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From top: Mary Lynch on Claire Byrne Live last night and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald in the Dáil this afternoon

This afternoon.

Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald fielded questions from Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien further to the reports that Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan’s senior counsel told the O’Higgins Commission of Investigation into Sgt Maurice McCabe’s complaints – that McCabe told two officers he was acting out of malice.

The allegation was proven to be false after Sgt McCabe produced a recording of his conversation with the two Gardai – and the matter wasn’t included in the final report.

Before Ms Fitzgerald took questions from Mr O’Brien, she mentioned the victims whose experiences were looked at by the O’Higgins commission – including that of taxi driver Mary Lynch who appeared on last night’s Claire Byrne Live on RTE One.

However, Ms Fitzgerald called her by the wrong name.

Ms Lynch was viciously assaulted by Jerry McGrath who was released on bail before Ms Lynch had made a statement. McGrath went on to attempt to abduct a five-year-old girl and received bail again. He then went on to kill Sylvia Roche Kelly.

Ms Fitzgerald said:

“It is disheartening to read of the experiences of victims. We saw Mary Lyons [sic] last night on RTE and we can see the horror that was visited upon her and indeed other victims.”

Following questions from Mr O’Brien, Ms Fitzgerald said:

Frances Fitzgerald: “I believe we shouldn’t lose sight of the central fact that at the heart of the report are the victims who were let down. I think that’s a very key point for all of us to note. And I think our central focus should be on doing everything possible to make sure what is outlined in those investigations doesn’t happen again.”

“There are severe constraints on what I can say about claims that have appeared in the media, under the Commission of Investigation Act of 2004, which formed the legal basis for putting the commission in place.”

“And I have a duty to respect the law and that duty is not diminished by the fact that some media reports have appeared, you know, purporting to set out a small part of what may or may not have been said.”

“I would obviously refer to the statement from Garda Commission Noirin O’Sullivan where she comments on her response to the report and says that she accepts it in full and has put as much information into the public domain as she can do – saying that she’s legally precluded under Section 11, saying any further and I would just reiterate what she said in relation to Sgt Maurice McCabe’s contribution – that it is valued and that the service is changed for the better in response to the points and the issues about which he complained.”

Jonathan O’Brien: “Thank you, minister. Minister the statement last night of clarity actually clarifies nothing in my opinion. And I think there is an issue here which needs to be clarified. Because we have a situation where we have media reports stating that they’ve seen documentation which alleges that the Garda Commissioner instructed her legal team to insinuate malice on behalf of Sgt McCabe. Now if that is the case then somebody, in my opinion, calls into question her credibility. Because is she saying one thing in public and another thing in private to her legal team, then there’s an issue. Now, the other scenario is that this documentation may not be legitimate and if that’s the case then you have a situation where somebody close to the Commission, more than likely close to the Commission has passed on documentation knowingly that is not factual and one can only presume that somebody would do that to undermine the Garda Commissioner herself…”

Meanwhile, from RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live last night – after Ms Lynch recalled how she was attacked and how the gardaí handled her case…

Claire Byrne: “Has anyone contacted you – this Garda Commissioner, Noirin O’Sullivan? The previous Garda Commissioner Callinan?”

Mary Lynch: “No.”

Byrne: “This minister for justice, Frances Fitzgerald?”

Lynch: “No. Nobody.”

Byrne: “Minister Shatter before her?”

Lynch: “No, and I’d love to talk to some of them. I would love to talk to both of them actually. I’d like to know why nobody has been made accountable for what happened. Nobody like. Everybody walks away with their hands clean.”

Watch Claire Byrne Live back in full here

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RTE reports:

Luas operator Transdev has warned drivers if they proceed with their four-hour stoppages scheduled for the coming weeks, they will be docked a full day’s pay.

Transdev has previously warned drivers that because of the intermittent strikes and an ongoing work-to-rule, they would consider a number of options including lay-off without pay, short-time working, and/or a reduction or elimination of pay on foot of partial performance of contracts of employment.

…In response, SIPTU has accused Transdev of of “pouring fuel on the fire”.

Divisional Organiser Owen Reidy alleged that the company was out of control and operating in a reckless way.

Transdev to dock full pay for four-hour Luas stoppages (RTE)

Previously: Between The Lines

UPDATE:

Meanwhile…

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Thanks SaintThomas

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

A new form of body ink from tech startup Ephemeral creates regular looking ‘trial’ tattoos that fade after a year (or sooner).

Apparently, the molecules of traditional tattoo dyes are too large for the immune system to eliminate, hence the permanence of the mark. Ephemeral’s smaller dye molecules have a protective coating that breaks down after a year. The dye can also be neutralised by a special solution at any point.

While still testing the process, the company hopes to bring it to market by late 2017.

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This lunchtime.

Outside Government Buildings on Merrion Street Upper.

Members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors hold a protest over pay.

