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REPORTS OF TAX evasion and social welfare fraud by a Co Donegal garda were not investigated or followed-up, the Dáil has heard this evening.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on finance Pearse Doherty said that former garda Kieran Jackson had reported incidents of tax evasion by a now retired garda superintendent.
Doherty told the Dáil:
“In May 2001, a former garda of the Donegal division met with two detective inspectors from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in a hotel in Co Monaghan.
“Accompanied by a witness, detectives had invited the officer to meet with them. During this exchange, [Jackson] disclosed to interviewing detectives a number of very serious allegations against a former garda superintendent, since retired, who was also stationed in Donegal.
These allegations related to suspected tax evasion, social welfare fraud and persons being in possession of a fraudulent bank account into which thousands of pounds was being lodged regularly.
“This meeting in Monaghan lasted for over five and a half hours. As the meeting drew to a close, the detectives stated that they would shortly be in contact again with [Jackson] to take a written statement, but they never did.
Doherty told the Dáil that in September 2014 Jackson’s solicitor wrote to the then-acting Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan informing her of the allegations and expressing alarm over a lack of a follow-up.
A similar letter was sent to the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald that same month, and Doherty said that he then brought the letter to the attention of Fitzgerald.
Just under three months later, Doherty said she sent him a letter “in which she stated that inquiries were being made with the Garda Commissioner regarding the whistleblower’s complaint”.
In September 2016, Doherty told the Dáil that investigating gardaí concluded:
…following an extensive search of files and records held locally and at Monaghan Garda station, no record of his complaint or of any subsequent investigation could be found.
“The correspondence went on to say that inquiries made with the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation revealed that no investigation was ever carried out by personnel in relation to the whistleblower’s allegations.”
He said the story raised serious questions around who took the decision to decide not to follow-up on Jackson’s claims, and why the Commissioner didn’t respond to the reports in 2014.
Kieran Jackson informs me that a failure to follow-up or investigate a criminal incident is, in itself, a crime.
Questions must be asked about who took the decision to not pursue his complaint.
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and her government say that they have full confidence in the Garda Commissioner, Doherty said.
“Try telling that to garda whistleblowers across the State,” he concluded.
The remarks were made in the context of a motion of no confidence in the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan after a series of scandals within An Garda Síochána.
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Hailo’s message to Uber:……….. Fc*k Off we don’t wan’t competition.
Hailo are supposed to be in trouble over spending and no investment so uber def spells trouble for them
The journal will literally use any opportunity to mention the gay marriage referendum. Move on.
Gay people can get married now? Gosh, that must annoy certain types of people.
I had not noticed the passing reference to the free taxi service to the polling booths for the same sex marriage equality referendum until you drew it to my attention, RoN.
Clearly you would have preferred RoN to have had the service restricted to the opponents of same sex civil marriage.
Thank you for highlighting the Marriage Equality Referendum passed by more than 68% of those who voted.
This topic deserves another separate article so that RoN can get his full rant on.
When will companies and businesses in all industries cop on that they are not in any way simply entitled to your business? If they are out flanked by someone with an innovative idea, the onus is on them to either catch up or offer more appealing innovative ideas of their own.
In theory yes but it seems that the playing field isn’t level. Essentially they are both providing the same service but uber drivers are not vetted or regulated in any way and their costs are lower, for example insurance. Also, I don’t think uber drivers are taxed.
Harry Potters real?
No, just a fictional character who looks a bit like you.
Taxi service in Atlanta is dreadful, everyone i know uses uber and they rave about its convenience, low cost etc. I personally have only used it once and it was bang on, great idea, well executed.
Uber is incredible
Ireland is not Atlanta.
We dont need Uber destroying the jobs of licensed,regulated taxi drivers.
The industry is overcrowded as it is.
They are a scourge on the face of the earth.
The authorities have a responsibility to control this form of unbridled capitalism.
Can we all do part time work as civil servants/teachers/Gardai etc. and put them out of work.?
Not likely.
I hope that Uber is launched in its full form in Ireland, allowing those with a suitable car and a clean criminal background check to apply.
I used ubers multiple times in San Diego this summer and the system works brilliantly and is very cost effective too
No Hailo app for windowsphone…but there is an Uber app, so hailo for f**k off
In the U.S. UBER HAS STARTED DOING LOGISTICS NOW, will Hailo start doing the Ambulance service now???
we only have 12 ambulances in Dublin and these are fully stretched at this time of year… if you need to get to a hospital and a DFB ambulance will be another hour, why not get help?
I can see it happening with the TiSA Agreement privatised hospitals and ambulances, Uber is involved with logistics now. So god knows what the future will bring thanks to TTIP and the Trade in Services Agreement.
Many things are run down in order to change them and the excuse is cost but getting private firms to run things always costs more as the NHS model has shown and the same is starting to happen here now…
Help is one thing but cost will be another???
Given the wages of ambulance drivers, I am sure the government would love it.!
have your say