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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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Hawk Wing 2

a free cup of coffee!! when will this madness stop?

yore

ScumLord wrote: »

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.

It's irrelevant the absolute number that they pay. (Plus they wouldn't pay the taxes on it anyway). Of course it's cheaper than you or I can get it for.

The point is could they get the same deal for less expense?
Obviously there is room for maneuver if topaz can afford to give away all those freebies!

Sorcha16

AnonoBoy wrote: »

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

The point was made that it was to encourage favouritism when responding to call outs -there's a reason these freebies are only given to Gardaí and not Joe Public beside him.

My point is that businesses should not be attempting to 'keep in' with the guards in order to receive preferential treatment, nor should the guards be encouraging this type of exchange by accepting freebies.

Public services should be provided equally to everyone, not on a quid pro quo basis

MidlandsM

seamus wrote: »

Sure you would. "No no, here, take my money, I don't want it free".

no, I would'nt......you don't know me......

yore

AnonoBoy wrote: »

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.

Seriously? You be ok if it came out that if say , the Dept. of Education awarded an exclusive and valuable contract to maybe the K-Club for their conferences and along with that package the top 100 members of the the Dept. happened to get free golf course memberships??? You wouldn't think that that little perk might induce them to pay above the odds when the money isn't coming out of their pockets anyway?

"Ok lads. The RDS will give us their large exhibition room for our events during the year for 8 million. The K-club will give us the use of their facilities for 10 million but on the side will throw in 100 free memberships for us worth 10k each. All we have to do is decide to pick one and send the bill to the taxpayer"

mathepac

yore wrote: »

...
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.

A couple of places I worked had very strict rules that if infringed, could lead to dismissal.

The "bottle of whiskey at Christmas" type gift from a supplier had to be turned in to the HR department and was used as a spot prize at the staff Christmas do. A log of donors and gifts was maintained by HR and receipts in the form of "thank you letters" were issued.

osheen

nig1 wrote: »

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.

Likewise my company uses topaz fuel cards and we get free coffee regularly as eell as vouchers for dicounted sambos or tolls

yore

osheen wrote: »

Likewise my company uses topaz fuel cards and we get free coffee regularly as eell as vouchers for dicounted sambos or tolls

Yes, but your company is making a decision to do that. The same as lots of companies make similar decisions with regard to benefits for their employees. But it's their own money that they are spending and they are accountable for it.

You can't just have a free-for-all because it's public money.

Do you get free coffee all the time? You get discounted sandwiches, not free ones!

humbert

I was surprised to find out gardai still get into the local niteclubs for free but I can see what the niteclub has to gain. Topaz is an odd one.

MaxSteele

How infuriating :rolleyes:

ScumLord

yore wrote: »

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?

I don't really see the problem. The golf course is adding value to the deal at minimal cost to themselves but what would be a big cost to client if they tried to buy it. Businesses do this all the time. Free refills of soft drinks at american fast food restaurants would be a prime example. Even a free or discounted pastry with your coffee is another example. throw in something that will cost the company little as an incentive to buy the expensive thing.

yore wrote: »

It's irrelevant the absolute number that they pay. (Plus they wouldn't pay the taxes on it anyway). Of course it's cheaper than you or I can get it for.

The point is could they get the same deal for less expense?
Obviously there is room for maneuver if topaz can afford to give away all those freebies!

Of course there is room for maneuver Topaz are obviously making a big profit on the deal and I'm sure the group buying for the state shopped around, a group having that much spending power can afford to get the best deals and every fuel provider in the country would have handed out all kinds of incentives to try and get the deal. Over all if the deal was to include free coffee for the entire workforce (rather than something for management to keep just the buyers incentivised) I think it's one of the fairer deals out there. Usually the general employees get completely ignored in these deals.

Boombastic

girl in the striped socks wrote: »

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?

What I would do is irrelevant as the Garda should have the ethic to refuse freebies.

Who do you think pays for these extras? Not the Garda and you can be sure Topaz isn't loosing money, so who does that leave?

latenia

yore wrote: »

Because even if there is no actual conflict of interest, it gives the appearance of a potential conflict.

This is it in a nutshell. You only have to look at Copperface Jack's to see how blatant favouritism towards police in terms of their door policy has left the public with some very real questions regarding their liberal opening hours and well known after hours lock-ins.

latenia

ScumLord wrote: »

I'm sure the group buying for the state shopped around, a group having that much spending power can afford to get the best deals and every fuel provider in the country would have handed out all kinds of incentives to try and get the deal.

You really think the gardaí look for the best deal when they're buying supplies? You know this is Ireland we're talking about?

http://audgen.gov.ie/documents/vfmreports/vfm-gardatyres.pdf

girl in the striped socks

Boombastic wrote: »

girl in the striped socks wrote: »

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?

