Latest: GRA gardaí to 'withdraw services' over four days in November

Latest: The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice says she's disappointed the Garda Representative Association has rejected the pay deal reached with her Department.

Latest: GRA gardaí to 'withdraw services' over four days in November

Update 8.20pm: The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice says she's disappointed the Garda Representative Association has rejected the pay deal reached with her Department.

Frances Fitzgerald says it would be most unfortunate if, rather than engaging further, action were to be contemplated that would not be in the best interests of communities or An Garda Síochána.

Update 6.51pm: The Garda Representative Association has issued a statement regarding its decision to engage in industrial action.

"The Garda Representative Association Conference has voted to take industrial action up to and including a unilateral withdrawal of services on the following dates: Friday, November 4 2016; Friday, November 11 2016; Friday, November 18 2016; Friday, November 25 2016," the statement read.

"Members of the Garda Representative Association are denied the civil rights afforded other workers and citizens. We are denied the civil right to withdraw our labour.

"There is an implied contract that the civil power will not abuse its police force. We have exhausted every channel of industrial relations open to us.

"Government has taken advantage of our limited rights. Our members feel that we have nowhere left to turn.

"Gardaí do a dangerous, difficult and often thankless job.

"Garda pay has fallen behind others. Our claim for pay restoration has been ignored.

"Gardaí have legitimate grievances - and it is with vocational reluctance that 95% of the GRA membership feel they have no option but to take industrial action.

"Conference has determined today that action must take the form of unilateral industrial action by members of the Garda Representative Association [GRA].

"To this end, action will be taken on 4 November 2016; 11 November 2016; 18 November 2016; 25 November 2016; unless we hear of substantial and significant progress towards real and tangible increases in our pay."

Update 6.34pm: The Garda Representative Association has voted to take industrial action.

The GRA said the action includes "a unilateral withdrawal of services" on November 4, 11, 18 and 25.

It follows a meeting of the GRA executive council in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Earlier:

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has announced that it is to host special delegate conference to discuss possible industrial action.

The National Executive of the AGSI, which represents middle-ranking gardaí, met to discuss the matter earlier today.

"The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) have held a Special Executive meeting today to discuss the outcome of recent Government meetings at which significant Garda pay matters emerged," the statement read.

"President Antoinette Cunningham says the AGSI are now considering a campaign of industrial action after what she describes as significant new information emerging from the proposed Public Service Commission on Pay and matters relating to the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

"The National Executive met today and discussed at length the emerging issues and we now feel we have no option but to call a Special Delegate Conference on the 17th October in Athlone, where these matters will be discussed and proposals relating to industrial action will be tabled."

Earlier today, grassroots Garda leaders have warned of potential industrial action after rejecting a proposed pay deal.

Over the weekend, the Government offered improved terms in the hope of averting disruption as part of the ongoing dispute.

In a statement, the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents 10,000 rank-and-file officers, said the offer does not go far enough to settle the row.

"The Garda Representative Association has unanimously rejected the draft proposal by government and has been mandated by conference to take up industrial action," a spokeswoman said.

About 200 delegates from the GRA were meeting at a special conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly, to discuss the proposed pay and conditions deals.

More than 95% of GRA members balloted backed industrial action.

The dispute centres on a Government move to freeze incremental pay increases after the GRA failed to sign up to the Lansdowne Road public-sector pay agreement.

Terms offered to new recruits was a main sticking point.

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