I hope my curiosity doesn’t warp my powers of understanding, but here goes …
As we know there is a Garda confidential complaints system to report corruption or malpractice. When Commissioner Martin Callinan was asked at PAC to detail the number of complaints under this system, he refused to do so, stating it was an issue for the Minister for Justice. That is an exercise in two-fingering. A subsequent PQ revealed a small number of complaints in recent years.
Sgt Maurice McCabe, (the whistleblower who spoke privately to PAC), has said that the quashing of penalty points fines had reduced from 2,000 per month to a “trickle” since the Comptroller & Auditor General had highlighted the issue on foot of his complaints.
The same man was allegedly threatened during the earlier confidential proceedings and told that trouble would follow should he take matters further. The detail of these exchanges remains conveniently banished despite requests for same.
This is one of the men whom Callinan damned at PAC for passing information to TDs; this audacious act was described as “disgusting”. As I said previously, such a remark from the Commissioner in public was astonishing. He would not do so unless he knew full well that Shatter was actioning another agenda behind the scenes.
What Garda force doesn’t spy or bug? None. Whether or how it happened in this case is a separate manner. The use of a British security company involvement has raised hackles. Apparently, every Irish security company has a retired Garda on its Board. UK intelligence would have an interest in the some developments here too. And who leaked the GSOC issue to the Sunday Times? Maybe a lone ranger from the company who conducted the investigation, I thought. Or now it seems it came from an insider GSOC leak – and to a very right wing paper – no surprises there. Don’t the key people in GSOC have a background in UK policing? Ahh, how the plot thickens!
But, rarely do you see the most senior Garda official showing such arrogance and contempt to public representatives and the prestigious PAC, as well as impugning the integrity of GSOC.
Shatter tells us there is “no definitive evidence” of “unauthorised surveillance” of the Ombudsman Commission. (‘unauthorised’ Hellooooooooooo!). Incredibly he goes on to state that failure of GSOC to report the matter to him (of a “routine sweep”) was “of substantial concern”, but the Chairman “expressed regret,” he said.
It is hard to escape the conclusion that this is a game of card marking. Garda game plan: ‘we can’t see your stuff: you won’t see ours’, hence no Pulse access, poor co-operation etc. Ombudsman’s Office responds to expose the vexed relations, being neutered from way back, poor staffing, poor resources etc. Maybe the Chairman is marking cards for future reference (or is that my naivety and wishful thinking?). Shatter wags the warning finger to GSOC and notes that it is “unfortunate that An Garda Síochána have found themselves, during the last 48 hours, the subject of what appears to be completely baseless innuendo.” It only “appears to be”, but game over: no bugging claim probe. That is a contradiction in terms if I ever heard one.
It is hard for me to escape the conclusion that this is a cartoonish charade.
But seriously though, let us not forget the aggressive treatment of protestors in recent times; massive barricade purchases, kettling demo incidents and all the cases mentioned by ivorthorne, I think, Clare Daly, antics in Mayo with Shell, Roma community and so on.
Is it not the case that, all things considered, there are important indicators here that I think will resonate with all of us?
Is it not the case that something deeply ugly is happening which should not go unchallenged?
Is it not the case that much of this is nothing new anyway? The Left have long since been saying that the police are no friends of ours and the far left have long since characterised them as vermin.
Is it not the case that the establishment media will express their concerns and then scurry away to demolish this story?
Is it not the case that now is the time for the Left reps to advance its criticisms and its alternative proposals in a united fashion, and to pursue them to the bitter end?
This is a critical opportunity (and responsibility) to take initial steps to dissolve the off-putting divisions that blight us. At the same time we can address a significant issue in the class struggle.