Cllr Joe Sullivan urges Minister to attend GRA conference

By Dan Wash

North Wexford’s Cllr Joe Sullivan is calling on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to take up the invitation and attend the GRA Annual Delegate Conference taking place in Westport, Co. Mayo and support An Garda Siochána management and rank and file membership in equal measure.

In a statement issued earlier today, Cllr Sullivan, who served as a member of An Garda Siochána, 1985-2014, said; “I wish to highlight my disappointment in Justice Minister Helen McEntee’s decision not to attend the GRA Conference. This course of action chosen by Minister McEntee clearly sets out the fact that she stands four square behind Commissioner Harris (who is not invited) despite the fact that 98% of rank and file Gardai have no confidence in his leadership.

“I believe that by attending this forthcoming conference Minister McEntee would have a perfect opportunity to meet with the ordinary frontline members of An Garda and have them articulate their concerns in an open and frank manner without the presence of Commissioner Harris who if one is to listen to on the job Gardai is contributing to the current low morale and general discontent amongst Gardai.

“I am firmly of the opinion that Minister McEntee’s course of action in this case is effectively taking sides in this case the management side against almost 11,000 men and women who daily put their lives on the line to ensure that we, the citizens, can live a peaceful life in the security and knowledge that they are there to protect us and our rights,” said Cllr Sullivan, who added; “It goes without saying that An Garda Siochana enjoys more public support than any other law enforcement agency in the world, this has been built up due to good work trust and loyalty between the people and the Gardai over the last 102 years..”

Cllr Sullivan alleges that the current Commissioner appears to be over-zealous and rigid in his application of the rules regulations and disciplinary procedures which appears to be causing unrest amongst the rank and file members.

“Where better for the Minister to acquaint herself with these issues than at the Annual Delegate Conference. I would therefore call on Minister McEntee to take up the invitation and attend the Annual Delegate Conference and support An Garda Siochana management and rank and file membership in equal measure, he concluded.