Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
“WHAT I AM doing is laying the facts before you as I know them,” Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan said towards the end of a five-hour hearing on the penalty points controversy at the Public Accounts Committee today.
What became clear during the course of intensive questioning of Callinan, who was flanked by several other senior gardaí, was that his view on the cancellation of penalty points differs from the stance taken by two whistleblowers – or “so-called whistleblowers” as he referred to them – who could give evidence to the committee in the coming weeks.
The two whistleblowers were revealed today to be serving garda sergeant Maurice McCabe and, as had previously been disclosed, a retired garda, John Wilson, both of whom have put forward allegations of widespread and systematic cancellation of penalty points.
But Callinan does not agree with their take on matters, and here’s some of what he told the Committee…
1.’The system works’
Though there have been the much-publicised issues with the fixed charge notice system, Callinan said these issues had been addressed and that he accepted the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (C&AG) report.
He added: “Holistically the system itself is working very, very well.”
The commissioner acknowledged that record-keeping had been poor in relation to the input of detail about some fixed charge notices through the Garda PULSE system but said, in relation to the whistleblowers, that when you “look at the totality of allegations…no thread of evidence has been found to date and nobody has come forward and provided that type of evidence” to back-up claims of widespread corruption in the system.
2. Callinan is not a fan of the ‘so-called whistleblowers’…
The “so-called whistleblowers” came up at various stages during the committee. Callinan made the point that the captured evidence from the internal garda PULSE system took only a “snapshot” of the decision-making process in relation to terminations and said “they didn’t see the complete picture”.
The Commissioner said the PAC’s intention to hear evidence from the whistleblowers was “extraordinarily unfair” and said he would be taking legal advice on the matter.
But he went further as the hearings progressed, describing it as “quite disgusting” that two people out of a force of 13,000 people are making “extraordinary serious allegations” and there is not “a whisper” from elsewhere in the force of “corruption or malpractice”.
He added: “Frankly, on a personal level, I think it’s quite disgusting.”
3. … and he doesn’t want to be “usurped by subordinates”
Callinan acknowledged that one of those making the allegations is a serving member (Maurice McCabe) and did not rule out the possibility of disciplinary action being taken against him.
He said in the context of the allegations, which he considers to be “unsubstantiated”, that the officers have made, the appearance of the whistleblowers would have an adverse effect on maintaining “discipline and order” and added it was his view that he “shouldn’t be usurped by subordinates”.
Right at the end of the hearings Callinan also disclosed that the serving member, who he did not mention by name, has limited and supervised access to the PULSE system through “a prescribed mechanism”.
“That’s the way it is unfortunately, that’s the way life is,” he added.
4. We don’t know much about the gardaí’s internal whistleblowing system
Callinan extolled the virtues of the gardaí’s internal confidential reporting mechanism, but repeatedly refused to say how many times it has been used in its six years in operation, except for explaining it had been used in April 2012 for the disclosure of an allegation that a garda superintendent cancelled four fixed charge notices.
This allegation, from the whistleblowers, was passed to an assistant commissioner but it wasn’t until eight months later that Callinan wrote to the whistleblowers. He then declined to reveal to Mary Lou McDonald what went on in that eight month period when the allegation was with the unnamed assistant commissioner as it was a “confidential process”.
5. The PAC wants to hear from the whistleblowers
Both garda whistleblowers have indicated a willingness to appear before the committee, one of them as soon as next week, pending legal advice, but the PAC could decide to hear their evidence behind closed doors.
“The case to hear from the whisteblowers is absolutely compelling,” Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald said.
McCabe has indicated to TV3 News this evening that he would be prepared to come before the committee and give evidence in public session.
6. Reforms have ensured a 100 per cent success rate…
In his opening statement Callinan informed the PAC that an internal audit of the use of the fixed charge notice system carried out in November and December of last year found that “100 per cent of these cancellations were carried out within policy”.
Fine Gael’s John Deasy asked if this is a new development, Callinan said it is not but that in recent months, as a result of a directive from his office, it is “much tighter controlled”.
7. … but Callinan can’t explain the high number of cancellations in Ennis
The C&AG report found the rate of terminated penalty points in the Ennis district was nearly 6 per cent, more than twice the average elsewhere, but Callinan said that it is “very, very difficult to put your finger on any one element” or reason for this.
