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TEXAS SENATOR TED Cruz scored a commanding victory over Donald Trump in Wisconsin’s presidential primary last night, putting the Republican frontrunner on notice that his march to the nomination is not a done deal.
Meanwhile the Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton also crashed to defeat against upstart Senator Bernie Sanders. He has now won six of the last seven Democratic contests and can bolster his claim to be a viable alternative standard-bearer to the former secretary of state.
But the Wisconsin results are almost certainly more damaging for Trump, the brash billionaire who stormed to the fore last year but has suffered campaign trail setbacks in recent weeks with a series of controversial comments about abortion, NATO and nuclear weapons.
Cruz’s capturing of most of Wisconsin’s 42 Republican delegates now makes it far less likely that Trump will win the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination outright.
This raises the prospect of a contested convention in July when the delegates meet to choose the party nominee for the November presidential election.
“Turning point”
“Tonight is a turning point. It is a rallying cry,” Cruz told cheering supporters in Milwaukee after he received a hug from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, one of several former 2016 presidential candidates who have endorsed Cruz.
It is a call from the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin to the people of America. We have a choice, a real choice.
Cruz and the anti-Trump movement had eyed Wisconsin, birthplace of the Republican Party, as a crucial firewall against the real estate tycoon’s march to become the GOP flag bearer. The Texas senator’s win in Wisconsin could well alter the trajectory of the Republican race.
“Trump needs every delegate to get to 1,237, and tonight was a significant setback,” veteran election analyst Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia told AFP.
“It’s not impossible for Trump to still get there, but the likelihood is that Trump will be a few dozen delegates short of a majority,” he added, meaning the likelihood of a contested convention has increased substantially.
Last night’s results cement Cruz’s status as the leading anti-Trump candidate, with Ohio Governor John Kasich far back in the nomination battle.
But Cruz kept his victory speech positive, highlighting his policy platforms and turning his attention toward a possible general election face-off with Clinton.
“Hillary, get ready. Here we come,” he said.
Cruz also predicted he could earn the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination.
That goal will be extremely difficult to reach; experts have projected Cruz would need to win 90 percent or more of remaining delegates to reach the magic number.
US networks called the race for Cruz and Sanders within half an hour of polls closing in the Midwestern state that borders Canada.
With three-quarters of precincts reporting, Cruz was ahead with 49% of the vote compared to 34% for billionaire Trump. Kasich was a distant third at 14%.
On the Democratic side, Vermont Senator Sanders led with 56% to 44% over Clinton.
“This campaign is giving energy and enthusiasm to millions of Americans,” Sanders told supporters in Wyoming, which holds a Democratic vote on Saturday.
Sanders said his momentum gives him an “excellent chance” to win California, Oregon and other states.
“We have a path toward victory, a path toward the White House,” he declared.
But Clinton, the one-time first lady who is aiming to become the nation’s first female commander in chief, has the delegate maths in her favour and can look forward with some confidence to the upcoming races.
She leads Sanders by double digits in New York, her adopted home state which votes on 19 April, and Pennsylvania, which casts ballots a week later.
Trump also leads handily in his home state of New York and in Pennsylvania.
Trump’s sour grapes
His campaign for months had appeared immune to criticism or self-implosion. Yet the brash billionaire went into yesterday’s vote having suffered a brutal week on the campaign trail, including comments expected to hurt him with women voters.
After the Wisconsin vote his team defiantly lashed out at Cruz, saying the senator had “the entire party apparatus behind him.”
“Ted Cruz is a puppet – he is a Trojan horse being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump,” said the campaign in a statement reported by MSNBC.
Trump had 740 delegates heading into Tuesday. Cruz had 474 and Kasich 145, according to CNN.
If none reaches the magic number of 1,237 before the Republican primary races wrap up on 7 June, the nominee could be decided at a contested convention where, after the first ballot, delegates will be free to vote according to personal preference instead of being bound by the primary results.
Clinton had secured 1,742 delegates prior to Tuesday – including 483 so-called “super-delegates” who are not bound by primary results – while Sanders has 1,051 total, according to a CNN tally.
A candidate needs 2,383 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination.
