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A Garda checkpoint

Further to the near one million false breath test figures and 14,700 wrongful convictions…

And Taoiseach Enda Kenny telling the Dáil yesterday that the Government has agreed to an external investigation into the matters – the details of which have yet to be decided.

This external investigation will be on top of an internal Garda investigation and one carried out by the Policing Authority.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn, who held a press conference on the matter last week, said Superintendent Pat Murray from Athlone had been appointed to carry out the “fact finding” internal investigation.

Further to this…

On December 15, 2015, during a Dáil debate, in the presence of the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, on the Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015…

Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly said:

“…the current treatment of whistleblowers is absolutely dire. Subsequently, the position of Garda Keith Harrison has been vindicated by the State pulling out of a High Court action it had taken against him at enormous personal and emotional cost, not to mind the cost to the taxpayer of a ludicrous, vindictive action. It is worth saying that the judge in that case was the senior counsel during the Morris tribunal. It is quite clear that from his stance, nothing has really changed in the sense that he awarded full costs to Garda Harrison.

“This is important because why else are we here discussing a policing authority? It is to have independent scrutiny and accountability of the gardaí.”

“It would be entirely appropriate for the Minister to comment on the Garda Inspectorate’s report which has obviously shocked people. It has also vindicated everything we have said – that nothing has changed inside the ranks of the Garda Síochána, except the faces at the top. I am surprised that people have not called for the current Garda Commissioner to resign because she is standing over a situation that is at least as bad, if not worse, than what the former Commissioner Callanan stood over. It is worse because the scale of the knowledge that is in the public domain has not been addressed.”

“The previous Garda Inspectorate’s report gave a damning account of gardaí massaging the crime figures, for example. That resulted in the analysis of crime figures having to be withdrawn for a period. It is a very serious matter.

We know for a fact that the massaging of the figures is still continuing. In recent weeks, in Superintendent Pat Murray’s station in the midlands and in Athlone, we have seen direct evidence of at least eight cases where crimes were written down so that the original crime was reclassified as a more minor matter.

There is clear evidence of massaging the figures – for example, changing burglaries to criminal damage, which is reclassification.”

In addition, during the same debate, Independents 4 Change TD Mick Wallace said:

“First, the Minister asked for proof of what Deputy Daly actually said. Tomorrow morning, I will give the Minister proof of district officer, Superintendent Pat Murray, reclassifying crime figures. This is an individual who has harassed and bullied a Garda whistleblower to an awful degree for a long time.”

Good times.

Dail transcript via Kildarestreet.com

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16 thoughts on “Gasp

  1. ReproBertie

    On the inflated recording of breath tests, could this be a computer error? Is it possible that PULSE is double counting in some cases due to software or human error? (Even the short lived voting machines counted more votes than there were voters.) Granted, the rates are different in different parts of the country but that may be down to the entry process rather than a simple software error. The assumption, from what I’ve seen, is that gardaí are just inventing tests and, if this is the case, then it’s happening in every garda station around the country which means the whole thing is a conspiracy to mislead the public.

    I’m not saying that this deliberate increased entry is not happening. It may well be. I’m just asking if an issue with PULSE has been ruled out. I’ve not been able to see anything in media reports to say either way.

    1. Boj

      I think the issue with PULSE is the fact that Gardai use it.
      Magical and all as ‘putors are, error’s like this don’t just happen. If it was a ‘putor error, it would have been spun in the media already. Probably would have been the first to be accused.
      As each Garda needs clearance plus login for PULSE, the fraudulent entries can and should be traced back to the individual. Hopefully this happens when the top brass are out and the ‘outsider’ has unlimited access. But then you’ll have the fraudsters claiming they were told to do it, which would possibly be true too.
      Messy messy stuff.

      1. Boj

        Oh, I forgot to add: Would ya look at the state of Daly & Wallace, how anyone could take them seriously is beyond me. Get a haircut and wear a suit ffs ;-P

        1. Andy Moore

          Boj you’ve just discounted any statements or comments of any relevalce by your last one ! Suits & shaves do not make the Human mind only those the weak & fragile mind require additional adornments !

  2. ollie

    With regards to the Gardaí t word you are searching for is corruption. Computers don’t make mistakes.

    The voting machines didn’t miscount votes by the way, a “report”said that they were not secure which is bullshit.
    Bottom line is that culchies enjoy hanging around counten centres makin da tallies, e voting does away with this.

    1. ReproBertie

      The voting machines did end up with more votes than there were voters which was one of the reasons that they were dumped. Not computer error in that case but an illustration of how easy it was to intentionally or otherwise vote multiple times.

      It may not be computer error but user error and presumably that will be tracked using the users login.

      Or it may just be corruption with higher ranks instructing others to go ahead and add a few more tests. I suppose we’ll have to wait for the cover up/report to find out.

    2. Sheik Yahbouti

      Correct. It has been admitted hundreds of times since by various RTE heads (who presumably get overtime) that they just LOVE the “buzz and the ‘drama'” of all the arse achingly boring counts.

      1. Cian

        Voting machines were trialled in the 2002 general election (3 constituencies) and again in the 2002 the NICE referendum (seven constituencies). These were both successful. The main complaint (for the general election) was that it just spat out the final answer of who won the seats – which was a bit of an anti-climax.
        So one of the recommendations of the trail run of voting machines was the output would be changes to match the real thing – it would give a round-by-round count of who was elected/eliminated. This was done. More machines were bought. And then, after two successful runs, some people decided it wasn’t safe and they were scrapped. it’s a pity the people didn’t pay attention to the first two runs and bail out before buying 5000 machines….

        1. don knox the informer

          Are the machines still in storage incurring those massive storage charges? Like the infamous un-working Eircode, they can’t be abolished as that would be admitting to having made a ginormous cock-up, and Irish governments never do that. Millions of Euros thrown about,(€80,000,000+ and still counting). “Ah sure, let’s have an inquiry and a tribunal, we”ll be long gone by the time that’s finished.”

  3. Shayna

    Great title by the way. As no stranger to the breath test in the UK and here – it’s a tad worrysome that there is profit in convicting drivers who may not be over the limit. As a Tyrone type and also a GAA type, I’m always on the road travelling to matches around the country. The Gardaí used to just give northern types a good hiding, empty their pockets and send them on their north – this is clearly another level.

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