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Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan Niall Carson/PA Wire

Callinan has “no difficulty” in providing information to PAC

The Commissioner said that he would not discuss the issue of serving sergeant Maurice McCabe appearing before the PAC.

GARDA COMMISSIONER MARTIN Callinan has said that he has the “height of respect” for the Public Accounts Committee.

He made the comment after it emerged today that he is seeking legal advice over the proposed appearances of two garda whistleblowers at the Public Accounts Committee next week.

This afternoon, speaking in Dundalk, the Commissioner said:

I have the height of respect for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). I said that yesterday on a number of occasions. They do extremely good work for the citizens of this country. And I certainly don’t want to do anything to hamper that situation.

However, he added:

“But, you know, I have my own backyard to watch and I intend to be as transparent as I have to be in terms of appearing before these people and providing the type of information that they require.”

He said that he has “no difficulty at all, as the Commissioner and the accounting officer of An Garda Siochána, in providing that information”.

This afternoon, members of the PAC were divided on whether or not they should hear evidence from the whistleblowers in public or private session.

The whistleblowers have alleged that fixed-charge penalty notices have been cancelled corruptly and illegally. Their claims were dismissed by the Garda Comissioner yesterday.

The allegations are being made by a serving garda, Maurice McCabe, and an ex-member of the force, John Wilson. PAC chairman John McGuinness has indicated both men are willing to appear before the committee.

Asked about stopping McCabe from appearing before the PAC, Commissioner Callinan said: “I’m not going to discuss that matter at this time.”

Earlier today, Independent TD Shane Ross said that the whistleblowers have “every right to express a view, an opinion and give evidence in public”.

- Additional reporting Hugh O’Connell

Read: TDs divided on whether PAC should hear from garda whistleblowers publicly>

Poll: Should the garda whistleblowers be brought before the PAC?>

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55 Comments
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    Mute micheal285
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:39 PM

    Was watching Vincent Browne last nite and a Ban Garda txt him and told him how all this does go on but Members are afraid to bring attention to it for fear of reprisals : I think it’s common in every job u just don’t rock the boat : I was 26 yrs in the Army and it was the same : u kept ur mouth shut or ud be screwed until u were eventually pushed out the gate .

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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:43 PM

    Exactly and the screwing that you can get from crossing a Guard is worse than anywhere else.

    Even from a very early age we are taught in Ireland not to cross a Guard in a personal matter or you’ll be got. Their is a respect for the force but there is also a fear of them.

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    Mute jackass ireland
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:16 PM

    Never fear the incompetent or the stupid. I feel for the Gardai in the force that are actually decent people because the people like Callinan bring disgrace on the entire force. That man is a clown to the highest degree. It’s hard enough for Gardai to have to fight with Judges to even get proper convictions but then to have incompetent leaders running the show just makes the job impossible.

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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:22 PM

    There are worse things than being thought a clown or a fool, not being worthy of consideredation at all.

    That is where Colonel Callinan and his RIC victorian police attitudes are.

    94
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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:31 PM

    You would have to worry about Callinan’s thoughts and what he says. I’m left wondering if he would act in the interests of the state and it’s citizens or only in what he believes is in the good of the force. Don’t have a lot of confidence in him at this stage.

    141
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:51 PM

    Hard to see how he is acting in the best interest of the State or the force tbh.

    97
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    Mute Harry Price
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    Jan 25th 2014, 9:32 AM

    get real Commissioner Callinan democracy is of the people……you now look like a dictator with a gang.. you should reseign

    16
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    Mute Patrick
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    Jan 25th 2014, 10:31 AM

    I have seen it in MNC too. Anybody who speaks up or has a great vision for change is silenced . I know someone in a very large MNC who was sacked very subtely when he identified a ring of bullies in an area.

    1
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 1:54 PM

    an anonymous text ?

    sounds legit

    2
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    Mute Harry Price
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    Jan 25th 2014, 4:01 PM

    Resign … CALLINAN

    3
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:32 PM

    You are part of the problem Callinan, not part of the solution.

    Move on and let badly needed reforms in structure, operations and especially culture come to the focre.

    His display the last day was not acceptable.

    215
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    Mute Eddie Barrett
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:52 PM

    I agree Cillian – sounds like he wants the retirement push and a big payout in compo to go – otherwise could anyone be that arrogant – shades of the Eoin O’Duffy era about this attitude towards us ordinary people in Ireland !