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This is just the beginning. I’d imagine 100% of gardai around the country will all vote the same way. Time for the commissioner and the minister to open their eyes. If the gardai down tools, the country won’t be long grinding to a halt.
Nice to see domeone finally take a stand, with due respect all the marches and placard waving in the world wont make a bllind bit of difference as our Gov just choose to ignore them.
The Gardai and all front line 24/7 services have fulfilled their agreement in the Croke Park One talks.
This current government want to enforce further and unrealistic cuts and changes to frontline 24/7 pay and working conditions but we will not take it.
One branch of the G.R.A has passed a motion supporting a form of industrial action which every other Garda in the country wants to take part in and show support for.
It’s time for the G.R.A executive council to grow a pair of balls and poll their members all around the country to clarify what, if any, industrial action would be supported.
Totally support the Gardai on this. The government are butchers all in the name of paying bank debt. Irish goverment are not acting legally in this as they have not got the support of the people anymore.
They could save alot if they cut social welfare bill, stop paying people who never did a days work in their lives but have a good car, tv the size of their house and pay for nothing! I’ve no prob with people genuinely out of work but the ‘you owe me a living crowd’ need to be cut. ESP the likes of sw forking out hundreds for kids communions etc so the mammys can get an outfit. All religious ceremonies should be a choice not a right of entitlement. I’d love some politician to step up and cut the bullsh*t payments like these and leave off those who are keeping the country going, paying tax, mortgage etc. like gards, nurses, teachers, fire service..
Well said
Sinead as a Sw recipient I totally agree with you that our welfare system is a joke I lost my job a few years ago in construction and decided to go back to college Im on BTEA however during the summer I need to sign on and it maddens me people are making a laugh out of me for going to college and trying to get out of the system these people need to be sorted if their benefits were cut then I’d say there would be a massive saving made you should be seen to be proactive in retraining or looking for work otherwise you face been cut your payments
The dole should be 35% the current rate for those without prsi stamps.
Excellent …. I nominate you for government !!!
Here here!!!
I’m shocked! I’ve finally given mule a green thumb! I’ve been waiting so long to do that. Well said mule.
I agree to an extent with that but what about those genuinely been proactive in gettin out the system like I want to work in the summer this will effect my claim for BTEA when I go back in sept like if it has to be cut it should be seen what people are doing how long they are on the dole ffs I can’t even volunteer during the summer and this is effecting my chances of employment in the future
As a guard id disagree with the blue flu. I’d go with the work to rule first. No driving on chief’s, no use of personal mobile’s etc.
Stand with you comrades. or as it would, stay in bed sick
should clarify i dont think it should be our first option.
And you wonder why your pay ppacket is getting smaller and smaller? Lets hope the commisioner reads this you might get your promotion
There’s always one awkward lad!
Back of the class Flanagan,one out all out. End of. We have taken enough.
I’m sure driving on chiefs is where you line up a load of chiefs and drive on them, that would be very drastic but desperate times…
Jonathon,
driving on chiefs is a term for untrained Garda car drivers (who hold a full B driving license) who apply for permission to their Chief Superintendent to drive the station patrol car.
On a side note, the chief superintendent in mayo is retracting driving permission for his gardai in the division if they get caught speeding and/or get penalty points in their own private car.
This is just another attack on the gardai.
If a member of the public gets penalty points, so what, he/she can get ten more before being banned from driving. But if a Garda gets just two points, his driving privilege is removed. Leaving non trained drivers taking up the slack.
Toe the line………
Agreed young Flanagan ..
Sorry Cormac, as a retired Sgt. I have to say from experience that this Govt. will only respect what is the Guard’s ultimate negotiating position, i.e. ” The Blue Flu “. When the blue flu tactic was used a few years back it two took two separate flu days before the Govt. caved in and enterd into negotiations which proved satisfactory. On the first day of the blue flu action the ERU ( who had been intimidated by Senior Management prior to the action ) did not report sick and indeed were engaged in a very successful action to foil an armed robbery in which one member of the RIRA was fatally shot. However, to their eternal credit, the ERU reported sick on the second day of the action ( again despite intimidation ) and at last the Govt. realised that the security situation could be seriously endangered.
