Crux looming as gardai prepare to withdraw voluntary services
Thursday March 11 2010
RANK and file gardai across Cork are set to withdraw from an informal agreement that allows officers to appear in circuit and high court cases without be summonsed to do so.
From Monday, March 22, members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) will also stop using personal equipment such as mobile phones and laptop computers, part of their response to the ongoing unrest over public service pay cuts.
John Parker, a member of the GRA central executive committee based in Mallow, told The Corkman that the action is indicative of the growing frustration within the gardai over how the government are handling the issue of public sector pay.
Under court rules a garda who might be a witness in a case has to be formally summonsed to appear. However, there has been an informal system in place for some time now where gardai appear without having to be summonsed.
"In the past we have not made an issue out of not being summonsed or the fact that members have to use their own personal equipment due to the outdated radio communications system and the lack of computers in stations," said Mr Parker.
"Members have given a lot of productivity; however, that has been taken back with the current round of pay cuts. So for the moment we are going back on a number of practises that we undertake on a voluntary basis," he added.
Mr Parker said that the government seems to be "burying their heads in the sand over the issue" and did not rule out the option of further protests by GRA members in the future such as an overtime ban or the withdrawal of other voluntary services.
"Our members understand that pay cuts are inevitable; however, the pain must be spread evenly and this is not happening.
"If we do not say stop now, when do we say it?" said Mr Parker.
- BILL BROWNE BBROWNE@CORKMAN.IE
