Latest news with #AnnualDelegateConference
The Journal
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Exodus from Defence Forces is not a 'mystery' as group calls for financial boost to keep troops
DESPITE EFFORTS TO stem the flow of personnel leaving the Defence Forces the exodus continues and there is a need for a rethink on pay to stop it, the President of a military representative group has said. Mark Keane, who is the outgoing President of PDFORRA, which represents non-commissioned ranks of the Irish Defence Forces, was speaking ahead of the opening of the group's annual conference in Killarney today. Keane, who is a member of the Irish Naval Service, said that there should be no doubt about why there is a retention crisis and he said is a failure to honour the experience of long service troops. 'The exodus of experienced personnel from across the Defence Forces is not a mystery, and indeed is the result of poor pay and conditions and a failure to recognise long service of our members. 'Pay restoration, we believe is not a luxury, but a necessity,' he said. Keane said that a proposal to introduce a new rank of Lance Corporal, which has previously been promised by Government, should also happen as a matter of urgency. The Lance Corporal is a non-commissioned officer rank and was a key recommendation in the Commission on the Defence Forces. It would enable young soldiers to progress earlier in their career from the rank of three star private. 'We are again calling for the Minister for the introduction of long service increments, and also the introduction of Lance Corporal rank, which is created for which is catered for within the government's own Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces. Advertisement 'We believe this will offer a career milestone and help stem the tide of personal leaving, and also aid for attention. 'Long service increments are vital, we believe, as a way of recognizing our members commitment and indeed expertise to the defense forces, we must now reward longevity with pay that reflects the depth of of experience and leadership that these people continue to display and have displayed over many, many years,' he added. Keane said the goals of PDFORRA for this year's delegate conference is to call for a plan to be laid out by Defence Forces leadership. 'We want to see a clear road map to stabilize and strengthen retention across the three arms of the defense forces, within the naval service, Army and Air Corps. 'I firmly believe that this Annual Delegate Conference is not just about resolutions, but about results – we owe it to our members and indeed the Defence Forces to ensure that their service is valued. Progression is possible within the Defence Forces and their unwavering commitment to the state is rewarded,' Keane added. Delegates from across the Army, Navy and Air Corps, will meet in the Gleneagle hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry for the three day event. A new President of the group will also be elected during the conference. Many of the motions at this year's event are pay related, as PDFORRA said it is attempting to push Government to 'equitably distribute the pool of funds available'. Defence Minister Simon Harris is scheduled to attend today with the incoming Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy, to also speak on Wednesday. He will take over from Lt General Seán Clancy in June. More than 100 delegates representing members from over 40 Districts across the country will debate 71 Motions and 13 Constitutional amendments. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Over 350 people are sleeping on mattresses on the floor in Irish prisons
Muiris O'Cearbhaill reports from Galway MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Jim O'Callaghan will be told today that there are 358 prisoners sleeping on the floor in Irish prisons – double the number previously described as unacceptable by one of his government colleagues. O'Callaghan, after addressing the Irish Prison Officers' Association's Annual Delegate Conference in Galway today, will hear that overcrowding in Irish prisons is creating an unsafe working environment for staff. Overcrowding, which President of the Association Tony Power describes as a 'major concern' among prison officers, is impacting almost every prison in Ireland. As of yesterday, 5,344 people were in custody in the nation's prisons. 358 of that total were sleeping on top of mattresses on the floor, according to the official daily statistics from the Irish Prison Service. The service began officially recording the number of mattresses on the floor this week. The number of people sleeping on the floor is more than double the amount which Tánaiste Simon Harris labelled 'not good enough' during his tenure as justice minister in 2023. Speaking today, Power will tell the event: 'Previous ministers made hollow promises of 650 extra spaces with new builds promised for Cloverhill, Midlands and Castlerea and a four-story block on the grounds of the old Separation Unit in Mountjoy. 