I have met dozens of gardaí during the past number of months who feel completely ignored by the Government and who feel there is a fundamental lack of respect for the work that they do on behalf of society and our citizens. It is clear to me that morale in An Garda Síochána is at an all-time low and at a tipping point. Gardaí feel ignored by the current Government. They are fed up with the continued attack on front line services. Crime levels, particularly theft and burglary, are up in many areas. Gardaí are facing a disproportionate cut to their pay as per the Croke Park II pay deal. In addition, to add insult to injury, a very dismissive Minister for Justice and Equality accuses the Garda representative bodies of doing a disservice to the gardaí. I would like to know on what planet is the Minister for Justice and Equality in regard to this. Has he any sense of the anger on the ground among rank and file gardaí?

It would be far better for him if he got rid of that dismissive attitude and engaged with the Garda representative bodies, who are articulating genuine concerns. Deputies from all sides of the House have had notice of and heard those concerns from gardaí. All the Minister does is attack them. He should listen more. He has closed more than 100 rural Garda stations because he believes that will lead to more efficient policing. He believes that a Garda car miles away from everything is better than a physical presence in a community.

Changes to the pay of those in front-line services and the Garda Síochána are disproportionate. Their job is fundamentally different because they put themselves in harm's way on behalf of society and our citizens. They risk their lives on behalf of our citizens. Does the Taoiseach agree with the Minister when he says of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, and the Garda Representative Association, GRA, that they are doing a disservice to gardaí? Does he accept that Garda morale is very low, and what does he intend to do to restore that morale?

I am very careful to recognise the fundamentally important job that gardaí do in putting themselves between criminals and law-abiding citizens. Deputy Martin is well aware that rank and file gardaí are not in a trade union and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is not a trade union. However, for years, in discussions and negotiations about pay and conditions, rank and file gardaí and the AGSI have had the opportunity, through the Labour Relations Commission, to make a parallel case to the Government of the day in respect of their concerns and anxieties.

It is fair to say that gardaí, in the nature of their job, put themselves between law-abiding citizens and criminals. It is also true to say that firefighters and prison officers put their lives on the line. In both of those cases the unions representing these front-line workers stayed at the negotiations, and because they did so the original proposals were changed, as subsequently clarified by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The discussions are now over and the trade unions are quite rightly considering their views of the outcome. They deserve the opportunity and space to make their decision. I have met gardaí in various locations around the country and have made the point that it would have been preferable had the Garda Representative Association and the AGSI continued to use the parallel facility of making their case and making their concerns and anxieties known, heard and deliberated on at the table where those negotiations were conducted in the same way that firefighters and prison officers did.

I do not accept that one can categorise and divide front-line workers into sectors. Those who stand in front of classrooms and those who look after water systems in local authorities are front-line workers, and there are a great many front-line workers in the country whose unions represented them either directly or in a parallel fashion at the discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Taoiseach did not answer both of my questions. The first was whether he agrees with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, that the representative bodies were doing a disservice to their members, and the second was whether he accepts that Garda morale is very low. I would like a straight answer to the second question. Does the Taoiseach accept that Garda morale is very low?

The gardaí I heard yesterday were not happy.

Every time the Taoiseach says that a desk job, a clerical job or a teacher's job is the same as that of a garda, he does a disservice to gardaí. He shows a fundamental lack of respect for what they do. Their job is different from those of most other public servants. They did not have SIPTU representing them, as did others whom the Taoiseach mentioned. No one else is out chasing subversives across the country at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. with their lives at risk, or chasing armed criminal gangs who show absolutely no respect for human life. We know that and have seen it demonstrated. Their job is different. It is disingenuous of the Taoiseach to suggest that if they went into talks they would get back their double pay on a Sunday. Is the Taoiseach saying that?

They were not even asked.

That is a divide-and-conquer routine of the most cynical kind, which the Taoiseach should abandon. It is either fair, just and right, or it is not. If it is good enough for one group it should be good enough for the Garda Síochána. The Taoiseach should forget the pettiness about whether the Garda groups were represented. The Government has an obligation to arrest this decline in Garda morale - to stop it, call it off, get involved, stop dismissing and undermining gardaí and stop showing a basic lack of respect for the fundamental role they play in protecting our society and citizens.

Hear, hear.

We need to get a new Minister for Justice and Equality first.

I do not accept the Deputy's attempts to court popularity with the Garda in a blatantly political fashion.

Hear, hear.

Of course people in the public service do a variety of different jobs. It may well be - and often is - the case that gardaí are on the front line when emergencies occur, whether they involve criminals, natural catastrophes such as floods, serious accidents or whatever, but many front-line workers such as firefighters and prison officers put their lives on the line. Deputy Martin should not come in here and attempt to adjudicate on how the Government regards different sectors of the public service. That is beneath him.

I have every right to come in here and articulate on behalf of the Garda, or anybody else for that matter.

It is beneath the Deputy. He has his chorus behind him. They can continue to interrupt if they want.

I have every right to do it and I am entitled to raise these questions. We live in a democracy.

The Deputies should keep quiet.

Deputy Martin had his chance to ask a question.

Would the Taoiseach answer it, please?

Those other providers of front-line services who put their lives on the line, including firefighters and prison officers, stayed and made their case about premium payments, overtime, weekend rosters, unsocial hours and activities in the public interest-----

They were represented by trade unions.

They were represented by trade unions. There were signed deals done left, right and centre.

They have also put their lives on the line. Of course I have absolute respect for the Garda Síochána and its work.

The Taoiseach is not showing it.

I would have preferred if it had stayed at the table. As its members are not in a trade union, they would have been able to make their case through the Labour Relations Commission directly to the negotiating table.

So it is all their fault.

That would have been far preferable, because they would have had a real opportunity to raise their concerns and anxieties about their pay and conditions for discussion. Every public servant makes a contribution, and for sectors among those whose lives are on the line who stayed at those talks-----

Does the Taoiseach support his Minister for Justice and Equality?

-----changes were made in respect of premium payments, weekend rosters, unsocial hours and other such commitments.

So the Taoiseach punishes the Garda?

I would have preferred if the Garda and the AGSI had done the same.

Does the Taoiseach support the Minister?

The Taoiseach has no comment on the Minister.