Gardaí withdraw threat over Reserve
Rank-and-file gardaí today withdrew their controversial threat to target Government TDs as part of their anti-Garda reserve campaign.
Both Justice Minister Michael McDowell and the Garda Commissioner Noel Controy had accused the Garda Representative Association of politicising the force.
GRA general secretary PJ Stone said the association had made no policy decision to target Government TDs in marginal constitutencies.
“We are not targeting anybody, we are not involved in subterfuge, we are not involved in politics and if we have given that impression, I am very very sorry because it is not our intention to involve ourselves in politics,” he said.
Less than 24 hours earlier, the newly-elected GRA president John Egan had warned that the association would be waiting in the long grass for Government TDs in marginal constituencies at the General Election if the plan to set up a volunteer force was not withdrawn.
Mr Stone issued a complete apology for the comments, saying that sometimes people went further than they should when they spoke off the cuff.
“If we have crossed the rubicon, if we have gone somewhere where we shouldn’t go, I’m very sorry for that. It’s not our intention to create a political debate, we’re involved in policing and we want to be police officers."
In a statement, Mr McDowell said he welcomed the GRA’s decision.
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