Pay cuts are unavoidable reality, says minister

JUSTICE MINISTER Dermot Ahern told gardaí yesterday pay cuts were “unavoidable” and everyone had to “face up to economic reality”.

The minister delivered the uncompromising message to middle ranking gardaí at their annual conference in Galway as public sector pay and modernisation talks resumed last night.

The general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), Joe Dirwan, listened to the stark message before breaking off his conference duties this morning to attend the pay talks in Dublin.