Gardai or Cadets

[mac dara]

ok this is just a quick question. which should i go for? finishing uni this year. i know it will be one or the other just not really sure which. have spent time with the rdf which i enjoyed.

any commets welcome?

[Big Al]

neither, get a proper job :D

[mac dara]

:D i knew i shouldn't have put in that any comments.

i just want to work out the pro's and cons of each

[no.one]

I`m starting in Templemore in two weeks so when I get started I`ll be able to let you know what to expect. The garda recruitment process is bit of a pain in the arse, and I have heard that there is no new competition for trainees being held this year but I don`t know if this is true. Did you do the exam last June?

[CTU]

mac dara you should have done a poll for this

[ForegoneReality]

Well; from what I've seen. In the previous two Garda recruitment campaigns there had been roughly 360 places available in Templemore.
For the cadets, there'd be 70 at most. 50 for the Army, and the remaining twenty usually split between the Naval Service and Air Corps (14 / 6).

That said though, the odds of getting in wouldn't be much higher considering that at least double the number of people apply for the Gardai and also the fact that physical fitness isn't taken into as high an account as it is in the Military (hence a lot more lazy bums getting through the majority of stages for the Gardai)...They don't ask you to run that mile and a half until you're finished the first stages of training in templemore.

From what I've heard people don't know how unfit they are until they have to perform the fitness test for the army..but at least they know that if they pass that test there's no excuse for them not to be able to survive the harsh 15 weeks that follow. A lot of Garda cadets don't know the intense fitness regime they'll be going through until they're in Templemore..That said they'll make you just as fit...

Both the Gardai and the Cadets have their benefits/drawbacks. Officers in the army earn a considerable amount more on appointment, though must understand the fact that they could be going on missions that span half a year..Gardai can pop home in the evening to meet their husbands/wives and regard they're duty as a dayjob. Gardai also have the law against them, in some aspects; in that they can only defend themselves and not make the first strike on an agressor. They must face gangs in the middle of the night with only a baton and deal with the general bums end of society. I may be wrong (Goldie might correct me) but Gards would usually be the first to car accidents and murder scenes...In the Irish Military aspect; although there's a serious amount of danger on UN missions I doubt there's as much death as what Gards see.

What's making me curious is why haven't the Gardai started recruiting for this year? McDowell/McCreevy being tight fisted?

Well, the later the better. If I don't get the cadets I might be able to scrape up enough money to get my eyes sorted for the Garda requirement :D

[Goldie fish]

Its a bit like asking should i be a butcher or an electrician. Totally different jobs...

[yooklid]

Well said Goldie.

-Y

[no.one]

From what I`ve heard the gardai are not starting a recruitment process this year, so that makes your choice a bit easier unless you want to wait a year.
ForegoneReality if your thinking of applying to th gardai and you have to scrape together the money for eye treatment don`t forget you`ll need to scrape together a bit extra for your equipment as the gardai make you pay for it

[FCA Trooper]

if laser eye treatment counts you out of the cadets,are you sure it doesnt also disqualify you for the guards also?

[ForegoneReality]

Originally posted by FCA Trooper
if laser eye treatment counts you out of the cadets,are you sure it doesnt also disqualify you for the guards also?

I enquired about Laser Eye treatment earlier in the year..

From what I've been told the Gardai don't disqualify you for having corrective treatement as they themselves have this treatment on their insurance scheme. In fact, it's the only insurance scheme in Ireland that will pay for the treatment..

As for the cadets I'm surprised. Are your eyes more vulnerable to permanent damage afterwards? I was pretty sure that your eyes condition remains optimal apart from the refocused retina..

[Goldie fish]

The laser eye treatment has been greatly discredited in recent years. A knock on the head after can cause permanent sight damage.

As for the Garda Medical aid,you first have to pass the medical,so they can decide if you are fit and healthy enough that you wont be costing them a fortune getting your facilities repaired. If you do not make the grade because of something that can be fixed through surgery,they give you the chance to do this AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE and re take the medical.
Remember also that befor returning to work as a garda after any form of surgery,you have to satisfy the garda surgeon that you are fit to work.

A Guy in my class,son of one of the current A Comms,and a bloody good mate,had a problem with his eye during training,which necessitated long and drawn out surgery,which put his training back a year if i remember rightly.

After all that,he was killed in a road accident while on duty. R.I.P :(

[Goldie fish]

What equipment are you referring to no.one? The uniform is issued,except for the shoes,which can be purchased at a very reasonable price in the College Canteen.
The only things not issued are PT gear,(which you must buy in the canteen store-College crests etc). Trainers are available,but its in your own best interests to have a few pairs of PROPER running shoes,as you will get lots of use out of them.

The rest is personal admin.

[Farel']

I have often wondered about garda training. It seems that much of the time is spent on essays and dissertations...how can this be useful to the garda on the beat? I appreciate that paperwork is a large part of the job,but is it necessary for them to spend so much time being "students"? Would the time spent doing research for a never to be read again essay be better utilised learning driving skills,public order training etc?


Congrats to No.One on your acceptance....remember us "members of the public" when you end up patrolling town in a jam and cheese sandwitch

[no.one]

The equipment that I`m referring to is shoes, boots and PE Health and Safety Studies training kit. It costs around 400euros, thats 2 weeks wages! Maybe I`m just a tight bastard!