On a lighter note , on the first day of the blue flu action I had the onerous task of taking constant phone calls from Gardai reporting sick with the usual ailments, flu, headache, stomach problems etc. However, one of my guards reported that the complaint was that of ” Testicular Discomfort ” and I have to add she was female.
Haha Ted you’re gas!
Are you sure??? May have been telling the truth :)
There’s more than one was to skin a cat Cormac. ; )
no need for blue flu, issue no tickets, collect no fines, withdraw chiefs, ground cars, no use of personal items. job on its knees in a matter of days!! no need to lose public support by having blue flu
the problem is Ray, there are alot of wasters in the guards and they’ll support a blue flu because they want a free day off work and don’t give a damn about the public…..we need to cease being a revenue collection service, that combined with your other ideas will work
They should go for it . Shatter is useless
Cough cough sniff sniff
Are you ok Peter, nasty flu going around…Could be in Galway by nightfall!
Take some calpol Peter, you usually have stuff like that in your rucksack!!
Still using the same old pseudonym ‘Peter’!!!
Think I heard a lot of sneezing here in sligo…..back to bed lads and ladies.
Just to clarify, ‘Peter’ or ‘Hee Haw’ and I were in college together. I totally agree with his sneezing!
“Peter” will have a ginger Mohawk by Friday, that’s almost as scary as these cuts!
This is how serious the situation could get. To set the scene what if a lone female is dragged into a wooded area while walking home and seriously assaulted. Who are the first people to deal with and show compassion to this victim?
Who arrive at a serious traffic accident to see a man caught under the front wheel of a lorry screaming that he loves his family?
Who is called to identify the body of a baby who died during birth and are expected then to carry on as normal?
Who is expected to take crap off every social welfare sponsored drug addict on the street and then get slated by the ombudsman when you do your job.
You will never get use to telling someone that a loved one will never be coming home.
This is just the tip of a massive iceberg and to say its an ordinary job is rubbish.
Moral needs to be high in the work place when carrying out these duties. Having our own Government stealing from emergency workers does not help moral.
Alan Shatter, man the fu*k up and enter into reality because as the saying goes “Little apples grow”….
For the Blue Flu to be effective it needs to be for a few days, a one day blue flu would make little to no effect, people would just wait until the Gardai are back to work to have their problems solved. A blue flu with an undisclosed date of return to work would create a greater effect.
Hmm see for over one day out need a cert from doctor. So two in a row not possible. One day would cause disruptions just think of it emergency cover of course but no guards on patrol no guards to sign forms, vet workers. Only answering 999 phone. No court prosecutions that day. No immigration guards that day. If from outside eu no entry to ireland. No guards drivers for ministers. I’m sure for limited things they might bring army in althought its not much good as they don’t have garda powers same as guards can’t cover for them.
The guards is an immensely powerful entity. Most other countries have be it a federal system or police forces broke up into reagions of different forces. London met, psni and greater manchester police perfect examples. America and germany are federal with several forces and organisation’s. Here you have just one that covers everything. Guards could make gov sweat. Just imagine blue flu for EU preidency or the largest unions marching on government buildings on a blue flu day. When the shinners decide to storm the place no guards to stop them.
But to really make a point should be sick, work next day then sick then work.
While some think work to rule is good start thats not as much as a deterrent to the gov as the knowledge of a catcatastrophic walk out would be.
This is what’s needed in all sectors . Mass tools down . Toothless unions sold us down the swanny .
Ashney, we have ALREADY highlighted these issues, on a constant basis in fact, I took two weeks holidays at Christmas but in actual fact I only had two days off, the rest of the holidays were spent typing files at home because there is not enough workin durin any tour to allow me to complete paperwork in work and even if there was we have computers that crash of their own free will therefore losing the work I’ve done and no printers, go figure
Claire your the worse fool for bringing the work home with you. this is my point, if we work to rule the job can’t be done. they rely our goodwill and dedication way too much as it is. we don’t have the equipment and facilities to do the job so lets show that. we don’t have to go sick to prove our point.no offence intended by calling you a fool by the way
Ray I agree with ur point, perhaps I’d b better off caring less about the victims I’m dealing with but unfortunately my conscience doesn’t allow that, we are on our knees at this stage, just keeping a lid on it for the last few months
do you still find time to hand out fines and confiscate peoples cars that dont have tax
What’s that for to do with anything Shane? Forgot or just couldn’t be bothered to pay your own??
well there looking for sympathy off everyone you would swear that they are the only group to feel pay cuts.so when some people have to make a decision to tax there car or feed there family which do you think that they are going to make.then they mite come across a garda checkpoint and get the car confiscated for having no tax do you think the garda will feel sorry for them i fecking doubt it.
