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Free food and Coffee for the Gardai in some establishments.

MidlandsM

...and yes, it's the establishments choice to award food and/or drinks to a member of the Gardai but my question is, should a member of the Gardai accept such like?

I was in a very busy Topaz filling station where I always see lots of member of the force having their "break" the other day. There was a long Queue waiting to pay for stuff at the tills, which I was in. I know the girl at one of the tills and I noted a discreet exchange between her and a Garda who just got a coffee and some sort of snack.....she said "you're grand,no charge" ....and he just said "thanks" .......lots of people noted the Freebie, and lots of eye's rolled to heaven....

Personally I think he should insist on paying for it.....it look like a "Stroke" Freebie to me......

what do you think?

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yore

pah wrote: »

My topaz charges €1 and it even says "Coffee Garda" on the till. I've no problem with it although I wouldn't take a free one.

Could be an agreement higher up as the fleet does all fuel business with topaz. I have been offered freebies before, chipper etc but rarely accept. On one occasion I was basically told "you can have it for free or you can't have it at all!!" no point arguing with that.

Exactly. Although I suspect that you didn't intend to make this point but this is the reason why it should not be done.

Someone in the Guards makes the decision to give the substantial fuel-buying business of the Gardai to the company and in return the Guards get free stuff.

I'm sure people see the problem with this? Say some other company offers to supply all fuel to the Guards, at the taxpayer expense, of 1.50 a litre whereas Topaz offers it for 1.75 a litre...but they will give free fuel/snacks to any member of the Gardai.

If the contract is worth such a lot of money to Topaz that they can afford to give away such freebies then it is obvious that they make a lot profit from the deal. I think that instead, a less profitable deal for them, and more a more economical one for the taxpayer, should be struck

girl in the striped socks

Boombastic wrote: »

girl in the striped socks wrote: »

Are you seriously saying a cup of coffee is a backhander?

Yes it is.
Cup of coffee €2.35 (approx)

* 5 days*52 weeks= 600 and if they get a free roll aswell:eek:

Maybe they dont drink coffee daily.
Maybe they take they're allocated holidays every year so they don't work 52 weeks.
Maybe they don't get a free roll.
And maybe, just maybe, it's none of your business.

Seriously, it's amazing how bitter & begrudging people can be towards certain jobs.

Let me ask you this. If you were in a petrol station now & saw the exact same thing happen in front of you, would you speak up or keep quiet?

Boombastic

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Yeah everyone knows Topaz is a front for cocaine smuggling but they've been getting away with it for all this time because they give a few cups of sh*tty coffee away every day.

Have you ever filled out a tax return? Do you remember seeing a 'Number of free cups of coffee received' box to put a number in?

Maybe not cocaine smuggling and not specifically about topaz, but if this is the perks they take in public, who knows what they're willing to accept in private? It's unprofessional, where do you draw the line?

seven_eleven

Its a sad day for AH when we have to discuss and be bitter about a Garda getting a free coffee.

Who fills up in Topaz anyway? Their prices are ridiculous.

[Deleted User]

Boombastic wrote: »

Maybe not cocaine smuggling and not specifically about topaz, but if this is the perks they take in public, who knows what they're willing to accept in private? It's unprofessional, where do you draw the line?

Everyone's job has certain perks, get over it. You're talking nonsense.

SCOOP 64

i think its standard in all topaz to give free coffee to guards, coffee only, i used toget free coffee at one topaz filling up my truck(topaz card). sometimes i would buy a sandswich and on receipt were coffee should have been it said , guard €0.00.

_feedback_

Boombastic wrote: »

Yes it is.
Cup of coffee €2.35 (approx)

* 5 days*52 weeks= 600 and if they get a free roll aswell:eek:

The cost price would be a lot lower than that I would imagine.

The Garda contract would be massively valuable to Topaz.

It's just business, nothing more really...

Boombastic

Aranza Glamorous Punk wrote: »

Everyone's job has certain perks, get over it. You're talking nonsense.