“I simply don’t know,” he told the PAC.
8. Serving traffic summonses is a long-standing problem
“Summonses are a difficultly and have been a difficulty for us for many, many years,” Callinan told John Deasy who probed the increase in non-serving of court summonses for traffic offences.
Deasy pointed out that a 2000 report by the C&AG made recommendation to increase cooperation with the Courts Service and said this was again highlighted in a 2012 report. The Commissioner insisted that the gardaí are “engaging with Courts Services on this issue” but admitted it is “a difficult area for us”.
9. Each case must be taken on its merits
Labour TD Derek Nolan probed the issue of gardaí potentially cancelling penalty points for family members. Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Mahoney’s report found that 99.5 per cent of over 1500 terminations that were examined had no identifiable family connection.
Callinan said he expected that “each individual case would be examined on its merits and if there are merits for cancellation that that would take place”. Unsurprisingly he said he did not expect a garda to “get involved in doing favours for the friends or family”.
10. The curious case of the bees worrying livestock
In one bizarre exchange early-on in the hearings, Callinan detailed a case where penalty points were cancelled because “bees were worrying livestock”. He said that the person involved was a beekeeper engaged in voluntary work whose wife telephoned him to say his bees were “out of control”.
He had to get back quickly as livestock and people were in close proximity, Callinan explained, saying that he had been speeding nine kilometres over the speed limit. The garda officer in question took the view that the offence merited cancellation, noting the person in question had no previous transgressions.
11. Have a “man-to-man discussion”
Committee chairman John McGuinness also raised two particular cases where cancellation of points was questioned by the whistleblowers in their submissions to the PAC. This included where a person had their points cancelled as they planned to attend a court hearing, but the whistleblower found that that particular court was not sitting on the day in question.
In another case, a garda had his points quashed after claiming he was on-duty when the whistleblower found that in fact he wasn’t in the area he would normally working and was on sick leave.
This was part of a wider point by McGuinness who put it to Callinan that given the fact this information was “circulating around” would it not have been possible to bring in the two gardaí and have a “man-to-man discussion in relation to what they see as their duty to report what they see as wrongdoing”.
Callinan told the PAC that in December 2012 he asked the two whistleblowers to hand back the material taken from PULSE and make a report through the confidential reporting mechanism.
“They have chosen very carefully when to act and when not to act,” he later said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Not a fan of whistleblowers. This is the same Martin Callinan who told Alan Shatter private information about Mick Wallace, right?
the tax dodger?
Wallace could be the Yorkshire Ripper but the use of the information against him was totally wrong.
Shatter and Callinan explained it away but I still firmly believe that they both should have resigned for it.
It was Haughey era Justice stuff and I have no respect or trust in either of them after it.
Doesn’t matter whether he’s a tax dodger it’s still an act of whistleblowing.
He didn’t whistleblow for the penalty points he merely took up the issue and ran with it, btw he didn’t whistleblow on himself/his company for not paying tax. You have to have credibility to tackle other for their shortcomings, he has zero credibility.
very poor performance from callinan today. its clear he believes any mistakes, corruption, wrongdoings etc must be handled inside and kept secret. his comments about the whistleblowers (members) and his ‘open door’ are pathetic. its clear the gardai don’t have the integrity it should and craves. but sure why would it when they all get funnelled into Templemore, come out like robots using the same language, behaving the same etc and group think arising from this monolithic structure gives us the type of claptrap we heard today. we need lots of outsiders being able to join the gardai at different levels and at different ages with experience in external environments
WHERE ARE ALL THE GARDAI TROLLS
Where you been hiding out Harry?
Sounds like a lot of huffing and puffing and ‘facts as I know them’ is surely legaleese for something else entirely …
Montys Moonshine…. has been sting by a bee
Kevin it isn’t an act of whistle blowing really, still it was unwarranted and the information was not passed by Callinan but by a Garda. Nevertheless the minister should not have used the info in such a fashion.
Callinan’s reaction and front shows that he knows that he is sitting on a cesspit and needs to blag it out.
