Nuns get 13m after

ignoring parents and

selling school land for
housing

2
Our Ladys Grove Primary School at Goatstown Road in south
Dublin
An order of nuns has sold school lands for 3m more than
the 10m guide price in the face of parents' objections.
The Religious Sisters of Jesus and Mary is understood to
have secured in the region of 13m from the sale of a 5.4-
acre site beside Our Lady's Grove Primary School at
Goatstown Road, south Dublin.
The price being paid by leading house builder Durkan is a
significant premium on the 10m sought by WK Nowlan
Real Estate Advisors when it brought the property to the
market in March. Located next to UCD in a sought-after
suburb, the site could accommodate between 70 and 80
houses and apartments.
Parents of children attending Our Lady's Grove and Jesus
and Mary College had objected to the sale, arguing that the
schools would be left with no green space or room to
expand.

The 5.4-acre site next to the school which sold for 13m. Photo:
Doug OConnor
But the nuns defended their decision to sell, saying it was
necessary to support the congregation's other ministries,
including overseas missions and care of sisters.
In acquiring the lands, Durkan will be obliged to deliver an
astro-turf pitch for Jesus and Mary College, which the
nuns have given a commitment to fund at a cost of
600,000.
The sale also includes a 0.41-acre site under a long lease
with a restrictive covenant precluding any non-childcare
uses.
The board of management at Our Lady's Grove had
written to parents prior to the site's sale saying it "could
not offer" the nuns unconditional support for a planning
application for it.
In a statement the order confirmed contracts had been
signed for the sale. It also said: "Engagement with all
stakeholders on site was initiated and meetings held. Fair
and equitable agreement was sought from all stakeholders
to positively progress a planning application for the
lands."
It said meetings would be arranged between the purchaser
and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the first round of bidding on the 8.64 acres of
land being sold by RT at its Donnybrook campus has
seen the 75m guide price set by Savills eclipsed already.

The Irish Independent understands, however, that just

one of the five parties competing for the Project Montrose
portfolio has so far offered to pay in excess of 80m for
the lands.
Chartered Land chief Joe O'Reilly, Cork developer Michael
O'Flynn, Richard Barrett's Bartra Capital, Cairn Homes
and developers Bridgedale are all in the running.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nuns-get-13m-after-ignoring-
parents-and-selling-school-land-for-housing-35776804.html
PAC told of request to
change minutes of
Templemore steering
group meeting
Updated / Wednesday, 31 May 2017
The committee heard there are five tax numbers for the Garda
College in Templemore
The head of Legal Affairs in An Garda Sochna has
told the Public Accounts Committee that he was
asked to change minutes he took of a meeting of a
steering group on Templemore on 6 August 2015 by
the then Chief Administration Officer, Cryil Dunne.
Under questioning by Labour TD Alan Kelly, Ken
Ruane told the committee he was told by Mr Dunne
that there was an inappropriate level of detail in the
minutes and advised that they be amended to the
style of minutes on the Department of Public
Expenditure and Reform.
Mr Kelly said this was "incredible evidence" and he
had never heard of a Chief Administration Officer
telling the head of legal affairs that his minutes were
"too detailed".
Mr Ruane said while he told Mr Dunne that he would
amend the minutes, he was keeping his original note
on file.
Contradictions have emerged between the evidence
given to the PAC by three senior civilian garda
officials today and the evidence previously given to
the committee by Garda Commissioner Nirn
O'Sullivan.
The apparent conflicting evidence refers to when the
Garda Commissioner was made aware of the
financial irregularities at the Garda Training College
in Templemore.
Going through the latest evidence, Mr Kelly said: "Mr
Barrett, [the force's HR director John Barrett] you said
in your evidence that the Commissioner came in here
and sat there and said the first she was aware of this
was on 27 July. And she acted promptly was the
evidence she gave as a witness to be fair to her.
"But on 2 July there already was a committee set up
to deal with the issues in Templemore and that met. It
was on 2 July and both yourself and Mr Culhane [the
force's Head of Finance, Michael Culhane] were at it.
I asked you Mr Culhane did you agree with what Mr
Barrett said and you did.

"So we now have evidence, which is a complete

contradiction to our own current Garda Commissioner
in this country in relation to when these issues were
investigated.
"She is saying July 27th and she acted promptly. Two
witnesses have already confirmed that it was already
set up on July 2nd."

Mr Kelly then said that a second issue emerged over

notes that Mr Ruane has as the legal representative,
which stated that he was informed by Mr Barrett that
Mr Dunne had informed the Garda Commissioner
about issues in Templemore.
Mr Ruane confirmed this was the case and said: "I
have a handwritten note and it is in a document
contemporaneous July 2015."
He said it is dated 4.35pm on 30 June.
Deputy Kellly said: "We now have a situation where
the evidence given by the Garda Commissioner
saying that on July 27th, she acted promptly when
she first found out. We now know from two witness
here who were at a meeting on July 2nd that this
committee was already established."
Mr Barrett said: "If I could just add, there's a letter
from me to Cyril Dunne on July 8th and I will just read
the last sentence on paragraph 3. 'I am very
concerned about insuring that all the relevant matters
are made known to all the relevant parties as soon as
possible. I have left the briefing of the commissioner
in your capable hands and I was delighted that you
briefed her in advance of our meeting of Thursday
last."
Mr Ruane said his first indication from Mr Barrett that
a working group was being proposed was on 6 July
2015.
Deputy Kelly said: "So to sum up we have a note that
says the Garda Commissioner was made aware of
theses issues on June 30th. "
He also said we have a note from 6 July to Mr Ruane
and the letter on 8 July.
Earlier, the head of administration in An Garda
Sochna told the PAC that the force is currently in
discussions with the Revenue Commissioners and he
will tell the committee later if five tax numbers
associated with the Garda College are compliant.
Joseph Nugent was responding to questions from
Fine Gael's Peter Burke this afternoon where he
asked if An Garda Sochna is tax compliant.
Mr Burke asked Niall Kelly, head of internal audit in
the force, how many tax numbers operate in the
Garda College.
Mr Kelly replied, "I am not sure to tell you the truth."
Mr Burke stressed the importance of accountability
and knowing where public money is going.
Mr Nugent told the committee there are five tax
numbers in question for the main garda one, the
sports fields, the restaurant, the bar and the shop.
Mr Burke asked if they are all tax compliant and Mr
Nugent replied, "We are in discussions with the
Revenue Commissioners at the moment.
"Some of the entities have been wound up and the
issues are the subject of current discussions between
ourselves and the Revenue Commissioners."
Tonight, the Internal Auditor of An Garda Sochna
said two audits are under way which include cheques
dating back to 1998.
Responding to Labour's Mr Kelly, Niall Kelly said
hundreds of cheques were made out in An Garda
Sochna and his job was to work out if they were
expenses or not.
He said the audit would be based on a representative
sample.
Deputy Kelly asked if there were cheques to the value
of thousands and Mr Kelly said that was likely.
Niall Kelly said there could have been plane tickets to
Australia and bills resulting in thousands.
The Labour TD asked if the Internal Auditor of An
Garda Sochna could recall any stub that was in the
tens of thousands. Niall Kelly said not that he could
think of.
Social Democrates TD Catherine Murphy asked the
head of the audit Niall Kelly: "Can I ask you very
specifically if there is any indication of any
Templemore monies being sent to a bank account in
Dublin, under the control of a former senior garda
officer and whether or not you are carrying out a
specific investigation with regard to anything of that
nature."
Mr Kelly said he would rather not answer that as that
is the subject of current audit work.
"There are some issues that you touched on, could
be issues within that audit," he said.
Garda auditor says superiors tried to block
Templemore probe
Earlier the head of the internal audit unit in An Garda
Sochna said a culture of not admitting problems
and trying to keep problems in house and away from
transparent public scrutiny may still exist in the force.
Mr Kelly made the remarks at the beginning of a
special sitting of the PAC today. He is one of seven
civilian employees in An Garda Sochna who will
appear before the hearing.
He alleged that his "direct superiors" in the force tried
to block an investigation into financial irregularities at
the Garda College in Templemore.
Mr Kelly further claimed his "professional integrity
and competence" were questioned in "an attempt to
undermine" his audit report.
During his opening statement to the PAC, Mr Kelly
said: "Having conducted this audit and gone through
all the discussions and analysis of the issues over the
last two years I am convinced that there was and
there may still be in some parts of An Garda
Sochna a culture of not admitting to problems and
when these problems persist, trying to keep them in
house and away from transparent public scrutiny.
"This is apparent from the reluctance by senior
management to getting Internal Audit involved in the
period 2008-11 and the period from July 2015 to
March 2016.
"There is also evident a culture that thinks An Garda
Sochna is different from other Public Sector Bodies
and that the normal processes of financial
procedures and transparent democratic
accountability do not apply, for example from Deputy
Commissioner Rice's letter of 18th September 2009."
However, Mr Kelly later rowed back on that comment.
After being pressed about the remarks by PAC
Chairman Sen Fleming, Mr Kelly now says that
there "was" such a culture.

Niall Kelly said his 'professional integrity and competence' were

questioned
Mr Kelly said that in the period 2008 to 2011 it was
apparent to him that some people including his "direct
superiors" during this period "did not want the newly-
appointed and very independent internal auditor from
looking too critically into the Garda College."
"When I did make enquiries and attempt to get
information, this information was withheld from me as
apparent from the strings of emails between the then
Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Director of
Finance and the Chief Superintendent and
Administrator in the Garda College on April 15,
2010."
He also pointed out that from September 2016 to
March 2017, when a draft report was concluded, he
consulted widely with people that could possibly be
identified in the report to ensure that fair procedures
were observed.
The force's Head of Finance Michael Culhane
withdrew previous criticism he made of Mr Kelly's
report as misleading.
He also told the committee that with the benefit of
hindsight, comments he made in a letter to the Garda
Commissioner questioning whether the force's HR
director John Barrett was in breach of the official
secrets act in his handling of the irregularities at
Templemore, were not wise.
Mr Barrett said it was appalling that he had
repeatedly, unsuccessfully sought a copy of this letter
from the Commissioner.
Mr Ruane, told the PAC he was "instructed by the
Commissioner for the purposes of today that she is
not waiving privilege.
"She is maintaining legal privilege over all advices
that I have furnished. Saying that, in relation to any
documentation that has been furnished to the
committee, I am free to discuss those."
Mr Kelly and Mr Barrett both said they agreed with
Sinn Fin's David Cullinane that Mr Culhane was
directly attempting to interfere with the report.
However, Mr Culhane told Mr Cullinane that he did
not see himself as part of the problem, but part of the
solution and he had no desire to undermine the
professional reputation of both Mr Barrett and Mr
Kelly.
Labour TD Alan Kelly asked those appearing before
the PAC if they had full confidence in every member
of the senior management team, including the Garda
Commissioner Nirn O'Sullivan.
Mr Barrett replied that he had some reservations,
saying that he was very concerned about what he
learned this morning.
Niall Kelly said he concurred with Mr Barrett and that
there were some questions.
Mr Culhane, Mr Ruane, and the Chief Administration
officer Joseph Nugent each said they had full
confidence in the senior management team.
The committee was told that a steering group set up
to investigate the irregularities at Templemore first
met on 2 July, 2015.
Alan Kelly said the Commissioner had previously told
the committee that she acted promptly and set up the
steering group after hearing of the issues at the
college during a meeting on 27 July, 2015.
Mr Ruane also told the committee that Mr Barrett told
him on 30 June that he had told the former chief
administration officer about the issues at
Templemore, and that the CAO had informed the
Commissioner.
Alan Kelly said there was a "complete
contradiction" in the evidence given by the
Commissioner during a previous hearing.
Asked about today's revelations at the PAC, Minister
for Justice Frances Fitzgerald she said she had
not seen the proceedings and had not been following
what was happening at the committee.
But she said what happened at Templemore was
completely unacceptable and does not meet the
standards of governance that the public expect.
She said she will await the final report from PAC
before commenting on the details.
Ms Fitzgerald said what is important is that people
are being held to account and there was greater
accountability demanded.
She said clearly huge reform is needed and that
when you have change going on things come out in
the open.
Fianna Fil TD Marc MacSharry has claimed: "What
we have seen so far is the fact that processes,
procedures and systems are a riddly wrapped up in a
mystery inside an enigma in terms of who is
responsible for what."
He said that on certain issues there is "Chinese walls
and on others there seems to be mountains".

Sinn Fin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald said: "I

don't think I've ever seen anything quite as shambolic
as this. It feels like we are trapped in an episode of
Father Ted.
"Nobody is responsible for anything. Everybody knew
everything yet nobody knew anything. And it is
absolutely astonishing."
It really is a sight to behold - the levels of fraud and corruption, the lies and the smears slowly
emerging into the public domain from the dark, dark force that is An Garda Siochana. The
resources of the garda training college being used fraudulently by senior gardai: sure why not
just insert a module into the young trainees courses on how to act corruptly, abuse your
positions of power to destroy others and enrich yourselves. Or is that something you learn out
in the field, over a number of years, by closely observing your senior colleagues?
Garda Commissioner 'was
urged to tell of
Templemore
irregularities in July
2015'

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan was urged to tell the Justice Minister
of financial irregularities at Templemore training college as early as the
middle of July 2015, a committee has heard.

The force's head of legal services Ken Ruane said he felt the concerns were
serious enough to ask the police chief to invoke the law on accountability and
protecting the public confidence of the force.

The watchdog also heard that the Commissioner was warned about issues at
Templemore on June 30 2015.
Ms O'Sullivan previously said she became aware of the concerns at a brief chat
in the college on July 27 that year despite the head of human resources John
Barrett disputing her claims and insisting that the meeting lasted two hours.

Mr Ruane told the committee that he met Mr Barrett weeks prior to that, on
June 30 2015, and was told issues relating to the Garda college had been
reported to the Garda's chief administration officer who passed them on to the
Commissioner.

He said there are notes to prove that his concerns and his advice was passed to
the Commissioner and to a Deputy Commissioner.

"I certainly felt it was a significant and serious issue," he told the hearing.

A damning internal audit of the financial and accounting practices in

Templemore by Niall Kelly, head of the Garda's internal audit unit and a
civilian official in the force, uncovered dozens of bank accounts, a 5 million
euro surplus and investment policies related to the college.

The Public Accounts Committee is also examining issues raised over the
leasing out of land and some of the money being spent on entertaining and
retirement gifts.

There is also a transfer of 100,000 euro to the Garda Boat Club.

The committee was told that under section 41 of the Garda Act the
Commissioner is obliged to tell the Justice Minister of accountability issues
and any significant developments in relation to public confidence in the force.
advertisement
Advertisement 00:24
Mr Kelly confirmed he was running two other audits. One is on controls of
cash in the Templemore college restaurant, shop, bar and vending machines
and current banking arrangements and the other is o n the use of EU funds by
the force going back to 1998.

An AIB bank account in Cabra is being examined as part of the second audit,
the committee heard.

Alan Kelly, Labour's deputy leader, claimed Mr Ruane's evidence to the

committee was a complete contradiction of when the Commissioner knew
about the financial irregularities in Templemore.

Elsewhere, Mr Kelly opened the hearing with a withering attack on attitudes

among the Garda's senior ranks to transparency, uncovering malpractice and
management failures in the force.

"I am convinced that there was and there may still be in some parts of An
Garda Siochana a culture of not admitting to problems and when these
problems persist, trying to keep them in-house and away from transparent
public scrutiny," he said.
"There is also evident a culture that thinks An Garda Siochana is different
from other p ublic sector bodies and that the normal processes of financial
procedures and transparent democratic accountability do not apply."

Mr Kelly, who has been in the chief auditor's job since June 2007 said he
believed that he did not get full support for his work until last year.

"Up to April 2016 there were attempts for information not to come to me," he
said.

"I believe now that has changed. I believe now that I am being led and
provided with all the information that I require."

The committee was also hearing evidence that reports on issues related to
Templemore were first made in 2008 and 2010 but no action was taken to
reform the irregular financial practices.

Mr Kelly said some of the staff involved in administration in the college were
gardai who had no training in running a large scale enterprise with a big
budget.

"I think on balance it's more incompetence than wilful neglect," he said.

"In fact you could sympathise with them. They were put into these jobs, they
hadn't much training for it, they muddled through as best they could but that
wasn't adequate."

The committee was told there is no evidence that any offshore accounts were
set up relating to Templemore.

It also heard that there is no proof that anyone gained personally from the
financial irregularities in the college.

Some of the most heated exchanges at the hearing involved letters written by
Michael Culhane, the Garda's executive director of finance, to Commissioner
O'Sullivan and other senior officers.

One from October 2015 suggested that Mr Barrett should be investigated on

suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act after he copied a file he had
compiled in relation to irregularities in Templemore and sent it by registered
post to his home.

"I suppose with the benefit of hindsight it probably was unwise to make that
statement," Mr Culhane told the committee.

Mr Culhane's letter claimed Mr Barrett's actions "were an implied threat of

unauthorised action".

He told the committee: "I had no idea what he was going to do with the
information that had been collected. I was concerned that there might be
some leakage to the press of issues that should have been dealt with in the
formal process."
Mr Barrett, one of the top civilians in An Garda Siochana who worked for
Silicon Valley companies before joining the force in 2014, said he tried six
times, including through solicitors and subsequently in a freedom of
information request, to get a copy of the letter.

He had only seen a heavily redacted version of it until the letter was disclosed
as part of the committee's work.

Mr Barrett described the affair as "appalling" and said he had no intention of

going to the press.

He said that having seen the letter, he believed it was an attempt at "very
deliberate corralling of what I felt was my obligation to deal with and
illuminate these matters".

Mr Culhane initially defended another letter he had written, this time to Mr

Kelly in October 2016 where he described his audit report as "misleading,
unprofessional and mischievous".

He also threatened to sue Mr Kelly.

Mr Culhane said at the time that he believed the audit report did not
adequately reflect the concerns he raised about financial practices in
Templemore as far back as 2008.

Under intense scrutiny at the committee, he retracted the remarks.

"On reflection chairman, probably, it was an unwise use of words, yes, I would
like to withdraw it," Mr Culhane said.

Mr Kelly said he thought the letter was an attempt to get him to water down
his report.

Both Mr Kelly and Mr Barrett declined to offer full confidence in all senior
management in the Garda.

Mr Barrett said he had reservations and after hearing some of the content of
the letter from Mr Culhane, he added: "I'm very concerned by what I learned
this morning. Truthfully, it's quite shocking to me. You're probably asking me
at a bad time."

Mr Kelly added: "I'd concur. There are some questions."

Later, following the question of a bank account in Cabra, Mr Kelly declined to

go into detail about allegations of money from Templemore being sent to a
bank account in Dublin under the control of a former senior officer.

Social Democrat TD Catherine Murphy asked him if there was a specific

allegation.

"There is an audit," Mr Kelly said.

"There are some issues that you touched on could be issues within that audit."
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/garda-
commissioner-was-urged-to-tell-of-templemore-irregularities-in-july-
2015-35775484.html

No new customs points

planned for Irish border
after Brexit, says Revenue
chief

1
May 25 2017
Ireland's tax chief is "almost 100% certain" there will be no new customs posts
along the border after Brexit.

Niall Cody, chairman of Revenue Commissioners, categorically rejected

reports that it was actively looking for locations to establish new checkpoints.

The speculation, which he blamed on an early contingency paper from a

"medium ranking" official, has led to landowners along the border directly
offering him sites for sale.

But Mr Cody told a parliamentary committee in Dublin: "We are not planning
customs posts."

The 310-mile border with Northern Ireland will become an EU/UK frontier
after Britain pulls out of the EU.

A hardening of the border, which has become virtually invisible as a result of

the peace process, could threaten peace and prosperity on the island, it has
been warned.

However, Mr Cody said an ongoing analysis of cross-border trade increasingly

shows that most goods transported between the jurisdictions will not need to
be physically checked.

Much of it is agri-food and construction related, and can be documented

online. There are also existing Revenue offices in border counties where
traders can carry out their necessary paperwork.

"I'm practically 100% certain we will not be providing new trade facilitation
bays in whatever parts of Donegal, Monaghan or Cavan," he said, referring to
a number of the border counties.

Mr Cody also told the parliamentary committee that Revenue is not

negotiating with HM Revenue and Customs in Britain on post-Brexit
arrangements.

It was assessing all the implications and options, while upgrading its IT
systems and recruiting more staff, as it prepared for the outcome of the
political negotiations, he said.

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/no-new-
customs-points-planned-for-irish-border-after-brexit-says-revenue-
chief-35755256.html
Tuslas handling of complaints consistently poor
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Joyce Fegan

The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating Tuslas

handling of child sexual abuse allegations.

Ombudsman Peter Tyndall.

We are very close to finalising an investigation

into the way that Tusla (the child and family
agency) manages complaints but particularly
looking at issues about how they deal with
accusations of child sex abuse against adults, said
Ombudsman Peter Tyndall.
While the final report is not due to be published for
a number of weeks, Mr Tyndall outlined some of his
offices recommendations.
We believe that they [complaints] need to be
processed independently, objectively and, above
all, promptly so that either, if they are upheld that
the proper child protection measures are taken and
if theyre not upheld that the persons name is
cleared promptly, he said yesterday.
He was speaking at the launch of his offices
annual report for 2016.
Mr Tyndall was asked why the Tusla investigation
began in the first place.
It had to do with a series of events we had, where
we received assurances that certain steps would
be taken, that there would be a national policy in
place, that staff would be trained in that policy and
that that policy would be followed, he said.
We found then, that we were getting subsequent
cases where it was evident that those assurances
were not being delivered on in practice.
We had inconsistent practice around the country
in dealing with issues and we had evidence that
some areas of the coun- try were refusing to follow
the central practice for whatever reason.
So we felt that we had to escalate the matter at
that point.
The Ombudsman said his office found consistently
that complaint handling in Tusla was poor.
Overall, his office received more than 3,000
complaints from the public last year on a range of
issues.
A total of 1,120 complaints about government
departments or offices were examined, some 841
against local authorities, and 625 against the HSE
and social care services.
It took up to three months to examine 79% of
cases. In terms of outcomes, 27% of complaints
were upheld or partially upheld, 54% of
complaints were not upheld and in 19% of cases,
assistance was provided.
This year marks the first time the ombudsmans
office could accept complaints from asylum
seekers living in direct provision centres.
Mr Tyndall outlined the nature of the complaints
yesterday.
Weve had, since we started, a small number of
complaints, around about 14 formal complaints at
this stage, he said.
As I say weve been resolving a lot of issues as
they arise rather than treating them as formal
complaints.
The weekly allowance, exceptional needs
payments, transfers - those are the kinds of things
that have come forward.
Some about accommodation, some complaints
about staff members, food, no reply to
correspondence and access to healthcare.
20k welfare bill ends in 700 refund
A woman who received a bill for 19,900 from the
Department of Social Protection, had it turned into
a refund of 700 following a complaint she made to
the office of the ombudsman.
She had no idea how this debt had arisen and
firstly wrote to the department for an explanation;
however, she failed to receive a response.
The woman then complained to the ombudsman,
who began an examination of the incident by
contacting her local Department of Social
Protection office.
The department began a review of the womans
social welfare payments.
It was discovered that an application, made by the
woman to the department, had not been processed
correctly.
The womans income had been recalculated a
number of times resulting in different incomes.
Then in considering her husbands income, the
department had failed to take account of an illness
that reduced his income.
The result of the review was that the woman not
only had no debt but she was owed a refund of
700 by the department.
Man incorrectly identified as threat
A man complained to the Office of the Ombudsman
after he was incorrectly identified as a threat to
staff on a hospital computer system.
The man in question was attending the emergency
department at Mayo University Hospital and a
security guard was called to be present with him
during his appointment.
It transpired that the man was listed as a threat to
staff on the hospitals electronic patient
information system.
Following the Ombudsmans examination of the
mans complaint, the hospital said it could not
explain why the information was on its computer
system.
It was also not possible to identify who put the
information on the system as it did not record who
made the entry.
It was clarified that the man was never a threat to
the staff, the information was removed from the
system, and the hospital apologised to the man.
The hospital also undertook a review into its own
computer system, with staff receiving training.

