There seems to be a school of thought in government that goes along the lines “if we can't legislate our way out of it, we'll fudge it.” What Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have done is instigated a legislative treadmill which creates the illusion their reform agenda is akin to proper public service resourcing policy. Indeed if we look across the public service this Fianna Fáil/PD fudge is obvious with patients on trolleys instead of hospital beds, children in prefabs instead of classrooms and now mock Gardaí instead of real ones. Now through their staff associations, the majority of Gardai have come together to advise the Irish people about the proposed Garda Reserve as a massive deception on behalf of this government.

This Fianna Fáil/PD government has enacted 40 pieces of criminal justice legislation since 1997 with more on the way still. Yet Gardaí still have to buy batteries for their own torches, make calls for support if patrolling alone (a common occurrence) on their own mobile phones and drive patrol cars with over 200,000 miles on the clock. Our opposition to the Reserve comes from a frustration on behalf of our members and concern the Irish people are being sold a pup ahead of next year's general election in which crime and anti-social behaviour will figure strongly.  More pertinently we believe the concept is in contravention of health and safety legislation by putting both full time and reserve Gardai at risk due to the lack of proper training of the reservist which could leave both
officers in a vulnerable position in difficult circumstances.

The Garda Representative Association has been advised a case taken at European level, in respect of our concerns on health and safety grounds would be accorded strong support. It is certainly an avenue we will consider unless there is a serious rethink by this government on its plans to resource our force using best international police funding criteria. We believe it is vital if reform is to take place that it is carried out on a basis of service effectiveness not just financial efficiency or political expediency. The public must be left with an improved, more effective force that is able to provide a better service. It is also vital that the welfare of both Garda officers and staff are taken into consideration. It is our view that reformation of this magnitude should have been subject to widespread public consultation and the Garda Representative Association has been continually calling for an open forum on Irish policing to examine all aspects of policing that would allow this consultation process to take place.

The proposed Garda Reserve also has the potential of a massive wages and pensions claim in years to come if the international experience is to be heeded. As of last April the Scottish national executive started to give full pay and pension rights to their special constables, one of many jurisdictions to do likewise including individual police authorities and county councils across the UK. Indeed the Conservative Party in the UK, have proposed paying their special constables due to the serious decline in those volunteering for the service.  In Canada, a very lengthy and costly review process was undertaken last year culminating in recommendations to remunerate their special constables accordingly and restrict their powers. What assurances can Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats give the Irish taxpayer they will not have to foot a substantial retrospective pay bill in respect of these 4000 reservists?  If we are going to use international best practice examples then let's learn from their mistakes and implement accordingly.

Our issue is the speed at which this government is willing to throw taxpayers money away on this proposal yet do nothing for the full-time force in terms of equipment, protection and accommodation. Despite extensive lobbying on these issues, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have not delivered to the Irish people, a police force they know and trust to protect them from rising anti-social malice.

A key requisite of any economy is that its people feel secure as they go about their business, making a living, paying their taxes and generally getting on with their lives. As New York found out prior to the introduction of 'zero tolerance' towards all crime, people will move to employment where they feel safer forcing the larger multinationals to follow them. A benign security and crime situation begets a more content population and hence a better workforce.

With record tax returns to the Irish exchequer it takes an organisational genius to put this security in jeopardy. That genius exist in the corridors of Leinster House. Every housing estate in the country can bear witness to this fact every weekend as well as every town and city that are held to ransom by a few deviants out of sheer thuggery.  The proposal whereby 40% of an Garda Síochána will have received the bare minimum in training and yet have full Garda powers is an issue that cannot be treated lightly and should have been widely consulted prior to full implementation.

There is no comparison with the FCA or the Defence Forces, neither of which have the powers of arrest or the right to access sensitive information on members of the public. Neither do both organisations interact with one another in the same capacity it is proposed the Garda Reserve does with full time Gardaí

At meetings prior to the enactment of the Garda Act we were told by the Minister for Justice that the Garda Reserve section was enabling legislation only for use in exceptional circumstances in the future. So are we to take it then, that these exceptional circumstances have arrived?  That in itself is an admission they have dithered on resources so long they have left frontline emergency services, not just Gardaí, bereft of the means of doing their jobs properly. As stakeholders in Irish law enforcement, we have a right to comment, and to act accordingly, on issues which affect us and anything that calls into question the professionalism of our members' careers. Not many professions would countenance the devaluing of their careers in this manner.

What we need is a fulltime force at full strength. This means an optimum number survey to ascertain exactly how many Gardaí are needed on a district by district basis and then commitment from senior management and government to implement these staffing levels. We also need to reactivate the moribund civilianisation programme within the force to free up more officers and get them into front line roles. What the people do not deserve is this ill thought out scheme which will do absolutely nothing except falsely inflate the number of uniforms on our streets, filled with people without the training to do the job properly. Is it right to perpetrate this illusion on an unsuspecting public?

Much has been said about the Garda associations objections to the Garda Reserve. We object to it because its implementation has been carried out with the same characteristic arrogance and lack of understanding which crystallises this government's approach to law and order and an Garda Síochána. The government spin is of record increases for the force year on year, yet we have seen the vast majority of this modest increase swallowed up in overtime because there is simply not enough Gardaí to meet the requirements of an increasing population.  There has been no comparable index-linked increase in capital investment in the force.

What we need here is leadership. Real, strong leadership from our politicians, both in government and opposition, and senior Garda management who can stand up and call a halt to the endless politicking on issues that is turning our young people away from figures of authority and into the arms of less safe practices like drugs, anti-social behaviour and mindless rioting like we witnessed on the streets of Dublin only a few  weeks ago.

Our elected representatives need to wake up and stop hiding behind legislative charades and grasp this problem and spend less time handbagging one another across the Dail chamber. These are the pressing issues for Gardaí and the Irish people. They deserve better and we strive to provide them with the service they deserve. We do our level best but with proper resourcing and commitment we could do so much better.

Let's do this now. Let's change this now. Let's make an Garda Síochána right and working, equipped and strong, like all other international forces we are told have reserves. Great for them, that could be us too but let's get the force right first before we start destroying it.