It’s the typical reaction of a man trying to keep a lid on this.
He ain’t going to come quietly.
What has already been revealed is stinking favours for those who are well connected.
Laws in Ireland are applied and enforced in a highly selective manner.
Miller, ( and others) the Garda is not a corporation or a private company, it is a disciplined force with a command structure. Like the army, orders apply. Group thinking is required and as in any command structure there is no room for acting outside the rules of the organization. They certainly are not robots as Adrian Donoghue’s and Gerry McCabes families will tell you. Mpat of them would put their lives on danger to help you. There is such a thing as “discretionary power” where police are not obliged to prosecute offenders all the time. If you take this power away then you will get your “robots” and Gardai will prosecute everyone regardless of their particular excuse etc. That seems to be what you and others want. The two whistleblowers have no credibility and that was effectively shown today by Callinan. Anyone who can’t see this does mot understand policing. Callinan is a true servant to the state, he is of impeccable character and his word I’d gold. .. Unlike some of the trouble makers on witch hunts and following various agendas of their own.
tom
it is not a disciplined force, no disciplined force would plant bomb and guns on sligo people and cover it up, frame donegal people and try and cover it up to the bitter end, aid and abet the escape from justice of those who bombed dublin and monaghan, frame people, batter people in cells and in their homes etc etc etc
The guards are losing respect at an enormous rate, they should have been disbanded along with the ruc.
@Tom Apart from trying to intimidate them how did Callanin show that the whistleblowers lacked credibility ?
What a lie, as he did nothing of the sort
We learned pure spoof and observed the fine skills of evasion, distraction and concealment.
Tom, ya! I was following orders. I am not required to act legally or morally as long as I am following orders.
Uniformed black guards are still black guards.
Ridiculous comment. Aid and abet the Dublin and Monaghan bombers?? Get a grip.
Nonsense stuff Limerick Soviet. Disciplined Force means that it has a command structure. Re-read my comment and it’s meaning as a reply.
Where is their credibility? An audit already proved them to be grossly exaggerating. Any person has the right to appeal their ticket by writing to a superintendent and if a valid excuse is given they may be successful. It is a very minor road traffic offence and Superintendents often give the benefit of the doubt. . Even for angry bee excuses. It’s good p.r!
What exactly was illegal?
Still haven’t answered my question Tom
An audit – what audit ? Was it carried out by the Garda hierarchy, by any chance ?
the guy at the back is a look alike for peerpoint
Like the Army !!!! Half the Garda are overweight which wouldn’t be tolerated in the army, yet the garda had a height restriction for years preventing loads of capable men and women from joining….. Also the Traffic Corp are the biggest shower of wasters around. Shooting fish in a barrel is their policy. Callinan will regret his stance to-day and will if anything bring out more whistle blowers. And before going in to-day he didn’t get legal advice??
Well then Tom if the commissioner and other senior officers haven’t been attempting to cover up a culture of corruption in the force among senior ranks then they should have nothing to fear from the PAC then should they?
Comptroller and Auditer General. Sorry about the delay in answering. Am I on trial? By the way neither was Callinan. Let’s just wait and see how credible these two out of 13000 turn out to be. Callinan is an incredible man who has devoted his life to law and order, we owe him a lot. Any person that received a fine could have appealed amd because it is a mickey mouse offence and an excuse to collect revenue from people who might be 4 mph over limit the superintendent often let it slide even for weak excuses. That is the simple fact we are dealing with and that is why many of you are now screaming about corruption. The power to use discretion has always been there for every Guard. That is why you might be told at a check point to get your car tax up to date and given a chance instead of ending up in court. People need to decide if the want their police to lose that discretionary power.
Correct Noel, shooting fish on a barrel. That is why many superintendents let tickets go on appeal, which is what this is all about. Anyone could write in and appeal. Many would be successful. Plenty overweight army lads too. That is not the point. I was saying there is a command structure and that was in reply to a comment. Don’t really know what you are talking about height for. Firstly that is gone thanks to Callinan. Secondly it has nothing to do with subject here.
Who is Noel :)
But this isn’t the discrestionary powers that every guard has, this involves special powers to over turn point available only to senior ranks.