The Government is to review all emergency out-of-

hours services for children amid persistent fears
that large swathes of the country dont have the
 supports to protect minors from barbaric
treatment in the home.

The countrys Ombudsman for Children said the

solution had to be pushed from the top, while
childrens rights groups called for a Government
task force to overhaul existing services.
The moves follow the publication of a damning
report by Professor Geoffrey Shannon. Publishing
his 346-page audit, he said:
Co-operation between the Child and Family Agency
(Tusla) and An Garda Sochna was
overwhelmingly inadequate in this area;
The agencies operated in silos and a cultural
shift was needed;
Vulnerable children were getting an inferior
service by having to use the Tuslas out-of-hours
service and were being punished on the basis of
geography;
Tusla should not be so reliant on private foster care
services in these situations;
It was absolutely scandalous that these private
services were refusing to take children with
challenging behaviours and legislation should be
amended to address this.
Professor Shannon suggested multi-disciplinary
teams, which would result in less system-inflicted
trauma, better decisions for children, more
appropriate intervention and more efficient use of
resources.
He said the report, described as the largest audit
ever conducted on police use of emergency
protection powers, should serve as a wake-up
call for society.
He said his research, including an examination of
91 cases, highlighted what he called an
unpalatable truth regarding the behaviour of
parents. He said parents in some of these cases
treated their children like human trash and
subjected them barbaric treatment.
Prof Shannon said: The trauma inflicted on
children by their parents is just staggering.
The child care expert said alcohol abuse was a
common theme in the 91 cases.
He said successive governments had failed to treat
alcohol abuse as a fundamental threat which had
left the child protection system dealing with
insurmountable problems.
He said: Theres a clear message for government:
the government needs to step up to the plate in
terms of taking on vested interests and saying
enough is enough.
While criticising cooperation between the Garda
Sochna and Tusla, Prof Shannon praised frontline
garda in making decisions on invoking emergency
powers and removing children from danger.
He said that in all cases he examined garda
demonstrated a restrained use of powers under
Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991. He said
there was no evidence of racial profiling.
He criticised a deep-seated culture in the force of
not providing child protection training to garda
but acknowledged ongoing moves, including the
establishment of the National Protective Services
Bureau and pilot divisional units, which will have
Tusla social workers seconded to it.
He welcomed Tuslas establishment of a national
out of hours service in November 2015 but said he
still had concerns about the level of care
nationwide.
He said vulnerable children having to use this
system should not have an inferior service or be
punished on the basis of geography.
Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone said the
service had significantly expanded with full
national cover, which comprised out of hours
social workers in Dublin, Cork city, Kildare and
Wicklow with specialists on call to deal with
queries from garda in other areas.
But a spokesperson for the minister confirmed last
night that Ms Zappone has asked Tusla to look at
the demand outside the four areas and that these
other areas will be reviewed on that basis.
The Shannon audit found no evidence that Section
12 is being used in an over-zealous manner by An
Garda Sochna, and that the fall-out from the
2013 Athlone and Dublin Roma cases meant some
garda were more anxious about using it.
Garda ensure child's experience in Garda care is
not traumatic.

Section 12 is the principal legal mechanism

through which An Garda Sochna performs its
child protection function, authorising a Garda to
remove a child from the care of their family where
they believe there is an immediate and serious risk
to their health or welfare.
It is based on the judgement of the individual
Garda and the report suggests that exercising
Section 12 removal of children is a rare
occurrence and that an individual member may
only invoke the Section 12 power a handful of
times over his or her entire career.
The report said there was a significant degree of
critical sophistication in how garda utilised their
Section 12 powers and there was no evidence that
decisions to exercise Section 12 are taken lightly,
or that alternatives to removing the child were not
considered.
Data shows that Section 12 powers peaked in June
2009 (98 times), July 2010 (99) times and October
2013 (92 uses). After that last date its use fell
away considerably. Nationally there were 762
section 12 incidents in 2013 but the following year
the figure was 595. While the number of cases
increased in the southern region from 2013 to
2014, in the Dublin region they more than halved
in 2014 to 105. The report says this is
noteworthy, pointing out that it occurred
following the appointment of the Ombudsman for
Children investigation into two separate incidents
in October 2013 in Athlone and Tallaght when
Roma children were wrongly removed from their
families.
According to the report: The interview stage of the
audit found some evidence that the fallout from
the Tallaght and Athlone cases has resulted in a
degree of anxiety among some members of An
Garda Sochna in the exercise of the child
protection powers under Section 12 of the Child
Care Act 1991. This general finding of Garda
reluctance to use Section 12 may create a situation
where children are not removed from situations
where it would be best to do so.
The report also said there was little or no emphasis
on formal training of new Garda recruits in relation
to child protection, with on-the-job training taking
precedence over formal core training. The audit
found no evidence that racial profiling influences
the exercise of Section 12 powers but the report
also said certain ethno-cultural demographic
information does not appear to be routinely
documented by An Garda Sochna on the PULSE
system.
The audit said it was unquestionably clear that
gardai are very concerned with ensuring the childs
experience in Garda care is not traumatising.

Away from the harrowing personal stories, the

audit shows the reasons why many children are
removed from their home - the dangers posed to
their health and wellbeing either because of their
own behaviour or, more likely, those around them.

Some 595 incidents were reported in 2014, 560 of

which were valid, involving 504 children.

Some 595 incidents were reported in 2014, 560 of

which were valid, involving 504 children. The audit
analysed the cases and built a profile of those who
become the subject of a section 12 action.
A large percentage of the children, over 77.4%, are
Irish. The largest foreign-national grouping
comprised Nigerian children - 24 children or 4.4%
of the total involved. Ten children were of
Romanian nationality but the audit notes, that in
29 instances, the nationality of the child is not
recorded on PULSE.
In ages, they range from babies to 18 years, with
the highest percentage relating to children from 16
to 18 years. More than half are aged between 13
and 18 years. Male children were the subject of
54.7% and females were involved in 44.9% of
 cases, though in two cases gender was
unspecified.
The data also shows that:
54.6% of children were living with parents or other
guardians when section 12 was applied, while
16.7% were living in foster care or other residential
care, while in 23.4% of cases the home or living
circumstances are not recorded on PULSE.
Garda assistance was invoked by parents and other
family members in 23% of the incidents and by the
children themselves in 7.3% of incidents. Almost
10% of incidents arose as a result of a child being
reported missing.
Parents were present at the time of exercising the
power in 252 incidents (45%).
By far, the main reason for the children being the
subject of a section 12 action was a concern for
their welfare (public safety), accounting for well
over 300 cases in 2014. Other factors included
neglect, a suspicion of abuse, domestic violence,
parental drug use and, in some cases, the child a
danger to his or herself and the public.
Resistance to the invocation of section 12 was
encountered in 57 incidents, with no indication of
resistance in 151 incidents and the position
unknown in 352 incidents.
According to the audit: the majority of incidents
(81%) are silent as to whether AGS had any
contact with social workers or other third parties,
prior to exercising section 12. It may be presumed
that there was no contact of this nature. However,
in the absence of any recorded detail in this
regard, it is impossible to say with certainty.
Regarding a garda questionnaire which formed part
of the audit, 224 respondents (53% of those who
answered) said there was an out-of-hours service
available at the time, 146 (35%) said there was no
service available.
The audit noted the difficulty in organising
placements for children with challenging behaviour
and said: There is also a persistent perception
among a number of Garda respondents that Tusla
social workers sometimes delay addressing a
particular risk to a child, in order to force the
involvement of AGS in the case.
It quoted one garda who participated in a focus
group: We get a lot of, is the call at five to five
from social workers saying they want this place
checked on over a weekend, and the first we hear
about it is at five minutes to five. And its just
theyre, about to finish off for the weekend. And
theyre like, oh, weve major concerns about this...
home.
Mr Tyndall outlined the nature of the complaints yesterday.
Weve had, since we started, a small number of complaints,
around about 14 formal complaints at this stage, he said.
As I say weve been resolving a lot of issues as they arise
rather than treating them as formal complaints.
The weekly allowance, exceptional needs
payments, transfers - those are the kinds of things
that have come forward.
Some about accommodation, some complaints
about staff members, food, no reply to
correspondence and access to healthcare.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tuslas-handling-of-
complaints-consistently-poor-451346.html
Enda Kenny disturbed by report on child
protection failings
Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said disturbing conditions for

children, revealed by a damning report, must cease as the
Government faced calls to audit all services and retrain
garda.

Children could not live in fear in urine-soaked clothes

when they deserved the protection of the State, said Mr
Kenny as his Government came under fire over child
services and major problems on taking youngsters into
care.
A shocking report by special rapporteur for children
Geoffrey Shannon called for greater co-operation between
garda and Tusla to protect minors.
The dossier found chronic systematic failures and
disturbing cases in functions carried out by the child and
family agency.
Mr Kenny yesterday told the Dil he was disturbed by
the report, as well as by an RT programme setting out
some worrying cases of children in care and gaps in child
protection.
Obviously, I am upset about this. The programme was
harrowing viewing, to say the least, he said.
It showed the unconscionable circumstances in which
some children in this country find themselves. It is
unacceptable.
There had been improvements in social services and Tusla,
in recent years, stressed Mr Kenny, while noting the RT
Investigates programme had focused on gaps in
communication between garda and Tusla.
He also addressed concerns about children who had been
taken to Garda stations for their own apparent protection.
Some concerns have been expressed about the
placement of such children in Garda stations and
hospitals. I have been reassured that social admissions to
hospital take place only in exceptional circumstances and
only where a placement is for the childs own safety, said
Mr Kenny.
Tusla does not request the garda to keep a child over
part of a night. This is a Garda decision.
However, Fianna Fil leader Michel Martin said there was
a pathetic nature of buck-passing.
The report examined the removal of children from families,
under Section 12 of the Child Care Act, where it is deemed
that they are at serious and immediate risk.
The report found children were continuously removed by
garda from families or inappropriate settings, only to be
replaced by Tusla.
Garda had commissioned the report by Mr Shannon.
Mr Martin said it was clear there was no proper
comprehensive out-of-hours social work service.
Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone has asked Tusla for
a full response to the Shannon report. She also said a
Tusla official would be co-located, by next week, with the
national Garda unit for children.
Addressing some of the harrowing cases revealed, Mr
Kenny said Tusla would answer questions.
If this requires regular political oversight and monitoring,
let us rectify that, he said. One cannot have children
living in fear in urine-soaked clothes in situation where
they deserve the protection and the support of the State.
There is nothing more important that this.
The ISPCC has written to Tusla, to Ms Zappone, and to
garda, expressing concern over the report and wanting its
recommendations implemented within a year.
Labours Brendan Howlin said: I cannot accept the
Minister, Deputy Katherine Zappones assertion Tusla is fit
for purpose
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/enda-kenny-disturbed-by-
report-on-child-protection-failings-451281.html

Enda Kenny 'has no

regrets' and urges
successor not to look
'weighed down'
1 May 31 2017

Enda Kenny has stepped down as leader of Fine Gael.

Outgoing Taoiseach Enda Kenny has used his final appearance at Leaders'
Questions to dish out some advice to his successor.

When asked what advice he would give to the new leader he recited the Latin
phrase: "Illegitimi non carborundum", which translates as "don't let the
bastards get you down".

It was Mr Kenny's last day in the hot seat after he retired as Fine Gael leader.
The election of a new party leader is to take place on Friday

In a light hearted exchange with TDs, Mr Kenny insisted he had "no regrets"
and went on to advise his successor to not look "weighed down by the
problems of the world".

"Anyone who stands in this position (as Taoiseach) had better have an
optimistic and positive outlook.

"There is no point in going around looking like you are weighed down by the
problems of the world. They've been there before us. You deal with them head
on and make the best decisions that you can," he said.

He also said he had no regrets in promoting the two Fine Gael leadership
candidates, Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, to ministry positions.
The pair were involved in an attempt to topple Mr Kenny as leader.

Mr Kenny described them both as "two fine young men" and said he was
happy to appoint them to frontbench positions and to "watch them grow as
ministers."

He added that whoever the next Taoiseach may be, they must always act in the
interests of the people of Ireland.

"I am very happy to walk away after 42 years, 13 elections and 15 years as
leader of a major party and six as Taoiseach, to be in a position to move on
responsibility to a younger generation," said Mr Kenny.

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/enda-kenny-
has-no-regrets-and-urges-successor-not-to-look-weighed-down-
35775663.html

O'Leary, Murtagh and

Collison to attend
exclusive Bilderberg
meeting
Updated / Thursday, 1 Jun 2017

Critics say the annual Bilderberg meeting is more sinister than a

simple sharing of expertise
An annual gathering of some of the world's most
powerful and influential figures gets under way today
in Virginia in the United States.
The Bilderberg four-day meeting in Chantilly is
expected to address Russia, China, nuclear
proliferation, globalisation and "the war on
information".
There will be three Irish attendees among the 130
invited power brokers - Ryanair CEO Michael
O'Leary, Kingspan group chief executive Gene
Murtagh and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison.
The group has met every year since 1954.
It was created as a forum for fostering dialogue
between Europe and North America.
This year's gathering will take place less than 50km
from the White House, but it will be a world away
from the Washington media scrum.
By tradition, news outlets are not invited to cover the
event and Bilderberg's exclusion of reporting press
has seen the meeting take a spot in the modern
conspiracy spectrum somewhere between the
Freemasons and the 'Illuminati'.
Those involved say it is merely an informal way to
understand better the way the world works and to
share their expertise to improve it - critics argue its
aim is more sinister.

Guests scheduled to attend this year's meeting

include US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross,
National Security Advisor HR McMaster and
billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel.
Those also attending include Dutch King Willem-
Alexander, who works part-time as a commercial
pilot; David Rubenstein, co-founder of influential
global investment firm The Carlyle Group; and John
Brennan, CIA chief under former US president
Barack Obama.
Ex-deputy secretary of state William Burns and
former deputy assistant secretary of defence Elaine
Bunn, both Obama-era officials, will also attend.

Media collusion with Bilderberg Group confirms hidden

agenda - Gerard Batten MEP
Sep 15, 2011
http://www.ukipmeps.org (from sister-
channel http://www.youtube.com/ukipmeps)
European Parliament, Strasbourg, 12 September 2011

Speaker: Gerard Batten MEP, UKIP (London), Europe of Freedom and

Democracy (EFD) group.

Debate: One-minute speeches (Rule 150)

Subject matter - Oral Questions to the Commission:

- Commission attendees at Bilderberg meeting, 15 July 2011 (P-

007306/2011):
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/g...

- Commission attendees at Bilderberg meeting, 9-12 June 2011, 17 August

2011 (E-007820/2011):
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/g...

..................................

Transcript:

Thank you, Mr President. The commision has recently replied to my written

question, confirming that Commissioners Almunia and Kroes, attended the
Bilderberg meeting in St.Moritz in June.

The commission cannot tell me details of what was discussed but assured me
that the Bilderberg meetings do not take decisions. If Bilderberg meetings are
just talking shops, why do the most important and powerful figures from
around the world, including George Osborne, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, bother to attend?

And what other summit of world leaders in Politics, finance and business
would go completely unreported in the mainstream media such as the BBC?

It is impossible not to reach the conclusion that the non reporting of these
events is anything other than a conspiracy between the organisers and the
media.

It merely confirms the belief of many that the hidden agenda and purpose of
the Bilderberg group is to bring about undemocratic world government.

It is a disgrace that the European commission is colluding in that.

..................................

Video source: EbS (European Parliament)

..................................
 EU Member States:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark,
Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom

What is Bilderberg and why should you care? After years of denying its very existence, the
media now forced to mention it, would have you believe t's just a meeting of the political,
financial and corporate elite who sit around drinking tea and discussing issues of no direct
influence to you or I. It's just a taking shop. Nothing to be worried about at all.

Even RTE have a casual report on this year's event and treat it like it's no big deal..

https://www.rte.ie/ne/business/2017/0601/879463-bilderberg/

From the EU parliament in 2011...

More on just what Bilderberg really is..

https://youtu.be/dGMecfM7Lgg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Dr96s34r0&feature=youtu.be

Bitter, ugly, divisive politics.

Team Coveney could have
marched on without going so
negative'
This internal struggle has (re)opened some wounds that will take time to
heal, writes Larry Donnelly.
June 1, 17

Larry Donnelly
Law Lecturer, NUI Galway
A COUPLE OF months ago, the political chattering classes
were waiting breathlessly for An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to
announce when he would step down as leader of Fine Gael
after a long and successful tenure. Based on opinion polls
and insider rumours, most predicted a very tight battle to
replace him between Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar.
For a while, the momentum favoured the former. One high-
profile TD from another party indicated to me with a
reasonable degree of confidence that the Corkman would
prevail ultimately.
But this was all before the day(s) of shock and awe as Leo
his slick, well-run campaign has dropped the Dubliners
surname from his distinctive signs, water bottles, etc
announced the endorsements of a substantial majority of his
Oireachtas colleagues, including an impressive number of
TDs and Senators from beyond the pale and not a few
mainstays who seasoned observers had anticipated would be
with Coveney.
Speculation that Coveney would withdraw
The Oireachtas members have 65% of the overall say in
choosing their next leader pursuant to the electoral college
system Fine Gael is using now for the first time.
Accordingly, political journalists on the ground, not to
mention more detached watchers who can work a calculator,
recognised that the contest was over and that Leo had it
won. Speculation abounded that Simon Coveney was
planning to withdraw.
Instead, he robustly affirmed the would allow ordinary party
members and councillors to cast a vote and have their voices
heard. He has done so, and much of the reaction to and
reporting of the campaign in the past ten days suggests that
he has been the superior candidate and that his messaging
has resonated with the Fine Gael grass roots.
We will know whether he has managed to climb what still
looks to be a mountain too high on Friday afternoon. What
then makes strange and divisive the two most apt adjectives
to describe the fight between Simon Coveney and Leo
Varadkar?
Life moves pretty fast
First, it is strange that the amount of support Leo enjoyed in
the parliamentary party seems to have been so greatly
underestimated. As usual in this context, politicians held
their cards close to their chests, yet something apparently
was missed here. At one level, cynics might opine that there
was a desire for a close race emanating from certain
interested quarters.
Equally, however, Leos unveiling of supportive colleagues
who are constituency rivals and who hail from all over rural
Ireland cleverly orchestrated to surprise calls to mind
Ferris Buellers famous line: Life moves pretty fast. If you
dont stop and look around once in a while, you could miss
it.
Second, polling of the membership and the welcome
receptions Coveney received at the hustings in Dublin,
Carlow, Ballinasloe and Cork contrast with the
comparatively weak response he elicited from Fine Gaels
highest elected officials. This raises a number of questions.

Is there a gulf between the upper and lower echelons of the

party? Are divergent views about the leadership driven in
the main by ideology or persona? Might this cause any in the
Oireachtas who have pledged their votes to Leo to change
their minds?
Even if not, might some become slightly wary of being
defined by their allegiance to the frontrunner perhaps
some of those in the Seanad aspiring for Dil seats or the
sitting TDs who arent eventually rewarded with ministries?
Regardless of who ultimately succeeds Enda Kenny, does
Fine Gael have something of a democratic deficit to reckon
with?
Simon saves the best for last
Third, what is strange, and also has been and will continue
to be divisive, is that Simon Coveney appears to have saved
his best campaigning and stinging attacks for last, when the
fight was effectively finished. Why?
That Coveney, an experienced politician who has been in
Dil ireann for nearly two decades, was outfoxed and, by
some accounts, outworked by Leo in making the case to
those he serves alongside left many in and around Leinster
House scratching their heads. The fashion in which he has
come out with all guns blazing ever since is perplexing in a
different way.
Leaving aside the language he has employed when on the
spot at rallies and other events or on the broadcast media
Coveney cast the choice ahead of Fine Gael in especially
stark terms in the Sunday Business Post last weekend. He
writes, we can be a party that builds on the history,
tradition and timeless aspirations of the Just Society and
seek to unite, rather than divide, society so that everyone
can make a contribution and lead a fulfilling life if he wins.
But if Leo is the victor, theirs will:
become a party that shifts from the centre ground and looks
to a notional core Fine Gael vote, and tries to bolt on
smaller blocks to that vote. At its heart, it looks to divide up
our society by targeting segments of the electorate rather
than reaching out to all.
While there is no doubt that Leo was, at least in part,
appealing to the right with his initiative to double down on
social welfare fraud and his overture to people who get up
early in the morning, Coveneys implicit claim that a Fine
Gael party led by his opponent would divide Irish society is
arguably over the top.
Too little, too late
It doesnt really add up. Its counterproductive in the longer
term; its hard to take from a politician of a largely
indistinguishable centre-right hue and a similarly privileged
background as his rival and, speaking politically above all,
its too little, too late. When coupled with incendiary
comments about choirboys and such from Coveney ally
Kate OConnell, the Dublin Bay South TD, this is bitter, ugly,
divisive politics. Team Coveney could have marched on
without going so negative.
The journalist Lise Hand has commented that the close of
each hustings resembled an American presidential debate,
with surrogates from the two camps rushing to spin to the
media the relative merits of how their man performed. Fine
Gael might need to borrow something else from the
Republicans and Democrats this weekend: the party unity
breakfast often held after a hard-fought primary campaign.
It was inevitable that this internal struggle would be tough
and would (re)open some wounds that will take time to heal.
At the same time, though, from this remove, the entire affair
has been quite strange from start to finish.
Larry Donnelly is a Boston attorney, a Law Lecturer at
NUI Galway and a political columnist with TheJournal.ie
and IrishCentral.com.
Voices: "It doesnt really add up. Its counterproductive in the longer term; its hard to take
from a politician of a largely indistinguishable centre-right hue and a similarly privileged
background as his rival and, speaking politically above all, its too little, too late. When
coupled with incendiary comments about choirboys and such from Coveney ally Kate
OConnell, the Dublin Bay South TD, this is bitter, ugly, divisive politics. Team Coveney could
have marched on without going so negative."
http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/bitter-ugly-divisive-politics-team-
coveney-could-have-marched-on-without-going-so-negative-
3418580-Jun2017/?utm_source=facebook_short
I will be moving the Planning & Development
(Amendment) Bill 2017 tomorrow to prevent 'Defensive
Architecture" anti-homeless devices.
The Bill seeks to prevent so called 'defensive architecture"
anti-homeless devices such as spikes, studs, bars and
spriklers which are intended to deter rough sleepers.

