A decision not to invite the Garda Commissioner the Garda Representative Association's annual conference is 'sad but understandable', a former Guard has said.
The GRA Central Executive Committee said the decision not to invite Drew Harris "simply reflects the breakdown in trust in the relationship between the Commissioner and the rank-and-file members we represent".
It follows a vote of no confidence in Commissioner Harris last year among issues with retention, recruitment and discipline in the force.
There is also unhappiness about a return to a rostering system used before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The issues that contributed to the vote of no confidence continue to impact in a very real sense on the morale and working environment that our members still experience every day," the GRA said.
"At a time when our members feel increasingly vulnerable and exposed to danger, they require stability and support from internal structures.
"Unfortunately, this is not the case and these challenges have coincided with a programme of change much of which has been implemented with minimal consultation and often without training."
Gardaí on patrol, 28-12-23. Image: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ieSolicitor and former Guard Patrick Horan told Newstalk Breakfast the force is in crisis.
"It's sad but it's understandable," he said.
"If you actually talk to Guards on the ground level - I do every day, every day I'm in court somewhere - and I talk to them wherever I go.
"One thing you notice is the mood is despondent, it's a different organisation to the one I joined many years ago and it's sad.
"There's a lot of great people there at the ground level - Sergeant, Guards and Inspectors - these are good people.
"But the organisation is consuming itself and it's trying to attack guys on the ground.
"That's one thing that people don't seem to understand".
'Two police forces'
Mr Horan said he recently had lunch with a District Court Judge who raised concern around a case that a Guard was being investigated for giving an elderly man an unclaimed bike.
"He thought it was absurd and I said, 'Well it is', but it's a symptom of the organisation," he said.
"There's two police forces in this country - guys on the ground and guys at the top.
"They don't mix at all, the guys at the top do not like the guys at the bottom and guys at the bottom pretty much hate the ones at the top".
Mr Horan said the organisation is trying to talk out their differences with limited results.
"As I understand it, they are trying to talk but the talks are going nowhere because management don't want them to go anywhere," he said.
"I talk to guys on the ground and they're telling me that quite a number of them are going to resign... because they can't work in these new rostered systems that are being rammed down their throats.
"This is a serious thing."
'Unbelievably high'
Mr Horan said four of his cases have been withdrawn by the State in the last three months because the Guard involved has resigned.
"The numbers of Guards who are resigning are unbelievably high, I've never seen anything like it".
He said people are leaving and "going to Australia".
"One of the things that we don't understand... is that when a Guard does something wrong, he gets tried before a judge and a jury," Mr Horan said.
"But when management does something wrong they get their sins washed through a tribunal of inquiry where no one ever goes to jail," he added.
The GRA Annual Delegates Conference takes place on April 21st to 23rd.
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