Garda strike marks turning point for force - but cool heads are needed

Before embarking on their infamous Blue Flu action, which resulted in rank-and-file members of the Garda reporting sick, the membership of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) agreed to allow certain personnel to work to deal with emergencies.
These included a group of anti-terrorist officers from the Emergency Response Unit who were involved in a special operation.
At the time, the leadership of the GRA were not aware of the details, but accepted assurances from the authorities about its urgency.