Latest news with #GRA
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Drop in drug searches linked to 'less gardaí on the streets'
There were over 7,000 fewer drug searches carried out last year, compared to 2022, with the sharpest reductions in the garda southern region, figures show. The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said the reduction was clearly linked to their being 'less gardaí on the streets'. Drug searches dropped 15% for the entire country, but by as much as 43% in Clare/Tipperary and 34% in Cork City. The GRA said it as a matter of 'extreme concern', and warned that almost 1,900 members are eligible to take up retirement in the coming three years. The Government has pledged to recruit 5,000 gardaí over five years, with the target of reaching a force of 15,000. Garda strength stood at 14,198 at the end of May, and a further 120 attested from the Garda College in June. Figures supplied by justice minister Jim O'Callaghan to the Dáil show there was a total of 40,642 searches under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, covering suspected possession and supply, in 2024. This compared to 47,780 in 2022, a reduction of 15%. Of the four garda regions, the biggest drops were in the southern region (-30%) and the eastern region (-20%). They contrast with the Dublin region (-8%) and the north-western region (-4%). A breakdown in the southern region shows: A 43% reduction in Clare/Tipperary (2,726 in 2022 to 1,546 in 2024); A 34% drop in Cork City (3,279 to 2,157); A 29% fall in Cork county (2,218 to 1,515); A 17% reduction in Limerick (2,201 to 1,825); An 8% fall in Kerry (778 to 713). Five of the six Dublin divisions saw a drop in searches (41% in Dublin East), but there was an 18% increase in searches in Dublin North Central. This could reflect the transfer of gardaí from elsewhere in Dublin to the north inner city in response to outcries about the level of drug dealing and open use and the impact on people living in nearby communities, as well as workers and tourists. The Louth/Cavan/Monaghan Division saw a significant reduction (-41%) in drug searches. 'Extreme concern' GRA general secretary Ronan Slevin said: "A reduction in drug searches by 15% points clearly at the fact that there are simply less gardaí on the streets to carry out such searches, and this is a matter of extreme concern for the association." He said this was a symptom of the wider pressure on frontline gardaí in recent years. Official figures show that the garda strength stood at 14,283 in August 2022 and, despite recruitment, has remained largely unchanged. "We have waved red flags every year that this Government has promised an extra 1,000 gardaí with the target of reaching 15,000 members by the end of this year and up to 18,000 by 2028,' Mr Slevin said. The truth is that garda numbers have hardly moved one jot in the last seven years, despite a booming population and an unprecedented budget allocation to policing He was concerned at the separate figures released by Mr O'Callaghan, which show the sharp increase in garda numbers eligible to retire in the coming years: 888 in 2025, rising to 1,108 by 2026, to 1,466 by 2027, with a cumulative total of 1,878 by 2028. The minister pointed out that the numbers reflect those eligible to retire, but it does not mean they will retire. Divisions set to be hardest hit include Clare/Tipperary (42 in 2005 and 96 by 2028), Cork City (39 and 101), Cork county (45 and 113), Kerry (16 and 47), Limerick (29 and 61), and Waterford/Kilkenny (35 and 78). Mr Slevin said: "The fact that almost 1,900 gardaí are eligible to take up retirement over the next three years means that the number of 15,000+ gardaí is now just a pipedream, a number plucked from obscurity. "The GRA has presented a plan which we believe will boost garda numbers and make the job a more attractive one to potential recruits but we have been met with a wall of silence and indifference. ' With the imminent appointment of a new [Garda] Commissioner, it is imperative that he/she addresses the serious issue of morale within An Garda Síochána and the culture of excessive use of discipline and suspension.'
