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Leaders appeal after Garda ‘flu’

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Andrew Bushe

DUBLIN – After Garda bosses were hit by another blue flu stoppage with only hours notice last Saturday and with a further “sickness” stoppage planned for this week, both the taoiseach and the Garda commissioner have strongly appealed for an end to the industrial action.

Bertie Ahern intervened in the impasse to suggest two approaches that would permit the Garda Representative Association to call off

their action, which he said was doing “such damage to the status and image of the force.”

The GRA are calling one blue flu protest every week until July 10, when they plan to escalate the action to two days a week and are also expected to hit the prestigious Tour de France visit.

Saturday’s action was supported by over 80 percent of the 8,000 rank and file gardai due on duty.

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The taoiseach said there was scope within government pay policy for “meaningful discussion.” Talks broke down on April 1 when the GRA turned down a 5 percent offer. Its members are seeking 15 percent.

“I believe progress can be made through addressing a range of issues, including productivity, not discussed to date,” the taoiseach said.

Ahern has also arranged for urgent consultations on involvement by the GRA in national pay talks and said he expected an early response from the employee and trade union bodies IBEC and the ICTU.

The GRA gave a cautious welcome to the taoiseach’s intervention and will consider it at a meeting this week.

Commissioner Pat Byrne said he would be examining the discipline aspect of thousands of Gardai phoning in sick when they obviously weren’t, but he said the problem would not be solved by disciplinary action alone.

Student Gardai were bussed from the Templemore Training College last Saturday in an effort to provide a skeleton staff.

The commissioner said the students were not sworn in police officers.

“This is not the way to police a country,” he said. “This is not the way to do business. Surely to God there is a better way than denuding a country of its police force. Does it need something outrageous to happen, some tragedy to occur before we say we can’t do this any longer?”

The army was on stand-by last Saturday but it was not necessary to call the soldiers out.

Byrne said that in a democratic society it would be a “dark day” when instead of police officers, military would be patrolling the streets.

The first blue flu work stoppage on May 1 had little effect as senior officers worked overtime to provide cover.

From now on, however, sergeants and inspectors say they will just work their normal hours.

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