And the commissioner’s record means nothing if he and his senior officers are engaged in the protection of corrupt officers.
Tom, you and me know that the issue of quashing penalty points is 10 fold of what is starting to come out in the open. Please don’t tell me you believe the problem is only 5% or whatever was quoted to-day. Come on, it’s an Irish thing of which I am one. Who you know and what they can do for you….I don’t want to see and Garda fired, but please don’t tell me you believe the issue is only what two members of the Garda are saying. Well one former member. And I guarantee you this, if they testify there will be fireworks.
They have nothing to fear from PAC except unnecessary attempts to discredit the force to fulfil various agendas. Why do you think they fear PAC? Not a hope. Callinan just has an issue with the correct system not being used and the horrible manner that the whistleblowers went about this. He says ” so called whistleblowers” because they are in fact not informing about anything as they are by in large ( but not completely) wrong. ie it is a long way from widespread.
Ok Neil, skillful counterargument there kiddo. You can retaliate by calling me Tim if you like.
You ate not on trial Tom. It’s just that so many people see the corruption that is going on here.
He seems rather aggitated for a man worried over a protocol issue, I think he’s afraid that the Smithwick tribunal’s comment that the guards are more concerned with loyalty rather then honesty will be shown to be true and that it will be shown that the guards are not capable of internal oversight.
And as regards due process, his officers don’t seem concerned with it considering their campaign of persecution of the whistleblowers.
Bob . Green thumbed you but one question . Why are you not a fan of whistleblowers ? By their nature they are knowledgable . They are insiders to a world joe soaps are excluded from . If they are liars they’ll be exposed . Often in a world where many will lie to protect themselves they offer the only chance for honest justice . I cannot praise these two gardai ( ex ) for their courage . The point system is poisoned . How many guards have more than 2 points or any ? . I hope callinans arrogance is on the front page of every paper and forum tomorrow
Michael please have a look back at my comments and especially on the right to appeal these fine. That is all that this is about. Successful appeals for a rubbish offence of driving a couple of mph over limit. Hang em high, eh?
Tom, you know well that this not not about the fact that you can appeal penalty points. It is about the fact that the system allows gardai to choose and sometimes abuse who gets off.
We all know, who you are will have a major barring on whether you get off off not.
Added to this the bully boy tactics of Callahan against the whistleblowers adds to the feeling that something stinks here.
Looking forward to hearing them
Micheal, the only corruption that will be seen here is when the two members give their story and are not even slightly vigorously questioned by PAC like Mary Lou. Successful appeals of speeding fines does not amount to widespread corruption. Anyone can appeal and mostly get benefit of doubt. It is a petty offence used ny government to collect revenue. Superintendents mostly don’t require much convincing in an appeal letter to give these mostly law abiding good people a break. No police benefit financially or any way at all. It’s just decency. police are damned either way. PAC have over stepped the mark here . It’s a sledge hammer to drive a thumb tac.
He Callinan speaks from the two sides of his mouth its not long ago i noted him say of truth that it was most important to the gardai looks he has had a change of mind from to days acts and further to go to the courts xparty is an insult to we the people as in the irish constitution get real tell the truth
where are the 13000 trolls
‘PAC have over stepped the mark here.’
The extent of civilian oversight and control is not for any member of AGS to decide. As I’ve said before, no law abiding member of AGS has anything to fear from being accountable to the public and their representatives.
or are 12850 good gardai
Tom, I guess that is why Callanin is taking the unprecedented step of going to the AG to stop them.
The Gardai versus the government
Your persistent minimising of this shows that you do not understand the implications of the seriousness of what is happening here . It graphically illustrates that not all people see equal before the law and points to evidence of much deeper corruption.
No Michael, that is the way it is being painted. It is in fact an appeal system for a minor fine for a minor offence. Gardai always had that choice for minor offences. The only other option is Zero Tolerance policing. The fact is Guards don’t make gain either way. It’s just simple discretion. Superintendent uses discretion because the revenue collectors known as traffic corp rarely use policing discretion on the side of the road and the cameras never use discretion. Don’t get me wrong, in some very rare cases the old boys club will be used I am sure, but if anyone has knowledge or issue with that then report it an appropriate fashion, don’t breach data protection, and run to individuals with agendas against establishment. The one serving member doing this knows this is far from widespread and far from corruption. I think gardai should simply cease to issue fines and merely give warnings or create summonses and let the court decide. This is what happens when you turn police into revenue collectors so return to the old system.
