I predict the turnout will be somewhere around 100,000.

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Nothing will motivate the lazy / apathetic / Americanised / west-British types to embrace their culture and the Irish language.

Not quite yet but it fits into the description of Civil unrest

"Civil Unrest is typically a symptom of, and a form of protest against, major socio-political problems; the severity of the action coincides with public expression(s) of displeasure.

Civil Disobedience is a refusal to obey lawful commands-a very different situation indeed.

The refusal of the government to address what has happened and is happening in this country at present has greatly eroded their mandate to govern. If it was not very clear to all, the polls have confirmed it.

We are very close to bankruptcy and what does the guy on the street see?
He sees his quality of life being seriously reduced. He sees his livelihood being taken away from him and yet he sees the government apparently protecting those who have benefited greatly and illegally.

I am sure the Army and the Gardai did not take the decision to protest lightly

2 things :

1. Why are the GRA marching separately to the rest of the trade union movement, including the sergeants' union ?

2. GRA will have a hard time gaining sympathy from the general public, mainly because of the bogus " blue flu " protest of about 10 years ago.

Ingrates! After all the government has done to protect Garda criminals from punishment eg in Donegal.

I have posted elsewhere about Gardai and the grevious wrongs they have done, however the majority of the ordinary Gardai on the street are dedicated and put their lives on the line for you and I.

Donegal and the Morris tribunal castigated the Garda Officers of Superintendent and higher rank.

(1) I believe that many Gardai marched with the other protestors. Sergeant and Inspectors are a seperate organisation.

Perhaps they are marching on their own because in the very tense situation that prevails at the moment they are afraid that other organisations may revert to Civil disobedience and then they would not have control over what happens.

(2) Are they looking for sympathy? I think that they are making a statement against what is happening.

The blue flu was a means of circumventing the legislation that prevents Gardai from going on strike-an option open to all other citizens when they are being blackguarded by their employers.

They did not pretend they were sick and expect it to be believed.

They should have organised the march for Saturday so there would be less security at the FF Ard Fheis

Sorry but it castigated all ranks. Quote: " one example
of how members of the Garda Representative Association set out to
destroy an investigation ordered by the Garda Commissioner." http://www.morristribunal.ie/images/sitecontent_80.pdf

If you read the morris tribunal report in dept as I have and spoken with those affected by what happened and spoken with some of the Gardai embroiled in the affair you would see that Justice Frederick Morris placed the blame in Donegal on the higher ranking gardai, in particular on Superintendents John P. O'Connor and Fitzpatrick whom he singled out in particular, in effect stating that they were collectively responsible for the falling standards in Donegal and much of what happened there.

Apart from that are you stating that the members of Garda rank, who do their job properly in an increasing hostile environment should now be indebted to a government who have steered our country into a quagmire and who are not apparently coming clean about what happened, and refrain from protesting?

That show of indebtness can be left up to the Superintendents and Chiefs and Commissioners who after all are political appointees and who should have been brought to task for Donegal, Dean Lyons, Kerry Babies, John O,Donoghues speeding, Brendan O'Donnell and many more.

The Gardai of Garda rank have every right to protest and with the Army perhaps they will stir the civilians into realising what is really happening.

See Monday's Irish Times article First strike against levy takes place on Thursday - The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 23, 2009

Quote:
"The Garda Representative Association (GRA) ,which represents all rank-and-file members of the force,is organising a march against the pension levy for its members in Dublin city centre on Wednesday."

This demonstration against government policy,even if understandable in emotional terms,raises grave issues for the security of the state.A strong argument could be made that the gardai,as the enforcers of law and order,owe total,unquestioning obedience to the government. So they should not do anything that would even hint at disobedience to the government and certainly not demonstrate against the government. I don't think many countries would allow it.

It would not be a great stretch from demonstrating against the government on pay to refusing to obey government orders to suppress a strike declared illegal and arrest union leaders. There is a good possibility of a strike being declared illegal in the next few years if the recession proves very deep and prolonged,with major redundancies and drastic pay cuts embittering industrial relations.

Imagine a scenario where essential services in hospitals and public transport go on strike. After a period of time, the government orders an end to the strikes,with summary dismissals for those who fail to report for work. But certain diehard strikers hold out,leaving the government no choice but to sack them. In response, some union leaders call for renewed strikes. This leaves the government no choice but to issue orders for the arrest of those union leaders and as well as workers engaging in illegal picketing. Would the gardai carry out those orders efficiently and willingly? Just look at the trouble a highly disciplined garda force is having with the Shell to sea troublemakers.