Garda: Vocation or Job?

PCPhoto · 11-02-2010 11:05PM

A-Trak wrote: »

I'd imagine the overwhelming majority of new Garda recruits join to at the very least do some good and contribute positively to our society. get a state pension and retire much earlier than any other sector of society

It's endemic, and we're paying for it.

FYP

My name is URL · 11-02-2010 11:08PM

Vocation my arse, they chose to do a job that just so happens to be on the front-line.

Same as teachers, and nurses etc. They should all be commended for the good work they do but they shouldn't automatically be held in a higher regard than someone working in the private sector just because of their career decision

Slugs · 11-02-2010 11:09PM

they have NOT voted on whether they want an all out illegal strike

Whether you believe it's "illegal" or not is irrelevant. At the end of the day, if the law enforcers go on stike, who's going to enfore the legality?

They have every right to go on strike. It's really down to HOW they go on strike

AckwelFoley · 11-02-2010 11:10PM

elsy wrote: »

sniper by name sniper by nature! that 30k is before tax thats what gross means!

So is my19k

elsy wrote: »

we have a 2yr old going thru chemo so i am quite aware life sucks.

Im very sorry to hear that, i hope the little nipper recovers

elsy wrote: »

can i ask the last time someone got shot or stabbed or killed in your line of work?

More people die in my line fo work every year than in the Gardai. Yes, the gardai do have to deal with alot of sh1t, its not as if he wasnt aware of it when he applied for the job

..anyhow, im from athlone,i dont need to go to work to get stabbed

PCPhoto · 11-02-2010 11:24PM

DogmaticLefty wrote: »

Taxi driving is dangerous. Bin men handle syringes. Gardai get spat at. Truck drivers get killed. Farmers get caught in machinery.

The difference is that when a Garda gets injured, they get massive compensation and indefinite sick leave.

And besides, you'd think they'd weigh up the risks before they joined the force.

I've worked at the Garda compensation ..... they used to get massive compensation...now they still get over the odds compensation...however the vast majority of garda compensation cases are exaggerated - I stand by this from listening to gardai in court and their "version" of events.

Almost every compensation case the person was an international/county or extremely active person playing sports 4-5days a week....representing the gardai at international events etc....I don't doubt they have a tough job...but they definately get BAD advice when it comes to injuries.

in many of the cases I've sat into - the garda explains that they were very worried about contracting AIDS/Hep-C from some scummer spitting into their eye or on a cut...or biting them..... and despite the gardai being told during training that the actual chance of getting AIDS/Hep-C from a bite/spit ....is negligible (0.02% I think was quoted in court by a garda expert)

Anyway as for this comment - "you'd think they'd weigh up the risks before they joined the force. "

its a tough job they do .... but they should expect it and cant expect that a scumbag/junkie will behave civil towards them

Ruen · 11-02-2010 11:25PM

elsy wrote: »

Op you haven't a clue they voted for industrial action not including strike only 18 per cent were in favour of strike. my husband is a garda and now due to all the cuts he know earns under 30k a year and thats gross pay without tax and levies he has been bitten punched and im sure more i don't know about and i tell ya now he is one of the good guys that would never abuse his power. the hours are a nightmare we have 2 young children and some weeks he might be lucky to c them twice. all this for 30k

Your husband should find himself a handy 9-5.
He must the only Guard in the country who earns less than €30k what with the rent allowance(€4374 btw), night allowance worth more than double time, Sunday allowance worth one fifth of basic weekly pay, there's a Saturday allowance too

, and of course there's the allowance he gets when on holiday leave to cover allowances that he would've gotten if he hadnt been on holidays.

Fact is Gardai are about the best paid public servants we have and should stop whinging, nobody ever put a gun to anyones head and said 'join the Guards or else'

It's all here http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/1112/1224258653768.html about the allowances and substantial overtime for anyone who's interested

PCPhoto · 11-02-2010 11:35PM

elsy wrote: »

sniper by name sniper by nature! that 30k is before tax thats what gross means! we have a 2yr old going thru chemo so i am quite aware life sucks. can i ask the last time someone got shot or stabbed or killed in your line of work?

whens the last time a garda was shot or fatally stabbed ? (killed by a car I remember before christmas)

EDIT: my recollection is 1996 ..... Jerry mccabe springs to mind

EDIT2: I stand corrected 1999 was the latest I could find.... http://www.esatclear.ie/~garda/honour.html

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 12-02-2010 12:45AM

Slugs wrote: »

Whether you believe it's "illegal" or not is irrelevant. At the end of the day, if the law enforcers go on stike, who's going to enfore the legality?

