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TODAY MARKS INTERNATIONAL Day of Happiness, a day aimed at reminding people to be happy.
This year, the organisers are urging people to remember that their happiness is “part of something bigger” and help combat social isolation.
So let’s all take a minute and remind ourselves what makes us happy.
Here are some of TheJournal.ie‘s favourite things:
The view from the top of any mountain when you’ve had a good solid climb up to it. Effort + view = happiness.
The ocean is a big one for me. Swimming in it, surfing, or just seeing and hearing it when I’ve been away from the coast for a while does the trick.
My dog, walks by the sea and a good gig. I love going home after a while and seeing how excited my dog is to see me.
Being by the sea, dogs, listening to great music, drinking wine and eating nice food with friends.
Dogs in general make me happy but especially my own. When I get in the door and he’s so excited to see me, that never fails to make me smile.
Aside from the people around me, playing sport, board games and playing music.
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Very convenient that he brought this up now after what just happened at the agsi conference, why not bring it up sooner if he’s been concerned for some time?
Exactly Linda. Min of Shatter doesn’t like the Gardaí getting support from the public. During a recession there is an increase in crime how does Shatter react? He closes Garda Stations and pisses off the rank and file Garda.
Keep it up Shatter because what also happens in a recession the mob start to get fed up with a government that continues to collect large salaries while they’re cutting everyone else’s. I’m glad the Gardaí realize from where they’re getting their support during these interesting times.
Well said reada, couldn’t agree more!
Of course more Gardaí looked up info on a TD in trouble with the law. I’d love to see how many looked up info on TDs arrested after the various Tribunals we’ve had in this country. Alas, they’ll have some time to wait.
@ Linda…exactly what I was thinking….I’m sure he’s very good at ‘changing the subject’!
@Reada – I do not agree with most of the things that Minister Shatter does but closing those stations was the correct decision. The station in my local village was closed and tbh it should have been closed many years ago. It was manned for a few hours per week by a garda from our nearest town. He would basically come out to do some paperwork etc. The idea of these local stations being a deterrent to crime is complete nonsense.
Being a solicitor he should realise too the existence of the burden of proof. Just because Gardai checked the arrest of a public figure doesn’t mean any ‘leak’ came from them. Here’s another theory, what about someone leaking their own story to discredit Gardaí.
Reada, well said…
An unexpected number? What kind if number was he expecting?
The number one would normally expect during a drink driving stop where the suspect is then released without charge as she was not above the limit, maybe one or two, three tops if everyone was using the system for official reasons only.
π = 22/7, That would be an unexpected number.
genius
that’s expected………………….by all great mathemageniuses…
jim.. ….I was very worried about the pulse thus i applied for a read out under the freedom for imformation because of statemants made herein .I have now reported the matter to the gsoc
lol
Why do you hate the guards harry, who would be your choice as the police force in Ireland
Tip of the iceberg when it comes to abuse of privilege and access to info on PULSE database.
..could they have been checking to see if a smile on her face was recorded…..MISERY!
It’s more votes than she will get in the next election!!!!
Clare Daly is so hot right now..
I’m going to stand up here and say it! I WOULD HAVE LOOKED TOO!
So would I!!!
She took an illegal left turn drawing Garda attention to herself.
I would do the same if i was a guard. I would have been interested in the karma of her arrest. The fact that a ‘public representative’ like her tries to muddy the waters on penalty points and blacken all the hard working and honest guards in this country with corruption is sickening. She should look to her left or right if looking for people to castigate – Ming or Mick would be a start. A MP goes to jail in the UK for avoiding penalty points – Ming says it was his way of showing corruption (which he was just waiting to come out with?!!?). This, even though, he had denied it to journalists months before the story broke. And the poor man with the Garlic (who paid it all back) is hammered while Wallis, still claim OUR expenses and is immune to jail – as it was his company not him, that unpaid €millions in VAT. There must be accountability in the Dail if we are to have faith in politicians. I think you nearly would have to murder somebody to get kicked out of the Dail. No standards, no accountability, no resigned is the mantra of our TDs.
Funny you complain about there being no accountability in the Dail and in the very same message criticise Claire Daly for wanting more accountability for Gardai.
She is getting an enquiry – that’s accountability. Your proved your own point!
You do know she done nothing wrong,and that a garda leaked the story to the press that she was drink driving,ah but sure thats her fault for speaking out about the penalty points scam.
I agree with a lot of what u say but the fact remains that a rogue element within the Gardai released untrue information re Clare Daly.. I.e. she had been done for drink driving. So for a number of weeks her good name remained sullied till the results of the sample analysis became public and therefore clearing her of any wrongdoing. That cannot be allowed to continue. But ur right in saying she need only look at the liar Ming and the tax evader Wallace to see crookery and Miscreants in her professional midst.
