This morning.

On RTÉ’Radio One’s Today with Claire Byrne.

Further to scenes of students in Galway not social distancing….

Ms Byrne had this exchange with Fianna Fáil Senator Ollie Crowe (above).

Claire Byrne: “You have said today that it’s time to start thinking about putting the army boots on the street to sort this out.”

Ollie Crowe: “Well, Claire, you know I’m from the inner city myself and what I would say at this stage is that you know the gardai are under enormous pressure, they’ve a very challenging job on their hands in Galway. And particularly, you know, in the last, as you’re well aware, it’s Fresher’s Week here in Galway and there’s huge challenges in Galway and other cities.

And I think it’s appropriate for Government, you know, to examine how we can allocate additional resources to the gardai. As an army town here in Galway, we have the barracks in Renmore and I’ve no doubt that the officers, you know, stationed there, would be willing to pitch in and assist the gardai if that was required.”

Byrne: “It’s a serious move, putting an army on the streets?”

Crowe: “Well, look it, as I said, you know I was in touch with the gardai on Sunday night also, and last night. And look it, what I am calling on and what I will be relating to my colleagues is that they, the gardai supported this juncture, you know, they really, really, are under-resourced in Galway with Fresher’s Week and with students coming back…”

Um.

Earlier: Looking Fresh

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

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23 thoughts on “Ollie’s Army

  1. GiggidyGoo

    The under-resourcing is not the numbers of Gardai or their equipment. It’s (as regards Covid) the lack of legal means. Maybe Ollie can bring that to the attention of Michilin Luch, and then return to answer proper questions on the Claire Byrne Shed Show?

    1. george

      The Gardai have the legal means to deal with people drinking in public. They do not require additional powers.

        1. george

          They are meeting up to drink in public so they can stop that. They won’t be meeting up like this if they can’t drink in public.

          Excessive house parties can also be broken up on the basis of fire safety and noise.

      1. GiggidyGoo

        That’s why I wrote “(as regards Covid)” above. The Gardai are using Covid as their [non] legal basis, whereas they should be (as you say) using the ‘alcohol in public places’ basis and do their job.

  2. E'Matty

    The lunatics are truly running the asylum now. This absolute clown wants military forces on the streets of Ireland now to stop young people socialising. It’s going to be a dark winter with muppets like this in our political class leading the herd into the abyss.

  3. dylad

    I think we don’t need to be obsessing about some students doing this. Ollie Crowe is a well known willy around these parts.

    1. george

      The Spanish Arch photos are worse again. Its not just a few it is hundreds and it does need to be stopped. Not by the army though.

  4. Eoin

    Big mistake threatening the public with the army. Boris Johnson is about to learn that lesson and so will this FF clown.

  5. d

    From the photo Ollie looks like he has a BMI score of higher than 25.

    Isnt a bigger risk in people buying junk food and getting overweight than students (at their most healthy time of their life) congregating.

    Ollie should be stopping people going indoors (and possibly himself) buying cake than student standing outside.

  6. Formerly known as @ireland.com

    I find it funny, because one of the isssues being discussed at the enquiry into Melbourne’s Covid outbreak, is why the state government didn’t use the army to assist with hotel quarantine (Aussies returning to the country being put up in hotels for 14 days). You know that the same people who are saying the Aussie army should have been used, are the ones who would be saying that it was heavy handed or “unAustralian” to use the army to lock up Aussies.

  7. Otis Blue

    Judging by the gibberish in the transcript, I’d wager that Ollie isn’t the brightest.

    Still, it’s a quite a subversive act by RTÉ to lay his ‘talent’ bare for all to see.

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