You are very presumptuous Shane King!
Cut the Ministers wage bill they might save few million towards gards etc… No cuts there since the sh1t hit the fan! Blue flu all the way lads! Pray its the nail in Shatters Coffin and his lapdog Callinan..
we are in the same boat, one working computer to do files on and 5 people looking for it, a printer that packs up at 5pm on a Friday and every other printer locked away in an office. handwrite it and leave it for typing, go to another station to do stuff. don’t bring it home with you
If your sick, your sick ;)
I had blue flu once……we’ll it was normal flu but I stayed in bed all day watching porn
well does it have a knock on effect with the rest of the public sector. if the gardai pull this ‘blue flu’ and there is an agreement made will it be carried over to other sectors???
Can see the Fire Service coming down with a high temperature.
Agree
I think that if the Gardas do blue flu they will lose public support. Start with the basis people and highlight the lack of facilities, training and equipment that effects your everyday service to the people of this country. Show the ordinary person why it is necessary not to cut the wage bill to the Gardas. I read that some Gardas drive without training etc, start with the basics and I guarantee the public will stand behind ye
That has been highlighted since about 2009 when recruitment stopped, cars were taken without replacements and the Gra threatened walk outs of some stations.
The government won’t care until it affects them. Not using our own mobile phones / laptops will have no affect whatsoever on the government.
Spot on Richard . I hardly think not using ur phones will have shatter awake at night . Whereas if there was the possibility of no Gardai to police dublin castle during one of the eu presidents banquets that would be a different story .
Is that you Alan ???
The revolution is coming , enough is enough
Fair play to cork gardai. At least someone is showing balls cause we will be left waiting on the GRA our so called representatives to do anything. We in dublin should follow suit and all stand together and not accept shatters insults.
Realistically we have a dictatorship since the government doesn’t have the support of the people. So can the Gardai arrest the government for acting illegally since in theory there not legit.
In short, no. They are democratically elected…
It is a joke democracy takes 5 yrs to work. We should be able to get them out sooner if enough signatures collected
Oh, don’t get me wrong i completely agree. There’s just no way we could walk in and arrest them is all :)
It’s a sad state of affairs Claire but we are all under attack here .
I hope the strike does not go nation wide.There is some nasty crooks out there.
Yea Shatter and Callinan to name a few
It needs to happen, the government need to se that we are slipping into a lawless society, I for one do not want my children growing up in a criminalised country just so the government can line their own pockets. I am 100% behind a blu flu, Garda, A&E staff, Ambulance and Fire service staff should all have the best resources and pay to match all the disasterous conditions they put up with.
Clear out the waste at government level, no more unvouched expenses, cut all allowances, and provide paper-trails and justifications. Complete review.
Abolish the senate.
Then move down through the public service and apply the same standards, examine everything, rosters, allowances, overtime, staff numbers, equipment etc. In the gardai, prision officers, nurses etc.
Eliminate waste in all these sectors too, make them efficient and accountable, with clear rationals for all payments, justified overtime, correct staff levels etc.
All this is necessary, and has to be done now, all those sectors have become distorted over the years and need a full review and clear out.
They are public servants, and should be accountable.
Claire that’s my point…highlight all the shortcomings that ye have to deal with by working within the hours you are obliged to do and do it only with the tools provided to you by the State. You may have been highlighting it for years but its only now unfortunately that the public are listening and behind ye. I think that working to rule long term is better than a one day flu day and would be more effective..I hope though whatever action is taken will bring more criminals to justice, stop the violence on our streets and let elderly people living alone sleep peacefully at night
I hate the garda and have had a lot of run ins with them but they dont deserve to be treated like this they get respect from me cos they have gone to college and have gotten educations something i havent done but they are right to stand up to the goverment they wouldnt be pushed over on the street why take it from the goverment
The viper
I think it’s vitally important that the army join the protest…..as they will be forced to pick up the slack should the Gardaí or Fire Service or Ambulance Service work to rule! This is totally unfair on them…..they’re trained soldiers and peace keepers…..not bloody bin men!!!