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Key challenges for incoming Garda commissioner Justin Kelly
Fifty-three-year-old Dubliner Justin Kelly is set to assume the mantle of leadership when Garda Commissioner Drew Harris retires in a month. Here are the key challenges he faces in the role. Garda numbers Garda numbers are at just over 14,300 despite targets of 15,000 in the short term and 18,000 in the years to come. The process of applying for the Garda, securing a place and getting a start date for training can be protracted. Consequently, some of those accepted into the force have secured other jobs or moved abroad by the time they receive a firm start date for training. As such, some of the classes passing out from the Garda College in Templemore , Co Tipperary, have been as low as 140 this year. That is far short of the 200 personnel the college can handle in each of its four intakes per year. As well as streamlining recruitment, the number of recruits in training also needs to be increased by using satellite Garda training centres, home study and other measures. READ MORE Domestic and gender-based violence Last month, Women's Aid published research that found 44 per cent of women who contacted the force for assistance over domestic violence or abuse found gardaí unhelpful. Though the Garda has established a National Protective Services Bureau for dealing with vulnerable victims targeted by sexual and gender-based violence, there is more work to do. It appears more training is required across the force, not just for a dedicated bureau or local units, to ensure an improved and more consistent response to victims of gender-based violence. Garda morale Relations between the commissioner and Garda Representative Association (GRA) have been extremely poor, so much so that it has been corrosive for morale in the force. The GRA, which represents more than 11,000 rank-and-file gardaí, has refused to invite the commissioner to its annual conference and also held a vote of no confidence in him. The commissioner was hired from the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2018. The fact that a so-called 'outsider' was appointed has been the source of considerable resentment for many in the Garda, especially the GRA. Though the incoming commissioner is not an outsider, that is no guarantee that relations between him and the representative group will be better. The GRA vs Harris dynamic has been such a problem for so long that it has become toxic. A reset may prove more challenging than even senior GRA personnel anticipate. The new commissioner must manage the situation carefully. Drug trade Violent gangland feuding – with up to 20 gun murders per year – was witnessed during the Celtic Tiger period and also a decade ago as the Kinahan-Hutch feud began. However, more recently, the Garda has gained the upper hand on some of the most dangerous crime groups, and gangland killings have been limited to one or two per year. Despite this, recent seizures of drugs and cash have been unprecedented in value. The most organised drug gangs are enjoying a boom, selling into a prosperous economy where the demand, particularly for cocaine, is insatiable. The experience of the Kinahan cartel demonstrates that ambitious, well-drilled gangs, given the space to grow their operations quickly, become so wealthy and powerful that their leaders become impossible to catch. The Garda must continue to strike against the domestic gangs. And there is also the matter of the Kinahans – Christy snr and his sons, Daniel and Christopher jnr – remaining at large in Dubai.
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Extra.ie
One in three gardai not trained to drive at high speed -- or use lights and sirens
A third of Garda drivers are not trained to drive at speed or to use lights or sirens, can reveal. There are now calls to change the entire driving training system to a new model, which will see more members of the force being able to respond to calls without fear of discipline. There have been several incidents in recent years in which members of the force have faced legal or disciplinary difficulties for chasing alleged criminals. A third of Garda drivers are not trained to drive at speed or to use lights or sirens, can reveal. Pic: Leah Farrell/Rolling News In total, there are just 4,700 members of the force who are trained to the level where they can use lights and sirens while also breaking the speed limit to respond to calls. The remaining 8,913 Garda members have only completed the basic driving assessment, which allows them to drive patrol cars. To drive at higher speeds and use equipment such as lights or sirens, gardaí are required to pass a specific level of training called Competency Behaviour Driving 2 (CBD2). CBD2 is a two-week course aimed at frontline Garda drivers. This course contains road techniques and emergency response driving. Last year, just under 600 members were trained in CBD2. The number so far for this year is 277. The Garda Representative Association (GRA), along with other Garda associations, has repeatedly said that the threat of internal investigation or discipline has resulted in gardaí being fearful of doing their jobs. Detective Garda Mark Ferris of the GRA has claimed that no gardaí in the country are specifically trained for pursuits. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock A new Garda Spontaneous Pursuits Policy was published in December 2024. It states that gardaí are now permitted to chase scramblers, motorcycles, and electric bikes in a more proactive way, a change from previous restrictions, where they were often told to step down from any pursuits of these vehicles. Detective Garda Mark Ferris of the GRA has claimed that there are no gardaí in the country who are specifically trained for pursuits. He said: 'There is no member of An Garda Síochána trained and appropriately authorised in pursuit driving which renders the policy inoperable. 'Competency Based Driving 2 [CBD2] drivers, which make up the vast majority of response drivers, are not trained in any element of pursuit. To allow these pursuits magnifies the risks to the health and safety of rank-and-file gardaí and jeopardises their career trajectory with the potential for disciplinary or even legal action in the event of a mishap. In total, there are just 4,700 members of the force who are trained to the level where they can use lights and sirens while also breaking the speed limit to respond to calls. Pic: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock 'Until An Garda Síochána addresses this lack of training, pursuit policies will remain theoretical and expose everyone involved to high-risk situations. Inadequate or no training results in individuals making poor decisions or, worse again, no decisions. 'The risk to the public is great in situations where people are not equipped appropriately to deal with dynamically unfolding events.' In a statement, An Garda Síochána said it does not comment on internal procedure documents. However, a spokesman said that Garda HQ had been criticised in the past for having a pursuit policy that was too restrictive. He said: 'The policy statement clearly states, 'It is the aim of An Garda Síochána to preserve the safety of members of the public and Garda personnel when a spontaneous pursuit is initiated'.' He added: 'Any decision to engage in a pursuit must be done in the interests of public safety, to protect life, to prevent crime and to apprehend offender(s) in line with the statutory obligations set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. 'A key consideration is to ask if the pursuit is necessary and balanced against threat, risk and harm for which the subject driver is being/about to be pursued. An Garda Síochána has previously been subject of adverse criticism, internally by various garda representative associations, and mainstream media and public, that the previous pursuit policy was too restrictive. 'The current documents provide guidance and direction to Garda personnel who in the course of their duties engage in the use of pursuit tactics and pursuit management in order to reduce the risk associated with pursuits and stopping of subject vehicles, rather than a prescriptive process.
Spectator
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Why won't Anas Sarwar champion Sandie Peggie?
When nurse Sandie Peggie complained about the presence of a trans-identifying man in the women's changing room at Falkirk's Victoria Hospital, she was treated as a dangerous bigot. A witch-hunt saw her suspended from the job to which she had devoted thirty years of her life and she faced horrifying allegations of placing patients in danger. Today, Peggie is not only a household name in Scotland, she's fast becoming a national hero. An industrial tribunal called by the nurse – started in February, paused, then resumed last week – has heard how doctors and management turned on her while rallying round Dr Beth Upton, a man who claims to be a biological woman. Whether Peggie wins her claims of sexual discrimination against her employers, NHS Fife, and Upton remains to be seen, but it is already clear that public sympathy lies firmly with the working-class nurse rather than the middle-class doctor. This is a truth not only revealed in polling – a recent YouGov survey found more than 60 per cent of people backed the Supreme Court ruling that womanhood is a matter of biology – but also in focus groups commissioned by political parties. Gender ideology may remain popular among self-identifying 'progressive' politicians but voters from across the political spectrum have had more than enough of the 'trans women are women' hooey so enthusiastically pushed by the SNP and others at Holyrood over recent years. When the Scottish parliament voted in 2022 in favour of reforming the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), allowing anyone to self-identify into the sex of their choosing, Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar whipped his MSPs into supporting the proposal. Back then, having swallowed the be-kind Kool-Aid, he showed no sign of recognising the irreconcilable conflict between the rights of women and the demands of militant trans activists. But, in February, as Peggie's case began making headlines, Sarwar saw (or chose to see) sense. Not only did he support the nurse's case, but he also expressed his regret over backing former first minister Nicola Sturgeon's plan to reform the GRA. If, said the Scottish