Why am I talking nonsense - it's unprofessional

ScumLord

yore wrote: »

If the contract is worth such a lot of money to Topaz that they can afford to give away such freebies then it is obvious that they make a lot profit from the deal. I think that instead, a less profitable deal for them, and more a more economical one for the taxpayer, should be struck

How much do you think the coffee costs topaz? It's probably below 50c, I wouldn't be surprised if it was close to 10c.

AnonoBoy

elviscostello wrote: »

The cost price would be a lot lower than that I would imagine.

Vastly lower than that. The mark up on coffee is huge.

mathepac

Free coffee, free snacks, free entry to night-clubs & cinemas, free drink in pubs, etc. The badge-flashers really go to town on it when in civvies and off-duty, "Security check bud, Gardai on duty, righ'?" I've watched it go on for years.

A minimum-pay food server in a restaurant or hotel has her tax allowances cut because the Revenue "know" she gets tips. How come they don't "know" about the stuff Guards get for free and tax them on it? Is it because they are "brother" public servants and of course one hand washes the other in PS jobs.

It is wide-spread and is corruption at a low level. If there is corruption at the recruit level in the Guards, what does it say about the higher levels? Does it imply that corruption there is for more than cups of coffee? Or does it mean that someone who comes into a corrupt police force gets progressively uncorrupt as they get promoted?

Clearly this activity interferes with the administration of justice without fear or favour or whatever they take an oath to do when appointed to the Guards, but apparently no-one in authority cares once they have their Garda drivers and escorts in place to clear the way and conduct them to their freebies.

yore

seven_eleven wrote: »

Its a sad day for AH when we have to discuss and be bitter about a Garda getting a free coffee.

Who fills up in Topaz anyway? Their prices are ridiculous.

My point exactly.....for some reason the powers that be in the Gardai have awarded the contract to fill up the cars of their fleet to this expensive company. If there are cheaper options for petrol/diesel then one would have to wonder why, oh why, would the Gardai land the taxpayer with a higher than necessary bill......... :cool:

cursai

Workers on Tesco or clothes shops get discounts. Its disgraceful....

[Deleted User]

Boombastic wrote: »

Why am I talking nonsense - it's unprofessional

Why is it unprofessional, do you turn down the perks of your job?

How is it any different to the free tea and coffee that's provided for me in my work place? A guards work place is everywhere.

marketty

Had a plumber in my house the other day and made him a cup of tea while he was working, 'better put that on your tax form' I told him

_feedback_

yore wrote: »

My point exactly.....for some reason the powers that be in the Gardai have awarded the contract to fill up the cars of their fleet to this expensive company. If there are cheaper options for petrol/diesel then one would have to wonder why, oh why, would the Gardai land the taxpayer with a higher than necessary bill......... :cool:

Maybe because they have a branch just about everywhere...

And they do a good coffee.

corktina

just cos they are Gards they can't get freebies? We all get perks in some way in our jobs, they get far more ****e than most of us, I'd make 'em a coffee if they pulled in at my house (or anyone else)

yore

Aranza Glamorous Punk wrote: »

Why is it unprofessional, do you turn down the perks of your job?

How is it any different to the free tea and coffee that's provided for me in my work place? A guards work place is everywhere.

Sounds like the same attitude as "sure I'm a County Councillor. Getting money for giving a developer a rezoning that he might have got anyway was a perk of the job...sure you'd do it yourself boss"

enricoh

i met the publican beside me in the local cop shop before crimbo last year, dropping in a box full of jemy, brandy etc. his place has plenty of late nights n never any hassle with cops knocking. good bit of business on his behalf but i think its a slippery slope

Boombastic

Aranza Glamorous Punk wrote: »

Why is it unprofessional, do you turn down the perks of your job?

How is it any different to the free tea and coffee that's provided for me in my work place? A guards work place is everywhere.

