The mood at a meeting of nearly 300 Garda Representative Association (GRA) members in Cork was described as “angry and militant”.

GRA members also criticised their own officials for doing little to force the government to improve their pay and conditions.

A meeting organised by Cork City Garda Division GRA members in the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs last Monday attracted gardaí from as far away as Dublin and Kildare.

It was the first meeting of its type held in the country this year to address a number of issues GRA members are very uncomfortable with.

GRA central executive committee (CEC) member Michael Corcoran said gardaí attending the meeting “were extremely angry”.

He said many members suggested strike action as a way of pressurising the government into restoring pay and addressing the erosion of conditions.

Garda Corcoran said last year’s GRA annual conference in Co Carlow had the theme ‘Pay Restoration Now’ and a strong mandate had come from it to senior GRA officials to up their game in the negotiating stakes.

He said members were also extremely annoyed that a new roster was being supported by senior GRA officials which would actually increase a garda’s working hours, but with no pay restoration.

“Even though the stated aim of the GRA is the restoration of a 39-hour week, gardaí are currently working a 40-hour week and the new roster will bring that to a 40.4-hour week.

“Members attending the meeting felt that there should be no negotiations on the new roster until there are pay negotiations first,” he said.

“They felt, in light of the erosion of our conditions, that it beggars belief that [some of the CEC] would sell the new roster to members.”

Garda Corcoran said gardaí agreed to provide increased productivity for a new pay agreement which the Government subsequently “tore up”.

There were several calls at the meeting to test a case which their sister organisation, the AGSI (Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors) won on the Social Charter in the European Court to be recognised as a union with the right to strike action. The government has, to date, not responded to the European Court on its findings. The GRA has also sought similar recognition.

“People [attending the meeting] thought we should test this, but would only use strike action as a last resort if pay negotiations break down,” said Garda Corcoran.

“There is a need to get into pay negotiations immediately.”

He said GRA members were also very concerned about cuts to new entrants’ pay and allowances.

“They have been forced to join up for about €2,500 a year less than other gardaí and have lost the rent allowance, which amounted to just over €4,000 per year.”