'Blue Flu' at Dublin airport

The Times reports that members of the Gardai National Immigration Bureau have been on unofficial protest at Dublin airport over the loss of a daily meal allowance of €29. The dispute is as a result of Gardai management's decision to stop paying allowances to members of the GNIB when they are working outside police stations. The allowance is reportedly worth up to €6,000 per annum and is payable at a rate of €16 for five hours away from base, €29 for eight hours and €42 for twelve hours.

Officially Gardai won't confirm that there is a dispute but every passport is being checked and scanned and every passenger gets a few minutes of 'friendly' Gardai chit chat, all of which are adding up to cause passport clearance delays which apparently grew to three hours in the pre Christmas period.

The Times also reports that the delays eased on Friday after Gardai management agreed to recommence payment of the allowance pending a review which will take two weeks.