Lady behind the counter gets caught for lets say prostitution - Garda -sure it's mary form topaz, she gives us free coffee, she's grand..see you tomorrow Mary, will you throw in a roll?;)

Another poster put it well here it highlights the low level corruption going on in the PS, sure isn't everyone on the take and getting a few freebies thrown in

[Deleted User]

yore wrote: »

My point exactly.....for some reason the powers that be in the Gardai have awarded the contract to fill up the cars of their fleet to this expensive company. If there are cheaper options for petrol/diesel then one would have to wonder why, oh why, would the Gardai land the taxpayer with a higher than necessary bill......... :cool:

They don't pay the price you see on the pump, I have a topaz fuel card myself and in general the price I pay is close or on par with the cheapest apart from dodgy filling stations and I wager the Gardai have a lower price again.

AnonoBoy

I was on a business trip a few weeks back. I was treated to a night where all my food and booze was paid for. I hope Johnny Revenue don't find out about it!

yore

elviscostello wrote: »

Maybe because they have a branch just about everywhere...

And they do a good coffee.

What has good coffee got to do with who they award their fuel contract to? Maybe they should have allowed Bewleys to tender for it :P

Sorcha16

A public servant shouldn't have to be bribed into doing their job. Whether it's a free coffee or a brown envelope, receiving backhanders for anything is unethical, end of

AnonoBoy

Sorcha16 wrote: »

A public servant shouldn't have to be bribed into doing their job.

I'm pretty sure they'd be doing their job regardless of whether they got the free coffee or not.

ScumLord

mathepac wrote: »

Free coffee, free snacks, free entry to night-clubs & cinemas, free drink in pubs, etc. The badge-flashers really go to town on it when in civvies and off-duty, "Security check bud, Gardai on duty, righ'?" I've watched it go on for years.

I've known "badge flashers" that have gotten into trouble for doing it. It's at the discretion of the establishment if they know the guard. I don't think you have too many guards flashing their badge off duty and they can't very well hide the badge on duty.

yore wrote: »

My point exactly.....for some reason the powers that be in the Gardai have awarded the contract to fill up the cars of their fleet to this expensive company.

You don't really know what their fleet prices are like, they could be very competitive. Bulk orders are completely different to what normal people pay. On average what you pay is 40% - 60% more than what the shop pays.

Honey-ec

Boombastic wrote: »

I hope they are declaring their extra benefits on their tax forms

On what planet do you think free tea & coffee at work is a taxable benefit?

girl in the striped socks

Boombastic wrote: »

Aranza Glamorous Punk wrote: »

Why is it unprofessional, do you turn down the perks of your job?

How is it any different to the free tea and coffee that's provided for me in my work place? A guards work place is everywhere.

Lady behind the counter gets caught for lets say prostitution - Garda -sure it's mary form topaz, she gives us free coffee, she's grand..see you tomorrow Mary, will you throw in a roll?;)

Another poster put it well here it highlights the low level corruption going on in the PS, sure isn't everyone on the take and getting a few freebies thrown in

So are you going to answer my question???
If you were in a petrol station now & saw the exact same thing happen would you speak up against it or stay quiet?

yore

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I was on a business trip a few weeks back. I was treated to a night where all my food and booze was paid for. I hope Johnny Revenue don't find out about it!

How is this in any way similar

They were just trying to keep you happy in order to get your business. Guards have to uphold the law and cannot select who they will and who they will not help.

Would you be happy if some public sector body had an exclusive and lucrative contract with some golf course for hosting official functions and then you found out that all it's members coincidentally got to play there for free too?

A lot of professional industries have ethics regulations against what you described viz-a-viz your freebie night out. Because even if there is no actual conflict of interest, it gives the appearance of a potential conflict.

AnonoBoy

yore wrote: »

How is this in any way similar

Well it has already been stated on this thread that they hope the Gardai are declaring the free coffees on their tax returns. That was what my statement was in relation to.

Would you be happy if some public sector body had an exclusive and lucrative contract with some golf course for hosting official functions and then you found out that all it's members coincidentally got to play there for free too?

A golf course offering free golf as part of a deal? How immoral.

It could very well have been part of the package. For x amount of money we will host and cater those functions but we will also throw in free golf for your members.

Sounds like a good business head on the owner of the golf course. And as long as there's not a 'Well we'll also allow you to murder people and not investigate it" clause I think they're ok.