Oh you know who leaked the story, tell us good man or clarify that it’s your opinion that a guard leaked the story.
That’s to both Gerry and Shane.. Ever cross your minds she could have told a friend as you do, who told a friend etc..
well who leaked it then she was arrested and brought back to a garda station come on now all bullshitting aside it was the gardai that released it to get back at her over what she said about the penalty points.
@GerryIvie you state that the guards leaked untrue information this is incorrect on your part. It was leaked that she was arrested for drink driving. No part of that is untrue, there is a difference being arrested for something and being prosecuted
Had it been proven that a Garda leaked the Daly arrest info? It’s just you seem so sure. She was arrested on a public street in full view of public, passers by, taxi drivers etc. The finer details of her arrest were then released to the media by her in a statement and subsequent interviews with journalists.
This story and the Ministers statement would make far more sense if he stated how many accessed the info, at what time/date and what figure is he comparing it to that makes it ‘higher than expected’. Expected in comparison to what? It certainly would be curious if lots of Gardaí accessed it before it was leaked, but if it was only viewed after the leak, I don’t see the relevance of his statement. But he hasn’t said any of this because I believe it suits his agenda to be vague. He’s trying to muddy the water.
Also, if a Garda is doing his/her job properly, I would expect them to check their computer first thing before a shift starts, that way they are fully briefed to do their job properly on all the goings on in the city for example since they were at work last. Is that not the done thing? If so, then why would you not expect a lot of guards to have looked it up.
When I go to work the first thing I get is a handover from the staff coming off. I would hope the guards operate the same of we’re rightly shagged.
Gerry Campbell! Where in my post did I say I know the Garda who leaked the story ? I said its a FACT that the story was leaked. At no time did I say I knew the Garda who leaked it . It’s an indisputable fact that it WAS leaked. So read my post again or better still get a very patient family member to read it slowly for u . Hopefully after a period of time you ll grasp what was said.
Gerry you can’t say anything about the gardai here without everyone giving out.lastweek the story about the money going missing from the garda lock up alot of people said that it probably wasn’t a garda that it was more than likely a cleaner or somebody from the outside even though it was in a evidence locker.
Ur right Shane . There are none as blind as those who will not see! I’m out of here now !
She was drink driving. She came back under the limit. The arrest was lawful as she admitted herself that she had a “house” measure of whiskey. How it came out in the media that she was arrested has yet to seen.
Ah sure it was probably a passing motorist who seen her been arrested and immediately knew it was drink driving so the got on the phone to tell the media.
Now mr ivie, you have a read of what u wrote yourself. ” a rouge element among the Gardai ” now as instructed I have read it over n over, still seems to suggest that a Garda leaked it, so how do you know this. How if you don’t know this , as I suspect , how can you make such an unfounded allegation ???
Or maybe just maybe she leaked it herself to further sully the name of Gardai. The penalty point scandal does not effect rank and file Gardai as they have no authority to wipe penalty points or cancel fines, you must be much higher up the ranks to do this so to say that this was the motivation behind her arrest is completely untrue as it would in no way whatsoever effect those who arrested her
Actually it’s clear she did something wrong and not clear at all that a Garda leaked any information
“A rouge element” or a rouge Garda? And no report said she was “done” for drunk driving they said arrested on suspicion of drunk driving
I thought it was a Garda’s business to know what was going on! As long as information isn’t misused then no problem arises. It was wrong to assume Claire Dalys guilt. It’s also wrong to assume a Garda leaked that information. That could have come from anywhere.
See this from a UK force’ rules.
“Personal or private use of police computer systems is strictly forbidden. The personal use of police computer systems will be treated as gross misconduct and will be dealt with accordingly.”
Does An Garda Siochana have a similar rule? If not, why not?
Of course they have these rules. They’re no different to any other company in the country that hold personal information of customers/citizens. The Data Protection Act covers this. I don’t think the guards are excluded from this.
John Clarke,
The difference is that in the UK they take this seriously.
The Police Federation warn
“Should an officer decide to look into an incident that he or she has no involvement with then that is classed as ‘information leakage’ – you do not have to pass that information on, merely viewing it with no reason is enough to fall foul of this offence.
“X..Police will most definitely pursue any individual who goes against their policy within the ‘misconduct’ arena and even criminally if felt to be so serious.”
