Higher prioritisation for gardaí in the Covid vaccination programme will be top of the agenda during a virtual meeting between the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and the Minister for Justice on Thursday.
Frank Thornton, president of the GRA, told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that there was no sense or logic in the low level of priority for members of the force, given that on a daily basis they faced uncontrolled situations where they could not observe social distancing – putting themselves and their families at risk.
The force had “stepped up to the plate” in policing the pandemic and felt they should be vaccinated because of the nature of their duty, he added.
Gardaí were frequently “facing into the unknown” in their work, he said. Mr Thornton acknowledged that healthcare workers should be the main priority, but he believed that gardaí should be “a very close priority after that.”
On a daily basis gardaí were going into environments where they were completely exposed. While there was frustration in the force, they were disciplined and would always carry out their duties, he said.
Mr Thornton acknowledged that there was a “fraying in relations” with the public, many of whom were weary of restrictions, but the “vast majority” continued to work with the force. It was a credit to gardaí that so few events had escalated.
“Our message [to the Minister] is the health and safety of our members on the frontline.”
