The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has been meeting with the Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald (pictuerd) this afternoon to lodge a 16.5% pay claim.

Last week, middle ranking gardaí said they were considering industrial action in the row on future pay.

Some 10,000 rank-and-file gardaí are to go on strike in November after they rejected a pay deal, despite legislation which forbids gardaí from going on strike.

AGSI President Antoinette Cunningham would not be drawn on whether they would join their colleagues on the picket line next month, saying: “The decision to go out on industrial action will be discussed at our special delegate conference on October 17 in Athlone.”