Contingency plans are being prepared in case ongoing talks fail to reach a deal to prevent next week’s unprecedented Garda strike.

The AGSI have been in contact with Department of Justice officials, under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission, while the GRA say they have made themselves available for continued talks across the weekend.

While those ‘behind doors’ talks will continue, Garda HQ must still examine their options in the event that more than 12,000 Gardaí go on strike on Friday.

Security Analyst Declan Power is sure every effort will be made to reach a compromise in time.

“It’s in nobody’s interest for the Gardaí to go on strike. It’s not in their interest either in the long term, I think they know that.

“This is about, you know, leverage. It’s about muscle, the Gardaí are the only institution in the State that don’t have, apart from the Defence Forces, that don’t have access to the same industrial relations apparatus.”