Garda Síochána and industrial unrest

Sir, – Minister for Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohue reckons the TD salary needs to be maintained at the current level, as lowering it might encourage those who might be "beholden to others" to seek election ("TDs allowed to keep ¤5,400 pay restoration, Donohoe says", October 19th). Would we then be better served linking Garda pay to the principal officer grade in the Civil Service instead ? – Yours, etc,

CONAN DOYLE,

Pococke Lower,

Kilkenny.

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A chara, – The possibility of a day without the protection of the State in the form of the Garda Síochána could raise some interesting legal implications.

Say, for instance, a bar fight escalates due to the impossibility of “calling the Guards”, and results in an innocent bystander being injured. Could this person then sue A) the State, or B) the publican for dereliction of a duty of care?

Publicans may have to consider whether they should open their establishments on a day of official lawlessness.

Or what if a homeowner, terrified by the lack of resource to police assistance, should clobber an intruder, causing him injury? Could the intruder sue the State, claiming that the homeowner’s excessive force was as a result of the failure of the State to provide normal levels of protection? A bad day for the gardaí could prove to be a good day for the legal profession! – Yours, etc,

TERRY PATTISON,

Dún Laoghaire,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – All of this proposed industrial action is going to make it very difficult for criminals to confess and return to education. – Yours, etc,

EUGENE TANNAM,

Firhouse,

Dublin 24.