    131
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    Mute P o leathlobhair
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:29 PM

    Making the gardai out to be a French foreign legion type of force . They are supposed to serve the people not be above their questioning. the arrogance of the man to feel a public enquiry has no right to question him . Typical self importance from a Garda . A jumped up one at that

    190
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    Mute Mekere
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:36 PM

    Typical bully mentality. “I have the height of respect” buy not for any of your own officers that stand up and speak out against corruption in the force!

    188
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:41 PM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2F4VcBmeo

    “You can’t handle the truth! If you want to enjoy the freedoms you have, then you sit out on the M7 with a speedgun dealing with Commies staring you down. I not going to be questioned by you, don’t you know who I am”

    Quote from:
    Colonel Lord Jessup Callinan in “A Few Good Men go to PAC”.

    67
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    Mute Foreigneachfear
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:24 PM

    What has the commissioner got to hide?
    He seems determined that Garda won’t talk to the p.a.c..
    I already think the commissioner should look at his own position.

    139
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:00 PM

    @ Foreigneachfear

    2 garda out of 13,000 are gonna go in front of the whole country
    and accuse them of gods who’s what

    is that fair ?

    2
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:00 PM

    knows *

    1
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    Mute Shane Hartnett
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:23 PM

    move along there folks ,nothing to see here..ha!ha!

    110
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 1:53 PM

    sinn fein used nelson mandela death to make us all ‘move along’ and forget that Pearse Doherty and mary lou lied about the abuse victims

    what was done about that ?

    where was the investigation into that ?

    6
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    Mute Gerry Ryan deG
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:41 PM

    Whenever there is a discovery of revenue to the state being written off by an employee of the state, the PAC have a direct role to play in the investigation and the boss is first up for questioning. If the boss can’t shed light then it’s on down to whoever can.

    99
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    Mute Ciaran Morgan
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    Jan 24th 2014, 9:33 PM

    Callinan has set the gardai back 30 years with his attitude.

    90
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Jan 25th 2014, 1:20 AM

    The majority of them have always been back there.

    15
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:01 PM

    @ Jason Bourne

    would you go on tv and say that ?

    2
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    Mute Tony Moran
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:54 PM

    If the emblems on your hat and clothing are red then you’re untouchable. At least that’s what I’m reading in between the lines that Callinan is spitting out.

    80
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    Mute Chewey Bacca
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:56 PM

    If your explaining your losing.

    78
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    Mute Mary Crimmins
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    Jan 24th 2014, 7:04 PM

    How come?

    9
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jan 24th 2014, 7:42 PM

    *you’re

    20
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    Mute Danny Southgate
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:46 PM

    Ladies and gentlemen let’s forget about the great and the good who got points squashed, let’s just deduct from wages of those who put the taxpayer at a loss with interest , you won’t be long seeing an end to squashing points and fines

    65
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    Mute Ger Delee
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    Jan 24th 2014, 7:10 PM

    “Jaysus lads ye can’t be doin that”

    56
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    Mute The Irish Bull
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:02 PM

    Time to pick up your pay off and pension me thinks.

    54
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 1:57 PM

    when the guards got caught making sick rape comments
    what did we say ?
    there are more good than bad people in the gardai
    this week it is different though
    a former bank adviser (shane ross) has 100% changed how we see them ?

    1
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    Mute Malachy Quinn
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:28 PM

    The majority of if not all Garda are good honest people but in life just a few give them a bad name, unfortunately Commissioner Callinan has forgotten that he is a servant of the State & it is not his Garda but the States !

    2
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:45 PM

    What a difference a day makes?

    43
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    Mute Cillian_Durkin
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    Jan 24th 2014, 5:57 PM

    PR company ringing Phoenix Park and bluntly telling him what an anti-democrat he came across.

    64
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    Mute Harry Price
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    Jan 24th 2014, 9:36 PM

    he he he the AG must have told him that this country is a republic and has a constitution and that he is but a paid guard

    28
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    Mute Michael G O'Reilly
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:03 PM

    “These People ” !!!!

    42
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    Mute Joe Smith
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    Jan 24th 2014, 6:10 PM

    These democratically elected people!