Would imagine he was well lawyer end up and tutored Neil !!
Michael, I have no doubt that you are a decent person. I fear you are easily swayed by questions posed to callinan that infer some sort of guilt, while ignoring answers that infer the opposite. I too am looking forward to seeing their testimony, and wonder if the PAC will simply accept it as fact or rigorously question it as they did with comissioner callinan , constantly rehashing the same questions looking for holes that simply were not there. Perhaps they should allow Callinan to ask them a few questions, in the interest of fairness.
‘Perhaps they should allow Callinan to ask them a few questions, in the interest of fairness.’
Did the whistleblowers get to ask the commissioner any questions?
Thanks Tom, I am sure that you are a decent person also but I find your statement that I am easily swayed by the questions asked by the PAC a bit condescending.
I am swayed by the performance by Mr Callinan in his attempts at witness intimidation. I know, and you know that these two men have been victimised since they came out. That is the way criminals act. Nobody should be above the law.
Of course the whistleblowers should be questioned robustly. After all we are all after the truth here ?
Why is Callinan going to the AG to silence the same ? Looks like he has a lot to hide !!
There is a difference between being accountable, which callinan was, and being harassed and not accepting answers he gave no matter what. A witch hunt.
Michael it only shows you all have a right to appeal. His going to AG is a matter of principle. Watch it all play out Michael before you decide, don’t base your opinion on today.
Yes David, they were allowed cause the Commissioner to be questioned by PAC as a direct result of their claims. Any court process allows cross examination and this farce seeks to imitate a legal process.
Tom that is a lie, the guards who brought this to light did not get to ask questions, in fact the commissioner is busy trying to prevent them speaking out about garda corruption.
Like it or not members of AGS are answerable to the elected government of this country, if they do not like that then they can resign from the force in protest.
How were they victimized? Who victimized them? In what way? Do you know much about their background within the organization?
Today showed a lot Tom, which you seem to be choosing to ignore.
I saw no attempt to intimidate witnesses. However the serving member will undoubtedly feel the disapproval of his colleagues for making exaggerated. and unfounded claims. I wonder what were his true motives. That would tell a lot , wouldn’t it?
Irish examiner Monday the 20th. Look it up.
So you know that the accounts that the whistleblowers will make are exaggerated and unfounded.
How do you know this ?
And you tell me to wait and not judge the situation too soon ??
No I am not ignoring anything. Accusations are not facts. No fact has been presented as evidence at all. Why are you accepting accusations as facts when they have no basis ? Mary Lou enjoyed herself but presented absolutely nothing except innuendo and accusation. Some people interpret that as proof . I don’t.
Mary Lou and mac Loughainn are both acting like butter wouldn’t melt
please remember they said the following,,
the IRA had a ”duty” to murder people
there were NO victims of sexual abuse in the republican movement
I wonder why he refused to say how many times the internal reporting mechanism was used in the last 6 years? Can any gardai out there enlighten me as to why he should not or could not answer this?
He should have been told answer it or it or that he was no longer trusted by the committee, ie resign.
It is taxpayers money that pays him and the force or “my force” as it was tellingly described as.
Paul Kiely from the CRC is a Fianna Fáil dirtbag, we expect nothing less but Callinan is the top Guard , he should answer every question and not challenge the PAC’s right to hear the whistle blowers or their right to appear before a committee of this state.
Time to remind him who he works for.
I agree, I am just wondering if there is any valid reason as to why he was allowed to refuse to answer that question? I can’t think of one. From what I saw today, the PAC commitee were showing far too much reverence for the title he holds and not getting an answer to that question reflects badly on both themselves and Commissoner Callinan.
It used to be “my force” but now it’s “my subordinates”. This must gall rank and file gardai.
It is obvious that he is trying to stop this unravelling. Imagine the reaction of the vast majority whose points were not quashed.
We are looking at a secretly administered and highly discriminatory system of expunging points for the benefit of the well connected.
