Garda members made by members of the public. Gsoc often refers complaints to senior officers to investigate. Without the cooperation of those officers, a large backlog of complaints will build up very quickly.
The senior officers are also refusing to sit on interview panels or internal disciplinary boards as part of their action.
However, it is the senior officers’ refusal to play a lead role in implementing the operating model that is most significant. Under the operating model, Garda divisions are being amalgamated and more members are being redeployed to frontline policing and away from desk jobs
The Department of Justice said the issue of an increase in the availability allowance was recently before the Workplace Relations Commissioner for conciliation and work was ongoing to seek a resolution to the matter.