'Two years on and not a sod has been turned on any of these projects'. Department of Justice plans have allocated almost €50 million to start delivery plans at Ireland's four main prisons – Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy – to accommodate an extra 670 people each year. Advertisement File image of a prison cell at Cloverhill Prison in Dublin. Rolling News Rolling News A spokesperson for Irish Prison Service has previously said the injection of funding will potentially add 1,100 more spaces on stream between 2024 and 2030. The Irish Prison Officers' Association has regularly met with O'Callaghan since his appointment in January to stress staff's concerns about overcrowding, Power will say. It says 'nothing' will change unless the issue is addressed through the allocation of funding in next year's budget to create more prison spaces in Ireland. Unsafe conditions for staff Power will say today that he does not 'want to sound alarmist, but if we don't find an immediate solution to this problem, we will have a tragic event or some form of crisis on our hands'. It is understood that the minister will also be confronted today on the lack of resources available to staff in Irish prisons and will be presented with images of contraband – including drugs, phones and weapons – which have recently been seized. There is a total of 4,666 beds in the Irish prison system but the service's standard practice has been to maintain a safe working capacity was understood to be keeping up to 300 beds free. This allowed for a safe ratio of staff to people in custody. But as more people are committed to Irish prisons, fewer free beds are kept free and the number of prisoners sleeping on the floor increases. The number of people on temporary release has also increased, with nearly 600 people serving sentences outside of custody. As previously reported by The Journal , prison management has been accused of using the system as a 'release valve' to alleviate the pressure the system is facing from overcrowding. O'Callaghan has previously voiced support for introducing measures which mitigate the 'clogging up' of prisons through the imposition of sentences on people convicted of crimes such as shoplifting or those living with addition. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Drew Harris has ‘legacy of fear & mistrust' with rank-and-file gardai as GRA blast top cop for ‘failed' policing model
DREW Harris has left a 'legacy of fear and mistrust' with rank-and-file members, frontline gardai insist. The 2 GRA General Secretary Ronan Slevin said that Harris left 'a legacy of fear and mistrust in relation to our members' Credit: CONOR Ó MEARÁIN And they say he has 'failed' to implement policies recommended by the Commission on Future Policing. The Commissioner will finish up in his role in September, when he is due to retire. Speaking ahead of the conference kicking off today, GRA General Secretary Ronan Slevin said: 'If you were to analyse the Commissioner's term I suppose you'd have to say that he's implemented an operational policing model that is not working. Read more in News 'Single-handedly he has removed community policing from Ireland, the system we had, that's completely gone. 'He's had the biggest budget available to him over his term of office, yet we still have serious issues in relation to recruitment and retention within the force. 'I believe that the numbers we currently have are the same that were in force when the Commissioner took up his role, even though the population has increased exponentially. 'He's responsible for the application of a severe discipline and suspension policy which has hampered our members in utilising or being confident in the use of force when doing their job. Most read in Irish News 'I suppose you could say that he's left a legacy of fear and mistrust in relation to our members.' James Morrisroe, the GRA's Deputy General Secretary, insists that the Operating Policing Model is simply not working. 'FAILED UK MODEL' The association, which represents over 11,000 rank and file gardai, want an immediate review of the divisional system which was introduced in 2019. Morrisroe said: 'The operational policing model is a failed 'So, it's based on the commission of future police. And seven years ago, the blueprint going forward, when Commissioner Harris took up his role, was commission of future policing. 'I went through that, and I looked through it, and the operation policing model as it is now is anything but what was recommended in that. HARRIS STATEMENT 'I wonder what the authors of the Commissioner of Future Policing who put a lot of time and effort into it, think of the current system that's in place.' In a statement, Commissioner Harris said: 'Not withstanding the decision of the GRA Central Executive Committee to not invite me to the Annual Delegate Conference, I remain, as always, open to productive and fruitful engagement with all the Staff Associations, particularly at Annual Conferences, which offer an unparalleled opportunity for professional and respectful engagement.' 2 Garda Commissioner Drew Harris will finish up in his role in September, when he is due to retire Credit: PA
