The Garda Commissioner has come in for criticism at the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants.

Middle ranking gardai are gathering in Trim, Co. Meath this evening, where the issue of pay will dominate.

The AGSI and Inspectors says gardai have suffered a 14 per cent pay cut since 2008.

Members are also disappointed with the level of engagement of Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan on the issue of sick leave, which they say affects hundreds of members.

Vice President of AGSI Antoinette Cunningham says Commissioner O’Sullivan is being inconsiderate to members by not granting the AGSI the meetings they seek.

“We have sought meetings on at least four occasions with the garda commissioner or with the head of human resources and they haven’t happened,” Ms Cunningham said.

“That’s very disappointing for us because these sickness matters are affecting people in their daily lives, they’re affecting their families and for us that’s just not good enough.”

“If you’re going to use phrases like constructive engagement then you have to have engagement as the start of it. If we’re going to write to her as the voice of 2,400 people then please give us the meetings that we seek in relation to these matters,” she said.

Ms Cunningham also said members are being left in limbo because of a lack of clarity on sick pay definitions.

“There are outstanding mattes in relations to definitions of what constitutes an occupational injury, what constitutes a critical illness,” she said.

Without this clarity some members of the force are “cut off payroll,” says Cunningham.

“And if somebody is cut off payroll it means there is no money in their account, so it’s very unfair of the garda commissioners to leave matters in abeyance where we need clarity for our members because they are being affected financially,” she added.