Script of planned speech to police representative organisation describes government and bankers as "economic traitors".
From BreakingNews.ie 27 April 2010
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern today refused to attend a conference of Garda rank-and-file after discovering details of a planned verbal attack on his Government.
In an unprecedented move, the minister told Garda Representative Association (GRA) president Michael O’Boyce he was also withdrawing his officials from the gathering in Limerick.
“Because of the tenor of the address proposed by president Michael O’Boyce, the minister is withdrawing from the conference and has withdrawn his officials,” a GRA spokesman said.
Mr O’Boyce was intending to accuse the Government of “national sabotage” in his final speech as outgoing president of the grass-roots garda organisation.
But the Donegal-based garda pulled his speech – which was already circulated to the media – after the last-minute snub by Mr Ahern, who had been intending to travel to the conference earlier in the day.
In the address, Mr O’Boyce was planning to say anger within the force at a government who has slashed lower-income salaries “to protect economic traitors” would soon find an outlet.
In overtly political tones, Mr O’Boyce said Irish workers were paying the price for this “treachery”.
From BreakingNews.ie 28 April 2010
The incoming president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said he fully supports the sentiments and remarks contained in a controversial speech intended for the Justice Minister.
In the address, which in the end was never made, outgoing GRA President Michael O' Boyce accused the Government of "national sabotage" and of being "corrupted by years of power".
The comments forced Minister Dermot Ahern to pull out of a scheduled appearance at the annual conference of the GRA in Limerick.
Incoming GRA President Damien McCarthy believes Mr O' Boyce was right in what he said.
"I have no difficulty in supporting the sentiments expressed by the outgoing president of the GRA," Mr McCarthy said.
He added that he supported Mr O'Boyce "100%".
Today the controversy was raised in the Seanad, with Green Party Chairman Dan Boyle describing the comments as "treacherous" and Senator David Norris saying they were "highly dangerous".
Mr O' Boyce said he doesn't expected to be sacked from the force over the issue.
He said he finishes his presidency this evening and will return to Donegal to finish out his career and to serve the people of Inishowen.
Must be a first, even the cops have figured it out.