Is a modern democratic republic the Rule of Law applies to all.
It is a sickening form of corruption.
Callinan’s reaction is tantamount to ” You can’t lay a finger on us. We have the evidence and you can’t make this stick. “
He refused to answer how many times the internal complaints mechanism was used because it has absolutely nothing to do with the enquiry. It is not an issue that has any relevance so why inform the PAC about what the have no reason to ask about.
So Cillian, a witch hunt should be allowed for every rubbish accusations made by disgruntled employees of state bodies, instead of using tried and tested internal procedures? He obliged them by being there to answer ridiculous questions that are based on false and exaggerated claims by two disgruntled individuals. The truth will out soon enough.
Tom, then expose the entire sick and sorry mess and let’s see the full truth in all of it’s sickening reality.
Callinan is running interference. It is glaringly obvious.
You have no basis for accusing the retired Garda and serving Garda of being disgruntled but even if they are disgruntled that does not mean that points were not expunged on Pulse for improper and preferential reasons.
Attacking the whistle blowers is just distraction and evasion.
Will you apologise if their evidence is ascertained to be well founded?
Tom, it absolutely does have relevance. Callinan’s entire argument against the whistleblowers is that there is a good internal complaints procedure in place which they should have used instead of going public. One good measure of whether or not the complaints procedure in place is good, is whether or not it has been used. Gardai should be able to use it without fear of retribution and safe within the knowledge that their concerns will be investigated.
You mentioned it was “tried and tested” procedures. However, we don’t know if it’s tried and tested because we weren’t told.
Regardless of whether the allegations are true, he should be treating the PAC with respect, as elected members he is accountable to them, and by proxy us. He is blatantly refusing to do so and is further damaging the Garda reputation by refusing to be transparent.
2 people in an organisation of 13000? Come on Peter!
Ann Marie, the complaints procedure and internal reporting mechanism are different things. What exactly would it prove if the internal reporting mechanism is not used very much? That the police force is one of the finest in the world or that guards are afraid to use it? Who would decide what it means? Perhaps Mary Lou McDonald! Where would the questions stop and would he have to give examples? Callinan has sacked many for corruption and wrong doing. He would not stand by any wrong doing but will defend the force when it is being wronged.
Internal systems of any state organisation can not be trusted, do you not get that yet???
Snowden was one in how many ?
2brave men
Nonsense Neil. Though all systems, internal or external have flaws.
one has just done so on the Vincent Brown show by making a text ???????????
the gardai are not perfect
but they should be subject to the same law as you or me
we want accountability
but to see SF confronting the guards like this is truly disgusting
without the guards we wouldn’t be able to wak down the street and that is a fact
this is all revenge for The Disappeared on TV3
doherty and the anglo tapes
mac laochainn and the whistle blowers
He doesn’t like whistleblowers but doesn’t mind those involved in gangs or such to come forward. Essentially whistleblowers! It should work and be respected both ways n
He doesn’t like journalists either by the looks of things. Check out award winning Gemma Doherty fired. There seems to be an Irish media blackout on the story buts its in the uk papers.
Callinan fired a journo? No her paper fired her, how is this his fault?
Despicable – compulsory redundancy by her boss who had benefited from points being cleared, shortly after door stepping Callinan who had also benefited from points being cleared.
Discussed here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057033561
The lives of these 2 Whistle blowers are over, their families will be targeted for years to come for intimidation and harassment as they have already been.
Call it what it is, witness intimidation.
Whistle blowers are the only thing that the ordinary tax payer can rely on to out fraud and corruption in this state. In most countries they are protected for the service they give people at great cost, here they are punished for rocking the boat.
Jonathan he never said he didnt like whistleblowers, he said the manner the carried it out was disgusting. They had a proper route open to them, which is tested and works well. That wad what he said. Look up ” whistleblowers” . Gang members informing on eachother is not the same. .. Though under Callinan gangland crime is down to lowest in decades.
Nonsense again Cillian. Your accusation is completely false. Why are you trying to use lies to make a poor arguement about an issue you don’t have a grasp of?
Tom, whistle blowers also has a perfectly respectable and idealistic meaning.