I will be moving the Planning & Development (Amendment) Bill 2017
tomorrow to prevent 'Defensive Architecture" anti-homeless devices.
The Bill seeks to prevent so called 'defensive architecture" anti-
homeless devices such as spikes, studs, bars and spriklers which are
intended to deter rough sleepers.
That we have people rough sleeping in the first instance is a
massive indictment on this government. Despite the refrain we have
heard from the current and past Minister's that there are sufficient
emergency bed spaces this has proven not to be the case. In any
event there are real reasons why some who are homeless will
choose to rough sleep over accepting the emergency
accommodation offered to them such as wanting to be in an
environment free from active drug use or drink.
People have died on our streets. Being soaked by a sprinkler such as
was installed outside a tattoo parlour in Temple Bar or being
prevented from bedding down on a low lying window sill off the wet
ground and out of the rain can make the difference between dying
of hypothermia and surviving through the night.
My party colleague Councillor Michael O'Brien has worked on this
issue in Dublin City Council and has assisted drafting this Bill. He
was successful in getting a motion passed at the Council following
the Department of Social Protection installing devises at their office
on Amiens Street. He said earlier:
"When I brought this issue to the City Council chamber there was no
spoken opposition from any quarter. I subsequently sought by-laws
to force a ban but was told by council officials that primary
legislation had to be amended. I call on Minister Coveney or
whoever might replace him in the Department not to oppose this
Bill.
"The uproar that ensued on social media after some installations of
anti homeless devices forced a retreat on the part of property
owners. But where we have intransigent individuals who are
determined to install these inhuman features we need the ability to
lodge planning objections and empower our council officials to effect
a ban."
There is an outcry as to why the Garda
Commissioner is still in her job and not made
to step down after numerous breaches of
oaths of office. Why is she not in jail? Is it
because she cannot be sacked because she
knows too much about the wrongdoings in the
government and she will bring them all down
with her as we are all fully aware that the
system is controlled by corrupt and
compromised authorities. The worst examples
of corruption, fraud, collusion, misfeasance,
malfeasance etc, etc, etc are amongst the
higher ranks in the institutions. I will repeat
just some of the wrongdoings that happened
under the Commissioner's watch. The Mary
Boyle case, The covering up of the Grace
scandal, The criminal neglect and abuse of
vulnerable children in state care, The framing
of Jonathan Sugarman, The John Wilson case,
The Maurice McCabe Case, The Keith Harrison
Case, The faked breath tests and the
despicable treatment that Joe Doocey, Colm
Granaham and Steven Manning are currently
receiving, in fact, Steven Manning was
unlawfully jailed. The Garda Siochana framed
some of their colleagues and castigated them
as paedophiles to silence them. The Garda
Siochana have ruined untold citizen's lives
because they came forward and told the truth.
The Garda Commissioner appears to be the
co-pilot in this corruption and criminality as
the Garda are operating under her direct
specific instructions. Brendan Howlin TD
states that" The Garda Commissioner made
allegations of sexual crimes against the
whistle-blowers". Mr Howlin is fully aware of
the terms and conditions of the defamation
act 2009 and of the consequences of
publishing anything that is not true. Under
those circumstances the Garda Commissioner
has given a green light for the garda to
commit crime as they are operating under her
specific instructions. That is why An Garda
Siochana have acquired a chilling aura of fear
through extreme "abuse of power ,
intimidation and criminality" which has caused
extreme and intolerable suffering.
Fundamental rights article 40" All citizens
shall as human persons be held equal before
the law". This is a solemn constitution which
the Garda Commissioner was duty bound
under oath to protect and uphold. This is not
the case as the so -called guardians of justice
have failed in their respective mandates to
serve the people and protect the constitution.
The Commissioner has sworn a declaration to
uphold the law of the land and she has "NOT
HONOURED HER DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES" , she has aided and
abetted and has become an accessory after
the fact a seen in the criminal law act 1997.
The Commissioned must face justice, the
same as any other member of society and I do
not mean stand down as she is in "VIOLATION"
of the acts and her oaths of office.
All corrupt senior people in Justice, on extremely high
salaries phones are destroyed it seems by senior
gardai in N.B.C.I , the section Noirin O Sullivans
husband Jim McGowan is running, these corrupt senior
gardai should be sacked and prosecuted
I Understand Nirn OSullivan Used A Second
Phone
May 30, 2017

From top: Solidarity TD Mick Barry; Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Earlier.

During Leaders Questions.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry raised the matter of Garda Commissioner
Nirn OSullivans missing phone.

He said:

Former Garda Press Officer Superintendent Dave Taylor claims that

he sent a text to Noirin OSullivan, some years ago, in which he told
her that a journalist had interviewed a person making allegations
against Maurice McCabe. Taylor claims OSullivan sent a one-word
reply, perfect.

We are told now that Noirin OSullivans phone from that time has
gone missing and cannot be provided to the Charleton Tribunal.
Perfect.

Dave Taylors phone hasnt been provided to Charleton either. It was

taken from him, as part of an internal Garda investigation, led by
Noirin OSullivans husband and has not been returned to him.

So. Noirin OSullivans husband has Dave Taylors phone.

And Noirin OSullivan cant find her own phone. Perfect
again.

A senior Garda source told The Irish Times a search of Garda HQ

has taken place in recent weeks to try and find the missing phones. It
goes on to say, but theres little hope of the material being found at this
stage. Id say there isnt all right, Taoiseach.

Was that phone officially reported missing? If so, when exactly? Was
[former Garda Commissioner] Martin Callinans phone officially
reported missing? When exactly?

By the way, Im given to understand that Noirin OSullivan

used a second phone, a personal phone, known as the off-site
phone for some Garda business. Has this phone been sought?
Has she lost this phone too?

In his reply, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said:

You come in here with a report, which is a report from a journalist I

understand, that a phone is missing from the, that was in the
possession of the Garda Commissioner. I dont have the, I dont
know whether thats a true statement or whether its not.
Whether its an allegation that stands up or not.
But I expect that Justice [Peter] Charleton will find out the truth of
that.

Hope the ERU can sort out the disturbances. Best if

they get there before 7am. Oh ... and bring the
handcuffs
Ring, Ring
I HOPE IT WAS INSURED WE PAID FOR
THAT PHONE & IT'S USE.
Its none of anyone's business what you have in
your hand. These so called laws only apply for
cash fines. F them
I bet ya any money twas a Nokia phone that Sullivan and callinan disposed of!!

Dangerous phone NOKIA----------

CONNECTING PEOPLE!!

Ministers John Halligan, Finian McGrath are allowing

increased evictions by AIB!
AIB OWNED BY GOVERNMENT TELL PRIVATE
INVESTORS THAT IT WILL SPEED UP EVICTIONS
AND SALE OF MORTGAGES TO VULTURES
LEADING TO FURTHER EVICTIONS
This Means That The Shares They Buy Now at Knock-Down Prices Will Rise!!!!

AIB plans to deal quickly with 8.6bn bad loans

problem-Irish Times
Move may result in repossessions for those refusing to engage
with bank

Joe Brennan Irish Times, 01/06/2017

AIB will tell potential investors that its 8.6 billion bad loans problem will be mostly fixed
within three years, as it prepares to float on the Dublin and London stock markets within
the next month.

The banks move to decisively tackle its trickier cases may include the sale of some loans
to overseas buyers of distressed debt and companies seeking to take part in the States
expanded mortgage-to-rent scheme, executives at the bank signalled on Wednesday.

It may also result in a greater level of repossessions against borrowers who refuse to
engage with the bank.

The Government decided on Tuesday evening to press ahead with the long-awaited sale of
an initial 25 per cent stake in AIB, which it rescued during the financial crisis at a cost of
20.8 billion to the State. The share sale, which may raise up to 3 billion, is expected to
conclude in the next four weeks.

Noonan Now Sells OFF 25% of Profitable State-

Owned ALLIED IRISH BANKS
Minister Noonan told Sean Whelan (RTE 30/05/2017) that state banks dont work. Private
sector investment is needed. Otherwise there is political interference. That is how you get
bad banks

Of Course it was refusal of the state to interfere with private banks by applying
appropriate regulations that led to the Irish banking crash in the first place! Banking
inquiry was told that Central Bank, ESRI, Department of Finance knew that the banks were
in a mess, but too many people were making money out of the property bubble for
prudential action to be taken-Tom OConnell, Deputy Governor and Chief Economist at
Central Bank to the Banking Inquiry Commission

Ultra safe banks in Germany, Switzerland and France are state owned.

Portion of the now profitable AIB is being transferred to international investors. The
associated profits will stream out of Ireland. The dividend to the Irish State-now well over
1 billion per year will be reduced!

Under the EU Fiscal Treaty, the proceeds of the sale cannot be used for current or capital
expenditure including the building

Recently a majority of TDs voted in the Dil to postpone the sale but the government has
ignored the Dil majority

At Least when Dermot McMurrough brought in the Normans, there

was no Irish Nation to Betray!!!!

Noonan can only go ahead with the sale because, erstwhile left-wingers, Ministers Finian
McGrath and John Halligan and the other Independent Alliance TDs agreed to it

Fianna Fil could stop the sale by threatening to withdraw from supporting the government
on key votes.

-
SACK NOONAN!
FG-Labour through Noonan Gave Wilbur Ross and Prem WATSA a one way bet
on Bank of Ireland Shares. Government declared Bank of Ireland a pillar bank.
That means the Bank could not be allowed to fail. Government shares were then
sold to these investors in a fire sale. Now they have walked away with over 1
billon of the Irish peoples money, having sod on the shares

Prem Watsa 566m Bank of Ireland gain beats Wilbur

Ross
Canadian investor among group that took part in investment in
bank in 2011
Joe Brennan Irish Times 19/04/2017
Canadian investment guru Prem Watsas Fairfax Financial Holdings
has made a CAD$806 million (566 million) gain on its 2011 rescue
investment in Bank of Ireland, leaving the Canadian billionaire on
track to deliver a return that will beat that of his friend, Wilbur Ross.
Mr Ross sold his entire investment in Bank of Ireland which had
been acquired at 10c per share in 2011 between March and June
2014 at prices between 28.4c and 32.8c, realising a 500 million
profit in the process.
MrWatsaandMrRoss,whobecameUSpresidentDonaldTrumpscommercesecretaryinFebruary,
ledagroupofinvestorsthattookat34.9percentstakeinBankofIrelandattheheightofthefinancial
crisisin2011for1.1billion.ThishelpedthelendertoavertjoiningtherestoftheIrishbankingsector
underStatecontrolastheirlevelofbadloanssoared.

Question to TaoiseachWill you sack Noonan?

SeamusHealyTDIfapersonranasweetshopinthewayDeputyMichaelNoonanhandlesState
investments,heorshewouldnotbelonginbusiness.WilltheTaoiseachsacktheMinisterforFinance
whoproposedthisripofftotheCabinettheripoffoftaxpayersandthepeopleinwhatwasandisa
firesale?

TheTaoiseach:TheanswertothatquestionisNo.

Rent and interest on 200 billion in Assets is set to stream out of Ireland to Vulture
Funds while FF-FG-Labour rule

Damage Done by Fine Gael-Labour Fire Sale of Assets

to International Vultures Comes Home to Roost as More
Money Pours Out of Ireland
Shop Closures, Redundancies, Pay Freezes, Price Rises, Increased
Parking Charges on the Way
Vulture Funds Turn the Screw on Retail Tenants in Shopping
CentresMichael Brennan, Sunday Business Post

Upward only rent reviews have been carried out by the new owners of Blanchardstown
Shopping Centre-Us private equity giant Blackstone.

And increased rents are also being demanded at Dundrum Town Centre which was bought
from NAMA last yearby British property firm Hammerson and German insurance giant
Allianz

Most of the countrys main shopping centres are owned by vulture funds and institutional
landlords

Other shopping centres which have been bought by vultures since the crash include Liffey
Valley in Dublin,Whitewater in Kildare, Navan Town Centre in Meath, the Fairgreen retail
complex in Mullingar, Dungarvan Shopping Centre in Co. Waterford, and Thurles Shopping
Centre in Co TipperarySB POST

NAMA HAS FOREGONE 18 BILLION ALREADY TO

VULTURES-Will Forego a Total of 40 Billion if
Government Policy Continues This is not an error. It is
the direct result of deliberate Government Policy to
Comply with the EU FISCAL TREATY while refusing to
Tax the Massive ASSET GAINS OF THE IRISH
SUPER-RICH
Report by Economist, Jim Power -quoted in Sunday Business Post 26/03/2017
It is clear that NAMAs fire sale of the nations property assets has
allowed vulture funds to make a killing at the tax payers expense.
The Agency would have fared better if it had opted for a medium
to long term, commercially savvy approach over its knee-jerk
panicked reactionIt would appear that Nama has been aiming to
recover its initial investment of 31.8 billion and not the 74.2 billion
of debt owed to the 5 main banks ,as was its original remit. As
such in excess of 40 billion has been left behind by NAMA at the
expense of the taxpayer.
SB POST: The report reveals how overseas funds have made
spectacular returns flipping (immediately reselling) Irish
property acquired from NAMA -with funds making average returns
of 47 per cent on just 11 deals, yielding 317.6 million Euro in under
2 years

Kelly (Labour) Supports Noonan on Project Eagle
Irish Times 15/03/2017

The committee considers it was not procedurally appropriate for the Minister for Finance
to meet with senior Cerberus representatives on the day before the Project Eagle bid
closing date.

Procedurally appropriate

The phrase procedurally appropriate is an interesting one. It is not a direct or personal

criticism of the Minister, rather a pointing out of a flaw or shortcoming in procedures.

Even with that proviso, there is no doubt the finding stung the veteran Fine Gael Minister.
The four Fine Gael members of the committee, as well as Labours Alan Kelly, adamantly
opposed this conclusion, looking for the more minor it was not procedurally advisable.
For the first time in its 94-year history, the proudly non-partisan PAC split along party lines
and agreed the stronger conclusion on a split of 8-5.

Project Eagle: Loans totalling 6bn sold to US firm

Cerberus for 1.43bn
 RTs television programme, The Great Irish Sell-Off, highlighted
how vulture funds had acquired 200 billion of property assets and
some 90,000 mortgages at knockdown prices and were paying
little or no tax on the profits derived here.

-
MICHAEL NOONAN SHOULD BE SACKED FOR
PRESIDING OVER THESE LOSSES AS MINISTER
FOR FINANCE
2016:Up to 24 vulture funds paid less than 20,000 in
taxIrish Times
2017:The Committee of Public Accounts will shortly report that
220 million was lost on the Project Eagle sale

and that it was not appropriate for the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, Department of
Finance officials and NAMA to meet senior Cerberus representatives in the days prior to
that sale. This is but the tip of the iceberg. Massive Irish assets are being sold off at knock
down prices to the Governments international financial friends. People in need of health
care are being criminally neglected and hundreds are dying needlessly according to our
medical consultants.

Noonan lost the State 2.7billion in Premature Sale of Bank of

Ireland Shares

2013:In July 2011, that financial wizard Michael Noonan sold 1.123 Billion of
government shares in Bank of Ireland to Wilbur Ross and a North American
Consortium. Now the shares are worth 3.8 billion. Wilbur thinks Michel Noonan
and Richie Boucher are marvellous!! The reason the shares rose is that investors
have been assured by Michael that BoI is a pillar bank. Recently Michael saved
Wilbur and the mainly private owners of BoI a further 325m at the expense of the
state when he voluntarily sold 1.3 billion in preference shares which the bank
couldnt redeem to a third party.-SeamusHealyTD in Dil

Seen & Heard: Denis OBrien makes 22m in Blue Ocean break-up;
ComReg wants to increase fines

Billionaire Denis OBrien made more than 22 million from the break-up of Blue
Ocean Associates, according to The Sunday Times.

The scale and scope of tax avoidance by vulture funds, reports the Sunday Business
Post, is now becoming apparent with new data showing 24 Irish subsidiaries paid less than
20,000 of corporation tax in total despite controlling distressed property assets of almost
20 billion.

According to the Post, these 24 companies and their subsidiaries will be able to make a
profit of between 33 per cent and 50 per cent of their initial investment.
The Post also reports that the IDA will have to disclose the details of payments it makes to
international companies to set up in Ireland, potentially paving the way for other countries
to lure jobs away from the State.

Under European Union transparency laws, the agency will have to provide the names of
companies that receive grants , how much the individual payments total and what they are
for.

Blue Ocean breakup nets 22m for OBrien

The Sunday Times reports that billionaire Denis OBrien made more than 22 million from
the break-up of Blue Ocean Associates, a UK fuel group he bought in a 2012 deal that
involved a 64 million debt writedown from IBRC.

Figures show that Blue Ocean paid 28.2 million in dividends to an Isle of Man parent
company last year after selling of all its assets. The parent company, Osmunda, is 67 per
cent owned by Mr OBrien.

-
Healy Calls for Dismissal of Noonan as
Governments helps Vulture Capitalists walk away
with 2.7 Billion of Irish Money
Question To The Taoiseach. Deputy Seamus Healy: The Taoiseachs and the
Governments ideological commitment to private banking has ripped off the taxpayer and
the people. The value of Wilbur Rosss and his North American vulture capitalist friends
shares in Bank of Ireland has more than trebled, from 1.1 billion to 3.8 billion. They are
now selling 6.75% of Bank of Ireland for 690 million, at a huge profit, while retaining
30%. I raised this issue during Leaders Questions on 7 November 2013 when I said:

In April 2013, on Bloomberg television, Wilbur Ross, the American vulture capitalist,
described Bank of Ireland as his best investment anywhere in the world during the
financial crisis. In July 2011 the Government sold State shares in Bank of Ireland to a
consortium of North American vulture capitalists for 1.123 billion. The effect of the sale is
that the State now owns 15% of Bank of Irelands shares at a net cost of 4 billion, while
these vulture capitalists own 37% at a cost of 1.123 billion. The fire sale of Bank of
Ireland shares has handed Wilbur Ross and his wealthy associates a capital gain of 2
billion. No wonder he was celebrating on television. They are onto a sure winner in the
future.

This is all too true. Not alone had the people bailed out Bank of Ireland, the Government
had guaranteed the shares would rise by designating Bank of Ireland a pillar bank. It made
no sense. Now in the media Wilbur Ross is lavishing praise on Richie Boucher and the
Government. Why would he not? With no risk, he and his partners trebled their
investment. Will the Taoiseach tell the people the truth? Will he tell them that while they
were being fleeced in budget after budget, owing to the Taoiseachs ideological
commitment to the privatisation of banking, he has cost them 2.7 billion which has gone
straight into the pockets of Wilbur Ross and his North American friends. If a person ran a
sweet shop in the way Deputy Michael Noonan handles State investments, he or she would
not be long in business. Will the Taoiseach sack the Minister for Finance who proposed this
rip-off to the Cabinet the rip-off of taxpayers and the people in what was and is a fire
sale?

The Taoiseach: The answer to that question is No. I was not sure whether the Deputy
was going to propose that Anglo Irish should have been made a pillar bank, if one was to
follow through on his dissertation. There are two things he should bear in mind. First, the
fact that Mr. Ross invested in Bank of Ireland meant there was less of a capitalisation
requirement for the taxpayer. Second, there will be no legacy debt attached. When the
Minister for Finance brings his memo to the Government with a recommendation to
dispose of the States element of ownership of Bank of Ireland, the taxpayer will make a
profit. Therefore, the taxpayer was saved from further capitalisation of Bank of Ireland and
when the Government decides to dispose of its shares, the taxpayer will make a profit. I
am no fan of banks. As the Deputy is well aware, what has happened from the point of
view of the Government is that it has put in place a set of targets and requirements for
banks and the Central Bank: to offer every mortgage holder in distress a sustainable offer
by the end of the year; establish the Personal Insolvency Agency; meet the requirement
for SME lending; and provide the opportunity to open doors for greater access to credit in
order that people can do business and create jobs.

The answer to the Deputys question is that the Minister for Finance will not be sacked; the
taxpayer will make a profit on the disposal of the shares we own in Bank of Ireland.

Deputy Seamus Healy: I thank the Taoiseach for his response, but, once again, we
have heard the usual smoke and mirrors blather. The fact is that the Governments
ideological commitment to private banking has gone even further. As bad as the Wilbur
Ross affair was, the taxpayer has been ripped off again, as recently as December 2013.
This happened when Bank of Ireland was unable to call or buy all of the preference shares
held by the Government. On that occasion the Government voluntarily sold the excess
shares to a third party at a knockdown price to facilitate the bank. The Government rushed
deliberately to complete that sale before 31 March 2014, when those shares will be worth
an additional 325 million. In addition, the whole operation meant the States share in the
bank was reduced by another 100 million. The Government, therefore, lost 425 million
in the deal. How can the Taoiseach continue to support a Minister for Finance who has
stood over such a rotten and shameful deal for the taxpayer?

The Taoiseach: As I pointed out, we cannot have a functioning economy without

functioning banks. When the Government was elected to office, we had a banking system
which was completely dysfunctional, had gone off the rails and required radical
restructuring. This happened with the putting in place of the pillar bank system.

The Deputy asked if the Minister for Finance would be sacked. The answer to that question
is No. We have a duty to the Irish taxpayer to see

Deputy Seamus Healy: The Taoiseach is standing over that.

The Taoiseach: that money paid into banks can be recovered to the greatest extent
possible given the catastrophic economic mess left by those who went before us.

Deputy Seamus Healy: Shame.

Fianna Fil Protect Noonan from EFFECTIVE

SCRUTINY ON NAMA FIRESALE
Mr Fleming said he would like to assure Mr Noonan that he will be questioned strictly in
connection with the sale process, saying the questioning will be strictly kept to the
mechanics of the sale process and the ministers involvement in it.

Mr Fleming said: He is one of the links in the chain in relation to this sale process.

He was involved in correspondence personally; he was involved in personal phone calls on

the matter.
I do want to assure the minister, and I as chairman of the PAC know fully the remit of the
committee, we will not be straying into governmental decisions; policy issues by the
department.

We will keep it strictly to the mechanics of the sale process and the involvement of the
minister in the sale process, he added.

Later, he told RT News that questions seeking to establish if there was any Government
policy to encourage NAMA to accelerate sales of its loan portfolio, and what impact that
might have had on the controversial Project Eagle deal at the centre of controversy, would
have to be addressed by a Commission of Inquiry and not by the PAC.

Ronnie Hanna,now out on bail, who was named in the

Spotlight probe, was the former head of Namas Asset
Management in Dublin Headquarters, writes Niamh
Horan
This weekend, a source close to the BBC Spotlight investigation told the Sunday
Independent: The team are still quietly plugging away. This is only the tip of the
iceberg. There will be more to come.

PUBLISHED Sunday Independent 18/09/2016 | 02:30

Businessman Frank Cushnahan is the name on everyones lips this weekend after he was
secretly recorded accepting a 40,000 cash payment from a Nama borrower.

But the bombshell footage, reported by BBCs Spotlight programme, has thrown another
man into the centre of controversy: former head of Namas asset management, Ronnie
Hanna.

In the video, Mr Cushnahan alleged he had influence over Mr Hanna and suggested that he
would have Mr Hannas assistance in getting the developers loans out of Nama in return
for a fee. Ronnie and I are thick as thieves, he told the property developer.

In March of this year, both Mr Hanna and Mr Cushnahan were arrested on allegations of
fraud by the National Crime Agency (NCA), which is investigating Namas 1.2bn sale of its
Northern Ireland property portfolio to US firm Cerberus, and released on bail. Mr Hanna,
like Mr Cushnahan, has strenuously denied any wrongdoing, but if Mr Cushnahans secretly
recorded claims are true, it brings the scandal to the heart of Namas headquarters in
Dublin.

Excerpts from Full Article Below

A source close to the BBC investigation told the Sunday Independent that both Mr Hanna
and Mr Cushnahan were very influential and big powerful players in Northern Ireland
business and banking circles and go back over many years.

In 2010, Mr Hannas career change from Ulster Bank to Nama raised eyebrows among
lifelong friends. As a source explained: We were all very surprised it was a very leftfield
move.
Mr Hanna immediately became central to Namas operations in Dublin. He reportedly
had the power of life or death over developers.-

Two months later, Mr Ronans chief legal counsel, Mr Williams, wrote on Mr Ronans behalf
to Finance Minister Michael Noonan. In the letter dated September 6, 2012, he outlined the
sequence of events leading to the collapse of Treasury Holdings and raised grave concerns
regarding Namas actions to that point.

