Rank and file gardaí say they are concerned they will not have sufficient resources to police the forthcoming EU Presidency and that the Garda Commissioner may have to declare it another 'exceptional' policing event.
Commissioner Justin Kelly recently had to declare - for the first time - an exceptional event and cancel all annual leave and rest days to ensure there were sufficient gardaí to police fuel protests earlier this month.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which opened its annual conference in Westport, Co Mayo, yesterday, said it is concerned that this will become a more common occurrence, to comprehensively police events around Ireland's assumption of the rotating presidency of the EU, which runs from July to Christmas this year.
Deputy General Secretary James Morrisroe said a national policing plan is required for these events.
Call for Garda College vetting to be completed earlier
Gardaí also say there is a question over whether they are getting the right people in the force because vetting has not been completed by the time recruits start training in the Garda College in Templemore.
In some cases, they say candidates have been failed the week before they were due to graduate, having already had access to police procedures and confidential information.
Garda Ness Durkan from Co Louth said they want garda vetting of all new recruits to be completed before admission.
Motions are due to be debated today on pursuit driving and threats to gardaí.
Garda Mark Ferris from Blanchardstown said all gardaí need to be trained to pursue scrambler bikes and criminals, as police in the UK are, and should be issued with a driving licence solely for work.
Garda Peter Firth said one of his colleagues in Waterford, who policed the fuel protest had his photograph posted online and altered by AI. His family were threatened and the address of their home was published online.
He was also wrongly accused of pepper spraying a child. The abuse and threats are now subject of a criminal investigation.
GRA welcomes 'achievement' of Kinahan arrest
The GRA has also welcomed the arrest of Daniel Kinahan in Dubai, and said it was proud of what it described as this "achievement".
Gardaí at the conference, who have been policing the Hutch-Kinahan feud for ten years say they, and the communities they work with, have come through a difficult time and have moved from "despair to repair".
GRA Vice President Niall Hodgins, who is stationed at Mountjoy Garda Station, singled out the late Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll for his investigative work leading to Daniel Kinahan’s arrest, which he described as "poignant".
He described Mr O’Driscoll as "a fantastic policeman" and said it was "a shame he's not here to witness what happened last week".
He also commended the work of Commissioner Kelly and the investigation team, and said that with the new garda management team "we have hope and we look forward to what the new commissioner will bring".
Read more: GRA conference hears call to tackle threats on gardaí
