Rank and file gardaí have strongly criticised a Government decision to deny them the right to strike, collective bargaining and other employment rights.
Today the cabinet approved the recommendations of the first report of the Working Group on Industrial Relations Structures for An Garda Síochána.
The Government will prioritise legislation to give garda associations access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court.
However, gardaí will not be allowed to take part in strike action and the associations will not get trade union status.
The working group concluded that the unique requirements of An Garda Síochána would not be served by reconstituting the garda associations as trade unions.
The issue came onto the political agenda a year ago after gardaí threatened to take strike action over pay.
A nationwide strike was only averted at the eleventh hour after the Labour Court brokered a recommendation for enhanced pay which increased the State's payroll bill by €50 million a year.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said today was an important one in the evolution of industrial relations in An Garda Síochána.
"A stable industrial relations environment is in the interests of garda management, members of An Garda Síochána and in the public interest," he said.
However, the Garda Representative Association accused the Working Group of largely ignoring what it called its reasonable and considered submissions to Government on future industrial relations within An Garda Síochána.
In a statement the GRA, which represents more than 10,000 gardaí, said that the Council of Europe determined in 2013 that the denial of the right to strike, collective bargaining and to affiliate with other workers' groups amounted to a denial of civil rights afforded to all other workers and citizens.
GRA General Secretary Pat Ennis added: "Gardaí currently have very limited rights to determine their pay or influence improvement their working conditions.
"Without such rights, collective bargaining is meaningless. If the Government insists on creating further unworkable draconian legislation while denying a determination of the Council of Europe, then it is clear they have little or no regard for our members.
"For decades, the GRA has sought access to collective bargaining institutions and processes on a par with trade unions. It is a betrayal that all of our rights are to be further denigrated while Ireland remains part of a European Union; the Government simply treats gardaí as second-class citizens. It is flagrant injustice."
Meanwhile the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said it was disappointed to read about the content of the report in the media, and queried why they were not briefed on the contents first.
They said they had not been part of the inter-departmental working group and that their contribution was confined only to written submissions.
They said they would be writing to the Minister and the Chairperson of the group to express their disappointment.