What I would do is irrelevant as the Garda should have the ethic to refuse freebies.

Who do you think pays for these extras? Not the Garda and you can be sure Topaz isn't loosing money, so who does that leave?

Whether or not the cost of it falls onto the customer, I highly doubt topaz is going to lower the price of coffee if they no longer hand out freebies.
I also doubt they are scratching their heads at financial reports wondering why the coffee money isn't tallying up.
How do you know it's not a deal brokered when getting the fuel contract?
And really why does it bother you that much? It's coffee ffs.
There is nothing unprofessional in taking a cup of coffee if it's offered for no charge. I'd have a huge problem if the guard had insisted on not paying for it. But he didn't, the cashier told him it was ok, he was obviously willing to pay if she singled him out to tell him there's no cost. He wasn't strolling out the door when she told him it was a freebie.

But keep fighting the good fight there warrior & remember to declare everything to revenue, even if it's a free cup of coffee.

Grayson

Don't know if it's been mentioned specifically, but most Starbucks (the non franchise ones) in Ireland give all first responders free coffee if they're in uniform. It was something brought in at corporate level after 9/11 and they allow worldwide. So all firemen, paramedics and police get free coffee.

I'm fine with it.

latenia

girl in the striped socks wrote: »

How do you know it's not a deal brokered when getting the fuel contract?

There is nothing unprofessional in taking a cup of coffee if it's offered for no charge.

The only negotiations they should be making should be about getting the lowest price possible. End of story.

It is unprofessional for police to be seen taking something for free. End of story.

Odysseus

mathepac wrote: »

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.

Spot on, you nailed it there:rolleyes: I work for the addiction services you would want to see the free stuff I get. All tax free of course. FFS one hand washing another indeed.

Assassin saphir

I worked in a place where I always gave the local guards free tea, biscuit and use of our canteen at night. I worked in a 24hr store and dealt with all the dregs of society at 3am.
Why did i look after the guards??
Cos when i was getting punched, robbed or threatened they came to help as soon as I called them and often drove past to check we were ok.

arybvtcw0eolkf

It costs a filling station money to provide us with air pumps, I've never seen anyone insist on paying for free air yet!.

cloptrop

Maybe topaz just puts the bill on the fuel card . Maybe if a garda puts 100 euro worth of juice in the car its fair to give them a free role and coffee which probably costs the garage 50 pence to make .

suicide_circus

AnonoBoy wrote: »

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

you'd hope so but obviously these businesses aren't too confident about that, so they ensure a good relationship with the gardai by giving them free stuff. No state employee should accept ANY tip, gratuity, discount or gift while on-duty or indeed while off-duty and flashing the badge, it muddys the waters.

latenia

Assassin saphir wrote: »

Why did i look after the guards??
Cos when i was getting punched, robbed or threatened they came to help as soon as I called them and often drove past to check we were ok.

You know you already "looked after the guards" when you pay for their salary? It's a sad reflection that you see calling them about assaults and robberies as being additional to their normal duties.

KindOfIrish

fishy fishy wrote: »

its because they are out doing a job that they get no thanks for, just abuse.
.

pay me 50k + and i don't need any "thanks"! and you can abuse me as much as you want

suicide_circus

Assassin saphir wrote: »

I worked in a place where I always gave the local guards free tea, biscuit and use of our canteen at night. I worked in a 24hr store and dealt with all the dregs of society at 3am.
Why did i look after the guards??
Cos when i was getting punched, robbed or threatened they came to help as soon as I called them and often drove past to check we were ok.

and what? if you didn't give them free stuff they would leave you to die? it's their ****ing job to come as soon as they can.
you're post actually encapsulates perfectly why this practice is troublesome

KindOfIrish

Assassin saphir wrote: »

Why did i look after the guards??
Cos when i was getting punched, robbed or threatened they came to help as soon as I called them and often drove past to check we were ok.

and they do it for free. out of their kind hearts? :eek: it's our bl...dy taxes! People, are you crazy?

Local-womanizer

KindOfIrish wrote: »

fishy fishy wrote: »

its because they are out doing a job that they get no thanks for, just abuse.
.

pay me 50k + and i don't need any "thanks"! and you can abuse me as much as you want

He was chatting about the gardai, not TDs!

My local station gives the AGS and paramedics free tea and coffee. Nothing wrong with it and anyone that think its wrong need to wise up, it's a cup of coffee.

Bruthal

Boombastic wrote: »

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?;)

She can ask the guard to fill her up for a change

_feedback_

I don't work in the tea serving business, but it makes perfect business sense to me to give a representative from your biggest customer a free one.

They are spending hundreds of thousands on fuel. A free tea seems to be a gesture encouraged by their management. It makes perfect sense to me...

Frank Serpico

Well, I wouldn't have taken them.