The Interim General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association has said there is "great concern" around trying to deal with the same volume of work with fewer gardaí as An Garda Síochána reverts to its pre-pandemic roster system.
Ronan Slevin said that last year Commissioner Harris told the GRA that he did not have the resources to return to the old roster.
He said that since then, garda numbers have continued to decline and "all of a sudden we do have the resources to equip a fifth unit and we have serious concerns that the Commissioner's reasons for this don't stand up to scrutiny".
Mr Harris yesterday decided to discontinue an emergency roster introduced during the pandemic and revert to the previous roster. The Covid-19 roster has been a source of discontent because it was extended 15 times.
Despite the fact it is being scrapped, the GRA is not happy, as garda numbers have declined while population has risen.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Slevin said while the Commissioner is honouring his commitment to revert back to the old roster, times have changed and garda numbers have reduced.
He said those members will be dealing with the same volume of calls and issues but with 25% less members which he described as a cause of great concern.
Members will be discussing the matter at a special executive meeting later this week and they will decide what action they will take, he said.
Mr Slevin said the incoming roster will consist of six ten-hour shifts, followed by four days off, which rotates every ten weeks.
Three years ago when a different roster was introduced during the pandemic, he said, they sought a commitment that the old roster would be reintroduced after the pandemic.
"Because the roster that was implemented wasn't agreed, but times have changed since then.
"The number of gardaí has continued to decline, the numbers in society are continuing to rise and we don't believe that there are enough guards there currently to make five units out of four and it's going to effect the welfare and health and safety of our members when they're working."
Mr Slevin said the change in roster in November is going to require gardaí to turn up for work an extra 25 days a year, and that while that does not sound like a lot, many gardaí are living outside urban areas because they cannot afford to buy properties further in.
"What he is going to do now, if you're lucky to have ten guards in a station unit ... he is now going to make that eight guards that will be working at one time."
"They are travelling long distances so that extra cost that's going to be incurred in relation to the travel and the associated childcare costs in an ongoing cost-of-living crisis is a cause of concern for a lot of our younger members especially."
He said members made a proposal to the Commissioner and to the conciliation services which recommended a 12-hour roster for four units, and a ten-hour roster for specialised units, based on a four-unit structure.
He described it as a "viable workable solution" to the Commissioner’s issues in relation to the number of staff at present.
"It would be on a four-unit structure, so he wouldn't be reducing the number of members that are working at any one time.
"What he is going to do now, if you're lucky to have ten guards in a station unit ... he is now going to make that eight guards that will be working at one time."
