Inside Politics at The Irish Times

Inside Politics at The Irish Times: Why is the force not properly accountable and how can we make it fit for purpose? Will the current enquiries and investigations lead to real reform, or is the culture of silence too deeply entrenched? What does it all tell us about the Irish failure to set up proper regulatory structures across society because of vested interests and the lure of political patronage?

WHAT IF?: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Medb Ruane: Misery isn't a strong enough word for the conditions in our mental health institutions - Medb Ruane, Columnists - Independent.ie

WHAT IF?: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Medb Ruane: Misery isn't a strong enough word for the conditions in our mental health institutions - Medb Ruane, Columnists - Independent.ie: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Medb Ruane: Misery isn't a strong enough word for the conditions in our mental health institutions - Medb Ruane, Columnists - Independent.ie: ."ADVANCING THE LINGUISTIC RIGHTS OF THE IRISH DEAF COMMUNITY,BY PAUL O CONNELL.(THE DESPAIR OF SILENCE)BY B.O'CONNELL?

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF?: Public Inquiry · Who’s watching the watchers?: “Is it normal in peacetime that the Army would access this information in this way?”

asked Pat Rabbitte after it was revealed that the army had used the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act to access the personal telephone records of Irish citizens last year.?

Whistleblower disputes being told to 'cooperate' - RTÉ News

Whistleblower disputes being told to 'cooperate' - RTÉ News: In a detailed statement seen by RTÉ’s Primetime, Sgt McCabe said he found the suggestion he had been instructed to cooperate with the inquiry carried out by Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahony “gravely misleading and false”.

He said: “I was never directed by the Commissioner to cooperate with the O'Mahony investigation as alleged.”?

Democratic dissent is criticised in a culture that celebrates the whistleblower

Democratic dissent is criticised in a culture that celebrates the whistleblower: To suggest that dissent from the government view is a disservice to the Force, runs against the political elite’s current vogue of celebrating and protecting the whistleblower. This Association can be proud of speaking out whenever the reality on our streets does not correspond to the official propaganda of the minister and his spin doctors.?

Point-scoring is obscuring the real issues in the Shatter row - Political News | Irish & International Politics | The Irish Times - Sun, Feb 23, 2014

Point-scoring is obscuring the real issues in the Shatter row - Political News | Irish & International Politics | The Irish Times - Sun, Feb 23, 2014: There are inevitable suspicions that the Garda and the department behaved in a manner similar to Catholic Church authorities when the initial claims of sexual abuse surfaced. It will be difficult to convince people that the desire to avoid a scandal that could damage vital institutions of the State did not take precedence over the requirement to get to the truth.?

Changing the Garda culture - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Sat, Feb 22, 2014

Changing the Garda culture - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Sat, Feb 22, 2014: Events in Donegal showed what can happen when individual gardaí bend or break the rules. Denials, cover-ups and smear campaigns have been the automatic response of departmental officials, ministers and senior gardaí to such unwelcome disclosures.?

Public Inquiry · Paul Williams: A pathetic toady for Shatter and Callinan

Public Inquiry · Paul Williams: A pathetic toady for Shatter and Callinan: It was astonishing to watch as this marauding group swooped to defend a UK security company – some of whose employees are former agents of the dreaded crown – that was used by GSOC.?

ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Seanad Éireann - Volume 110 - 20 November, 1985 - Report on Prison Reform: Motion.

ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Seanad Éireann - Volume 110 - 20 November, 1985 - Report on Prison Reform: Motion.: MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT HIS PREDECSSOR THE LATE JUDGE DERMOT KINLEN'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IGNORED.JUDGE KINLEN TOLD IT AS IT IS NOT"WAS"WHEN HE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE WAY HE WAS TREATED BY THE MANDRINS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF "JUSTICE?"HE WAS RIGHT TO FLAG THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL EXPERTS TO SEE HOW THE DEPARTMENTS BUDGET WAS AND IS BEEN SPENT.?

WHAT IF?: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Kinlen fired parting shot on jails weeks before death - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie

WHAT IF?: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Kinlen fired parting shot on jails weeks before death - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie: Senior government and prison officials should face proceedings for criminal wrongdoing."?""

PADDYWANTSTOKNOW?