@ Barry McSweeney: all you know, thanks to google, is that UK police forces have regulations governing the use/abuse of police data. You’re assuming that it’s universally observed and enforced or as you put it “taken seriously”. Gardai have equivalent regulation in place. But access to this data is an essential tool for police personnel and is legitimately accessed far too frequently and by too many people to allow for strict and comprehensive oversight. It is taken seriously but scrutiny of every data access by every Garda every day just isn’t practical. You can have all the regulation you like but if 14000 gardai have the access they need to do their jobs, a small amount of misuse, while unfortunate, is to be expected.
I do not Google to see that UK forces take a harder line on data protection. I never claimed they were perfect but they are better than their Irish equivalents.
Eg A Cumbria detective who used police computers to access women’s details has been jailed for four years after being found guilty of misconduct.
Or
Police officers and staff in Wales have broken the Data Protection Act 62 times in the past two years.
Four people were sacked and 14 resigned as a result of the breaches.
According to Conor Brady, former GSOC member.
“When the GSOC examined the Garda Pulse computer it found more than 100 gardaí had swiftly searched it for details of the victim’s criminal past.”
How many of these gardai were disciplined?
Your approach is to shrug your shoulders and do nothing?
You’re not comparing like with like though, are you? For a start, there are over 10 times as many officers in England and Wales as there are in Ireland. You state that in the UK in the past 2 years, 4 were sacked. It’s not like there’s absolutely no oversight here: in 2010, a garda was sacked for abuse of pulse. The UK forces also have a completely different system of oversight.
Little bit selective there, with your quote from Conor Brady. In the same piece, he also writes “It is not solely an Irish problem. Indeed, Garda leaks pale into insignificance compared with what has been revealed of misconduct by members of the London Metropolitan Police in their relations with the Murdoch press.”
Ya got burned there Sweeney!!
He dosnt need to dirty there name there’s a few gardai doing a good job of it already.
Not a fan of Daly but whats the chances these days of being pulled up for drink driving and you happen to be a TD…..plus being under the limit. On balance somebody picked her out for special treatment.
Mr shatter er al. Will be old and cozy in an expensive nursing home, when the chickens come home to roost on this debacle. The country’s ordinary people will have an emasculated ,ineffective ,badly paid , police force, and criminals will thank him and sing his praises. And to all here like that mr Washington below, who constantly knock the guards, and spout ill informed populist muck,
you will all be touched by the untouchable thieves. What a future we have in store broke and lawless..
The powers will use this as an excuse to restrict access to information which will in turn mean that the public find out a lot less about important data concerning possible abuse of authority or corruption. This will be much the same as the situation with social media after mc entee’s death, they will throw the baby out with the bath water and only senior politically appointed officers will have access to information concerning politicians etc….
Shatter – resign – its way past your time to go ! ! !
Get out before you completely ruin the organisation – An Garda Siochana !
For once shatter says somethin honourable.
Im one of those who can see information. Its curiosity but at same tome serves a purpose. We need to be able too have access to national database. She commits offence she goes on it and we can see it.
Easy way to addrss this mr shatter if people dont commit offences they stay off it. Knowing what’s going on and what’s on our system is nothing other then good policing.
youdontknowme …has your memory slipped to the fact that a lie is an untruth
Harry your a fruit and nut case
Harry, your giving us trolls a bad name!!
I thought she drove the wrong way down Inchicore Rd? I’ve seen it happen to people unfamiliar with the road, if they were parked in the apartment blocks for example. There sre no signs when you come back onto the street to warn you its one way..
Maybe its because the gardai were professional enough to recognise when somebody has consumed alcohol. Just because she was not over the legal limit to drive doesnt mean that her driving was to the same standard as somebody who had not consumed alcohol. I praise the gardai who stopped her for recognising the indications of somebody who has taken drink, and if it was obvious to the gardai that she had been drinking (which she has confirmed) then she shouldnt have been driving in the first place. Maybe its not so much a conspiracy theory as an approperate yet legally restricted action on the part of the gardai. Keep up the good work members of an garda siochana.
Why was Clare daly arrested in the first place? Pretty easy to work out that one. She raised the issue about Garda corruption regarding the points for speeding been dropped & hence her arrest was organised. Corruption is still thriving here. It’s not just the banks, its rife throughout the political system. So stop whinging and start leading by example.
billy lets not forget about the pillars that grace the benches there ones that are supposed to operate with out fear or favour.
Give us a break. That would be some conspiracy now that would, MI5 stuff. You’re watching too many episodes of Spooks.
Are you telling me now the guards set the whole thing up just to arrest her. Organised for her to be at a meeting in a friends house; arranged for her to be given a hot whiskey; made her drink the hot whiskey; followed her and waited for her to make an illegal turn and then swooped to put their master plan of arrest into full swing.