The Army
Ok. This seems like the perfect opportunity for all the Irish people, along with the people who enforce the law, to all march to Leinster house, together. Get the army in too. They must b suffering. And all stand up for yerselves. If that’s not a vote of no confidence, I don’t know what is.
All out strike.
Ok, so it’s illegal for the Gardai to go on strike, I realise that’s the law. My question though, is this:
If they did go on strike, who’d arrest them for breaking the law?
I would assume its the IDF members that would have to do it, and somehow I can’t see that image on the 6 o’clock news helping the governments position. I do realise that blue flu is the preferred choice, and I understand why. I support them fully in it, and I hope it puts a stop to the new proposed cuts.
But if it didn’t work…
Why would the Israeli army be arresting Gardaí?
IDF is the acronym used for the Israeli Defence Forces. The Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann) consists of a Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) and a Reserve Defence Forces (RDF), PDF consists of Army, Naval Service and Air Corps. RDF consists of Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve. The only way they would be able to arrest Gardaí or members of the public would be if emergency powers were brought in. The most likely persons who would arrest Garda would be Senior Garda Officers or GSOC, the Army could act in a ATCP role and assist under Garda direction.
@marc. What other jobs are out there never mind better paid ones?
No likey no lighty
oh great, another out break of swine flu
All the silly boys who have been arrested for been naughty are coming out of the cracks now! You’re fond of the deoch I’d say.
Oh great, another ignorant comment from a troll with nothing better to do…
Have some respect. These men and women protect you from dregs of society everyday…. Then again with a comment like that, you may very well be one of the people they arrest.
I would presume he is a dreg? trolls are essentially online scangers, no i don’t have a smoke. what’s that smell? kindly go back to sleep while the real world continues to evolve.
Ain’t nobody got time for that
Can anybody confirm if there’s any truth in the rumours coming out of Cork regarding a specific cut in wages over the next 2 years? If that is true,it would leave me earning a max of €300 a week,before bills mortgage etc are paid!
I got that info on text today. If does happen it would leave me with €44 a week in wages
@ Paul McKenna. From July €80 a week. From next jan €40 euro a week reductions. If we don’t accept the cut they will be imposed on us. We have no choice. Lads down here have negative pay cheques as in one lad pay per week is -€17 euro. However that works
No mention of the confidence votes ya all held for yourselves down there in the media today
What are you talking about?
great to see so many gardai have taken the publics time to come on here and let us know how they feel, instead of doing their jobs once again. join the club lads, we are ALL being hit by cuts. get over it or get a new career.
You take a proposed €170 a week pay cut over the next year and a half you fool and see how you pay your bills etc. your obviously just the roll over type.
Hello Troll
Who is taking up the publics time?
What do you mean “Join the Club”?
The cuts are not equal
Wait, so people are unable to comment on here on their days off?!
The magic of the Internet ladies and gents!
great to see someone else who regards working for the public service as being all about take home pay soccer punter. good man.
read through the comments johnny, you will see quite a few comments such as “stand with us”, “as a garda…”
“i wont be…”, “not using our own mobile phones…” etc. now by the powers of reason and deduction(almost detective-like skills) it could be deemed that these individuals are gardai. COULD BE(cue tense music). how many of these individuals are on duty while making these comments? maybe none, but I’m just gonna jump on the bandwagon here and say most of them.
and can you explain what the cuts are not equal to? i also work in the public sector in scientific research. i have taken huge cuts over the last few years. now, if i and my colleagues took that genius, soccer punters, stance on it and caused a fuss and decided we weren’t going to, as he delicately put it ”roll over”, then many of the discoveries in our research leading to therapies wouldn’t have be found. but then, we don’t have the power to hold a ransom over this country so who are any of us to be talked about.
explain how cuts could/should be equal?
how about we look at the private sector. pay cuts or job losses. simple as that. no amount of strikes within a doomed company will ensure people keep their jobs and their salaries.
