Gardaí are not being consulted about changes to their work and are subject to “unrealistic demands and relentless scrutiny”, the new Garda Representative Association (GRA) vice president Brendan O’Connor has said.
Speaking at the GRA’s Annual Delegate Conference yesterday, the Donegal man said issues such as civilianisation, changes to the Covid-19 roster and the roll-out of the Operating Policing Model shows Garda Management have “little regard” for consultation.
“We are fooling ourselves if we think our input is influencing these processes are in the interests of our members.
“We are increasingly becoming nothing more than spectators on the side-line, brought in at the very end after decisions are made to give the appearance that representation is respected,” Mr O’Connor said.
He also hit out at “an archaic and fundamentally unfair discipline regime is being utilised like never before to instil fear and create a false narrative that wrongdoing is prevalent”.
“Policing is a difficult job and the members we represent are on the receiving end of an endless onslaught of unrealistic demands and relentless scrutiny,” Garda O’Connor said.