Dearbhail McDonald tweetz:

‘We need the bibs back, keep the T-shirts for another day,’ says one of the organisers of Garda protest outside the Dáil.

Meanwhile, around the front of the Dáil…

Irish Water protesters demonstrate outside the Dáil on Kildare Street.

Previously: Nothing To Say Here

UPDATE:

alvyCarragher

te amo/je t’aime/i love you – by poet Alvy Carragher

Alvy writes:

I’ve just released this new poetry video, for my sister, about fighting depression. It’s one of the poems from my upcoming collection on June 13 with Salmon Poetry and addresses the frustration/powerlessness of both the sufferer and those looking on. It also covers things like how much worse social media makes this kind of situation.

Alvy Carragher

Video by Stephen Murphy

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Fianna Fáil’s justice spokesman Niall Collins

You may recall how, in February 2014, Fianna Fáil Niall Collins read into the Dáil record a section of the transcript of a 2012 conversation between Sgt Maurice McCabe and the then Garda Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly.

The section included the following:

“Maurice, and this is just personal advice to you, if Shatter thinks you’re screwing him, you’re finished…If stuff is to get into print, broadcast media, it becomes public before the court and not any other way. If Shatter thinks it’s you, or if he thinks that it is told by the Commissioner or the gardaí, here’s this guy again trying another route to put you under pressure, he’ll go after you.”

Broadsheet later printed the transcript in full.

In relation to the transcript, Justice Kevin O’Higgins found that Mr Shatter “adamantly repudiated” the allegations and that “His [Shatter’s] denials were unchallenged and uncontradicted, and are unreservedly accepted by this commission”.

Months later, in a speech given on October 3 2014, Mr Collins said:

The problems which have manifested themselves in An Garda Síochána and GSOC and were reported to the former Minister for Justice were ignored, dismissed or glossed over in order to save the embarrassment of those in senior positions who decided that not taking responsibility was a key management skill.

This approach was a massive disservice to the ordinary members of An Garda Síochána and to the citizens of Ireland.

As a result of this dereliction of duty we have seen the resignation of the Garda Confidential Recipient, the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Secretary General of the Department.

We have also witnessed the establishment of an unprecedented number of Commissions of Investigation surrounding the Department of Justice and there are still more Commissions to be established.

One would hope then that lessons will be learned as to how to deal with issues arising in the Garda force and the Department of Justice from this date forward.

…The Guerin Report highlighted the fact that Sergeant Maurice McCabe was correct in his actions to highlight the failure to administrate justice in Bailieboro Garda District.

To be frank, the findings were an embarrassment for this Fine Gael Labour government who denied there was ever any issue in Justice and defended former Minister Shatter month after month. He dismissed and belittled the Whistle-blowers and was supported by the Taoiseach while doing this.

…The alleged malpractice in Bailieboro undermines the foundations of our criminal justice system. It also undermines the morale of all members of An Garda Síochána.

In order for public confidence to be restored in An Garda Síochána it is necessary to establish fully and frankly how the situation surrounding the malpractice in Cavan was allowed to occur, continue and be covered up over such a long period of time.

Further to this.

Mr Collins spoke with Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio One this morning, following the release of Ms O’Sullivan’s statement last night.

From their discussion…

Niall Collins: “We can only deal with what’s written in the report, from what Judge Kevin O’Higgins has reported. And, secondly, my party leader, as you know, called for clarification from Nóirín O’Sullivan over the weekend and we received that clarification and we accept the clarification, I want to say, because Nóirín O’Sullivan is the head of An Garda Síochána and she was asked to give a clarification and she has given it and I think we either accept it or we don’t. And I think the fact that we’ve had so much discussion which is now bordering on very detailed legal argument about, you know, the difference between evidence and submissions, and the fact that the Commission held its work and holds its work in private, you know, is really, bypassing and forgetting the very central players in the whole unfortunate saga who are the victims of crime. And I think we have to keep uppermost and centre stage the impact and the failings of the system and indeed of the State on our victims of crime and if you recall, the terms of reference, which established and enabled the O’Higgins commission investigation was actually dominated – three quarters of the terms of reference were to do with named specific incidences where members of the public weren’t properly served by An Garda Síochána…”

Seán O’Rourke: “So, from what you’re saying, Niall Collins, you would appear to be satisfied with Commissioner O’Sullivan’s statement last night and that should be the end of this affair?”

Collins: “Well, I am. And I’ll tell you why. She’s the head of An Garda Siochana, she’s tasked with an exceptionally difficult job, Seán. We have a whole change agenda, a whole reform agenda and process going on within An Garda Siochana and she has presented to the Oireachtas Justice Committee on many occasions in relation to how she’s doing that. She has an exceptionally difficult job…we are constrained, as I read it, now I don’t have legal background and we have lots of people offering different legal opinion, the Commission has to do its work in private and you know persons aren’t allowed to divulge the proceedings, or indeed, the evidence…”

Previously: No Absence Of Malice

Dáil transcript: Kildarestreet.com

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