Marc, bandwagon, what bandwagon? Im afraid your the driver and sole occupant my friend because there is no one with you on this one. Are you not aware that gardai work shift work and are more than likely off hence the comments above! By you suggesting that a garda is in the job for the money is disengenous and twisting what soccerpunter said. Perhaps he simply cannot afford to survive if he gets hit yet again, if so he is entitled to air his grievance. i actually think your pay should be hit again because you dont seem the brightest spark and its people like you working in the public sector that give everyone a bad name.
how am i giving the public sector a bad name Jason? because i do my job and express my distaste at watching other parts of the public sector stand back and complain and refuse to do their job is it? and explain to me how I’m not the ”brightest spark” as you put it? i could do the same and suggest that all gardai receive enormous pay cuts down to the bread line because any gardai whom i have had experiences with(old classmates and colleagues who have joined the force) have all been the most horrible and untrustworthy individuals i have ever had the misfortune to come across. but then that would be painting all with the one brush wouldnt it.
The Gardai do have days off ya know. Garda internet blocks social websites so they are commenting on their own phones/computers in their own time. Wipe that egg off your face.
i didn’t know the gardai had their own internet??? their own intranet yes, but if social media is blocked then they wouldn’t have social media sites such as their twitter, Facebook and flickr accounts, as managed by the garda press office.
Hey scientist, how smart are you? You know at any one time there are less than 2,000 Gardai in work at once? That leaves 11,000 who can come on to the journal, see the, frankly, ridiculous comments from People like yourself and make their own presence known.
I’m just after waking after working 9pm to 7am. I was driving home while most were hitting ‘snooze’ on their alarms. I presume I’m allowed to make a comment now, seeing as its in ‘my own time’ but maybe you can clear that up for me?
Also, as a ‘scientist’ you surely know you can block certain sites on one computer and leave them unblocked on another.
Yours sincerely,
Someone who regards working for the public service as a lot more than take home pay.
@marc
It’s time to throw away the shovel fella, you’re making a fool of yourself.
Private sector worker here!!! Guess what, I support the Gardai and talking to people today, so do they.
This comment from a self named scientist. Your getting very emotional about a rational argument. The guards argument is we have been cut already and we believe we have done enough to help the government plug the holes that private banks made and they decided to force on the Irish people for generations to come. By your logic I’m taking it you will continue to work in the public sector no matter how much your wages are deducted, is this correct? You wouldn’t consider standing up for yourself or your colleagues, ends and shatter must get an erection when when they see your shirt sighted comments bud
whether I’m supposed to be on a rest day or even if I’m actually sick that day, I will be working during any blue flu outbreak
There’s always one
Of course you will dan, of course you will.
Lads leave him alone he must be up for promotion
Good lad Dan. You must be on the promotion list. Good luck with that and also good luck with abandoning your colleagues.
I didn’t join this job because of the money, I joined for the right reasons and those reasons still stand, anybody prepared to abandon the public en masse are a disgrace to the uniform….yes we need to take a stand, but not at
Fair play to you Dan, nice to see some principles and values that extend beyond personal greed and mercenary motivations.
Don’t let them grind you down
Gardai should take a pay cut like anyone else, that’s my view
Like who exactly?
They already have, three times. You have a very short memory my boy
Like anybody who has a cut to their wages in some shape to regain this money needed! there is a certain amount of money that has to be got from the public service I heard today
1 billion in savings recovered from the public service
Their already down 25% as are full-time firefighters. Go do some maths for ur self.
Yes and until the money is recovered from the public service side, public servents will continued to be hit! It’s the stark reality of the situation
Are these the same gardai that are throwing people in jail for unpaid fines. Seems a bit unfair that they can stand up for themselves, but are the same people that can tell others they can’t. Bit hypocritical, no?
Tom you’ll find that its the judges that are putting people in jail for unpaid fines. Judges sign the warrants and make the conviction orders. Gardai are directed by the courts to execute the warrants. Get your facts right you lamp.
Why would you care Tom!? Sure aren’t you apparently over swanning about Australia these days!? Gardai being cut to the bone financially & morally is nothing to do with you so please refrain from commenting! They no longer need or want your support!