Nama was accused of losing a vast amount of money for Irish taxpayers through the sale
of the jewel in Treasurys assets: Londons iconic Battersea Power Station, which the
agency sold for 600m but is now expected to generate profits of up 10bn.

In recent months it has emerged that, on March 31 2014, Mr Hanna met John Snow, the
head of Cerberus, the day before the US fund bid to buy the loans, worth 4.5bn. Three
days later, Cerberus bid just 1.2bn for the loans, which was accepted by Nama. Six
months later, Mr Hanna unexpectedly left the agency.

Main Article Continued

So who is Ronnie Hanna- and how much power did he wield over Irish property developers
and their assets?

A graduate of Belfasts Queens university, Mr Hanna (57) worked for 30 years in Ulster
Bank, Belfast. He was said to have been well thought of by senior bankers and quickly
moved into the world of credit when the crash hit in 2008, eventually working his way up
to Head of Global Restructuring at the bank.

Friends of Mr Hanna describe him as a typical Northern Protestant.

He was seen as one of the pillars of society in the North. A source close to the BBC
investigation told the Sunday Independent that both Mr Hanna and Mr Cushnahan were
very influential and big powerful players in Northern Ireland business and banking circles
and go back over many years.

In 2010, Mr Hannas career change from Ulster Bank to Nama raised eyebrows among
lifelong friends. As a source explained: We were all very surprised it was a very leftfield
move.

Mr Hanna immediately became central to Namas operations in Dublin. He reportedly had

the power of life or death over developers.

He has overseen the sale of assets belonging to Irelands biggest property developers
including Derek Quinlan, Treasury Holdings Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett, Michael
OFlynn, Harry Crosbie and Joe OReilly.

They were among some of the biggest losers when Nama set off with seeming abandon in
selling off what effectively were Irelands crown jewels London assets such as Battersea
Power Station, the Knightsbridge Estate, and a major stake in the world famous Claridges,
Berkeley and Connaught hotels for knockdown prices to vulture funds and other
international investors.

The decision to take out Treasury Holdings in particular raised serious questions about
Namas conduct.
In 2012, when Treasury appealed the decision against Nama bosses who had called in their
loans, Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan ruled in favour of Nama and Treasury Holdings
lost on a technicality.

However, in her written summary, Ms Justice Geoghegan was highly critical of Nama. In a
public indictment of the agency, she found it acted unfairly and unreasonably against the
developers because it did not fulfil its obligation to give a fair hearing to proposals which
could have saved the company.

Two months later, Mr Ronans chief legal counsel, Mr Williams, wrote on Mr Ronans behalf
to Finance Minister Michael Noonan. In the letter dated September 6, 2012, he outlined the
sequence of events leading to the collapse of Treasury Holdings and raised grave concerns
regarding Namas actions to that point.

Nama was accused of losing a vast amount of money for Irish taxpayers through the sale
of the jewel in Treasurys assets: Londons iconic Battersea Power Station, which the
agency sold for 600m but is now expected to generate profits of up 10bn.

Meanwhile, this weekend one developer who has not yet exited Nama- and who has
worked with Mr Hanna- described him as very, very tough and abrupt.

He said: He had the power to make or break any of us.

A friend who would sometimes meet Mr Hanna socially during his time working with Nama
said: He was definitely an outsider in Dublin so he could disassociate from developers
when he had to make decisions and I know that made his work easier for him.

The friend, who would drink socially with Mr Hanna, described him as lonely in Dublin,
adding: He would get the train down early on a Monday morning and come back up here
to Belfast late on a Friday evening. He seemed under a lot of stress during his time with
Nama. You could see it in his face.

He aged hugely in the few years he was in Dublin and he didnt look great. He looked
absolutely wrecked when I met him.

He went on: I do know there was huge political pressure and Nama had to produce and
deliver quickly and thats why very, very fast decisions were made. He was in a tough
place. The atmosphere inside was very politically sensitive. Some developers appeared to
have no chance to survive. People wanted blood and that was it. Politicians wanted results
quickly.

Speaking about learning that his friend was embroiled in the Project Eagle controversy, the
source said: We were all shocked. I dont think he was the type of man who could do such
a thing. I hope there will be an investigation to figure out what the hell happened. There is
something definitely amiss [with the Nama controversy], things dont add up.

In recent months it has emerged that, on March 31 2014, Mr Hanna met John Snow, the
head of Cerberus, the day before the US fund bid to buy the loans, worth 4.5bn. Three
days later, Cerberus bid just 1.2bn for the loans, which was accepted by Nama. Six
months later, Mr Hanna unexpectedly left the agency.

Under Dail privilege, Independent TD Mick Wallace said Mr Hanna was part of a cabal to
seek payment for effecting the biggest property deal in the history of the State.

In March of this year both Mr Hanna and Mr Cushnahan were arrested by police, who
seized documents and computers during raids on properties in Belfast. Nama belatedly
lodged a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission in relation to its Northern-
based former adviser Frank Cushnahan. When asked why Nama hasnt also lodged a
complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission in relation to its southern-based
former adviser, Ronnie Hanna, a spokesperson for Nama refused to comment.
This weekend, commentators have suggested that Nama is trying to keep the controversy
north of the border, for fear of it spilling into its dealings in its Dublin office.

Deputy Mick Wallace claimed that there is a strong reluctance to deal with the
controversy due to the fear that allowing a few cracks to develop could lead to the
collapse of the Nama edifice.

This weekend, a source close to the BBC Spotlight investigation told the Sunday
Independent: The team are still quietly plugging away. This is only the tip of the iceberg.
There will be more to come.

Sunday Independent

Will Shane Ross, John Halligan, Finian McGrath Protect

Noonan and NAMA From INVESTIGATION??
NOONAN WILL NOT APPEAR BEFORE THE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
ON NAMA FIRE-SALE-MINISTER VERADKAR ON
THE WEEK IN POLITICS ON RTE
GOVERNMENT WANTS TO CONFINE STATUTORY INQUIRY INTO NAMA TO PROJECT EAGLE-
VERADKAR

-
NOONAN PRESSURISED NAMA TO SELL OFF
ASSETS QUICKLY THOUGH PROPERTY PRICES
WERE RISING COSTING THE STATE HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS
This is confirmed by people with knowledge of the agencys
dealings. In his letter to the Minister for Finance decrying the
C&AG report, Nama chairman Frank Daly pointedly
remindedMichael Noonan that it was operating on his instructions
when it accelerated the sale of its loan book.
Daly reminded Noonan this approach was endorsed by you
during the agencys 2014 review, when it adopted the target of 80
per cent of senior debt (a cumulative total of 24 billion) by the
end of 2016.-Irish Times 15/09/2016

As you know this ambitious target, which has not alone been achieved but exceeded some
nine months ahead of schedule, could not have been attained without the sale of some
large loan portfolios at market value, Daly reminded the Minister.
This sounds a lot like: hold on, pal this was your idea all along.

There is some truth to it. Noonan had long been of the view, even before he became
Minister for Finance, that Nama needed to accelerate loan disposals, to put a floor on the
market, to get things moving. This process necessarily required offloading properties which
would subsequently rise in value. That is what happens in a rising market.-Irish Times
15/09/2016

Kenny, Noonan and Labour Ministers Gave Away Billions in Bank of Ireland
Shares

Wilbur Ross Celebrates Huge Windfall Gain in BoI Shares on Bloomberg TD

Kenny Refused Call of Seamus Healy TD to Sack Noonan

The answer to the Deputys question is that the Minister for Finance will not be sacked

Seamus Healy TD Leaders Questions 05 March 2014 Watch and Listen

WUAGWordpress http://wp.me/p1Uvd5-z3

Statement Seamus Healy TD March 2014

In the course of his speech on the Governments Economic Plan , Seamus Healy TD called
on the Taoiseach to Correct the Dail Record on the disastrous sale of shares in BoI which
he totally misrepresented to the Dail yesterday. READ Full Dail Record BELOW

He said:

In July 2011, that financial wizard Michael Noonan sold 1.123 Billion of
government shares in Bank of Ireland to Wilbur Ross and a North American
Consortium. Now the shares are worth 3.8 billion. Wilbur thinks Michel Noonan
and Richie Boucher are marvellous!! The reason the shares rose is that investors
have been assured by Michael that BoI is a pillar bank. Recently Michael saved
Wilbur and the mainly private owners of BoI a further 325m at the expense of the
state when he voluntarily sold 1.3 billion in preference shares which the bank
couldnt redeem to a third party.

Yesterday the Taoiseach said in answer to me at Leaders Questions Mr Ross

investment in Bank of Ireland meant there was less of a capitalisation requirement for the
taxpayer. This is totally untrue. The sale of 1.123 billion in state shares had no effect on
capitalisation. It merely meant that 1.123 billion of state shares was replaced by 1.123
billion of shares held by the north American consortium of vulture capitalists. I call on the
Taoiseach to correct the record of the house. It is a disservice to democracy if a Taoiseach
can tell a blatant untruth to the house to cover up the fact that Wilbur Ross and associates
walked away with 2.7 billion euro in Irish Peoples money because of the ideological
position of the government

Healy Calls for Dismissal of Noonan as Governments helps Vulture Capitalists

walk away with 2.7 Billion of Irish Money

Deputy Seamus Healy: The Taoiseachs and the Governments ideological commitment
to private banking has ripped off the taxpayer and the people. The value of Wilbur Rosss
and his North American vulture capitalist friends shares in Bank of Ireland has more than
trebled, from 1.1 billion to 3.8 billion. They are now selling 6.75% of Bank of Ireland for
690 million, at a huge profit, while retaining 30%. I raised this issue during Leaders
Questions on 7 November 2013 when I said:

In April 2013, on Bloomberg television, Wilbur Ross, the American vulture capitalist,
described Bank of Ireland as his best investment anywhere in the world during the
financial crisis. In July 2011 the Government sold State shares in Bank of Ireland to a
consortium of North American vulture capitalists for 1.123 billion. The effect of the sale is
that the State now owns 15% of Bank of Irelands shares at a net cost of 4 billion, while
these vulture capitalists own 37% at a cost of 1.123 billion. The fire sale of Bank of
Ireland shares has handed Wilbur Ross and his wealthy associates a capital gain of 2
billion. No wonder he was celebrating on television. They are onto a sure winner in the
future.

This is all too true. Not alone had the people bailed out Bank of Ireland, the Government
had guaranteed the shares would rise by designating Bank of Ireland a pillar bank. It made
no sense. Now in the media Wilbur Ross is lavishing praise on Richie Boucher and the
Government. Why would he not? With no risk, he and his partners trebled their
investment. Will the Taoiseach tell the people the truth? Will he tell them that while they
were being fleeced in budget after budget, owing to the Taoiseachs ideological
commitment to the privatisation of banking, he has cost them 2.7 billion which has gone
straight into the pockets of Wilbur Ross and his North American friends. If a person ran a
sweet shop in the way Deputy Michael Noonan handles State investments, he or she would
not be long in business. Will the Taoiseach sack the Minister for Finance who proposed this
rip-off to the Cabinet the rip-off of taxpayers and the people in what was and is a fire
sale?

The Taoiseach: The answer to that question is No. I was not sure whether the Deputy
was going to propose that Anglo Irish should have been made a pillar bank, if one was to
follow through on his dissertation. There are two things he should bear in mind. First, the
fact that Mr. Ross invested in Bank of Ireland meant there was less of a capitalisation
requirement for the taxpayer. Second, there will be no legacy debt attached. When the
Minister for Finance brings his memo to the Government with a recommendation to
dispose of the States element of ownership of Bank of Ireland, the taxpayer will make a
profit. Therefore, the taxpayer was saved from further capitalisation of Bank of Ireland and
when the Government decides to dispose of its shares, the taxpayer will make a profit. I
am no fan of banks. As the Deputy is well aware, what has happened from the point of
view of the Government is that it has put in place a set of targets and requirements for
banks and the Central Bank: to offer every mortgage holder in distress a sustainable offer
by the end of the year; establish the Personal Insolvency Agency; meet the requirement
for SME lending; and provide the opportunity to open doors for greater access to credit in
order that people can do business and create jobs.

The answer to the Deputys question is that the Minister for Finance will not be sacked; the
taxpayer will make a profit on the disposal of the shares we own in Bank of Ireland.

Deputy Seamus Healy: I thank the Taoiseach for his response, but, once again, we
have heard the usual smoke and mirrors blather. The fact is that the Governments
ideological commitment to private banking has gone even further. As bad as the Wilbur
Ross affair was, the taxpayer has been ripped off again, as recently as December 2013.
This happened when Bank of Ireland was unable to call or buy all of the preference shares
held by the Government. On that occasion the Government voluntarily sold the excess
shares to a third party at a knockdown price to facilitate the bank. The Government rushed
deliberately to complete that sale before 31 March 2014, when those shares will be worth
an additional 325 million. In addition, the whole operation meant the States share in the
bank was reduced by another 100 million. The Government, therefore, lost 425 million
in the deal. How can the Taoiseach continue to support a Minister for Finance who has
stood over such a rotten and shameful deal for the taxpayer?

The Taoiseach: As I pointed out, we cannot have a functioning economy without

functioning banks. When the Government was elected to office, we had a banking system
which was completely dysfunctional, had gone off the rails and required radical
restructuring. This happened with the putting in place of the pillar bank system.

The Deputy asked if the Minister for Finance would be sacked. The answer to that question
is No. We have a duty to the Irish taxpayer to see

Deputy Seamus Healy: The Taoiseach is standing over that.

The Taoiseach: that money paid into banks can be recovered to the greatest extent
possible given the catastrophic economic mess left by those who went before us.

Deputy Seamus Healy: Shame.

The Taoiseach: In the case of Bank of Ireland the fact that Mr. Ross invested in the
bank meant that the Irish taxpayer had to put less money into the bank than it might have
had to do.

Deputy Seamus Healy: When did the Taoiseach sell shares for 425 million?

The Taoiseach: When the State, on the recommendation of the Minister for Finance,
decides to dispose of its equity there the taxpayer will make a profit. That is our
commitment, our duty and responsibility to the Irish taxpayers not to leave them at a loss,
given the scale of what was inherited here.

Deputy Willie ODea: It was 3 billion less than the Taoiseach would have paid.

STORMONT CRITICISES NOONAN JUDGEMENT IN PROCEEDING WITH SALE

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/stormont-criticises-noonans-judgment-in-
going-ahead-with-16bn-nama-sale-34527429.html?

NOONAN NOT ABLE TO HALT PROJECT EAGLE SAYS DEPARTMENT-Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/noonan-not-able-to-halt-
project-eagle-sale-says-department-1.2569898#.VuPBx20tcuk.mailto

Newspaper commentators seem to have forgotten that the FG-Lab Government ,through
Finance Minister Michael Noonan,sold risk free shares in Bank of Ireland Pillar Bank(Cant
Fail!) to Wilbur Ross in 2011

3 years later Wilbur had walked off with a total profit of 500m Euro by selling on the
shares!

An official who worked on the sale project in Dep of Finance was appointed to a senior
position in BoI whose board was joined by Wilbur Ross! (Following an appeal to the Ceann
Comhairle by Seamus Healy TD, Noonan was forced to confirm this in PQ Reply to Seamus
Healy TD)

Seamus Healy TD asked Taoiseach Kenny at Leaders Questions in the Dail to sack Noonan
following this but Kenny refused and defended Noonan

Noonan also authorised the transfer of 1.2 Billion in state owned shares in AIB into the AIB
pension fund owned by contributors and pensioners. As a result senior people who wrecked
the bank retained huge pensions though small share holders had lost their life savings

Nama was allowed to sell assets worth over 6 billion to vulture fund Cerebus for less than
2 billion Euro
The sale of Nama properties in NI for a song to a single remaining bidder is nothing new.

The Cushnahan affair, though important, is small change

Noonan and Nama refused to appear before the Stormont Committee investigating the
Scandal

Stormont criticises
Noonan's judgment in
going ahead with 1.6bn
Nama sale

1
Shane Phelan

March 10 2016
Michael Noonan. Photo: Tom Burke

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been criticised by a parliamentary

inquiry for failing to halt the controversial 1.6bn sale of Nama's Northern
Ireland loan portfolio.

The Stormont inquiry said it was "unclear" why Mr Noonan did not order the
suspension of the Project Eagle sale "given the seriousness" of revelations that
a former Nama advisor, Frank Cushnahan, stood to be paid Stg5m by a
prospective purchaser.

Its findings raise major questions about Mr Noonan's judgment and come as
the Finance Minister is primed to play a crucial role in negotiations on the
formation of the next government.

Mr Noonan could have exercised his general powers of direction over Nama to
suspend the sales process until matters were investigated fully, the inquiry by
the Northern Ireland Assembly's Committee on Finance and Personnel found.

Instead, the sale process continued, with Mr Cushnahan allegedly still

involved on the fringes. In a covert recording, which Mr Cushnahan has not
contradicted, he appeared to have said he stood to earn Stg6m from the final
sale.

A progress report by the committee, being published today, also raises

questions about the judgment exercised by the Nama board in deciding to
proceed with the sale.

Unhelpful

It criticised as "particularly unhelpful" Nama's refusal to provide oral evidence

to the inquiry.

The report said it was regrettable Mr Noonan did not encourage Nama to
attend.

The committee has been inquiring into the sale of the portfolio of 850
property loans held by Northern Irish businesspeople since last July.

Its probe, and a criminal inquiry by the UK's National Crime Agency, was
sparked by revelations that a sum of Stg7m linked to the deal was found in
an Isle of Man bank account.

Mr Noonan was informed in March 2014 that Mr Cushnahan, who had been a
member of Nama's Northern Ireland Advisory Committee until November
2013, stood to earn Stg5m in fees if one of the bidders, global investment
management firm Pimco, was successful.
He was relayed the information after Pimco advised Nama of a proposed fee
arrangement for advisors, which was to see Stg15m split equally between the
Brown Rudnick international law firm, Belfast law firm Tughans and Mr
Cushnahan.

Nama had not previously known of Mr Cushnahan's involvement in the deal

and was uncomfortable with this.

Pimco subsequently withdrew from the bidding.

Despite Nama's concerns, its board decided to proceed with the sale, taking
bids from two other investment companies.

The Dail Public Accounts Committee previously heard that Mr Noonan did not
object to Nama's decision to continue.

The following month, the portfolio was sold to US vulture fund Cerberus for
1.6bn.

Last month a BBC Spotlight programme aired secretly recorded footage of Mr

Cushnahan saying he was to be paid Stg6m for work on the final deal.

The money was to be routed to him via an Isle of Man bank account because
Nama had expressed concerns about fees.

He has yet to comment on the recording.

Cerberus had denied making any payment for the benefit of Mr Cushnahan.

In its report, the Stormont committee said it "notes with regret the decision of
the Nama board not to suspend the Project Eagle sales process" once it was
informed by Pimco of the proposed payment of a fee to Mr Cushnahan.

It said: "From the evidence to date, the committee considers this development
to be a core area of concern within the entire sale and purchase process."

As well as criticising Mr Noonan for not halting the sale, the report also noted
that the minister did not inform the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Project Eagle probe: key points

It was regrettable the Nama board did not suspend the Project Eagle sale after
learning of a proposed 5m payment by a bidder to Frank Cushnahan.

The proposed payment was "a core area of concern". Further information is
needed on why Nama proceeded with the sale.
It is unclear why Finance Minister Michael Noonan did not intervene to halt
the sale process so the revelations about Mr Cushnahan could be investigated.

Mr Noonan did not inform the Northern Ireland Executive when he was told
of the Cushnahan controversy.

The Irish Government may wish to clarify what steps it is taking to ensure
something similar does not happen in future.

Northern Ireland ministers should take advice from senior departmental

officials before nominating individuals to positions of strategic economic
importance.

Robust systems should be in place to ascertain the financial interests of

Northern Ireland ministerial nominees to positions of strategic economic
importance.

There was a failure to minute crucial meetings around the Project Eagle sale
involving Northern Ireland executive members and senior civil servants. This
should be avoided in future.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/stormont-
criticises-noonans-judgment-in-going-ahead-with-16bn-nama-
sale-34527429.html

Noonan not able to halt

Project Eagle sale, says
department
Stormont committee critical of Minister for Finances role in
Namas Project Eagle sale
Sat, Mar 12, 2016, 01:00
Barry O'Halloran
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan: criticised by the Northern Ireland
Assembly committee for failing to suspend the auction. Photograph: Gareth
Chaney Collins
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan could not have
halted the National Asset Management Agencys (Nama)
Project Eagle sale when a conflict of interest emerged in
one of the bids, his department says.
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/noonan-not-able-to-halt-
project-eagle-sale-says-department-1.2569898?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-
origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fbusiness%2Fcommercial-property
%2Fnoonan-not-able-to-halt-project-eagle-sale-says-department-
1.2569898#.VuPBx20tcuk.mailto

Balancing Politics and

Pragmatism in Irish Bank
I.P.O.
Breakingviews
By CAROL RYAN MAY 31, 2017
The chairman of Allied Irish Banks, Richard Pym, speaking at
the banks annual meeting in April. The Irish government
plans to sell a 25 percent stake in the nationalized ban

Breakingviews

By CAROL RYAN MAY 31, 2017

Allied Irish Banks initial public offering is as large as

it is political.
Ireland plans to sell 25 percent of the nationalized
bank in a dual Dublin-London stock listing. The
question is whether the Irish government can
persuade investors to pay more than book value for
a bank that is still a work in progress.
Allied Irish is an almost pure play on the Irish
economy, one of the fastest-growing in the
eurozone. Only 14 percent of its loans were in
Britain by the end of 2016, compared with 40
percent at its domestic peer, Bank of Ireland. It also
has a leading 36 percent market share in Irish
mortgages, which are a growth business. And
crucially, it is the first domestic Irish lender to
resume paying a dividend since the financial crisis.
Dublins weak coalition government is nowhere near
getting back the 20.8 billion euros in taxpayer
money it pumped into Allied Irish from 2009 onward.
Even so, selling that first slice for anything less than
book value is likely to be politically unpalatable. Yet
Bank of Ireland currently trades at 84 percent of its
estimated book value for the next 12 months,
according to Thomson Reuters Eikon. On a similar
multiple, the government would raise 2.4 billion
euros.
Expect Allied Irishs owners to suggest comparisons
further afield, then like Lloyds Banking Group of
Britain, which trades at 1.1 times book value. It is a
reasonable analogy. Allied Irish had a core equity
capital ratio of 16 percent by the end of March,
higher than Bank of Irelands 12 percent. Its costs as
a percentage of income are 52 percent, not far from
Lloyds enviable 47 percent. And, like the formerly
government-owned British bank, excess capital
means room for future dividends.
The big difference is that Lloyds has already cleaned
up its act, whereas Allied Irish Banks legacy of
reckless lending still lingers on its balance sheet.
Around 14 percent of its loans are nonperforming
roughly three times the European average and well
above Lloyds 1.8 percent. Besides which, what
happens to Irelands economy after Brexit is
anyones guess.
Allied Irish may price at book value, but Dublin
should think that more than generous.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/business/dea
lbook/balancing-politics-and-pragmatism-in-irish-
bank-ipo.html?_r=1
This morning I emailed the minister for justice Frances Fitzgerald I requested her to resign
with immediate effect.I have several reasons for making such a request, and I have no
problem telling you people what they are.
First of all she stated she has full confidence in the garda commissioner, even though the
commissioner has been caught out telling lies. The commissioner is as corrupt as any of the
other corrupt guards.
As minister for children she ignored my concern over a paedophile who An Garda
allowed to roam freely around this country and to work with children, she
informed me at the time that it was a matter for An Garda, work that one out for
yourself, he was subsequently jailed for 6 years.
I was falsely arrested and falsely prosecuted for harassing and assaulting a
retired garda sergeant who had become a traffic warden. He produced no
evidence or witnesses in court even though he stated all witnesses were
members of An Garda, I was convicted and given a fine and one year in jail, by a
corrupt judge who had earlier come to an agreement with the DDP to fined me
guilty no matter what, i appealed and that was successful. I requested the judge
[Gerard Haughton] to be impeached she wrote informing me she could not
interfere in the courts.
I was falsely arrested and prosecuted by Sgt Pat Kelly once again i was fined and
received a one year jail term once again i appealed and that was successful.
Now GSOC ordered an investigation into Kelly's actions, and strangely enough
the superintendent who is investigating that is the one and same person who's
officers got a search warrant for my home and it was signed by judge Gerard
Haughton
Now minister Fitzgerald tells me there is nothing she can do about the guards or
their ill treatment of my wife and myself, there is also nothing can be done about
the judge.
She goes onto to tell me that GSOC are a totally independent body, and yet they
have to get serving guards to carry out their investigations into other serving
guards. No I am not making this up.
The DPP are also independent but yet the guards prosecute on their behalf, and
even though the DPP are the ones who are appointed to prosecute on behalf of
the state, they allow guards to prosecute on their behalf without them even
knowing anything about the prosecution's, what a weird country we live in
independence does not mean independence at all.
And the minister for justice can do sweet dam all about justice, except collect her
salary and do back slapping parties, Well I am now letting the public know she is
unfit to have justice and her name used in the one sentence. .
These Ministers always ignore the people its only at elections they reply so at the election do as i do take your
turn ignore them when they come to your door i have done so now with a while i have went as far as telling
them to get off my property always works
Contemporary Ireland
https://ia902506.us.archive.org/34/items/contempo
raryirel00paul/contemporaryirel00paul.pdf

