28/04/2010

Ahern Pulls Out Of GRA Meeting Over Critical Speech

The Minister for Justice has pulled out of his scheduled appearance at the Garda Representative Association annual conference over an anticipated critical speech.

Dermot Ahern has refused to address gardaí in Limerick this afternoon after a furore emerged over a leaked speech expected to be given by President of the GRA Michael O'Boyce.

In the speech, which was circulated but not delivered, Mr O'Boyce criticised the Government, the Fianna Fáil party and the Minister for Justice.

Despite some Government pressure the GRA President said earlier this afternoon he was not prepared to change that speech and following that decision, the Minister for Justice pulled out of the conference.

In the speech, Mr O'Boyce was to say that the Government has been corrupted by years of power and has lost touch with the reality of life on a modest salary.

The speech also outlined to the Minister that the Government was truly a Government of national sabotage whose only agenda was to protect "economic traitors".

Relations between the Government and Gardaí are said to be now at an all time low.

GRA general secretary PJ Stone told 160 delegates that the GRA president wouldn’t be reading out his speech because Mr Ahern wouldn’t be there to defend himself.

However, according to reports the undelivered speech was still managed to earn Mr O’Boyce a standing ovation after the Gardaí rank and file attendees were asked to show their appreciation for how their president was representing their interests.

(DW/GK)


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