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PRESS RELEASE
By the Garda Representative Association (GRA)
8th March 2009
GRA billboard protest against pay cuts
Gardaí face injuries in the line of duty…They do not deserve pay cuts.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has taken the unprecedented step of commissioning billboard
posters in Dublin city centre, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dundalk. The 48 sheet poster sites will run from 9th March to 23rd March.
The poster features two members of An Garda Síochána who were assaulted in the course of their duties and
received facial injuries. Under the headline is “Gardaí face injuries in the line of duty” is the message, “They do not deserve pay cuts.”
The GRA is doing this to highlight the occupational hazards of being a garda, and the injustice of cutting a
garda pay. Prior to the current economic figures that appeared to catch the government unaware; the GRA was campaigning to highlight that garda pay needs to be recognisant of the dangers facing members of the
Force.
Last year, the Department of Justice published figures to show that on average, two members of An Garda
Síochána are assaulted every day. Incapacitant (pepper) spray was announced as a method of protecting members as a ‘less lethal’ option, but this is unlikely to be issued before September.
Ireland is the only western European country to reduce police pay. Iceland has received substantial
assistance from the International Monetary Fund but has managed to avoid cuts into the pay of rank and file officers; Hungary and Romania have similar bail out agreements but due to the stronger position of
police unions in these countries there have been no immediate effects on pay. Police in Scotland have been notified of a pay increase.
(These figures are from the European Confederation of Police, EuroCOP, the umbrella
organisation of 34 national police unions and staff organisations from 26 European States. It represents over 500,000 police officers in Europe)
Policing is a unique job. Gardaí must carry out their duties, including enforcing legislation, arresting
suspects, and protect the public effectively; members must stand their ground in the face of danger. The potential for violence and confrontation is ever present when dealing with the unpredictability of human
behaviour; frequently affected by drink or drugs. These incidents carry a clearly associated risk of personal injury, psychological trauma and a painful recovery process.
Citizens and visitors to Ireland want to feel safe on the streets. The garda is still the thin blue line
protecting democratic civility from jungle law.
GRA General Secretary PJ Stone said, “Our members do not deserve pay cuts; the reality is they are
never paid enough to take the kind of abuse they are often subjected to. A garda pension is hard earned.
“An assault on a member of An Garda Síochána is an assault on Irish society and our community. We have
to highlight this because it is being ignored by our politicians. They are out of touch with the reality of life in our cities, towns and villages because they have allowed themselves to live in a protected
bubble.
“People should be offended by the graphic nature of the injuries; they represent an assault on our
community. Can anyone look at these images of frontline rank and file officers and say that they deserve a pay cut? Or they do not deserve a pension after putting their lives on the line for our society?”
ENDS
Note to editors:
The posters will be on display for two weeks at the following locations.
1. Galway Station Yard
2. Limerick Parnell Street, Colbert Station CP
3. Limerick Colbert Station
4. Dublin Bachelors Walk/O’Connell Bridge
5. Dublin Connolly Station
6. Dublin Rathgar Road
7. Dublin Macken Street
8. Dundalk Dublin Road - Railway station
9. Cork City Merchants Quay
Garda Representative Association, 5th Floor, Phibsboro Tower, Dublin 7
Ph: 01 830 3533 Email: press@gra.cc
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