It is used in corporate governance to mean a system to enable employees disclose wrong doing.
You are being highly selective in your use of expressions.
So Peter are gang members employees in corporations because thats what it sounds like you were trying to suggest.
The only thing that’s separates the Gardai acting illegal or corrupt compared to a gang member is that the Gardai are not an illegal organisation as for the gang are ‘obviously’.
@ Jonathan Myers
give me the name of a member
any sinn fein member who ”came forward” and reported SF wrong doing
There are very obvious threats by Mr Callinan to any garda who would dare to speak out.
S should this be asked in a democratic country ?
Oops “should this be allowed…
Callinan’s just one more lowlife who’s wormed his way to the top by using and abusing the political system. You wouldn’t believe it possible that this kind of stuff still goes on.
Another thing that’s bothering me is the possibility that the whistleblowers evidence might be heard behind closed doors. What’s all that about? So much for transparency.
Commissar Ivan Callinan of the KGB reporting.
*The facts as I see them are that tractor production is up 50%.
*Grain theft is down 40%.
*Agitators, Kulaks and others are plotting against us by saying that this is not so and that we are not the greatest, happiest police force in the world.
One thing about Callinan, I would trust him to keep a secret but I would be careful to trust him.
a young fella was drunk one night
and he was going on and on
saying his life was hard
i always have a few pints at the end of the week
because i have 4 children wrecking my head
what am i supposed to do ? he said
the garda responded ” tie a knot in it i suppose ”
I find this whole performance incredibly distasteful. Callinan is coming across as a joke – some of his quotes from Today are pushing Padraig Flynn levels of bullshit.
There is blatantly an issue with this and he is showing zero concern for any of the evidence on display. He calls them “so-called whistle blowers”, he wanted them to hand back the information rather than deal with the allegations, he suggested they should have reported internally however he’s unwilling to explain what happened when one of the whistleblowers DID make an internal complaint. He’s also unwilling to give any details of how often the internal system has been used in the past.
This performance is so horrendous I would think Callinan needs to resign. He calls himself a effing POLICEMAN and yet he turns a blind eye to exposed corruption.
Other gems: 99.5% of penalty points erased were not for family members – so 0.5% were for family members? EHHH that’s actually quite a lot!
Ennis has double the national rate of penalty points dismissals and Callinan says “it’s very, very difficult to put your finger on any one element” or reason for this. – With answers like this, how did he ever manage the leaving certificate!
Very biased David. 95.5% had no connection to Gardai. Lots of people have Guards in family or extended family. Guards would advise these that they have a right to appeal their ticket by letter to Superintendent and if they have a valid excuse they may be given the benefit of the doubt. That right is there for all. If it wasn’t there then the Garda use of discretion would be gone, leaving Zero Tolerance policing. Is this what the Irish people would prefer because Callinan could arrange that I’m a day.
This excuse of zero tolerance is a smokescreen. People who think the majority of cancellations were legitimate are on cloud cookooland. Everyone knows gardai quash for friends I know of cases where this happened for fact. The only reason I would judge for cancellation is proven medical urgency
rush to hospital doctor on call. Clear evidence that lots of cancellations had no reason out BS reasons like late for meetings or bees on the loose.
I really think some people are defending the indefensible here. Let the courts decide if a reason was justified not allow cancellations on the whim of one garda.
Conor , the court has nothing to do with police using discretion regarding who they prosecute. Speeding is a minor offence and police can accept or reject excuses as they wish. That is part of the policing job. The only other option is zero tolerance. Thats not a smokescreen.
You regard speeding as a minor offence. There are many things you can get penalty points for which I would consider a “minor offence” but speeding is not one of them.
Along with drink-driving it is the biggest contributor to manslaughter on the roads.
Damn! Never thought of using the ‘Bee’s are worrying the Livestock’ excuse before.
As A bee keeper this dose not stand up in normal justice its a con
This man has obviously been coloured by his years on the force. He’s worked hard and has been rewarded by advancement in a organization that has developed over the years in a vacuum. The result is a man unwilling, to accept reform, new/best business practices and tackle new problems with new solutions.
Sadly… A man like this, his vision and problem solving skills can be more of a hindrance than the solution.