Your comment really is very silly when you break it down with a wee bit of common sense.
And while she came back under the limit and good for her by the way I say, she did have alcohol in her system and admitted to that herself.
Give up with the aul conspiracy theory nonsense.
Shatter muddying the water right on que. Good lapdog that he is. Roll in the Commish for his next scene and then Bell-Enda’s customary sound bite
As well as throwing his toys out of the pram at the Gardai for the walkout, Shatter is doing this to take attention away from the woeful job the Government are doing atcrunning the country. Don’t get too caught up in the smokescreen.
I never even heard of her until she started whinging about this . Excellent publicity stunt claire whatever you do lady .
Here here shatter should be putting his efforts into having Mick & Ming REMOVED from the dail if this was the uk they both would be in jail
Pri#k
It looks like any guard can look at anyones record on pulse even if your reporting a crime,that’s why they ask your name all the time.
“Shatter said he expects to receive a copy of the internal garda report referred to by Clare Daly during Leader’s Questions today, which recommends that PLUSE access must be restricted to rank and file gardaí,…”. Why? Don’t the sergeants and inspectors also sometimes need access?
People are getting blinded by their views on politicians in this story. Her information was leaked by the gardai which is unethical and they should be sacked. Notwithstanding, Claire challenged them in the media before this over corruption. It’s astounding how people’s anger and resentment blocks what’s really going on. That’s how fina gael were voted in.
Surely the Garda wouldn’t abuse a privlege like that?
A professional, honest force we are lead to believe.
I was wondering when you’d pop up Joe with your usual tripe talk!
Keep the inane bullshit coming tisgrandsure. You’re only dragging yourself and your own profession through the mud,
You also had the the likes of the clown Redmond of the AGSI on the Six One news today trying to claim they were talking about the office of the Commissioner not the man when no confidence was expressed. He then furiously back tracked after scrutiny from Dobson, and eventually conceded to Dobson that he was talking about the way Callinan exercised his office.
Or you have the continuous references to the late Garda Donohoe anytime they wish to make a political point, such as the disgraceful linking of his death to the withdrawal of the Uzi yesterday.
And the AGSI and GRA are taxpayer funded – not funded by members subscriptions as other unions/representative bodies are.
you think I’m a Garda? Joe, for your information, I’m not, you obviously presume that anyone who sticks up for the Gardai in this country are in the force, well sorry to disappoint. I’m a private sector taxpayer.
Yeah, I’m sure you are tisgrand. There has been enough self-identified gardai on here over the past few months with their continuous whining about working weekends or nights, playing the poor mouth, engaging in constant personal abuse, openly criticising GSOC at any opportunity – even for standard procedural events such as a garda car crash.
Depressing, and frightening, if that is the representative of the caliber of people working in AGS.
So my gra subscription doesn’t fund the gra? You talk some awful shore but you’re taking the mickey now surely?
ever try the working thing yourself or am I just paying for you to sit at home trolling the Journal. only people who appear to have problems with Gardai are the ones that caused the problem. amazingly I’ve for to the ripe ole age of 47 without getting beating up or set up by them, strange that! considering the amount of them that you think are corrupt I’m amazed I’ve got this far unscathed.
Why would the missing 9000 be on crimecall?
I’m no Garda either joe but you are an arsehole
The case of the missing €9,000 euro from Balbriggan garda station , Johnny? I feel sorry for the man who had that money stolen from him by armed raiders – he has to wait months now because it has gone mysteriously “missing” from the Garda safe. And as a result , that case will most likely have to be dropped by the DPP now.
Or you have the case of the case of the recent assault in Drogheda garda station by a garda on a member of the public. The judge in the case remarked how extraordinary it was that the other 4 gardai present in the room all happened to just be looking away at the time of the assault.
Ya the missing 9000 from balbriggan. You implied it should have been on crimecall. I asked why would it be on crimecall, do you think it’s a case the public could help with?
You feel sorry for the shop owner who is not at a loss of one single penny because 1 male and 1 female Garda challenged and arrested 4 armed male raiders and recovered all the stolen money. Suits you to focus on the negative doesn’t it.
Yes going by the papers it seems 9000 of the recovered money has been stolen and is currently under investigation. Maybe you should contact the people in charge of the investigation you seem to know so much about everything.
With regard to the case in drogheda I’d say it kills you that the guard got a prison sentence, one less thing for you to complain about. And when highlighting this case you should have been fair and pointed out that he was convicted on the evidence of other Gardai. That doesn’t suit your cause either though does it?
