Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend you, the Leader of the House, the Deputy Leader and the Leader of the Opposition and everybody else. This is an excellent Seanad and will continue to be such until the new Seanad takes office.

The Garda lost its appeal in relation to sick time and sick pay in the Court of Appeal yesterday. The Garda is in a position quite separate to public servants. Gardaí are the only public servants who have to wear a knife vest on duty and they put their lives at risk every day of the week. The decision in this case is wrong and I hope it will be reversed because the Garda deserves the full support of the people. I was quite surprised that the general secretary of Impact, Shay Cody, warned that he would ballot for industrial action if the Garda was exempt from the rules of sick pay. That was very unfair. I wish the Garda Representative Association, GRA, success in any appeal it takes in that regard because gardaí put their lives at risk every day of the week. On Monday, two gardaí were struck down in an incident in Ardrahan. They were in hospital as a result of carrying out their duties. We should be very conscious of the role of An Garda Síochána. I hope this ruling will be changed and that gardaí will be given proper sick leave because they stand in the line of duty defending the public. They are an exemplary Garda force, which is unarmed. It is one of the finest police forces in the world. I hope the Garda will get justice in this particular regard.