I call on the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Garda Commissioner to enter into meaningful discussions with the Garda Representative Association, GRA, and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, on the present dispute and to listen to the concerns and worries of members of the Garda Síochána about proposed cuts to their pay levels. They have suffered major cutbacks already, as we know. Senators Maurice Cummins, Ned O'Sullivan and I were nominated by the GRA and the AGSI.

The Senators are doing a fine job.

During the last Administration we knew the difficulties we had at the time. Like many others, gardaí had entered into commitments on housing on the basis of certainty. There is no certainty anymore. Of all professions, gardaí should never be compromised financially. It is a serious issue and it is unwise to have the same Minister responsible for justice and defence matters. There appears to be some personal antagonism between the Minister and the Garda Síochána.

I wish to highlight how serious the problem is. Last Monday, 18 February, at 7.30 p.m., Mulligan's supermarket in Cortober, Carrick-on-Shannon, was robbed of 10,000 cigarettes worth €2,000 in cash by Romanian or Roma gypsies. Nine of them arrived-----