Deputy Governor and Chief

Economist at Central Bank, Tom
OConnell Tells All at Banking
Inquiry
THEY ALL KNEW BUT
Too many people were benefitting from the
boom time for prudent avoidance measures
to have been taken.
Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to
know that a property boom or bubble was
developing. Thats that is completely
incorrect in my view Irelands banking
and economic crash should never have
happened, should never have been allowed to
happen, with all the consequences of huge
increases in unemployment, rising
emigration, enormous debt, suicides, etc.,
that we have seen.-the liquidity pumped out
into the banks was 140 billion, you know,
with the both from the Central Bank and
the ECB. I mean, once you spell that out,
thats 140,000 million there are 12 digits
in that.- One can only surmise that, as
Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your
committee, too many people were benefitting
from the boom time for prudence avoidance
prudent avoidance measures to have been
taken. Dep. Gov.TOM OConnell at BANKING
INQUIRY
Cliff Taylor Irish Times 27/05/2017
The problem was that by the time anyone
realised that the banks were in a mess it was
way too late.
There is no big gap in Irish law which allowed the banking crisis to
happen. The Central Banks powers have since been beefed up, for
sure, but even back when the bubble inflated it had the legal
firepower to at least limit the damage. Also, as a 2016 report of
the Law Reform Commission into regulation and corporate law
pointed out, since 1992 it has been an offence for a bank or building
societ to fail to manage its business in accordance with sound
administrative and accounting principles. The laws and regulatory
powers were all there. The problem was that by the time anyone
realised that the banks were in a mess it was way too late. Cliff
Taylor-Irish Times
WRONG!!! THEY KNEW BUT TOO MANY
PEOPLE WERE BENEFITTING!
Deputy Governor of Central Bank,
Tom OConnell and Professor Alan
Ahearne at Banking Inquiry
One can only surmise that, as Professor Alan
Ahearne has said here to your
committee(Banking Inquiry), too many people
were benefitting from the boom time for prudent
avoidance measures to have been taken.
Deputy Governor of Central Bank, Tom
OConnell Tells All at Banking Inquiry

Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to

know that a property boom or bubble was
developing. Thats that is completely
incorrect in my view Irelands banking and
economic crash should never have happened,
should never have been allowed to happen, with
all the consequences of huge increases in
unemployment, rising emigration, enormous
debt, suicides, etc., that we have seen.-the
liquidity pumped out into the banks was 140
billion, you know, with the both from the
Central Bank and the ECB. I mean, once you
spell that out, thats 140,000 million there are
12 digits in that.
One can only surmise that, as Professor Alan
Ahearne has said here to your
committee(Banking Inquiry), too many people
were benefitting from the boom time for prudent
avoidance measures to have been taken.
- Dep. Gov.TOM OConnell at BANKING
The Inquiry found that the almost universal adoption of the
soft-landing theory without any substantial testing or
challenge must be regarded as a key failing for the
government, the Central Bank and the Department of
Finance-Ciaran Lynch TD Chair of Banking Inquiry
Mr OConnell (Deputy Governor and Chief Economist at
Central Bank) also said contrarian views(to the Soft Landing
Theory) in the Central Bank werent well received, and
concerns had been blocked from reaching a higher level in
the bank due to political and property interests on the
banks board.

Central Bank had to pull punches

despite indicators
Colin Gleeson

Irish TimesWednesday, June 10, 2015, 20:11

The Central Bank had to pull its punches in relation to concerns
about the economy despite indications of great difficulty ahead, its
former assistant director general told the banking inquiry on
Wednesday.
Thomas OConnell was appointed assistant director general and
chief economist of the banks economics division in April 2005. His
responsibilities included economic analysis, research and
publications, monetary policy and financial stability.
Mr OConnell said it was his opinion as early as 2001 that things
were going crazy and a massive property bubble had developed.
Financial Stability Reports( Annual Reports on Health of Financial
System by Central Bank) however tended to include reassuring
summaries that did not correlate with their data.
You have the body of the (2007) report (with) all the indicators
pointing in the wrong direction and then you have an overall
assessment of whats happeningIf I was asked to do an objective
assessment on the basis of the indicators I would be inclined to say
yeah were heading for big trouble, but a Central Bank being a
Central Bank, cant really say that. It has to sort of pull its punches
really.
Mr OConnell also said contrarian views in the Central Bank werent
well received, and concerns had been blocked from reaching a
higher level in the bank due to political and property interests on
the banks board.

Was Seanie to be the fall-guy for the Entire

Irish Financial Elite???
OR WAS THE PROSECUTION DELIBERATELY
FOULED UP SO THAT HE COULD BE
ACQUITTED WITHOUT HAVING TO
INCRIMINATE THE CENTRAL BANK, OTHER
BANKS, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE,
GOVERNMENT MINISTERS etc ???
Case against Fitzpatrick of Anglo
Dismissed
he Judge said he was concerned as to why some documents were
destroyed by the lead investigator of the Office of the Director of
Corporate Enforcement(ODCE) and not other documents. It was
possible that the destroyed documents could have damaged the
prosecution as well as the defence.
There is a particular way in which the destroyed (Shredded)
documents could have damaged the prosecution. They could have
incriminated Central Bank (non) regulators, heads of Pillar Banks,
Ministers and senior Department of Finance Officials.
The full treacherous story could have emerged.
Shredded documents
In January it came to light that a lead ODCE investigator into
allegations against FitzPatrick shredded documents related to the
case in what he (the investigator) called a calamitous error.-
Journal.ie Would You Believe That??
Will the lead investigator be sacked or will a person who may have
ordered him to shred the documents be sacked???
Maybe they both know where too many bodies, victims of the
elites, are buried!!!

UniCredit Bank whistleblower

Jonathan Sugarman appears before
Dil Finance CommitteeThe Senior
Banker at IRISH FINANCIAL
SERVICES CENTRE was Blocked
from Appearing before Banking
Inquiry
Rose Conway Walsh (SF) Interviews Jonathan Sugarman;

Posted by Luke 'Ming' Flanagan MEP

25 Bankers in jail in ICELANDHow many are in jail in Ireland he
asked the Committee
RTE Updated / Thursday, 13 Apr 2017 20:22
Listen to Some of the Proceedings of Dil
Committee Here
http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2017/0413/8675
51-whistleblower-sugarman-appears-before-
finance-committee/
Listen to 3 interviews with Jonathan Sugarman;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=CuEhUicQz4s
Jonathan Sugarman, who was risk manager in UniCredit, has
claimed that prompt action in 2007 might have avoided the need for
a blanket guarantee and bailout of the Irish banks
The Oireachtas finance committee is to ask the Central Bank to
supply it with documents relating to the case of Jonathan
Sugarman, a banker who warned of liquidity breaches at his bank,
UniCredit Bank Ireland, in 2007.
Mr Sugarman, who was risk manager in UniCredit, has claimed that
prompt action in 2007 might have avoided the need for a blanket
guarantee and bailout of the Irish banks.
Appearing before the committee today, Mr Sugarman, repeated his
previous claims that his warnings to superiors and the Central Bank
about the UniCredits breaches of liquidity requirements in 2007
went unheeded.
He subsequently resigned his position in September 2007 and said
he has been unable to find employment ever since.
He told the committee within two months of working with the lender
he noticed irregularities that needed investigating.
He said it became a daily occurrence to meet with the CEO to
discuss risk issues.
Mr Sugarman said he was told the irregularities he noticed were
glitches in the IT system and that there was no need to worry.
The former risk manager added that a liquidity breach of 1% should
have set alarm bells ringing, but UniCredit only obliged the law and
notified the regulator when the breach was 20%.
Mr Sugarman said he notified garda of the breaches and was later
told the garda fraud squad was dealing with the case.
He said that was the last he heard about it from garda, and this
was in 2009.
He said his life has been utterly destroyed because I did the right
thing, but the people who did nothing got off absolutely scot-free.
I have been unable to work for ten years and have been
unemployable for upholding the law of Irish Republic.

Sentencing of Anglo and Irish Life

and Permanent Top Dog Fraudsters
Adjourned until Friday
Thousands lost their life savings due to the
fraud!
Wed July 27
Is there a dirty deal between the Government and the Defendants
To Protect the state from compensation claims?
At the sentence hearing on Monday Last, defence pointed out that
there was no loss to the bank or to the state due to the fraud
There ar no reports of the Prosecution on behalf of the Government
pointing out that thousands of small investors were defrauded of
their life savings
There were several high ranking character witnesses called in
support of mitigation of sentence by the defence
But there were no victim impact statements given though these are
criminal convictions
Prosecutor OHiggins SC,for the prosecution (State), told the judge
that the maximum effective sentence was ten years asccording to
newspaper reports
But no demand for the maximum sentence to be applied was
reported.
The defense on behalf of the convicted bankers did not call the then
regulator, the then governor of the central bank, the then secretary
general of the Department of Finance
Have the defense instructed by the bankers and the government
(who instructs the prosecuting lawyers) done a deal to prevent
small investors getting their money back???
Lawyers for the defendants and the Government must take
instructions from their clients unless such instructions are illegal,
unethical or in breach of court rules.
Hence the players in any deal are not the lawyers but the
government and the convicted bankers.
Noonans Non Reply To Seamus Healy TD in Dil: Will Small
Shareholders be Compensated??
QUESTION NO: 115
DIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Finance (Deputy
Michael Noonan)
by Deputy Seamus Healy for WRITTEN ANSWER on 23/06/2016
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will recommend that small
shareholders be compensated by the State at least to the extent of
the entitlement of depositors under the Bank Deposit Guarantee
Scheme, given the conviction of two former executives of Anglo-
Irish Bank on a charge of conspiring to defraud investors, that
Government and his Department, the Office of The Regulator and
the Central Bank were all aware of the relevant transaction in
advance of the publication of the misleading accounts of the affairs
of the bank and the other evidence and remarks of the Judge in
Court (details supplied see further down); and if he will make a
statement on the matter.
REPLY.
As previously outlined to the Deputy in my answer to parliamentary
question number 108 on 16th June 2016, Anglo Irish Bank was
nationalised on 15 January 2009 and on that date the Minister for
Finance acquired all of the ordinary and preference share capital by
virtue of the provisions of the Anglo Irish Bank Act 2009, therefore,
as of that date, the ownership of the shares in Anglo Irish Bank
would have transferred to the Minister for Finance. If the
Government had not nationalised Anglo Irish Bank, the Bank had
the potential to collapse and impact on the entire Irish banking
system. At that time, shares were valued on the market in the
region of 0.22, however in the event of the Bank failing, Anglo
Irish Bank s shares would have been worthless.
Sections 22-32 of the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009
provide that the Minister for Finance shall appoint an Assessor at an
appropriate time having regard to the public interest. The job of the
Assessor is to independently determine the fair and reasonable
aggregate value, if any, of the transferred shares and extinguished
rights and the consequent amount of compensation, if any, that
may be payable to persons in respect of Anglo Irish Bank shares
transferred and rights extinguished under the Act. Since the
liquidation of IBRC in February 2013, there has been no timeframe
set for the appointment of an Assessor.
An update on the liquidation of IBRC can be found at
http://www.finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Progress%20update
%20report_31%20Dec%202015_0.pdf
The Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) was established to protect
depositors in the event of a bank, building society or credit union
authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland being unable to repay
deposits. The DGS is part of the Central Bank of Ireland s strategy
to ensure that the best interests of consumers of financial services
are protected. The DGS is administered by the Central Bank of
Ireland and is funded by the credit institutions covered by the
scheme. The DGS was not established to protect equity investors.

Detail Supplied: In a document prepared for its board, the

regulator admitted: There is also information available that might
be argued to support a defence against accusations of market
abuse, specifically in relation to knowledge within the Financial
Regulator/Central Bank, but also more generally in relation to the
role of the Department of Finance, Central Bank and Financial
Regulator encouraging institutions to co-operate with each other in
extremely difficult circumstances where the very existence of the
Irish financial system was in some doubt.
There is also evidence in notes kept of meetings of the Domestic
Standing Group made up of the Department of Finance, the
Central Bank and the Financial Regulator that the state was
monitoring how Anglo and IL&P were working together in the
months before the 7 billion fraud.-Sunday Business Post,
19/06/2016
Full Report
http://www.businesspost.ie/damning-files-reveal-central-banks-
role-in-e7bn-banking-fraud/
Business Post 19/06/2016
 Remarks of Judge in Court
These were classic back-to-back transactions,
done for public optics only, the judge said in
his February ruling. He said he believed the
regulator condoned optics-based balance
sheet management as it did not want Irish
banks to go down. The Irish authorities were
frightened by what they had seen with Northern
Rock and they had seen central banks in other
jurisdictions help their banking systems.
Neary and Hurley were hands on and entirely involved in the
effort to save the Irish banking system, the judge said. They had
put the green jersey into Caseys mind, and Casey had acted on it.
Colm Keena, Irish Times, June 9,2016
Mr Peter Fitzpatrick (Irish Life and Permanent) who was acquitted
of the conspiracy to defraud investors said in a statement to gardai
quoted in court:
He said that prior to January 2009, ILP never received any request
for clarification from Anglo or its auditors, the then financial
regulator Patrick Neary or the then Central Bank governor John
Hurley
Political expediency
I feel that the matter was dealt with as a matter of political
expediency with no reference to the substance of the transaction.
I believe that the actions of the [financial] regulator post 30
September 2008 effectively shows [sic] that he tacitly if not
explicitly approved such actions. Without this understanding the
transaction would have in all certainty not have taken place, he told
garda.Declan Brennan,Irish Times, , May 5, 2016, 18:07
On one end of the line was John Bowe, Anglos head of capital
markets. At the other was Mary Elizabeth Donoghue from the Office
of the Financial Regulator.
The call occurred on October 28, 2008, weeks before publication of
Anglos preliminary results on December 3, 2008. Critically, it also
came weeks after the execution of a spectacular 7.2bn scheme of
circular transactions between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent..
Lets call a spade a spade, said Donoghue as Bowe explained the
motivation behind the balance sheet window dressing exercise,
insisting it had nothing to do with the liquidity crisis then engulfing
banks around the globe, including our own.
The conversation included this exchange:
Bowe: This was purely about avoiding an issue of
confidence in the bank.
Donoghue: Yeah, so it looked like an asset manager had
placed money with yourselves?
Bowe Exactly.
Donoghue It forms part of the the customer deposit,
yeah.
Bowe: Exactly.
Donoghue: Yeah. Thats fine, thats grand, thats what I
even my limited reading of it now thats what I read it to be
and I just wanted lets not get too excited about whats
happening here and lets call it what it is. Thats fine.
Dearbhail McDonald Legal editor, Sunday Independent,
12/06/2016

-
Sunday July 24
Has a Dirty Deal Been Hatched Between Defense and Prosecution
(the Government) to Protect the Elites?
Will the then regulator, the then head of the
central bank, the then secretary of the
Department of Finance be called (by sub-poena)
to give evidence as to whether they encouraged
the fraudsters or simply allowed the fraud to
continue? Had they full advance knowledge?
The stench is rising!

Damning files reveal Central Banks

role in 7bn banking fraud The
Sunday Business Post
MINISTER NOONAN FAILS TO ANSWER
DEMAND FOR COMPENSATION FOR SMALL
SHAREHOLDERS IN ANGLO BY SEAMUS
HEALY TD IN DAIL REPLY TO PARLIAMENTARY
QUESTION-PENSIONERS, REDUNDANT
WORKERS DEFRAUDED
Government, Department of Finance had Full
Knowledge!!
<! [if lt IE 9]>
http://www.businesspost.ie/wp-
content/themes/smart-
mag/js/html5.js <![endif]>
Official files and secret notes reveal that a 7 billion fraud that led
to the criminal conviction of three bankers earlier this month was
potentially based on encouragement from the Central Bank, The
Sunday Business Post can reveal.
The secret documents reveal how the state had intimate knowledge
that the two banks were helping each other out during the financial
crisis in order to make their balance sheets appear stronger to
investors and the stock market.
The day before Anglo Irish Bank was nationalised in January 2009,
Con Horan, the regulators then prudential director, told a high-
powered meeting that his banking watchdog had an awareness
that the bank was working together with Irish Life & Permanent,
using what was called back-to-back loans.
He then told senior Department of Finance, NTMA and Central Bank
officials that this working relationship was potentially based on
encouragement from Dame Street.
Horan said he was meeting the banks auditors to discuss the
arrangement. He also explained how the circular transaction worked
in January 2009 in order to use money from IL&P to boost Anglos
customer deposits.
Horan was asked by Mary ODea, another senior official in the
Central Bank, whether or not the 7 billion deal would have to be
disclosed in Anglos accounts.
Horan said: Auditors are comfortable Current accounts will have
lot more disclosures.
On February 25, 2009 documents marked secret by the Financial
Regulator also saw the states banking watchdog admit internally
that Anglo and IL&P bankers might be able to argue that the 7
billion fraud was only carried out because of encouragement
In a document prepared for its board, the regulator admitted:
There is also information available that might be argued to support
a defence against accusations of market abuse, specifically in
relation to knowledge within the Financial Regulator/Central Bank,
but also more generally in relation to the role of the Department of
Finance, Central Bank and Financial Regulator encouraging
institutions to co-operate with each other in extremely difficult
circumstances where the very existence of the Irish financial system
was in some doubt.
There is also evidence in notes kept of meetings of the Domestic
Standing Group made up of the Department of Finance, the
Central Bank and the Financial Regulator that the state was
monitoring how Anglo and IL&P were working together in the
months before the 7 billion fraud. SB POST
Full Article:
http://www.businesspost.ie/damning-files-reveal-central-banks-
role-in-e7bn-banking-fraud/
Business Post 19/06/2016
QUESTION NO: 108
DIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Finance (Deputy
Michael Noonan)
by Deputy Seamus Healy
for WRITTEN ANSWER on 16/06/2016
To ask the Minister for Finance if he will recommend that small
shareholders be compensated at least to the extent of the
entitlement of depositors under the Bank Deposit Guarantee
Scheme, given the conviction of two former executives of Anglo-
Irish Bank on a charge of conspiring to defraud investors, that the
Office of The Regulator was aware of the relevant transaction in
advance of the publication of the misleading accounts of the affairs
of the bank and the other evidence and remarks of the Judge in
Court (details supplied)
And if he will make a statement on the matter?
; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY.
Anglo Irish Bank was nationalised on 15 January 2009 and on that
date the Minister for Finance acquired all of the ordinary and
preference share capital by virtue of the provisions of the Anglo
Irish Bank Act 2009, therefore, as of that date, the ownership of the
shares in Anglo Irish Bank would have transferred to the Minister for
Finance. If the Government had not nationalised Anglo Irish Bank,
the Bank had the potential to collapse and impact on the entire Irish
banking system. At that time, shares were valued on the market in
the region of 0.22, however in the event of the Bank failing, Anglo
Irish Bank s shares would have been worthless.
Sections 22-32 of the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act 2009
provide that the Minister for Finance shall appoint an Assessor at an
appropriate time having regard to the public interest. The job of the
Assessor is to independently determine the fair and reasonable
aggregate value, if any, of the transferred shares and extinguished
rights and the consequent amount of compensation, if any, that
may be payable to persons in respect of Anglo Irish Bank shares
transferred and rights extinguished under the Act. Since the
liquidation of IBRC in February 2013, there has been no timeframe
set for the appointment of an Assessor.
An update on the liquidation of IBRC can be found at
http://www.finance.gov.ie/sites/default/files/Progress%20update
%20report_31%20Dec%202015_0.pdf
The Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) was established to protect
depositors in the event of a bank, building society or credit union
authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland being unable to repay
deposits.
The DGS is part of the Central Bank of Ireland s strategy to ensure
that the best interests of consumers of financial services are
protected. The DGS is administered by the Central Bank of Ireland
and is funded by the credit institutions covered by the scheme. The
DGS was not established to protect equity investors.

-
Conviction of 3 Leading Bankers
For a Conspiracy to Mislead
Investors
Thousands of Retired People Lost Their Life
Savings!!!
The Role of The Governor of the Central Bank
and The Financial Regulator in The Fraud
Committed by the Convicted- Will These Also
be Called to Account?
The fraud was not a victimless crime. Most of the coverage of
Irelands banking crash has centred on the fall of the very rich such
as Sean Quinn.
But huge numbers of small investors (shareholders not depositors)
lost their life savings. These included pensioners who had invested
their retirement lump sums, redundant employees who had invested
their redundancy award, small traders and the self-employed who
saved for their retirement by buying bank shares on the advice of
financial advisors.
Because of the fraud, many did not sell their bank shares in time
or actually bought further shares though the banks were in deep
trouble.
The banks and the Authorities were concerned to maintain good
public optics at the expense of small shareholders
Financial Advisors were entitled to advise clients to continue
investing in bank shares because of the misleading accounts
published by some banks. In addition the regulator asserted that
the regulated banks were all in good shape and the Central Bank
said that there would be a soft landing for the financial system and
the economy as a whole in its annual Financial Stability Reports
before the crash
The billionaire bond holders were bailed out by the state but the
small investors were wiped out.
THIS IS A HUGE SCANDAL
Remarks of Judge in Court
These were classic back-to-back transactions,
done for public optics only, the judge said in
his February ruling. He said he believed the
regulator condoned optics-based balance
sheet management as it did not want Irish
banks to go down. The Irish authorities were
frightened by what they had seen with Northern
Rock and they had seen central banks in other
jurisdictions help their banking systems.
Neary and Hurley were hands on and entirely involved in the
effort to save the Irish banking system, the judge said. They had
put the green jersey into Caseys mind, and Casey had acted on it.
Colm Keena, Irish Times, June 9,2016

Mr Peter Fitzpatrick (Irish Life and Permanent) who was acquitted

of the conspiracy to defraud investors said in a statement to gardai
quoted in court:
He said that prior to January 2009, ILP never received any request
for clarification from Anglo or its auditors, the then financial
regulator Patrick Neary or the then Central Bank governor John
Hurley
Political expediency
I feel that the matter was dealt with as a matter of political
expediency with no reference to the substance of the transaction.
I believe that the actions of the [financial] regulator post 30
September 2008 effectively shows [sic] that he tacitly if not
explicitly approved such actions. Without this understanding the
transaction would have in all certainty not have taken place, he told
garda.Declan Brennan,Irish Times, , May 5, 2016, 18:07

On one end of the line was John Bowe, Anglos head of capital
markets. At the other was Mary Elizabeth Donoghue from the Office
of the Financial Regulator.
The call occurred on October 28, 2008, weeks before publication of
Anglos preliminary results on December 3, 2008. Critically, it also
came weeks after the execution of a spectacular 7.2bn scheme of
circular transactions between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent..
Lets call a spade a spade, said Donoghue as Bowe explained the
motivation behind the balance sheet window dressing exercise,
insisting it had nothing to do with the liquidity crisis then engulfing
banks around the globe, including our own.
The conversation included this exchange:
Bowe: This was purely about avoiding an issue of
confidence in the bank.
Donoghue: Yeah, so it looked like an asset manager had
placed money with yourselves?
Bowe Exactly.
Donoghue It forms part of the the customer deposit,
yeah.
Bowe: Exactly.
Donoghue: Yeah. Thats fine, thats grand, thats what I
even my limited reading of it now thats what I read it to be
and I just wanted lets not get too excited about whats
happening here and lets call it what it is. Thats fine.
Dearbhail McDonald Legal editor, Sunday Independent,
12/06/2016

Regulator was told about Anglos

balance-boosting transactions
DearBhail McDonald, Legal Editor, Sunday Independent
PUBLISHED12/06/2016 30
The Office of the Financial Regulator was informed six weeks before
Anglo published its preliminary results in December 2008 of a series
of circular transactions designed to boost Anglos balance sheet at
its September 2008 year end.
John Bowe, Anglos former head of capital markets, informed an
official at the office of the regulator of the motivation behind the
scheme in October 2008, weeks before the banks preliminary
results were published, a jury at Dublins Circuit Criminal Court
heard. .