PADDYWANTSTOKNOW?: Public Inquiry · Who’s watching the watchers?



Public Inquiry · Who’s watching the watchers?: Expose the truth as to what really goes on in what is called the”system”a system that judge kinlen said thrives on a mindset of obsession with power,control and "secrecy".judge kinlen was not afraid to ruffle feathers in cosy high places by exposing the hidden appalling and inhumane conditions as well as the lack or non existent mental health care.?

Campus.ie - Ireland's Largest Student Website

Campus.ie - Ireland's Largest Student Website: MICHEAL Martin has claimed that he is in possession of documents that allege a series of murders, abductions and serious assaults that were not properly investigated.

The Fianna Fáil leader said he has sent the documentation containing the allegations to Taoiseach Enda Kenny.?

Garda whistleblower official ‘relieved of duties’ by Shatter - The Irish Times - Wed, Feb 19, 2014

Garda whistleblower official ‘relieved of duties’ by Shatter - The Irish Times - Wed, Feb 19, 2014: “The import of the transcript is such that the Garda whistleblower is frustrated and there is a sense of disbelief that his complaints are going nowhere.”

Mr Martin said the transcript revealed efforts, if not subtle threats, that if the material in the possession of the whistleblower ever got into the media, “Minister for Justice Alan Shatter would come after the whistleblower”.?

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF?: Curious reporting of 'news' from the Irish Independent | Direct Democracy IrelandDirect Democracy Ireland



Curious reporting of 'news' from the Irish Independent | Direct Democracy IrelandDirect Democracy Ireland: If this was clearly NOT a criminal matter then we must question how a ‘bank’ can possibly persuade a judge to use the Gardai in this way?

Class and wealth in Ireland | Concrete Radicality

Class and wealth in Ireland | Concrete Radicality: Class and wealth in Ireland

by burtenshaw?

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF?: Expert Barrister - Garda highly secretive, says law expert: Garda highly secretive, says law expert

The Irish Police force Garda is one of the most secretive police forces in the world, according to a professor in criminal law. Prof Dermot Walsh, director of the Centre of Criminal Justice at the University of Limerick, was speaking at a conference on Police Governance and Accountability, organised and hosted by the University.

The Professors paper on Garda corruption and reform, stated that the Garda does not publish documents and policies that as a publicly accountable body it should do.

Orders covering all aspects of Garda management and practices are not publicly accessible. The same applies to the existence and contents of Garda policies.?

“Black Ops Being Run Off The Books” | Broadsheet.ie

“Black Ops Being Run Off The Books” | Broadsheet.ie: He’d managed to obtain an international haulage licence, on the basis of paperwork that said that he didn’t even have a criminal record, again provided by garda headquarters?

“Black Ops Being Run Off The Books” | Broadsheet.ie

“Black Ops Being Run Off The Books” | Broadsheet.ie: People don’t understand. the legislation surrounding this and they don’t understand the rules governing this?

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#rabbleRaker: Watching The Detectives : rabble

#rabbleRaker: Watching The Detectives : rabble: GSOC’s 600 page report was sent to the DPP just two weeks later.

The report is believed to be critical of Martin Callinan and to have questioned the reliability of information provided by the force to the DPP’s office after Boylan’s arrest. Senior gardaí are said to have made representations to the DPP about the case before the decision to drop charges against Boylan at a court hearing in July 2008.?

London | seachranaidhe1

London | seachranaidhe1: Of those, 21 have been dragging on for two years or more. Mr O’Brien said the watchdog had powers to enforce its role. He said the commission would rather not arrest officers or raid Garda stations but such action was possible in the furture.?

PADDYWANTSTOKNOW?

PADDYWANTSTOKNOW?: Public Inquiry · Michael Noonan: As ruthless and callous as ever: The vast majority of Noonan’s victims are likely to suffer trauma that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Given the shock that’s about to be delivered to many of them it is quite likely that at least some will be pushed over the final edge.

But does a ruthless individual like Noonan, who first showed his true colours when he hounded Bridget McCole on her deathbed, care?

Press Releases, Houses of the Oireachtas

Press Releases, Houses of the Oireachtas: The meeting tomorrow is also expected to consider the challenges in the wider relationship between An Garda Síochána and GSOC. New protocols providing for enhanced co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission were agreed last September.