    36
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    Mute Donal Reynolds
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    Jan 24th 2014, 9:57 PM

    Cillian your right I knew a few ppl in the prison service and it was rife with this sort of thing , any one who spoke up was picked on , overlooked for promotion for years on end and pretty much made the black sheep , even when speaking up for fellow officers when they thought wrong was done by them sometimes the person they spoke up for would turn on them because they didn’t want to be shunned ! And the main instigator of it all was none other than John Lonergan

    38
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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    Jan 24th 2014, 10:16 PM

    “I have no difficulty doing something” does not mean that I am actually going to do it.

    I have no difficulty giving a breath, blood or urine sample means I am able to do it. It does not mean that I actually will.

    If a senior Garda does not recognise and respect democratically elected representatives, he can enjoy no legitimacy.

    Not all Garda Siochana respect the law at all times.

    30
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:02 PM

    i have no difficulty giving up coffee

    1
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Jan 25th 2014, 11:48 PM

    Doughnuts, Loki. Doughnuts are the problem.

    3
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    Mute Eire
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    Jan 24th 2014, 11:28 PM

    Frank Serpico , Derek Huff , James Corcoran , John Wilson & Maurice McCabe

    17
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:04 PM

    was he the only garda McCabe ?

    ssshhhhhhhh
    we only want to mention the guards that say gardai are corrupt this week jeez !!!!!

    1
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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Jan 25th 2014, 8:20 AM

    His arrogant attitude stinks, he represents what is wrong with the service, he is past his sell by date and MUST go before he destroys even more of the public trust. We need a commissioner who is much more in touch with real day to day policing but will we ever get one or will he be replaced by another yes man?

    12
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:07 PM

    @ Gus Sheridan

    if somebody you loved was robbed, raped or murdered
    who would you call ?

    shane ross ?
    clare daly maybe
    fianna fail perhaps
    or sinn fein could confront somebody for you

    3
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    Mute Eire
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    Jan 26th 2014, 12:25 PM

    @loki April 2011 a recording when several Gardai joked about threatening to RAPE & deport a woman protesting at the controversial Corrib Gas project in Mayo “Jerry Ann Sullivan” ……Who would you call ? There is something very wrong in the Gardai , even in the RTE radio documentary by Wilson he speak’s of GARDAI’s actions & some of his own which are outside the forces power the force has systematically flaws going back decades there is a chance now for the Guards to clean up their act & realise NOBODY is above the Law

    2
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    Mute Prince of Burren
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    Jan 25th 2014, 8:31 AM

    I presume the commissioner does not read journal.ie otherwise he would have resigned yesterday.He did not do any favours for his Garda force,I agree with most of the comments he forgets we pay his wages.The arrogance he displayed was unbelievable, it’s time for this country to wake up

    11
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    Mute Malachy Quinn
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    Jan 25th 2014, 9:57 AM

    Commissioner Callinan is a service of the State, he is accountable to the people of Ireland & as so, he must co operate with the PAC. Have to say Clare Daly is more concerned about making headlines judging by her negative comments on the competency of the PAC.

    6
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:10 PM

    @ Malachy Quinn

    to see a bank adviser (shane Ross) talk about ‘corruption’ and ‘accountability’

    funny stuff

    1
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    Mute Malachy Quinn
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:30 PM

    It may be so but he is not afraid to challenge the status quo!

    1
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    Mute McHorrible
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    Jan 25th 2014, 7:54 PM

    Such a non issue….. Its called a Square…. Deal with it! People use contacts all the time…. If I know someone in a shop I ask for a discount, in a hotel I ask for an upgrade, if I know a Guard I ask for a Square….. Its how society works!!!

    2
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    Mute tony maher
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    Jan 25th 2014, 12:18 PM

    MY FORCE. .. HIS FORCE. . OUR FORCE. ??????

    2
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    Mute Loki Cumberbatch
    Favourite Loki Cumberbatch
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    Jan 25th 2014, 2:12 PM

    it’s only our force when something bad happens to us

    the rest of the time
    like this week
    they are only ”looking after their own”

    1
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    Mute Pat Kirwan
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    Jan 25th 2014, 10:59 AM

    Has anyone noticed that the lawmakers are not being admonished for failing to enact a certain piece of legislation that will close the loophole that allows people to claim that they were served with the initial notice. The amount of revenue that is being lost through this loophole is phenomenonal but no mention of this. The law is written but not enacted.

    1
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