Role of regulatory authorities may

take centre stage at bankers
sentence hearing
Dearbhail McDonald, Legal Editor, Sunday Independent,
PUBLISHED12/06/2016
The phone conversation was remarkably open and frank, normal
even.
On one end of the line was John Bowe, Anglos head of capital
markets. At the other was Mary Elizabeth Donoghue from the Office
of the Financial Regulator.
The call occurred on October 28, 2008, weeks before publication of
Anglos preliminary results on December 3, 2008. Critically, it also
came weeks after the execution of a spectacular 7.2bn scheme of
circular transactions between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent.
The scheme was designed to bolster Anglos year end balance sheet
by making it appear that the circular loans (from ILPs life assurance
company) were customer deposits, boosting Anglos health at a time
when it was dying on its feet.
Lets call a spade a spade, said Donoghue as Bowe explained the
motivation behind the balance sheet window dressing exercise,
insisting it had nothing to do with the liquidity crisis then engulfing
banks around the globe, including our own.
The conversation included this exchange:
Bowe: This was purely about avoiding an issue of confidence in the
bank.
Donoghue: Yeah, so it looked like an asset manager had placed
money with yourselves?
Bowe Exactly.
Donoghue It forms part of the the customer deposit, yeah.
Bowe: Exactly.
Donoghue: Yeah. Thats fine, thats grand, thats what I even my
limited reading of it now thats what I read it to be and I just
wanted lets not get too excited about whats happening here and
lets call it what it is. Thats fine.
Of course, it wasnt fine, it was catastrophic.
In common with all licenced banks, Anglo submitted its preliminary
accounts to the authorities presumably armed with Bowes
explanation before publication to the market on December 3,
2008.
Within weeks, the best performing bank in the world was
nationalised in disgrace.
Extracts from Article by Colm Keena, Irish Times, June 9
Advice from the Financial Regulator that the Irish banks should
enter into a secret green jersey agenda to help each other get
through the 2008 financial crisis encouraged both ANGLO-IRISH
BANK and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) to enter into financial
transactions the State later argued were a conspiracy to mislead
investors, the Anglo/ILP trial heard.-
The attitude of the regulator and the Central Bank might serve as
mitigation in the event of the conviction of the accused, the judge
ruled at the end of six days of legal argument in February in the
absence of the jury. The ruling could not be reported until the jury
had come to its decision.
Accused Denis Casey,Irish Life and Permanent,gave evidence in the
absence of the jury in relation to his dealings in 2008 with the
regulator and the Central Bank. Judge Nolan in his February ruling,
said he found Caseys testimony to be believable and that in his
view Central Bank governor John Hurley and the Financial
Regulator, Pat Neary, were very hands on in relation to the green
jersey agenda. The two men knew exactly what they were up to
and exactly what the problem was.
Casey said the green jersey agenda was mentioned to him early in
2008 at a time when Hurley had complained about ILPs use of
funding from the European Central Bank and how that looked. He
told the court he was surprised by the attitude of the authorities.
Judge Nolan said he believed the regulator knew about a smaller,
circular transaction involving Anglo and ILP in March 2008. It
seemed inconceivable to him that the regulator did not know the
banks were involved in balance sheet management. Bad balance
sheet management, the judge said, was when a bank improved its
balance sheet by way of lodgements where the depositor was not
taking any risk. Casey, the judge said, had been very clear that he
believed the September transactions did not involve risk for ILP. (It
was Caseys case that he believed Anglo would make this clear in
their accounts.)
Public optics
These were classic back-to-back transactions, done for public
optics only, the judge said in his February ruling. He said he
believed the regulator condoned optics-based balance sheet
management as it did not want Irish banks to go down. The Irish
authorities were frightened by what they had seen with Northern
Rock and they had seen central banks in other jurisdictions help
their banking systems.
Neary and Hurley were hands on and entirely involved in the
effort to save the Irish banking system, the judge said. They had
put the green jersey into Caseys mind, and Casey had acted on it.
There was ample evidence, the judge said, to support the
argument that the September transactions were totally illegal and
fraudulent.
Anglo and ILP were involved in six circular transfers of 1 billion
each on September 29th and 30th, as Anglo came to its September
30th year end. An earlier transaction had occurred on September
26th. On September 29th Anglo told the Central Bank it didnt have
enough money to finance its requirements for the following day. The
following morning the Central Bank gave Anglo 1 billion in
emergency funding. That same morning the Government announced
the bank guarantee. The announcement brought to an end the 2008
crisis of access to liquidity for the Irish banks.
The attitude of the regulator and the Central Bank might serve as
mitigation in the event of the conviction of the accused, the judge
ruled at the end of six days of legal argument in February in the
absence of the jury. The ruling could not be reported until the jury
had come to its decision.
The trial heard how Casey told the Garda Bureau of Fraud
Investigation (GBFI) he authorised the multi-billion euro
transactions between ILP and Anglo Irish Bank, because he felt
obliged to help Anglo as a fellow Irish financial institution in the
midst of the then global financial crisis.
Casey told the GBFI he was motivated in authorising the deals
because of his understanding of a request from Neary and Hurley
for Irish banks to support each other as part of the green jersey
agenda.
The trial heard how Anglos then head of capital markets, John
Bowe, had openly discussed the Anglo/ILP deal with Mary Elizabeth
ODonoghue of the Financial Regulators office in October 2008.
There have been some questionsin relation to the arrangement
that you got involved with there with ILPthat it would bolster your
position, Donoghue told the banker, the trial heard. When
Donoghue suggested that the transaction was designed to look like
an asset manager had placed money with Anglo, Bowe replied,
exactly, to which Donoghue in turn said: Thats fine; thats
grand.

Analysis of Election Results on NUI Panel

Michael McDowell, Former Progressive
Democrat leader, received the highest
transfer or almost one third of the Begg
Transfers!!!!
David Begg Eliminated in NUI Seanad Election
Having Received One Fifth of a Quota on First
Count
Extreme conservative candidates Mullen,
McDowell and business owner OCeidigh
received between them in total 59.75% or
almost 60% of Beggs Transfers
Despite this, powerful equality campaigner,
Alice Mary Higgins was elected to the third and
final seat.
Former minister for justice Michael McDowell was the first to be
elected to the Seanad on the National University of Ireland panel..
Mr Mullen was 700 votes ahead of Mr McDowell on the first count
but the former leader of the Progressive Democrats pulled ahead on
the 26th count following a transfer of 834 votes from David Begg,
the former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
who was eliminated on the 25th count-Irish Times
Alice-Mary Higgins, powerful professional campaigner on equality
issues was elected to the final seat on the 28th count.
David Begg received one fifth or 20% of a quota on the first count.
He had reached only one third of a quota when he was eliminated
on the 24th count and had been overtaken by Laura Harmon, former
USI President
Extreme Right-Wing Neoliberal Ideologue Michael McDowell, Former
Progressive Democrat leader, received the highest transfer or
almost one third of the Begg Transfers!!!!
Extreme conservative candidates Mullen, McDowell and business
owner OCeidigh received between them in total 59.75% or
almost 60% of Beggs

Despite this, Alice Mary Higgins was elected to the third and final
seat.
NUI Seanad Panel Results 2016 (SYNOPSIS)
3 seats
Electorate c. 98,000 world wide
Total Valid Poll 36,293 c. 37% of electorate
Quota 9074

FIRST COUNT 24th Count Transfer of Begg Votes

%of Quota
Ronan Mullen 7362 81%
9016 +352
Ml McDowell 5661 62% 8570
+834
P OCidigh 2475 27%
4513 +402
A M Higgins 2055 23% 4636
+ 625
David Begg 1,836 20% 3232(ELIMINATED)
L Harmon 1479 16%
4124 +443
Non-Transferable 576

2656 of votes for David Begg on 24th Count were distributed

The percentage of these distributed votes going to each continuing
candidate was:
Mullen +13.25%
McDowell +31.4%
OCeidigh +15.1%
A M Higgins +23.5%
L Harmon + 16.7%

Extreme Right-Wing Neoliberal Ideologue Michael McDowell(PD)

received the highest transfer or almost one third of the Begg
Transfers!!!!
Extreme conservative candidates Mullen, McDowell, and business
owner OCeidigh received in between them in total 59.75% or
almost 60% of Beggs transfers. A M higgins a powerful equality
professional and activist was a continuing candidate as was L
Harmon, former USI President. These two got 40% of the Begg
Transfers.
David Begg Eliminated in NUI Seanad Election
Having Received One Fifth of a Quota on First
Count
Former minister for justice Michael McDowell was the
first to be elected to the Seanad on the National
University of Ireland panel.
He was elected on the 26th count having exceeded the
quota of 9,074 narrowly ahead of outgoing senator
Ronan Mullen who was elected on the same count.
Mr Mullen was 700 votes ahead of Mr McDowell on the
first count but the former leader of the Progressive
Democrats pulled ahead on the 26th count following a
transfer of 834 votes from David Begg, the former
general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
who was eliminated on the 25th count.
Alice-Mary Higgins, daughter of the President, was
elected to the final seat on the 28th count.Irish Times
Irish Times should have pointed out that Alice-Mary Higgins is in
fact a highly qualified professional campaigner on many equality
issues. She is Policy Coordinator with National Womens Council of
Ireland including High-level advocacy on economic and social
equality including quality affordable childcare and the gender pay
and pension gap.
David Begg received one fifth or 20% of a quota on the
first count
Laura Harmon, Former President,USI, went ahead of
Begg on transfers before he was eliminated.
First count Tally
Ronan Mullen 7,362.
Michael McDowell 5,661.
Pdraig Cidigh 2,475.
Alice-Mary Higgins 2,055.
David Begg 1,836.
Dr Martin Daly 1,523.
Laura Harmon 1,479.
Ellen OMalley Dunlop 1,454
-
TUI Not Endorsing Begg for Seanad
Senator Gerard Craughwell proposed to a meeting of TUI Executive
a few weeks ago that TUI nominate David Begg for election to
Seanad Eireann on NUI panel
The proposal failed to get a seconder
Senator Craughwell then withdrew the nomination
Senator Craughwell has not been nominated by ICTU on the
Industrial Relations panel for Seanad Eireann

ASTI not endorsing Begg for

Seanad
RTE News Tuesday 19 April 2016 17.35
David Begg is seeking election to the Seanad via the NUI panel
The union representing a majority of the countrys second level
teachers, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, has told
members that it is not endorsing David Begg in the upcoming
Seanad Elections.
Mr Begg, a former general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade
Unions, is standing for the Seanad on the NUI panel.
One of his nominators is former ASTI general secretary Pat King.
In a statement posted today on its website, the union said Mr Begg
had engaged in public criticism of the ASTIs position at critical
junctures in ASTI campaigns against national public service
agreements.
It is understood the statement relates to comments made by Mr
Begg in 2013 when ASTI members were balloting on the
Haddington Road Agreement.
The ASTI statement went on to say that the union was not
endorsing any candidate for the 2016 Seanad Election.
-
FROM WIKIPEDIA:10 months before the banking
crash Central Bank Of Ireland made a statement
saying- The Irish banking system continues to
be well-placed to withstand adverse economic
and sectoral developments in the short to
medium term. The underlying fundamentals of
the residential market continue to appear strong
and the current trend in monthly price
developments does not imply a sharp
correction. The central scenario therefore is for
a soft landing[24]
-
Another FINANCIAL Farce : Banking inquiry members did not see
key documents relating to the financial crisis during their probe of
the collapse, The Sunday Business Post can reveal.
The Department of Finance memos, which relate to the bailout, the
structure of Nama, cash injections for Anglo Irish Bank and Irelands
relationship with key eurozone leadership figures, were not
published last week as part of the banking inquirys report.

DAVID BEGG BEGGARS BELIEF-THE PHOENIX, Jan 29,2016

THE multiple leaks from the banking inquiry last week came at
rather a bad time for David Begg and his patron, Tanaiste Joan
Burton, following the row over her crony appointment of Begg to
the chair of the Pension Authority. In her defence against the Dail
motion of no confidence in her, Burtons defence of Beggs
credentials justifying his appointment mentioned various roles he
had played down the years. These included his trade union work
(ex-general secretary of the ICTU) and his job as CEO of Concern
Worldwide. What she omitted to mention was his 15-year
membership of the Central Bank to 2010. Surely such a responsible
and onerous position would have impressed those who impugned
the manner of Beggs appointment, cronyist or not?
It took Independent TD, Seamus Healy, to make mention in the Dail
of Beggs membership of the Central Bank board, the most culpable
institution of state in the financial crash that befell the state.
Healy quoted former deputy governor general of the Central Bank,
Tom OConnells statement to the banking inquiry, the liquidity
pumped out into the banks was 140 billion both from the Central
Bank and the ECB during the lead-up to the crash, all of which
happened, on Beggs watch.
In his evidence to the inquiry last July Begg made the most
exculpatory statement describing how in 2003 The powers formerly
held by the Central Bank for the regulation and supervision of the
financial institutions were transferred to the regulatory authority
(the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority, or IFSRA) under
the new Act (the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of
Ireland Act 2003). Thus, I had no further involvement in
supervision or regulation of the banks.
Socialist Party TD, Joe Higgins, picked up on this statement and put
it to Begg, But thats not what the legislation states, is it? The TD
then directed Begg and the inquiry members attention to the
memorandum of understanding between the Central Bank board
and the IFSRA. This says:
The Governor and-or Board will advise all relevant parties on the implications for financial
stability of developments in domestic and international markets and payment systems and
assess the impact on monetary conditions of events;
In this context, the Governor and/or Boards objective is to identify developments which
could endanger the stability of the system as a whole, and will advise accordingly.
Higgins then asked Begg, Isnt it very clear that the board of the Central Bank had a
responsibility in relation to issues such as developed in the exponential lending and the
property concentration in the bubble?

Begg waffled on a little more after this embarrassing piece of evidence that blew a hole in
his disassociation from any supervisory role in the states finances, but he conceded that
the Central bank did have a joint role with the regulator.

Shane Ross has been accused, with some validity, of having an appetite for attacking trade
unionists such as Begg, but Healy is a socialist to the left of Labour. Beggs membership of
the Central bank became a hot item on RTEs Liveline programme two years ago when
trade union activist, Anne Conway, rang Joe Duffy with a similar line of attack to Healys in
the Dail, namely, that as head of ICTU, Begg had a responsibility to his members who had
suffered more than most due to the crash.
Following an angry complaint from the ICTU (Begg was then still head of the union body)
RTE issued an apology to Begg the next day saying that as Begg was not a member of the
Central banks regulatory authority Conways charges were incorrect (see The
Phoenix, 14/2/14). In a riposte to RTE Conway pointed out that reports from all Central
Bank sub-committees reports on regulatory developments are circulated to board
members.

Exchanges between Clare Daly TD and David Begg, Chasirperson

Deignate of the Pensions Authority

Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection and Education and

Skills Jan 27

Full Proceedings of Joint Committee at this link

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates
%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/committeetakes/EDJ2016012700002?
opendocument#A00100

EXTRACT

DEPUTY JOANNA TUFFY(Labour Party) IN THE CHAIR.

The Pensions Authority: Chairperson Designate

Chair: I welcome Mr. Begg and ask him to make his presentation.

Mr. David Begg: Makes his presentation

Deputy Clare Daly: Our time is relatively limited. The challenges facing the pensions
industry and the authority are immense. The role of the Pensions Authority has probably
not assisted in the crisis over the past period and we will struggle to get to the bottom of it
here in one session; even over a Dil term, we would struggle to do so. It is appropriate
that we take the opportunity to question Mr. Beggs expertise for the appointment. We
were certainly led to believe that was part of the role of this committee, even if that role is
a little bit weak when it is not going to make any difference to the appointment. Mr. Begg
is obviously aware of the discussion around whether that appointment was appropriate,
although it was not his decision. It is something that is in the public domain.

The Chairman pointed out that the key function of the authority is to regulate and
influence policy regarding pensions in order to ensure that the expectations of pensioners
are met and that schemes are run with good governance. Given that function, it is
appropriate to question Mr. Beggs role in terms of some of the pension schemes he has
been involved in, including the one to which he drew attention in his presentation, namely,
the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme, IASS. As he said, that was a very complex
scheme involving multiple employers and groups of people, existing and deferred
pensioners and current contributors. It had a huge deficit and moneys were put into it to
defray some of that deficit. The real travesty is not anything said in the Dil but rather the
impact of those decisions on the livelihoods of those affected by what went on.

One of our considerations here is meeting legitimate expectations. Since that scheme was
restructured, retired members, numbering approximately 5,000 people, have seen
incomes reduced by 500,000 a month. These people were specifically excluded from any
of the talks in the negotiation process. Mr. Begg, both in his roles on the board of Aer
Lingus and, more particularly, in ICTU, stood over the process whereby those people did
not have a voice in negotiations, going against the idea of nothing about us without us.
He did so even though decisions that came out of that process meant that they suffered a
loss of income. Furthermore, no compensation measures were put in place to defray that
loss, even though this took place for other groups. The bitter irony is that their colleagues
who worked in America and England got full pension entitlements while their own
legitimate expectations were cruelly dashed. How could that process have been stood
over? How is that track record going to be beneficial to pensioners going forward? Retired
staff associations and, indeed, the deferred members and so on repeatedly wrote to Mr.
Begg and to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions seeking assistance and seeking a seat at
the table and yet the door was closed on them.

I would also be a little bit concerned that the trade union movement has not advanced the
very necessary provision that pensioners who, in many instances, are former trade union
members should have access to workplace relations bodies and so on in matters that refer
to their pensions once they retire.

Chairman: We will try to keep initial questions to around the three minute mark. I will
let members back in a second time.

Deputy Clare Daly: Fine. I will come back in. I am wondering why Mr. Begg thinks
that would help pensioners in his new authority. In light of the Chairmans remarks, what
would Mr. Begg say to those who argue that, given that he was a director of the Central
Bank for 14 years, and that the banking inquiry has been quite scathing and has made the
point that the Central Bank had sufficient powers to intervene

Chairman: That is not really relevant to the remit

Deputy Clare Daly: It is, because the role Mr. Begg had in the Central Bank could be
viewed to be quite similar to that which he holds in the Pensions Authority one of
oversight. It was the lack of oversight of the Central Bank that caused some of the
problems. How do we know we will have a different approach to oversight in respect of the
Pensions Authority role? My comments relate to Mr. Beggs previous experience and
expertise.
The last question, in deference to the Chairman, concerns the fact that the Pensions
Authority only requires trustees of schemes to send on an annual report to existing
members say, trade unions and current active members. Does Mr. Begg have any views
on changing that situation so that information is given, on a mandatory basis, to existing
current pensioners? Many of my questions concern how the rights of existing pensioners
will be improved under the new Pensions Authority.

Senator Marie-Louise ODonnell: Would be possible to get answers to some of

those questions, which are quite important, rather than having somebody coming in with
four more?

Chairman: Fair enough.

Mr. David Begg: Addressing Deputy Snodaighs questions on the policy role of the
authority, -

The question of deferred pensioners also arose in Deputy Dalys remarks. Let me say first,
in response to Deputy Daly, that I took enormous exception to her contribution in the
House last week. I thought it was vitriolic, unfair and cowardly in the sense that she used
the privilege of the House to say things about me that were unreasonable and unfair, in my
opinion. She is quite right about the time being limited in how to deal with some of these
problems; that is the only issue on which I can agree with the Deputy.

We can discuss my expertise in all this, starting with the Irish Airlines Superannuation
Scheme, IASS, and what I did in those circumstances. That particular scheme was
enormously complex, involving a number of employers and trade unions. We had a 720
million deficit in the fund, which was critical. That arose because the strain costs on the
fund had not been responded to properly in previous years. There was a large number of
restructuring processes in that industry, and the strain costs resulting in the pension
scheme had not been responded to. The other problem was there was no agreement on
whether the scheme was a defined contribution or defined benefit scheme. That decision
would ultimately only be settled in a court of law, if tested, so nobody knew what it was.
From the point of view of the board of the company, the formal position was it had no
obligation whatever to staff.

The Deputy pointed out that I was a member of the board and general secretary of
congress as well. I will park that for a moment before coming back to it. With regard to
contacts held with deferred pension personnel, I accept and have made the point that
there is a real difficulty as organisations outside the formal structure of the Labour Court
are in quite a difficult position because they cannot have effective representation. It is not
true that we did not engage with them. I appointed the industrial relations officer of
congress, Mr. Liam Berney, to have regular contact with those groups of people. I made
strong representations on their issues to the board in the course of the discussions that
took place.

I will address the question of legitimate expectations. It is certainly true that employees
took an enormous hit but there was one difficulty with that scheme. In certain
circumstances it was a co-ordinated scheme but in other circumstances, it was unco-
ordinated. If a person served in the scheme until 65 and left on a normal retirement date,
the person would have a co-ordinated pension. That meant the person would have an
occupational pension less the amount of the social welfare pension. That is the norm in
nearly all of the defined benefit schemes around the country. If a person left prior to a
normal retirement date even within one week of turning 65 there was an anomaly in
the scheme that allowed an unco-ordinated pension. If a person had 40 years of service,
the person would get 40 eightieths as the pension entitlement plus the old-age pension.
That was an extremely beneficial provision but it was unsustainable because it was an
anomaly in the circumstances of the pension fund being in deficit to the tune of 720
million.

I worked very hard on the board and as the congress general secretary to try to improve
that. I was working at an enormous disadvantage as I could not say what I was doing at
the board because I was constrained by confidentiality issues. As most people recall, the
major shareholder on the board was totally and utterly opposed to any input of money to
fix the schemes difficulties. In the end, we tried to bring about a targeted benefit scheme
that allowed people to have the same expectation as they would have had if they were
part of a co-ordinated pension scheme. In the end, the workers of the company voted by a
substantial majority to accept that. Of course, the deferred benefit people were at a
disadvantage because of not having collective representation so they did not have a direct
influence. They did not have access to the Labour Court to argue around any of the
decisions emerging from the court relating to all this. I made a strong case to the board of
the company for an injection of 40 million and it was eventually secured.

