Points may be withheld during strike

Gardaí may not issue penalty point or fixed charge notices to motorists next Tuesday as part of the action being taken by members of the Frontline Services Alliance, according to their union representatives.

In a statement today the Garda Representative Association (GRA) said its members were expected to enforce summary legislation only on November 24th but has advised they are “not obliged to carry out a number of other functions, including issuing fixed penalty notices”.

These notices are issued in response to speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt or driving while holding a mobile phone, or dangerous overtaking, among other offences.

A spokesman for the GRA said he understood this action to be within the law because the issuing of fixed penalty notices is discretionary. The association is advising its members to exercise this discretion next Tuesday.

A GRA member said they expected the number of penalty points issued on November 24th to be significantly lower than average.

The GRA view that issuing penalty points is discretionary was disputed by a senior garda source tonight. However, he admitted to The Irish Timesthere was little management could do if the numbe of road traffic offences identified and notices issued was lower than usual.

Asked about the GRA stance a Garda spokesman said: “An Garda will be providing a normal service on the 24th with full resources.”

In a notice sent to all members, the GRA has advised gardaí to “continue to enforce all summary legislation on the 24th November - taking cognisance of the non-necessity to issuing the fixed penalty notices”.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has advised its members to only carry out functions assigned to them under the Garda Code. “Nor should members undertake tasks normally carried out by civilian public servants who will be on strike," it said.

According to the Irish Nurses Organisation, nurses participating in the strike will withdraw from elective and day services from 8am next Tuesday for 12 hours. Excluded from the strike is care of the elderly in hospitals and day centres; intellectual disability services; palliative care services; delivery wards and intensive care units.

Prison officers are also planning a full withdrawal of services. The deputy general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, Eugene Dennehy, said his members “regret taking this action but it is necessary in order to send a clear message to the Government of how determined they are to oppose any further reductions in pay or services.”