Gardaí from Munster have endorsed a recommendation from the Garda Representative Association not to co-operate with the garda reserve force which is due to be established by the Minister for Justice by next September.
For the second successive week, gardaí have attended a mass meeting to protest at plans to recruit volunteer garda reserves to serve alongside full-time gardaí.
The turn-out was more than 1,000 and the mood was defiant.
Michael McDowell has insisted that his proposals to introduce 900 garda reserves are now law and that he is not for turning.
Mr McDowell has repeated his invitation to talks but with continuing defiance by sergeants, inspectors and rank-and-file gardai’, a confrontation between the Justice Minister and the two biggest garda associations now appears more likely.