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 12 February in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 at 4 pm. The meeting can be viewed online via this link.

Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,?

Callinan has ‘grave concern’ over Garda ombudsman bugging statement - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 10, 2014

Callinan has ‘grave concern’ over Garda ombudsman bugging statement - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 10, 2014: Martin Callinan has expressed “grave concern” that a statement by the Garda ombudsman implied that An Garda Síochana was “in some way suspected of complicity”.?

Full statement : Garda Commissioner on GSOC - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 10, 2014

Full statement : Garda Commissioner on GSOC - Crime & Law News from Ireland & Abroad | The Irish Times - Mon, Feb 10, 2014: I am now seeking clarification from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in respect of the following issues resulting from its statement:

1) The nature and extent of the anomalies identified by the UK security consultancy?

Garda commissioner vetoed complaint against his own office | Irish Examiner

Garda commissioner vetoed complaint against his own office | Irish Examiner: A complaint against Commissioner Martin Callinan’s intentions to promote a senior officer who was under investigation was made in January 2012 through the confidential recipient system in place. The complaint was handed to the commissioner to deal with and he quickly responded that the complaint had no basis.?

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF?: Interview on Access to Justice with Professor Bill Bowring, Birkbeck College | The Law Society International Division: Alastair is a retired solicitor who practised as a sole practitioner on the high street for 33 years and then as a Consultant for 6 years. His work encompassed the usual mix of work in a general practice but he specialised in family law and human rights. His work in human rights included over 100 applications to the ECHR to remedy denials of human rights to prisoners; many applications for Judicial Review, miscarriages of justice cases and pro bono work for domestic violence charities,?

- University of Limerick News

- University of Limerick News: 'Talking your way to the top' a sociological examination of the role of elite education in the reproduction of privilege in Irish society by Margaret Kennedy examines the role that elite schools play in the reproduction of privilege in Irish society. The author states; "Ireland's elite schools have very strong connections to the top of the social hierarchy with their alumni containing a disproportionate number of individuals in key leadership positions in Irish society. Yet to date, the role these schools play in determining who has access to power in our society has received little attention."?

ENCOURAGECHANGE.: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Paul O’Connell: School of Law: University of Leicester

ENCOURAGECHANGE.: ENCOURAGECHANGE.: Paul O’Connell: School of Law: University of Leicester: "'He is currently completing his Ph.D., on comparative perspectives on the judicial role in the vindication of socio-economic rights, at NUI, Galway. In the past Paul has conducted research for the Irish Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Irish Human Rights Commission and the EU Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights. Paul was also involved for a number of years with the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), Ireland’s leading Public Interest Law organisation, both working as a researcher for FLAC and subsequently as a member of its National Council?

How many of our Supreme Court Judges went to fee-paying Schools? - Page 2 - boards.ie

How many of our Supreme Court Judges went to fee-paying Schools? - Page 2 - boards.ie: Maybe so. The question then arises as to the dominance of Blackrock educated past pupils in the legal profession. One reason is that children of the upper middle classes begin reading and acquire a larger vocabulary earlier in life than children from working class homes. This is then accentuated in the educational system and the result is a bias in favour of middle class entrants to law faculties in the universities. On graduation the need for contacts in order to enter and progress within the legal profession as well as the economic resources needed to complete sufficient training mean the upper levels of the profession by ability are heavily weighted in favour of those from middle class backgrounds. Since Judges of the higher courts are chosen from this group it is not surprising that the membership of the courts reflects a middle class background. In order to change this one would have to start in the pre-schools. The chances of a child born into a home where the first book it sees and the first time it sees anyone reading is at school, in most unlikely to become a Supreme Court judge no matter what their native intelligence.?

An unspeakable act of betrayal - Independent.ie

An unspeakable act of betrayal - Independent.ie: Then he witnessed the rabid might of institutions of the State and their agents who turned on her to silence the truth.?

An unspeakable act of betrayal - Independent.ie

An unspeakable act of betrayal - Independent.ie: The 72-year-old hill farmer had taken his own life five days before in a small lake beyond the crest of the road above the church at Lough Eagher. It was just a mile from his home in the village where he had lived all his life. It was a place of safety where his final worldly act would take him to be with his wife, Brigid, who died four years ago.?