I will speak a little about my role in the Central Bank. I agree with the Chairman in that it
has nothing to do with the Pensions Authority and has been brought in extraneously as
part of the vilification process that has been ongoing. Nevertheless, I will deal with it
directly. I have received no communication from the banking inquiry team regarding my
comments on the draft of the report. Clearly, there is nothing in this that bears upon me
from the teams perspective. I gave three and a half hours of evidence and made two
written submissions, which are available to anybody who will take the trouble to look for
them. That is very detailed evidence. In the course of giving evidence, I made a point that
was fully vindicated by saying that in 2005, I pointed out to the board of the bank that
there was a serious difficulty in circumstances where people felt they needed to get on a
ladder of having a second house. Such second houses were being built by people who
came here as migrants to work in the construction industry and would, effectively, have
become the tenants for those houses. It would not have taken a genius to figure out that
this was an unsustainable circular process.

My comments on this to the board were vindicated by no less a person than the chief
economist of the bank in his evidence to the inquiry, such that the inquiry team wrote to
me before I gave my evidence to ask if I wished to comment on what the chief economist
stated. Not alone did I do it in the Central Bank forum but I also did it publicly at a social
policy conference in UCD on 10 October 2005. I gave a copy of my speech to the inquiry
and if anybody on this committee wants to find out what is in that, I am sure it can be
provided by the inquiry team. It will probably be published as part of the evidence, as I
assume all the evidence will be published. I reject completely that there is any connection
between my suitability for this proposed role and my appointment to that position in the
Central Bank.

I was asked about trustee information. One of the big problems with trusteeship at the
moment, as I stated earlier, is that we have 150,000 schemes, which is an enormous
amount. That means there is an enormous number of trustees. We should be honest. In
many cases, people do not have the necessary investment experience or training to handle
responsibilities of this type. It is a serious difficulty. There is a role for professional
trustees, of course, who are people from the pensions industry usually commissioned to
act on trustee boards. There is a strong case for reform to try to reduce the number of
schemes. We will not really have the chance to ensure good investment decisions for
people unless we can do that and professionalise the role of trustees. None of that is to
gainsay the contribution that trustees make, almost always in a voluntary capacity, to
pension schemes. There is a tremendous risk in this area and there should be full
transparency. I would support such an initiative with respect to trustee reports. I would
have no difficulty with that.

Deputy Brendan Ryan(LAbour:North County Dublin) I welcome Mr. Beggs

appointment to the role. He is a great candidate and eminently suitable, as he has
demonstrated in his presentation. I particularly welcome somebody from a trade union
background because many members of pension schemes come from such a background.
Mr. Begg has a lot of experience to bring and a deep insight. Most trade unionists to whom
I have spoken in the past week certainly welcome his appointment. I look forward to his
input in this very important role in the years ahead.
I wish to raise several issues about the IASS, deferred members and Deputy Clare Dalys
point about people having a legitimate expectation of what they might stand to gain on
retirement. Mr. Begg referred to an anomaly in the scheme. I have argued that while some
called it an anomaly, what it amounted to was the company exploiting the rules of the
scheme to use it as a slush fund and encouraging people to leave on the basis of unco-
ordination to achieve the productivity it was seeking to achieve. It benefited from this
anomaly, or what I argue were the rules of the scheme. The trustees ought to have been
aware of this, but they seem to have been asleep on the job. What are Mr. Beggs general
thoughts on this, with reference to what ought to happen in the future in such cases?

I also have a general point to make about the various categories of membership of the
scheme. There were active members, deferred members and retired members. We meet
them more often than we did in recent years. I have met many of them and members in
all categories are disappointed. Active members are dissatisfied with the value transferred
from the old scheme. Retired members have lost 10%, while deferred members have lost
50% to 60%. They are seeking to be treated in the same way as retired members, as they
had been previously. In Mr. Beggs view, was there any possible outcome which could have
led to greater satisfaction throughout all of the groups?

Deputy Clare Daly: I have several points to make about what Mr. Begg said. Perhaps
he did not understand the point about being a member of the board of the Central Bank.
In essence, the point is that he signed off on financial stability reports, particularly in the
period 2003 to 2007 when the Central Bank allowed the banks to borrow 50% of GDP, loan
it out and fuel the property bubble. We know that as a result of these financial stability
reports, many pensioners were encouraged to buy shares in the banks and that many of
them lost their livelihoods.

I find it strange that Mr. Begg categorised some of the comments made about his
appointment as hostile abuse. To be honest, that is a gross exaggeration. I am wondering
how Mr. Begg could not possibly understand how people who have seen their retirement
livelihoods decimated, most paretically in a scheme in which Mr. Beggs organisation had a
very direct role, would be upset that he has been appointed to his current role.

Mr. Begg said I was vitriolic. I do not accept that. He said I made some cowardly remarks
under Dil privilege. I would like to know what those remarks were. He said my remarks
were unfair. I am sure he did not like them even though they were not personal and
certainly not intended to be such. They were not untrue. If Mr. Begg believes they are, I
would like him to specify why point by point, after which I will answer him on those points.

Much time has been spent on the IASS because it is directly relevant to Mr. Beggs most
recent appointment in terms of his experience. He justified his role by referring to the
scale of the deficit involved in the scheme and the strain costs imposed through
management decisions to let people go. It is a fact that, during the time in question, Mr.
Begg was on the board of the company that stood over these decisions. Deputy Ryan is
actually correct in that it was not a case of an anomaly in the pension scheme; it was an
absolute fact that the clause in the pension scheme was used to entice people to sell their
jobs and take retirement to lower the costs of the company. Mr. Begg was on the board of
the company at the time.

There was a problem in that there were multiple schemes of this kind over the years. It
was not a case of just one redundancy scheme; there were multiple schemes throughout
Aer Linguss history. The problem is that it is the pensioners and members of the scheme
who have paid the price for this debacle. I appreciate that Mr. Begg can say an effort was
made to try to share the pain, but the companies involved did not share it. They did not
put in enough money to undo the poor decision-making in which they engaged. Unlike
Waterford Glass, these are highly profitable companies that had the money to put in.

I am wondering about this because Mr. Begg made a couple of points that were not really
accurate or did not describe the full picture. I was not just talking about deferred members
but also about the existing retired members. They comprise two separate groups who were
prevented from sitting at the negotiating table. While it is true that ICTU engaged with the
deferred group, there was no engagement with the retired group, which was organised and
represented by RASA, in particular. While it is true that extra money was made available
for defrayal and to compensate the deferred members a little I do not know whether
this is the result of Mr. Beggs input behind the scenes or the work of the pensions
committee Mr. Begg skipped over the fact that no moneys were allocated to compensate
the existing retired members, who are the ones seeing 500,000 going out of their
collective wage packet every month. They got nothing. While it is true that these groups
were outside the Labour Court mechanism, and therefore in a difficult position, the
question I am asking Mr. Begg, the former head of ICTU, is what the union did do to alter
these circumstances and give the workers a voice and a mechanism, for now and the
future?

Chairman: Has the Deputy a question?

Deputy Clare Daly: I am seeking Mr. Beggs comments on this.

With regard to Mr. Beggs role in the Pensions Authority, is he prepared to order an
investigation into what occurred with the IASS, particularly because there were not only
poor management decisions but also negligent investment decisions made by the trustees,
who decided to divest the pension fund of probably the most unrivalled property portfolio
in the city at a time of rising property prices and to put all the money into Irish Life at a
time when people connected to Irish Life were also connected to the pension fund? Will it
be investigated under Mr. Beggs remit? He said his greatest expertise was being a
pensioner. Of how many pension schemes is he a member? How many pensions is he likely
to receive from the various posts in which he served over the years?

Mr. David Begg: I shall respond to Deputy Ryans comments first. He is quite correct
that most, if not all, occupational pension schemes are, as far as I know, the product of
trade union and management negotiations. Companies that do not have the collective
bargaining remit would be very unlikely to have a defined benefit scheme.

On the anomaly with the IASS, one could perhaps find a better word for it. However, the
difficulty I saw, and in respect of which the Deputy and I have had many discussions, was
that nearly all pension schemes in the country had a co-ordinated provision by which ones
pensionable pay was offset by reference to the social welfare provision. Sometimes it is
one times the value of the social welfare provision, but more likely twice that value. The
difficulty I found in getting a better result out of all this publicly, leaving aside the
willingness, or otherwise, of the company, its investors and shareholders to put money in,
was that if one were to legislate on this as a public policy issue, one would have to
legislate for a quite unique set of circumstances. Personally, I believed that was unlikely
but perhaps others have a different view. Certainly, however, it was very unlikely that one
could have allowed for what I describe, particularly in the way it operated because it was a
co-ordinated pension under the rules of the scheme if one retired at 65. It was unco-
ordinated in practice if one retired short of that age. It was a most extraordinary provision.
However, this does not gainsay the fact that it was a very heavy hit for many people,
particularly people at the lower end, whose real income would have been reduced
significantly as a result of the 12,000 odd associated with the State pension.
Nevertheless, this was a quite difficult set of circumstances.

None of us can ignore the fact that the 720 million deficit was enormous. There was no
great willingness on the part of the company to put money into the scheme. One of the
shareholders, the major shareholder, was said in public to have been against doing
anything in this regard. Therefore, it was practically very difficult to try to secure a
resolution that would have mitigated the worst effects of the deficit of 720 million.
Consider the outcome of a targeted pension to give the same level of co-ordinated
benefits. While everybody is probably dissatisfied with the outcome, it was possibly the
least worst option. Regarding the trustees and the strain cost over the year, it is very
difficult to avoid the conclusion that something was missed. These were important
additional strains that were put on it, and it should have been copped much earlier.

Deputy Clare Daly asked many questions. I really believe the Deputy abused privilege in
the Dil in the attacks she made about my role in the IASS.

Deputy Clare Daly: By all means, specify them.

Mr. David Begg: It was completely wrong and I do not believe it was not personal, to
be honest. I do not accept it. While I am well used to hostility publicly, the Deputy should
consider, from time to time, the damage she inflicts on a persons family. It never seems to
go through her head.

While the Central Bank stability reports tended to indicate what the risks were, it can be
argued that it did not stress them strongly enough over the years. I can give an account
only of my role. I gave detailed evidence to the banking inquiry. If the committee feels it is
relevant, it is more than welcome to examine my three and a half hours of evidence to the
banking inquiry and the two written statements I made. I also ask the committee to
consider the evidence given by the then chief economist of the Central Bank.

On the multiple schemes that affected the straining cost, it is true that from the 1990s,
when the Deputy was a shop steward in a company, I was involved in only one, the leave
and return scheme, which set up a provision whereby people could enter into a defined
contribution, DC, scheme separately. This restructuring was successful, in its way, although
it was not very successful for the company which was loaded with many unanticipated
taxation costs. For the people involved, it was good enough.

The problem of representation of people at the Labour Court is a difficulty. I am in favour

of some opportunity for people to be heard. The Deputy is mistaken in saying we had no
engagement with any of the other groups. ICTU staff were available to anybody who
wanted to talk to them. I was constrained from doing so for the reasons I mentioned
earlier. The difficulty was that there was not enough money. Regarding how to extract
more than 200 million from people, maybe other people were better at it than I. It was
the best I could do, and it brought a result which, while probably not satisfactory to
anybody, as a damage limitation exercise, it was not the worst outcome.

While I am not sure how relevant my situation is, I will tell the Deputy. I have one pension
from ICTU of 32,000 per year. Contrary to what was asserted, I do not have a multiple of
public appointments. I have reservations as to whether people should be asked to declare
such personal information. It has been said by all and sundry that I am a millionaire.

Deputy Clare Daly: I have to correct that point.

Chairman: I will allow the Deputy to talk in a minute.

Mr. David Begg: I did not respond to the Chairmans point about the legal route. There
was a fundamental issue of a legal nature as to whether the scheme was a defined
contribution or a defined benefit scheme. The company took the view that it was a defined
contribution scheme, meaning it had no obligation to put in money to deliver on the
pension promised under the old IASS scheme. The staff view was, on that contrary, that it
was a defined benefit scheme. The question could only be determined by way of litigation,
such as through the High Court. The risk for either side was that if they lost in court, their
case would be over. Therefore, although many people talked about litigating, nobody
litigated.

I agree with auto-enrolment. Pensions should be mandatory, not soft mandatory. There
is a reasonable argument that we would get better results if we took all the money we put
into subsidising pensions and put it into State pensions. Handling the transition would be
tricky. If the Government announced in the morning that it was going to do it, it would be
saying good-bye to all the defined benefit and defined contribution schemes that exist. If
the Government made this policy choice, migrating from our current position would be
very challenging.
Deputy Clare Daly: I asked a question about Mr. Beggs personal pension incomes.
What other people have said about it is no concern of mine. It is strange that Mr. Begg
took offence at such a question, given that he had no problem describing in detail his
wifes pension entitlements. There is a problem there.

Mr. David Begg: I described the public social welfare implications of being out of the
workforce.

Deputy Clare Daly: I did not interrupt Mr. Begg.

Mr. David Begg: I did not say what her pension was.

Chairman: Deputy Catherine Byrne also raised the issue. We have all raised the issue
of women who have not made the State pension contributions due to having taken time
out of the workforce.

Deputy Clare Daly: The point I am making is that it is a perfectly appropriate

question to ask in the context of Mr. Beggs appointment.

Chairman: It is unusual. It has never been asked at a committee before.

Deputy Clare Daly: Have we had a head of The Pensions Authority come before the
committee before? Probably not.

Chairman: We have had people in similar roles, for example the Pensions Board, and
have not asked the question.

Deputy Clare Daly: This is The Pensions Authority. It is different, and that is the basis
for the question. Regarding Mr. Beggs point on hostility, it is surprising that somebody with
the record of briefs Mr. Begg has had would take any offence. Again, if I made any specific
remarks today or last Wednesday that are inaccurate in any way, I ask Mr. Begg to please
put them to me. I will have no hesitation in engaging in a public debate with him, here or
anywhere else, if they are deemed inaccurate. I have two more questions. I have been
repeatedly

Chairman: Okay, but we will need to wrap up then.

Deputy Clare Daly: In Mr. Beggs new brief, will he commission an investigation into
the activities and the investment decisions relating to the IASS which caused serious
financial strain on that scheme? Mr. Begg answered the Chairmans question as to whether
it was a DC or DB scheme. That was a tactic the companies used to delay the process.
There was a firm ruling that it was a DB scheme, with no question or doubt. That issue was
not relevant regarding the latter crisis around the IASS.

Chairman: Obviously, last weeks debate had nothing to do with Mr. David Begg. There
is a practice in the Dil of not speaking about somebody outside the Houses who is not
there to defend himself or herself. I do not like to see the Dil used in that way. It relates
to the issue of privilege.

Mr. David Begg: The comments in the Dil to which I object relate to my handling of
the IASS. There seemed to be a coalition of attack on me involving the far right and the far
left. I have always been a nemesis of the Trotskyist left in my long career. The latter has a
total objection to anybody in social democratic politics. I thought there was a vitriolic
dimension to Deputy Clare Dalys attack in that particular political sense. She was willing to
make a coalition with the extreme right in order to do that. That struck me as
extraordinary. As far as I can recall, in the whole experience of the Aer Lingus matter I do
not believe I received a telephone call from the Deputy about it, whereas Deputy Ryan was
on my case morning, noon and night. I do not understand what Deputy Clare Daly was at
in this regard, other than engaging in a very personal attack in that sense.

I do not know if I have any power to investigate the role of the trustees in the past. I do
not think it would even be useful to do that. The past is the past. I do not think anything
good can come of it. On the issue of whether it was defined benefit or defined contribution,
the judgment on the defined benefit was by the then Pensions Board but that was
challenged by the company. Ultimately, it always appeared in the companys balance sheet
as a defined contribution scheme. Regardless of who was right or wrong, ultimately, it
could only have been tested in the courts.

Deputy Clare Daly: I find it surprising that anybody would say the past is the past. I
hope Mr. Begg will examine the matter because fraudulent or poor, possibly criminal,
decision making was engaged in. The time lag does not

Deputy Jim Daly: Chairman, I take exception to this committee being used to rehash
and rerun

Deputy Clare Daly: I am sorry

Deputy Jim Daly: Sorry, I did not interrupt Deputy Clare Daly at any stage and I ask
her not to interrupt me.

Deputy Clare Daly: I was actually speaking. Deputy Jim Daly was actually
interrupting me.

Deputy Jim Daly: No, I am addressing the Chair.

Deputy Clare Daly: When I am finished, Deputy Jim Daly can speak.

Chairman: Although

Deputy Jim Daly: On a point of order, I want to make a statement. As a member of

this committee who attends every meeting, as far as possible, and who has contributed a
lot to the committee, I take exception to it being used to settle political scores as is the
case here. I ask the Chairman to make a ruling to end it please.

Chairman: The issue has been aired and Deputy Clare Daly is just expressing her point
of view now. If she wants to make allegations, there is a place to do that and it is not here.

We have engaged very fully. I have given everybody ample time. The meeting has been
chaired fairly. Unlike other committees, we give the first questions to the Opposition. I will
now conclude. We have had a very good engagement.

All those present have engaged in a very thorough debate on the issue of pensions and the
role. I and, I am sure, other members here wish Mr. Begg the best of luck in his role. We
very much appreciate his engagement with us today. I thank all those who participated

David Begg Assented to All Financial Stability Reports Issued by

Central Bank in the years immediately prior to the Banking Bust
WIKIPEDIA ON Central Bank of Ireland
Banking system collapse resulting from property bubble[edit]
Main article: Irish property bubble
The Central Bank admitted in November 2005 that estimates of overvaluation of 40% to
60% in the Irish residential property market existed. Minutes of a meeting with
the OECD indicated that while the Central Bank agreed that Irish property was overvalued
it was fearful of precipitating a crash by putting a number on it. Senior Allied Irish
Bank officials expressed concerns in 2006 that Central Bank stress tests were not
stressful enough two years before the collapse of the Irish banking system. [18] The
Central Bank of Ireland (CBOI) management continually ignored warnings from its own
financial stability unit [19] and from the Economic and Social Research Institute about the
dangerous scale of bank loans to property speculators and developers [20] because it wanted
everyone on the right message, leading to key information being suppressed. It also
sought to gag one of the countrys most prominent economists from talking about the
fragile state of the nations banks.[21] The Central Bank deliberately watered down
economic warnings about the property bubble in the run-up to the crash, blocked internal
communication reaching board level due to the political and property interests of the
Directors and rigorously concealed data from the relevant supervisors on the large
exposures of the banks to individual developers.[22][23]

Internal warnings were covered up and when corroborating evidence also pointing to
substantial overvaluation in the Irish housing market emerged in 2007, the results were
suppressed in favour of an overall conclusion that presented a favourable perspective on
the housing market and on financial stability more generally in Ireland. 10 months before
the crash they made a statement saying- The Irish banking system continues to be well-
placed to withstand adverse economic and sectoral developments in the short to medium
term. The underlying fundamentals of the residential market continue to appear strong and
the current trend in monthly price developments does not imply a sharp correction. The
central scenario therefore is for a soft landing[24]

Commercial Bankers could get the regulator to do as they wanted due to their cosy
relationship.[25][26] and were allowed to recklessly breach lending limits on property without
fear of any consequence because of the regulators inaction. The CBOI had sufficient
powers to regulate, including the authority to revoke banking licences, but the powers
were simply not used.[27][28][29][30]

Corrective regulatory action was delayed and timid to the unsustainable property price and
construction bubble during the mid-2000s. After the bubble burst, Irish banks faced
mounting losses which exposed them to a collapse of confidence following the Lehman
Brothersbankruptcy in September 2008; they then suffered acute liquidity pressures which
had to be met by Central Bank support, including emergency lending. Management
abuses, which the CBOI did not restrain, were also revealed at Anglo Irish Bank, which had
to be nationalised in January 2009.

Their Annual Report, which was published just three months before the Government was
forced to unconditionally guarantee the deposits of the Irish-owned banks,said: The banks
have negligible exposure to the sub-prime sector and they remain relatively healthy by the
standard measures of capital, profitability and asset quality. This has been confirmed by
the stress testing exercises we have carried out with the banks.[31][32]

The next Annual Report had virtually nothing to say about how and why the Irish banking
system collapsed.[33] Although there were four Central Bank directors on the board of
the Financial Regulator, the Central Bank maintained it had no powers to intervene in the
market. Yet, the Central Bank had the power to issue directives to the Financial
Regulator if it thought it was conducting its business in a way that was contrary to overall
Central Bank policy aims. None were issued.[34][35]

In July 2009, a senior Central Bank official told the Oireachtas Enterprise Committee that
shareholders (later corrected/clarified to refer to institutional investors) who lost their
money in the banking collapse were to blame for their fate and got what was coming to
them for not keeping bank chiefs in check. The official did admit that the Central Bank had
failed to give sufficient warning about reckless lending to property developers. [36] The
Governor later described the share wipeout in which tens of thousands of investors lost
their lives savings as a stock exchange adjustment.[37]
A report by the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee said it was exercising inadequate
supervision and a proper analysis of loan books of the banks was not done [38] while a
separate parliamentary banking inquiry blamed the financial watchdog for the economic
crash.[39][40]

The regulators processes and reports, and the findings of external scrutineers, any of
which should have raised red flags, failed to do so. As a result, they did not see the
enormity of the risks being taken by the banks and the calamity that was to overwhelm
them.[41]

The European Commission in a November 2010 review of the financial crisis said Some
national supervisory authorities failed dramatically. We know that in Ireland there was
almost no supervision of the large banks.[42] Two months later, the President of the EU
Commission in an angry exchange in the European Parliament, with a vehemence that
shocked his audience, said that the problems of Ireland were created by the irresponsible
financial behaviour of some Irish institutions, and by the lack of supervision in the Irish
market.[43]

The Taoiseach said that the CBOI had the Government put in place contingency plans to
provide armed Defence Force security for major Irish banks over public order fears if a
cash shortage was triggered at the height of the financial crisis. [44]

The Central Bank have the power to investigate surviving banks with the evidence of their
slack lending controls during the boom years but refused and wouldnt comment on the
reasons for not doing so.[45]

The reckless lending practices of banks cost taxpayers well over [46] 100 billion or
25,000 for every man, woman and child living in the Republic of Ireland.[47][48]

The Financial Regulator[edit]

Main article: Financial Regulator

In 2003 a new separate division of the Central Bank, with its own Chairman, Chief
Executive, and board, was established as the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority.
This was as a compromise between those who favoured a fully independent regulator and
those who believed the Central Bank should maintain full control of regulation of the
financial services industry. This division of the Bank authorised and regulated all financial
institutions (including insurance undertakings, collective investment funds and credit
unions) in Ireland.[49][50]

Under the 2003 arrangements the Central Bank provided the Financial Regulator with
services. The Regulators industry panel, which provided the Regulator with feedback on its
charges and policies said in April 2007 that they had major concerns with the quality and
cost of the services provided to the Regulator by the Central Bank. [51]

The operations of the Financial Regulator were severely criticised in a report marked
strictly confidential and not for publication, as being poor value for money. The report
stated that there were too few specialist staff, compared with its peers. [52] There were also
serious shortcomings in the crucial supervisory area. [53][54]and the report was particularly
critical of the regulators senior management structure, concluding that a clear
management and oversight framework, which ensures that issues are escalated through
the organisation, was not fully in place.[55]