A man who is often stuck, seldom moves forward. Is this what we want guiding our protectors, our law enforcers?
The big three players in Irish society for too many years was the government,namely FF, the Catholic Church and the gardai. All the scandals pertaining to FF and church went through the Gardai first and they stonewalled. Why? FF promoted most if not all of the upper echelon into positions. When parents went to the Gardai with complaints of child abuse, not only did they look the other way, they allowed the abusers to stay in the parishes and to continue their pattern of abuse. So is the Gardai corrupt? No and yes. The rank and file do a great job. Their bosses, as guilty as the bishops of Ireland
well saID BILLY AND THE GARDAI EVEN TOOK BABIES OUT OF THEIR MOTHERS ARMS BY FORCE
Unbelievable that a person of his intelligence has reached the highest rank in our Garda force.Does he not realise we pay his wages?
We pay him but the problem is the minister for justice is the one who put all that extra red and gold on his uniform.
This guy is nothing more than a bad 80′s cliche. He should be a$$ kicked across the pond to a place like L.A. where the cops have to do real duty. This guy is head of all irish investigative bodies (police, intel, CAB, etc). What a feckin clown.
I’m thinking of changing my name to Father Dougal Mandela…imagine what I’d get away with!
It’s an institution like the church and as in any big institution there are rotten apples. I suggest very few in the Garda are corrupt compared to other countries as we are such a small Country and most people knew their local Garda. One of the perks of the job is doing a favour for a friend if possible as is acceptable in most other professions. Surgeons operate on their family first thing in the morning when they are sharpest and that’s fair enough. I bet dentists don’t hurt their kids as much as other patients. It’s the way the world works. Gilmores wife gets a big job from Rory Quinn — so what. Nobody died.
Love your justification of corruption mind… so Irish
mindful
i suggest that you are not from a working class background nor a working class estate. Working class people know too well what the gardai can be like and it certainly isn’t one bad apple.
Limerick, not even one bad apple, great endorsement of the Garda.
Its a whole orchard.
Maurice Mc cabe. Man of action obviously! Why are his talents being wasted in the Midlands of Ireland? A tour in Store st. or Pearse St. would change his ( whistling) tune!
I smell a court injunction on the way.
Political opponent? Don’t forget Taxdodger when you describe him. Pot Kettle Black. Purposefully and deliberately not paying your company’s tax to the Revenue, should get you sacked and sent to prison.
We all agree mick should have been brought to justice yet claiming to not like whistleblowers when he whistleblowed himself is hypocritical. Whistleblowing is a great way of tackling crime that the guards benefit from on a daily basis
It should but it still doesn’t change that Shatter and Callinan should have resigned after the whole debacle.
All 3 should resign.
Spot on Cillian
Callinan appears to be more concerned with the blue wall of silence being breached than the rancid stench of corruption that is apparent to every fair minded citizen. When you look at it only the connected were aware that a phone call to the right person was all that was required to dodge justice.
What a joker.
We acknowledge the need for guardians of the peace.
We don’t like wrongdoers and we all know who they are.
Vote independant and let’s start anew.
I don’t care who you vote for once you vote for someone intelligent, independent and decent who will do the right thing by your area. It’s not that hard.
The system could be changed overnight. It is possible.
The electricity will still run and people will go about their lives as normal as any other day.
Doesn’t the example of America, where their government shutdown for a short while not demonstrate that party politics is both unnecessary and irrelevant. Life continued like nothing ever happened.
Find out the total salaries/perks/pensions for all our politicians and connected cronies and see if that money could be put to better use.
+1
+ 2 however I would like to see pbp & swp have a go aswell.
If you not right wing, FG, labour, ff, sf or green I like ya
Martin Callinan must be steaming out his ass to have to sit there today and be questioned by a member of sinn fein.
what did SF ever do to the guards ?
oh yeah ,,,,
I see you lot are still throwing peanuts at each other instead of Martin Callinan.
I never realised Vincente Del Bosque was a garda.
So Callinan has now gone to the AG to stop the whistleblowers from testifying. This really shows he is very afraid about what they will expose, namely the truth.
No transparency here
It’s disgusting
Pig
What has Callinan got to hide?
have your say