The shop owner can not get that money as an investigation is under way and his insurance company will not pay out until that is concluded. The armed raiders will most likely not be convicted – their defense will have a field day with the evidence that was tampered with in a garda station and the fact a large portion of seized money was stolen.
And that garda member in Drogheda was not convicted on the word of the others present. To quote the judge “the evidence offered by some of his Garda colleagues was a case of see, hear or speak no evil”. He described the evidence of other gardaí in the case as “disturbing to say the least”. Some appeared to have “looked away at that moment” others had their “views blocked” or had only “hazy recollections”.
The shop owner is not at the loss of one single cent thanks to the Gardai. The fact that you can’t admit this says a lot about you.
The only reason the case in drogheda went to court was evidence of the Gardai. If you KNOW different please tell me how it got to court in the first place?
If he’s not at a loss of a single cent, why is €9,000 euro missing with a tear in the evidence bag?
And in relation to Drogheda, you are referring to the evidence of the same 4 Gardai who are now under investigation from GSOC for NOT providing any evidence at the court case, in spite of the fact they were in the public office when the assault happened?…… You’re at sea. Back to work, will leave you to it.
@joe o Shea
You’re showing your true colours with the name calling now joe.
It’s the beauty of a forum like this , the joe o sheas of this world can write what they like without any facts or even a modicum of regard to how stupid they may sound, just get thick and type, I love it..
And also amazingly joe, those examples may account for 20 or 30 Garda over a long period of time. That’s out of over 10,000. The vast majority are hardworking and honest from my experience
Yea were not saying that there all bad there’s only a small % that are,but people here are very quick to defend them all.a man were i live was basically attacked on his way home by gardai and they done everything they could to cover it up including moving the cctv camera but they were caught out 2 if them were sacked one was jailed over it.
strongbow63.. that for sure and i know what its like but to me it happened many times and i know why its because i told the truth and as a result like “clare daly” im a marked person
Seriously Joe O’Shea, did some guard run away with your missus or what?
They look up addresses as well, I know someone who was house hunting and had a garda friend look up to see if the addresses were in the system. It is also impossible to get your address out of the system if someone gives a false address.
Seconded
Sure look at all the social welfare officials who got their hands slapped for looking at EURIMILLIONS Dolores McWotsherface dole claims,nosy bastards everywhere
We do need a new kind of politics but unfortunately Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and Ming Flanagan have proven they’re not it. Strangely enough FG don’t look too far off it but there should be no place for James Reilly and his ilk. So I guess nobody’s quite there yet but hopefully we’re getting closer.
Gardai can look up my name all day long but it will be a boring experience for them, what everyone seems to forget is that someone who is supposed to be in a position of abiding by the law and ensuring she doesn’t bring her name into any disrepute took a drink before she got behind the wheel of her car. how was she so sure that she was below the limit before doing so? she’s a public figure and has only herself to blame for getting caught! I remember when this story broke the Journal nearly melted! this is a public interest story, why should she be awarded any form of anonymity above any other public figure? if we didn’t find out when we did and it was covered up and then became public months later, we would be here bashing the Gardai again and calling them corrupt. you can’t have it both ways. im sick to the teeth of the likes of shatter and some members of the public using any excuse they can to have a go at Gardai. just remember who you all would call if some sc&@bag was trying to break into your house or worse.
Spot in Martina . And I would like to know has ms daly received penalty points for making the illegal left turn that led her to bein stopped and arrested . And if not why not .?
I think Clare Daly is a great TD. Listen to her contributions in the Dail. I’d like to see more people like her in the Dail. Notice how FF and even SF were so quiet on the penalty points issue. Good to know there is someone like Clare Daly to hold the government properly to account on an issue that concerns every citizen.
I do have respect for the Guards, but this not put them above the law!
Good man paddy i couldn’t of said it better.
At least they’ve finally learned how to use it.
Mark Downes,
I said WALES, not the UK, which would have fewer officers than the GS.
The issue is the GS’s belief that they can use Pulse for their own private purposes with impunity.
As for being selective, you are trying to gloss over the fact that ONE HUNDRED Gardai were involved in one incident.
Shatter is the worst and most unpopular minister for justice ever, so pompous it is sickening, bring on the next election
Gerry well said, its sad but very true
Must be better than utube.
Employees of state @ semi-state bodies do the same. HSE employees regularly check files for non professional reasons. Examples available
I applaud Clare Daly’s fearless pursuit of the penalty points issue, and also the courage of those Gardai who have blown the whistle on malpractise. The Morris Tribunal should have covered Garda activities the whole country and just be confined to Donegal.
have your say