The Minister for Justice has described the decision by the Garda Representative Association not to invite the Garda Commissioner to its annual conference as a “personalisation” of the issues between them.
In a statement, Helen Mc Entee confirmed that she has been invited to attend the conference, but has not said if she will be attending.
The minister also said she “regrets the repeated personalisation” of the ongoing industrial relations issues because she believes dialogue and interaction are the only way forward in such situations.
The GRA Central Executive Committee voted by a two-thirds majority not to extend an invitation to Drew Harris to attend the conference in Westport, Co Mayo, in April and address the delegates.
It is the first time any garda association has declined to invite the Garda Commissioner to its annual conference.
The association, which represents over 10,000 rank-and-file gardaí, voted no confidence in Mr Harris last September by an overwhelming majority.
The GRA also refused to invite former justice minister Michael McDowell to attend its conference in 2006, but he was invited to attend the evening dinner.
Mr Harris has not been invited to the forthcoming GRA conference annual dinner either.