They have every right to go on strike. It's really down to HOW they go on strike

I really believe that they have no intention of going on a full blown strike.
It could lead to a collapse of the justice system.
And contrary to popular opinion they aren't all ignorant gombeens, they are regular joes like the rest of us.

They're just making shapes.

Now while I will always stand up for the Gardai when they get abused for doing a crap job and being ignorant boggers etc, any action they wanna take they can just f off like anyone else in the public sector, we're in a bad recession ffs

Jesus Wept · 12-02-2010 12:54AM

Vacation.

Sofa King Great · 12-02-2010 01:00AM

My name is URL wrote: »

They should all be commended for the good work they do but they shouldn't automatically be held in a higher regard than someone working in the private sector just because of their career decision

Just as they shouldn't be held in lower regard just because of their career decision.
When times were good there was serious money to be made in certain parts of the private sector. Some people, rather than choose this, chose to join the gardai knowing that whilst pay may have been lower at that time they were entering a secure job with good entitlements.

fat liar · 12-02-2010 01:03AM

This makes me sick. These people have guaranteed work and they want more!

neilthefunkeone · 12-02-2010 01:12AM

In all fairness they knew what job they were getting into.. They chose the profession fully knowing what was out there, knowing they were public service and that they are not able to go on strike..

What ever way they decide to play this its gonna hurt the general public not the gov.. and in hurting the public it will turn any support they have away..imo!!

fat liar · 12-02-2010 01:13AM

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

In all fairness they knew what job they were getting into.. They chose the profession fully knowing what was out there, knowing they were public service and that they are not able to go on strike..

What ever way they decide to play this its gonna hurt the general public not the gov.. and in hurting the public it will turn any support they have away..imo!!

Exactly

Son Of A Vidic · 12-02-2010 01:16AM

The days of 'vocation jobs' are long gone, joining the Gardai is not a vocation. Having a sense of civic duty, or an interest in the community's safety does not make it a vocation. A basic interest or desire is the prerequisite for any career pathway. A lad who has an interest in wood and working with his hands, then becomes a carpenter. So is that a vocation? If so, well then every job could then be categorised as a vocation.

Sofa King Great · 12-02-2010 01:19AM

fat liar wrote: »

This makes me sick. These people have guaranteed work and they want more!

They don't want more. They just don't want less.

fat liar · 12-02-2010 01:20AM

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

BillyBoyBad · 12-02-2010 02:02AM

To be fair they're worth every cent.

K-9 · 12-02-2010 02:06AM

My name is URL wrote: »

Vocation my arse, they chose to do a job that just so happens to be on the front-line.

Same as teachers, and nurses etc. They should all be commended for the good work they do but they shouldn't automatically be held in a higher regard than someone working in the private sector just because of their career decision

While I wouldn't go as far as that, don't join the a police force and then moan about guns, druggies and assaults!

You signed up for it!

Having said that, there is a lack of respect for authority now that wasn't there years ago. People still expect respect back.

It is undoubtedly a tougher job than 30 years ago, though the Garda murder rate was higher then!

Anyway, back to the OP. Guards and Army officers are servants of the State. They are supposed to be there for us, regardless of politics and economics.

I'd still have sympathy for them, but I'll await the impact of the action.

DogmaticLefty · 12-02-2010 03:00AM

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/boundedtile/2010/0212/1224264273478_1.jpg

Gives the phrase "pigs at the trough" a new meaning...

ascanbe · 12-02-2010 03:42AM

This is a tough one for the After Hours crowd to deal with.
On the one hand you're asking them to criticise public servants.
On the other hand you're asking them to criticise the people who, potentially, have the first chance to exact physical retribution on the 'scumbags'.
This is pitting each of their greatest loves against one another.
If you want bang for your buck, in terms of attacking the public sector, you should probably stick with teachers.
Oh my, how they'll flock...

AKUCHI · 12-02-2010 04:13AM

"The Garda Representative Association says gardaí will take industrial action over the Government's pay and pension levies.
The Association announced the results of a ballot this afternoon, which showed that 93% of those who voted said the gardaí should take some form of industrial action, but not withdraw their services.
The Association will decide at its annual conference in April what form that industrial action will take."

What a joke these boys are down in Mayo preventing people from protesting, using strong handed tactics to prevent pensioners among other protest against what they see as their fears. Now suddenly they cant get the income paid on the second investment home they bought and the rules have changed. Sack them , recruit new and use the Army in the meantime.

Garda: Vocation or Job?

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