NO
Tom, if you believe there is one person in ireland serving just one day for not paying an unpaid fine then your misinformed. This is one of the greatest myths that really is getting bandied about in yhr media in the last few months. The stark and frankly disturbing reality is people are choosing not to pay court imposed fines for public order, driving offences, no tv licence etc because the time to be spent in prison in lieu of not paying the fine is not at all and im mean not one day being enforced. They simply turn up at mountjoy prison after being brought there by gardai they sign a form and are free to leave often times returning home before the gardai have arrived back at the station. How this is not more publicised is baffling. So anyone who craps on about people serving time for ‘not paying a tv licence’ is talking out their hat.
these the same guards that protected baliffs and sheriffs evicting families from homes…don’t tell me…we were only following orders..hypocits if they expect public sympathy.
Derek Gardai are not there to protect Bailliffs or Sheriffs. Gardai are there only to protect the peace and that is it. That means to ensure the safety of both parties
great to see someone else who regards working for the public service as being all about take home pay soccer punter. good man.
read through the comments johnny, you will see quite a few comments such as “stand with us”, “as a garda…”
“i wont be…”, “not using our own mobile phones…” etc. now by the powers of reason and deduction(almost detective-like skills) it could be deemed that these individuals are gardai. COULD BE(cue tense music). how many of these individuals are on duty while making these comments? maybe none, but I’m just gonna jump on the bandwagon here and say most of them.
and can you explain what the cuts are not equal to? i also work in the public sector in scientific research. i have taken huge cuts over the last few years. now, if i and my colleagues took that genius, soccer punters, stance on it and caused a fuss and decided we weren’t going to, as he delicately put it ”roll over”, then many of the discoveries in our research leading to therapies wouldn’t have be found. but then, we don’t have the power to hold a ransom over this country so who are any of us to be talked about.
explain how cuts could/should be equal?
how about we look at the private sector. pay cuts or job losses. simple as that. no amount of strikes within a doomed company will ensure people keep their jobs and their salaries.
Obviously its about take home pay. That’s what every job boils down too.
if it is about take home pay then alan, get a job that pays better
@Mark What are you facing when you go to work? A bad stomach ache. Our emergency services are under constant attack when they do there job just walk down patrick st, washington street on a Saturday night. No public servant, banks included should be on more than k100 per annum including semi state companies who receive money from the government. Start reducing the cost of living that way people will be able to afford to live thus been able to reduce the pay rates of both public service and private sectors. Reduce business rents and rates. Encourage people to spend on luxury items eg tv’s, laptops, etc not the essentials of bread and milk. Bring in house hold charge across the board not just homeowners but rented as well. But then ensure they do what the rest of Europe do, provide the services for there money eg refuse collection.
And if you are a public servant why are you posting on this surely your not on a day off or at lunch
paul, i have to say, i completely agree with everything you have said there. i know people who are getting paid WAY too much and i am on literally a fraction of what they get paid. in fact, both mine and my partners salaries combined are minuscule in comparison to some of the salaries people I’m surrounded by are being paid. and the thing about it is, we live fairly comfortable lives. yeah bills are a balls, but christ there is always something you can stop doing to save a few bob. or something else you can start to doing to make a few bob extra.
what i face when i come to work are the same hazards as anyone working in a biological lab. pathogenic bacteria, carcinogenic chemicals, respiratory problems from handling of chemicals and salts, yes a bad stomach ache(if you consider working with samples from patients with gastrointestinal problems and bowel cancer) etc. but that is all part of the job. if i don’t like it, i can go elsewhere. and ya, i am on a day off, in fact i have the next 2 days off for annual leave.
But I bet you have all the safety equipment required to your job safely and in a safe environment. Uniform provided for you which reaches the maximum job specs. Probably even subsidised canteen. Yes the majority of members of the Emergency services don’t joining the job to say I want to get rich. They actually do it because they believe they can make a difference. They are on a average yearly gross pay but by the time you have taken out tax (yes we all pay it) then the stealth tax you are on just short of minimum wage ie if I went back to be a security guard I would earn for 40 hour than a member of the Gardai who does 60 hours.
@Paul
Then go and be a security guard, you wont be missed.
And no you don’t pay tax, your total gross pay is paid from collected taxes from the private sector. You then return some of it, very simply a total pot of tax is collected from private sector, this is used to pay public sector salaries. The tax you return does not add to the tax pot at all, in fact it is a costly slight of hand accounting procedure to give the appearance of fairness. Giving collected taxes and taking them back just reduces how much tax we give you, not you giving any tax.