Labour leader, he had known in December 2022 what he now knew, he'd never have voted in favour of changing the law. Fortunately for the women and girls of Scotland, then Conservative Scottish secretary Alister Jack blocked the new legislation in January 2023 on the grounds that it would conflict with the UK-wide Equality Act, which protects the sex-based rights of women. The backlash against reform of the GRA contributed to Nicola Sturgeon's decision to step down as First Minister. Her successors – both the hapless Humza Yousaf and the bland John Swinney – remain committed to the proposal (in theory, anyway,) even as public opposition to gender reform mounts. This baffling support for a discredited ideology left Swinney looking especially foolish as Peggie's tribunal resumed. The First Minister declared his complete confidence in NHS Fife, placing him on the opposite side of this high-profile battle to the majority of voters. Swinney missed his opportunity to free himself from the gender politics swamp. Anas Sarwar has been every bit as politically inept. When Scottish Labour's leader U-turned on gender reform, he managed to upset both those in favour of self-ID and those opposed. To the former – forever now lost to him – he was a traitor; to the latter, he was a cowardly opportunist. Every working day until next Wednesday, crowds of supporters will gather outside the tribunal hearing in Dundee to cheer Sandie Peggie as she arrives. Recording these moments will be camera crews from all major broadcasters. Why, then, isn't Anas Sarwar there, each morning? In common with other party leaders, Sarwar has seen the focus group results and private polling which show the majority of voters believe a woman is an adult human female, not a magical kind of man. The Scottish Labour leader – having made a fool of himself in February – should turn up in Dundee, brace himself for a spot of heckling, and brave it out. 'I know I'm late,' he should tell Peggie's supporters, 'But I'm here, now.' We're bang in the middle of 'silly season', when summer holidays and parliamentary recesses leave the news agenda rather bare. This being so, the already gripping case of Sandie Peggie is receiving blanket coverage across Scottish media (with the exception, of course, of the SNP's court comic, The National, which – as is always the case when things look embarrassing for the separatists – maintains a 'nothing to see here' position). There is a space, right now, for Sarwar to position his party as champions of women's rights. While Labour and the SNP (and, of course, the cranks of the Scottish Greens and Liberal Democrats) continue to fail women, this issue represents a free kick for the insurgent Reform UK, which will stand candidates in next May's Holyrood election. Nigel Farage's party is on course to devour much of the Scottish Tory vote but parties of the centre-left are also vulnerable when it comes to the issue of women's rights. Senior SNP and Labour figures privately conceded that Farage's party can take votes from them on the regional lists from which 56 of Holyrood's 129 MSPs are elected. John Swinney has set his course on this matter and he's heading away from voters. But, instead of capitalising on this foolishness, Scottish Labour's leader remains bafflingly unwilling to seize ownership of the issue. Anas Sarwar's past betrayal of women's rights was morally indefensible. His failure to attend Sandie Peggie's tribunal and declare Labour her champions is politically inept.
BreakingNews.ie
07-07-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
GRA criticises 'take in first, ask questions later' approach to Garda trainee vetting
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has criticised the 'take in first, and ask questions later' approach to admitting trainees at the Garda College. It comes after an Freedom of Information request, released to , revealed 76 trainees were rejected after first being admitted to the Garda College in the past year. Advertisement This occurred after a change to the rules after backlogs, which allowed applicants to be admitted to the Garda College in Templemore while their vetting was still ongoing. The change was made as some applicants had been left waiting months, or even years, to hear back regarding their vetting. The 76 trainees were "deemed unsuccessful" for "Vetting, Medical, Physical Competence Test and Drug test". In response to the story, GRA president Mark O'Meara told : "This is another example of a botched, failed and embarrassing answer to a serious problem with Garda recruitment and retention. Advertisement 'It was unsustainable to continue with the huge delays and backlogs in garda vetting of potential recruits which led to many applicants simply running out of patience and finding another career path. 'But the answer was to expedite the vetting process to help the recruitment process, rather than a 'take in first, and ask questions later' approach." Mr O'Meara added: "The GRA have previously raised concerns about any changes to the normal vetting process and this vindicates our position. 'This will disappoint and even enrage many serving members as it once again shows a clear lack of joined up thinking when tackling the recruitment and retention crisis.'