Can you understand this?
Who with the insight you have you really should be in a much paid job.
Oh wait it is precisely those insights that mean your not in better paid job. Reach for the stars my friend, reach for the stars.
Wake up my man, this our 4th pay cut in 4 years. Have you been living on the moon.
@Paul
All gardai are still receiving increments (pay increases) these have not been stopped and have been planned ahead and calculated till 2016. These have been continuing all through the economic collapse.
Also of you are including a increase in pension contribution, which does not cover the cost (we subsidize it) then that is not accurate and deliberately misleading
@hello
I work in the private industry so do not receive any payout from the government. What I pay in tax over a week would probably cover your social welfare entitlements for the month. Secondly do you not use these services.
@Paul Sherwood
I’m a taxpayer from the private sector, paying tax at the top 5% of workers. Below the level of tax avoidance, firmly in the upper middle class of earnings and fully exploited for tax purposes.
I claim nothing and contribute more than most people in this country. I am also fully aware of how few people like me contribute, I can see my total PAYE + PRSI + USC and do the math. It would require 2 – 3 earners like me just to support one average Garda (who is not milking the system and trying to be greedy)
Your assumptions are pathetic, I don’t know what you do, you implied you were a Garda earlier and could take a private security job for more earnings (idiotic comment) earlier
Well done for you. At what point did I say I was a member of the Gardai. If you “READ” the post it say “They” meaning them. Also I said if I went back to security I could earn more than a member of the Gardai. Please read the messages properly before you comment
@Paul
Once again what are you on about, I said I don’t know what you do, and that you implied you were a garda (as it turns out through very poor powers of expression and grammar). Reread you sentences and you will see the are phrased badly.
You also implied I was on social welfare which was crap, you question whether or not I use public services.
Answer very rarely, and my limited interaction have not given me a good impression, there is clear institutionalised inertia, with a sense of entitlement, and a irrational victim mentality, and siege attitude of grab everything you can and be as awkward as possible.
If I do need some public services that I pay handsomely for, the least I expect is efficiency, professionalism, a work ethic and some manners.
Why dont all the gardai on this thread identify themselves……looks like it 90%
says the lad who wont put up his own name. Good one.
No one here is hiding what we do apart from you…
@hellogoogletracking
It’s clear you have brains to burn.
So are you Gardai then?
I am using an alias, which is humorous, do you understand what that means?
In China they have strict regulations controlling and tracking everyones internet access, which are direct attacks on personal freedom, free expression, and human rights from a liberal perspective. Perhaps you should move there if that is the way you believe society should be organised.
Are you so right wing that you would also like everyone to register so you can track them? Then you call the government a dictatorship, hypocrites, empty headed non thinking fools.
The fact that you show your name is not a badge of honour or courage, or sign of conviction and virtue
On the contrary, it shows you are so stupid that you do not understand how the internet and personal privacy invasion works…….but I guess if you are a garda then you just consider personal privacy as an inconvenience to you.
Probably so stupid that you believe then empty nonsense of “if you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about” and are in favour of nationwide DNA databases and fingerprinting everyone.
Damn fascist
Bit outta context there buddy
He’s probably scared incase mummy or daddy catches him on the Internet before he finishes his homework
Play the ball not the man, your constant instinct to attack the personality reminds my of Alan Shatter.
Ignore any point you don’t like, then make irrelevant comments designed to provoke.
The irony of your childish comment and your intended meaning is no doubt lost on you.
Ireland is running a 15 billion deficit this year that excludes banking debt. That means we need to cut 10 billion and raise 5 billon in tax. The largest cost to the state are public and civil servant wages pensions and expenses. I’m afraid there are more cuts to come across the board. Look at what Garda and other public sector workers were earning 15 years ago and that’s where we need to be to balance our books. We can’t keep borrowing money to pay public sector workers that’s the reality.
Actually 15 years ago guards earned more.
We spend more then we take in as a country. But thats because our cowardly government’s puts bank debts on the people instead of telling ze germans where to stick there promissory notes
And they need to make 1 billion in savings from the public service
have your say