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, said that his decision in 2001 to create a new financial
regulator was one of the main reasons for the collapse of the Irish banking sector and if I
had a chance again I wouldnt do it.[56] The banks were irresponsible, he admitted But
the Central Bank and the Financial Regulator seemed happy. They were never into us
saying ever Listen, we must put legislation and control on the banks. That never
happened.[57]
The April 2009, the new Financial Regulator, outlined his shock at the poor level of financial
regulation he discovered when he started his job the previous January and it is clear to
me we need to undertake a fundamental overhaul of the regulatory model for financial
services in Ireland.[58] He also said that there was a critical absence of intellectual
firepower within his staff [59]

Following the banking collapse of 20089, the Government[60] re-unified the organisation
under a Central Bank of Ireland Commission to replace the board structures of the Central
Bank and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority which became effective on 1 October
2010. A July 2009 editorial, in the respected,Sunday Business Post, said returning the key
powers of regulation to the Central Bank will be useless unless there is a fundamental
change in the culture of the organisation. This does not require a complete change of
personnel, but a change of key personnel.[61] There can be no denying that the spinning
off of the Financial Regulator from the functions of the Central Bank in 2003, was an
outright failure.[62][63]

Criticism[edit]

The headquarters in Dame Street was built at a height far exceeding what was allowed in
the planning permission granted by Dublin City Council. The Minister for Local Government
told the Dail that he did not believe that because an organization is very important and is
very rich they should be allowed to break the planning laws.[64]

Irish Trust Bank went into liquidation in 1976 after the Central Bank failed to spot
accounting scams and the taxpayer was left to pick up the tab for its debts. The Managing
Director and owner fled Ireland and he went on to buy Londons Chelsea Football Club and
then Leeds United .[65]

From the mid-1970s up to the early 1990s, it was aware of, but took no action to stop, an
organised large-scale tax evasion scheme organised by Ansbacher Bankfor the benefit of
wealthy and powerful Irish people. Included in those who were breaking the law were a
director of the Central Bank and the architect given the commission to design their
headquarters (in contravention of planning permission). [66][67][68][69][70]

In 1982, PMPA, then the largest motor insurer in Ireland with about 300,000 policy holders
and 32 per cent of the entire market, had to be saved from total collapse by the State. A
2pc levy was imposed on all non-life insurance premiums at the time to cover the collapse
of PMPA which ended in the early 1990s. The subsequent administration of the company
lasted 30 years.[71][72]

The Insurance Corporation of Ireland was a wholly owned subsidiary of the CBOI-
supervised Allied Irish Banks, when it collapsed in 1985. This was that had arisen due to
severe underpricing of policies being written, adequate reserves were not being maintained
and it was not monitoring the true profitability of the business. This collapse occurred at a
time of deep economic recession in Ireland (government debt in 1985 was 116% of GDP).
But the Irish taxpayer bailed AIB out of its difficulties at the urging of the Central Bank.
The Irish Government did so as the Central Bank claimed that it could put AIBs core
banking business in jeopardy. The cost to the Irish taxpayer was 400 million at the time
(1245 million in 2013 figures). In a move that angered many, AIB paid a dividend to
shareholders the following year.[73][74][75][76][77]

High Court inspectors found that National Irish Bank facilitated and encouraged large scale
serious tax evasion by their customers by selling life assurance policies issued by Clerical
Medical in the Isle of Man and also deliberating overcharged both interest and charges by
up to 100 million.[78][79] The CBOI ignored the report and didnt sanction the institution in
any way.[80]

In 2000, the Dil Public Accounts Committee, Deposit interest retention tax DIRT inquiry,
into the facilitation of widespread tax evasion by the banking industry, was of the view that
the Central Bank had an inappropriate and outmoded approach to supervision in the
context of the growing sophistication of banking and the changing role of banks. It found
that the CBOI had an insufficient concern with ethics and supervision and it was conscious
for an extended period before and after the introduction of Dirt of the existence of
evasion.[81][82]The inquiry report further said that the CBOI was too mindful of the
concerns of the banks, and too attentive to their pleas and lobbying due to its
particularly close and inappropriate relationship.[83] The Chairman of the inquiry was
shocked and horrified at the careless and reckless manner in which the Central Bank
had quoted false statistics to the Public Accounts subcommittee and said that heads must
roll and clearly indicated that the Governor should be the first to consider his position. [84]

Senior executives at Allied Irish Banks using a British Virgin Islands company, made for
years secret personal profits, at the expense of the public who invested their
pensions/savings with them. The CBOI also ignored a tip off about the same financial
institution systematic overcharging tens of thousands of their customers, but even after
media exposure of the scandals no regulatory action was taken. [85][86][87][88][89][90]

The Central Bank was warned by the German regulator, BaFin, as early as 2004 that
Sachsen LBs troubled Irish subsidiaries were involved in highly risky and under-scrutinised
transactions worth as much as 30bn or 20 times the parent banks capitalisation. Despite
the warning, in 2007 the CBOI approved another Sachsen investment vehicle and two
months later the stable of off-balance sheet companies needed a 17.3bn bail-out from
the German association of savings banks to keep Sachsen afloat. [91][92]

The Irish Brokers Association said there was intense frustration and annoyance about
excessive red tape and the CBOI refusing to listen to them in 2005. [93]

The same year the Central Bank was criticised for publishing a report, which it was said,
read a bit like a promotional brochure for the money lending industry. It included a section
devoted to arguing why moneylenders should be allowed to charge as much as they do.
(188%-plus collection fees of up to 11%.)[94]

The New York Times referred to Ireland as the Wild West of European finance in April
2005 which was seen to underline the fragility of the Countrys Financial Regulation
system.[95][96][97][98]

The Australian Authorities warned the Central Bank of the activities of person connected
with the largest bankruptcy in that countrys history. The CBOI did nothing, he went on to
commit a US$500 million fraud and pleaded guilty in the US despite the crime being
committed in Ireland.[99][100][101][102]

Their consumer panel stated that the Central Bank was slow to respond to consumer issues
and appears to seek complexity and obstacles rather than to seek consumer-oriented
solutions to current and emerging problems. And it warned that this approach can
undermine consumer confidence in the efficacy of the regulatory process.[103]

The same month in 2006, a government-appointed panel that consists of banking and
insurance representatives revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the Central Banks skills
base.[104][105]

Their industry panel, which provides feedback on its charges and policies said the levy on
financial institutions for industry funding is perceived by industry as cumbersome and
bureaucratic[106]

They did not give their consumer panel a copy of the report of the working group set up
following the collapse of a stockbrokers,[107][108] where some investors were waiting over 7
years to have their claims processed.[109] When the panel managed to get sight of it, they
said it was extremely deficient[110][111]

In July 2007, the Comptroller and Auditor General called for an independent review of the
inspection process for financial institutions carried out by the Central Bank. The
Comptroller urged the introduction of clearly defined risk categories for individual areas of
financial services, so that the appropriate level of supervision required for each institution
can be implemented in line with the risk involved. [112]

Transcripts of phone calls by their senior staff suggest they gave tacit approval to the illicit
movement of deposits between Irish Life and Permanent plc and Anglo Irish Bank plc.
Okay, thats grand, right I think thats everything. The CBOI refused to say whether staff
might face disciplinary procedures or sanctions if the transcripts were validated and
investigated internally.[113]

A businessman succeeded in getting himself appointed a Director by giving a large

personal gift, in sterling cash, to Bertie Ahern.[114] When the commercial banks began to
lend recklessly, which lead to Ireland losing her economic sovereignty, none of the
Directors had experience of bank regulation[115] but the CBOI had the expertise available of
a romantic novelist sitting on its board.[116]

The CBOI knew that Allied Irish Banks were overcharging consumers in FX fees but failed
to act for a number of years.[117][118] They gave a parliamentary inquiry the false
impression that they were unaware of it. [119][120] The whistleblower who gave them the
information was requested to come to a meeting with the CBOI but was only invited to
withdraw the allegations of wrongdoing and at the same time found himself removed from
his position at Allied Irish Banks without any reason given. After his case was highlighted
in the media, the CBOI officially apologised on how the authorities treated him, eight years
after alerting them of overcharging.[121]

The same whistleblower also sent a report entitled Special Investigation Goodbody
Stockbrokers Trading in AIB Shares to the CBOI, in which questions were raised about
the legality of a device used to trade in AIB shares through offshore locations in blacklisted
tax havens Nevis and Vanuatu. No action was taken.[122]

In 2008 as the Irish economy collapsed, it spent 115,000 on one staff party.[123]

The Central Bank could have spotted Bernie Madoffs gigantic fraud, when he started using
Irish funds to cheat ordinary investors out of billions in what is considered to be the largest
financial fraud in U.S. history. Madoff had to supply large amounts of information to the
CBOI which would have been enough to enable the Irish regulator to uncover the fraud
much earlier than late 2008 when he was finally arrested in New York.[124][125][126]

In early 2009, the Financial Services Consultative Consumer Panel, tasked with monitoring
the performance of the Central Bank, said that most consumers have lost significant
amounts of money due to the inadequacies of the financial regulatory structure. It also
criticised the deficient response of the CBOI to threats to consumers, including the Irish
property bubble.[127] In response they said It is clear that the actions we took were
insufficient and were not taken early enough,[128][129][130]

Then leader of the opposition and future Taoiseach Enda Kenny. called for the board and
senior management of the Central Bank to be sacked. [131][132]Independent Senator, Shane
Ross said that the CBOI was an institution that had lost the faith of the international
markets They think it is actually genetically flawed. That is the problem were going to
have to attack next.[133]

The one time head of Financial Regulation, had companies he is a director of, fined a total
of 3.35 million by his previous employers the Central Bank, for risk control and reporting
failures.[134][135][136] In early 2009, his successor (whom a leading economist said was
arguably the worst regulator the world has ever seen) [137] retired early over the handling
of an investigation into the 87 million secret directors loans at Anglo Irish Bank.[138]
[139]
but got a 630,000 golden handshake[140] At a subsequent criminal trial the judge said
the mans attitude and behaviour had complicated sentencing as during two days of
evidence he said I dont recall 30 times and I dont know 23 times. There were also
two dozen I cant recalls a handful of responses of I have absolutely no recollection and
a plethora of I cant, I cannot, or I dont remember.[141] The next holder of the position,
was asked at a parliamentary committee In regard to baseline qualifications, if your staff
is regulating the financial sector, should it not be the case where they should have the bare
minimum required in the market as well, a qualified financial adviser status, or theyve
gone through certain industry exams. Its obviously important to have. But the CBOI
executive disagreed: I dont agree with that. But I think Im conflicted because Ive never
taken a professional exam in my life.[142] The Governor in March 2015 had to return
to Leinster House to clarify his earlier comments there that Anglo Irish Bank should have
been allowed to fail a view he said was a senior moment and not what he believes[143]
[144]

Ernst & Young was hired, to advise the Central Bank of Ireland on the 440 billion bank
guarantee scheme in January 2009, [145] despite the fact that Ernst & Young[146][147] was
being investigated[148] arising from its audits of Anglo Irish Bank[149] and had also refused to
appear before a parliamentary committee following the collapse of the same bank after
receiving legal advice.[150][151] Their then head of financial regulation told the same
committee that a lay person would expect that issues of this nature and this magnitude
would have been picked up by the external auditors. [149]

At the same time the lowest tender was not chosen for the fit out of new offices in Spencer
Dock in Dublins docklands.[152]

Following the failure of existing regulatory structures to prevent excessive lending to the
property sector,[153] consultants Mazars, which were brought in to review operations said
that regulatory expertise was lacking in some areas.[154] Responding to the highlighted
weakness, the Minister for Finance, said substantial additional staff with the skills,
experience and market-based expertise will be appointed. Those recruited will also have
the expertise to regulate the international financial services sector.[155] He also announced
that all consumer functions will be re-assigned to other agencies. [156]

In July 2009, the CBOI blocked insurers and banks from making any critical statements
containing any references to them by means either of public press statements or un-
approved public references, whether written or oral.[157]

Two reports of an investigation into the wholly inappropriate sale of perpectual bonds
by Davy Stockbrokers to credit unions failed to involve any of the credit unions affected,
leaving them in the dark and powerless to add any value to the findings of this
investigation. The CBOI then declined to give them access to the reports. The Chairman of
one the Credit Unions who suffered large losses told his members The failure to publish
the reports is to place the complaints process in a shroud of secrecy. Such a failure of
openness, transparency and fairness can only serve to undermine confidence in the
complaints process, forcing those with grievances into the courts. Such a course of action
is not in the interest of any of the stakeholders.[158]

The next month, the head of the German Financial Regulator told the Bundestag Finance
Committee that the failure of the terrible Depfa Bank, which was completely supervised
by its Irish equivalent, lead to the collapse of its German parent which forced Berlin to bail
it out at a cost of 102 billion. The committee was told that the alternative was a run on
German banks and the eventual collapse of the European finance system and You would
have woken up on Monday morning in the film Apocalypse Now[159] The bank had just 319
employees[160][161] but was allowed to guarantee loans valued at 14 times Irelands Gross
Domestic Product.[162] A former Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland was a director of
Depfa.[163] Regulatory failure was acknowledged and this is a source of continuing friction
with the German authorities.[164][165]

The CBOI admitted that it had issued private warnings to over 30% of credit unions about
their arrears levels, but refused to provide full updates on what percentage of credit
unionloans are in arrears or how quickly they are increasing. [166][167] This raised questions
about their commitment to openness[168][169][170] as detailed questions about the solvency of
individual credit unions are subject to the standard response of no comment [171]
Transparency International[172] have questioned whether the Central Bank should continue
to have an exemption from Freedom of Information legislation. [173]Compliance experts[174]
[175]
have said The most offensive confidentiality provision in Ireland is the one which
protects the Central Bank[176] Both the Financial Services Ombudsman and Information
Commissioner,[177] are among others,[178][179][180] who called for a lifting of the confidentiality
applied by the Central Bank to much of its work.[181][182] Other EU regulators have a policy
of transparency.[183][184]

The director general of the Free Legal Advice Centres in October 2009 said, the code of
conduct on mortgage arrears produced by the Central Bank was deeply disappointing,
and did not offer enough protection for consumers. [185]

The Irish Times, the countrys newspaper of record said the organisation has a death
wish and its regulatory edict verges on the Pythonesque, eating into what is left of its
credibility.[186]

In a speech, the Governor of the Central Bank implied that ignorance and inattention
were to blame for regulatory failure.[187]

The Consumer Consultative Panel, in December 2009 said that they were unable to
function for almost a year because officials ignored requests for meetings and we believe
it is unacceptable that the board of the financial regulation section has failed to take
responsibility for their stewardship of the organisation during the last six years. They did
not understand many of the sectors and financial products it regulates.[188] These failings
undermines their ability to enhance or enforce corporate governance in the wider financial
services sector. It also warned that the reforms announced to date were not sufficient to
avert more crisis in the future.[189][190]

Following a February 2010 review by the Comptroller and Auditor General, the organisation
admitted that it paid for 52 spouses of staff to go on foreign trips over a two-year period.
[191]

The next month opposition politicians described an advertisement seeking to appoint a

consultant to oversee its art collection as insensitive and inappropriate at the dept of the
credit crunch depression.[192]

The Central Bank should give an annual statement to the Dil on bank supervision to make
regulation more accountable, the Comptroller and Auditor General said in March 2010
after highlighting shortcomings in financial regulation leading up to the financial crisis . [193]
[194][195]

At the same time the influential German newspaper Siddeutsche Zeitung described as
remarkable the CBOIs handling of a whistleblowers revelations that the Irish subsidiary
of Unicredit Bank had 40 times the permitted level of deviation of minimum liquidity
requirements. They also did not inform the parent bank and the relevant regulatory
authority on the continent.[196][197][198]

High risk and sloppy lending practices at the Irish Nationwide Building Society were
reported to the Central Bank by external accountants over a long period but did not
change its behaviour. The former head of compliance, became a whistle blower by
reporting dodgy practices. Separately the Vice Chairman told the CBOI of his concerns in
great detail,[199] but again they did nothing.[200][201] It required a 5.4 billion[202] Government
bailout, leaving it in State ownership.[203][204] A letter which they received concerning the
legality of the illicit loans by the Building Society to Sean FitzPatrick had gone missing.,
[205]
but the CBOI knew for 8 years about the clandestine loans of up to 129 million but
did nothing.[206]Management at Irish Nationwide used to arrange meetings with the CBOI
for late on a Friday afternoon, knowing that the regulators staff would not want for the
encounter to last for more than an hour because it would nibble into their weekend. [207] In
a damning report following Nationwides collapse, the Regulator was found, for decades, to
have understood and delineated the critical INBS issues well before they caused trouble,
but equally failed fully to use its powers under the [Building Societies] Act by pursuing
these issues, being apparently mollified by bland assurances and the CBOI did not meet
standards which might be reasonably expected.[208]

Reports[209][209][210] on the financial crisis did not ask the opinion of their consumer
consultative panel, who in a statement said it was very disappointed that, in particular,
the report by the Governor did not refer to the work of the panel in highlighting many of
the failings of the regulation in the past number of years.[211][212]Fresh areas of concern
included the lack of minute-taking at senior levels in the Financial Regulation section and
among its sub-board. Central Bank minutes and those of then financial services regulatory
authority typically recorded only the broad consensus on issues discussed and decisions
taken.They do not describe in any detail the frequent debates and often significant
differences of opinion that, according to board and authority members, existed on some
issues, especially the possible risks to financial stability,[213]If this is the situation that
prevails, then this has to be a source of concern regarding the standard of governance.
AuthorFintan OToole wrote of the same report, [it] is notably evasive on one of the key
questions political and governmental collusion with the bankers. Evasive is not the right
word; tortured,twisted or tormented might be more accurate.[214]

One of the reports noted that the Central Bank had found substantial departures from
credit policy during inspections of banks, but failed adequately to follow up on its concerns.
Secondly intrusive demands from regulatory staff could be and were set aside after direct
representations were made to senior regulators. [215][216]

Two months later, it emerged that their regulatory section authorised the Quinn
Group (which subsequently went into administration) to borrow 169 million fromAnglo
Irish Bank in order to buy Anglo Irish shares (which subsequently had to be nationalised at
a cost of 5,500 for every man, woman and child in the State [217]).[218] Its actions were
described as like the Vatican running an abortion clinic.[219][220][221][222] At a meeting with
the Chairman of Quinn Insurance, the Regulator didnt think it was fair or appropriate to
tackle the tycoon on his investments.[223] The subsequent collapse of the Quinn Group
cost the public 1.65 billion.[224]

On her September 2010 state tour to Russia, the President of Ireland Mary McAleese,
highlighting the importance of competence, criticised the Central Bank for its role in the
run-up to the financial crisis which resulted in tens of thousands of people in mortgage
arrears.[225][226]

The same month the Central Bank described as heroic the response in the run-up to the
blanket guarantee of Irelands toxic banks. The chairman of Nama and former Revenue
Commissioner, said he believed there was only a quite late engagement, by the
Department of Finance with the financial crisis. The Department relied on the Financial
Regulator and the Central Bank and was let down by them, he added. Two months later,
Ireland lost its economic sovereignty when it was bailed out by the EU/IMF/ECB troika.
[227]
The British Government were tipped off, by the Regulator, of the position
concerning Anglo Irish Bankbefore the Irish Cabinet was informed.[228] Whitehall then
refused to release documents showing the extent that the CBOI passed market sensitive
information to London, citing [Britains] public interest.[229]Bank of England minutes show
that Irelands bank guarantee was blamed in London for bringing global interbank lending
to a standstill after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. Actions announced first by the Irish
were both unclear and unco-ordinated and led effectively to a beggar thy neighbour policy
which froze the international banking system, said a Bank of England minute a fortnight
after the guarantee. The Irish guarantee was cited as an example of the lack of
international co-ordination, which proved to be as much a trigger for the Financial crisis of
200708 as Lehman.[213] The managing director of theEuropean Stability Mechanism said
his agency was forced to bail out Ireland because of the wider threat to the rest of
the European Union.[230] The Governor conceded that failure to consult with other
countries triggered immense pressure for guarantees all over Europe, causing
resentment and making it difficult for Ireland to make its case for burden-sharing with
Europe.[231]

Almost simultaneously external reviewers highlighted the unacceptable pace of

investigation into how the financial system in Ireland came close to collapse leaves a lot
to be desired. This was in contrast to the United States and Iceland, which have moved
faster to examine what went wrong. Furthermore, there has been very little outcome from
ongoing investigations into dealings at some of our major institutions by the Central
Bank.[232][233]

Criminal prosecutions by the Garda Sochna against managers in banks who committed
offences are being undermined as CBOI staff were aware of the alleged offences, took no
action to stop them and thus provided an arguable defence to those who committed
wrongdoing, as they could reasonably claim they were acting with the approval of
regulatory authorities at all times. One line of inquiry investigated by detectives was that
they did not inform the Department of Finance of all facts they knew about the banking
industry. Two arrests were made following a complaint made by two officials of the Central
Bank.[234][235][236][237] Two directors of a defunct Bank walked free from court after a judge
ruled they should serve community service for their role in an illegal loans-for-shares scam
despite being found guilty. It seems to me it would be most unjust to imprison these two
gentlemen when it seems to me a state agency [the Central Bank] has led them in error
and illegality, the judge said.[238] and it was incredible.red lights didnt go off some place
in the regulators office and the appropriate legal advice was not sought and they are
more anxious to solve the problem than comply with the technicalities of the law, but
nonetheless the law.[239] The Irish Examiner described the CBOIs subsequent refusal to
comment or explain its role on crimes committed with its nod as a critical institution of the
Irish State as omerta.[240]

Five years elapsed before they forced Davy Stockbrokers to inform investors, who lost tens
of millions of euros, that the instrument sold was not compliant with the Trustees
(Authorised Investments) Order at the time of its sale as it was not listed on a recognised
Stock Exchange and it dealt as principal in both the purchase and sale and was in breach
of the rules of the Irish Stock Exchange by not disclosing this fact on its contract note.
The effected parties had settled their claim against the stockbroker, before receiving the
notification, and it was suggested they could have received much more compensation if
they had ensured that their adverse findings about the case was communicated. The full
report was not published and no regulatory action was taken. [241]

Within days, after the arrival in Ireland of the International Monetary Fund, they admitted
that the stress tests on banks, that the CBOI conducted 4 months earlier [242] failed to
convince financial markets[243] and the level of capital that the banks needed which they
recently described as at shock and awe safety levels would be increased by 50 per cent.
[244]
Two months later, a European Commission document revealed, that a second stress
test on Irish Banks, would be peer reviewed by the Banca dItalia and the French
Commission Bancaire to strengthen the external credibility of the process. This would be
in addition to the consultants hired to help the Central Bank, at a cost of nearly
40 million,[245] Boston Consulting Group, Blackrock Solutions, and Barclays Capital.
[246]
However Boston Consulting, expressed reservations about the process-saying it would
have preferred to carry out more file reviews of bank assets, blaming time and resource
constraints imposed by the Central Bank.[247] A secret internal investigation was held
following repeated claims by a whistleblower that the stress test data was doctored and
dressed up to ensure that Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Irish Life &
Permanent passed, but the investigation found there was no reason for concern.
Independent TD Stephen Donnelly said Perhaps the Oireachtas Financial Committee could
look into these allegations on behalf of the Dail. It is not appropriate for the Central Bank
to be the only body investigating serious allegations against it by one of its own
employees.[248] Moodys and Standard & Poors[249] credit agencies subsequently said Irish
banks would need further large cash injections from the taxpayer.[250][251] Subsequently
the European Commission found that the CBOI engaged in financial nationalism to
ensure that Irish Banks passed the Stress Tests. [252] University College Dublinresearch
found after the stress tests failed to properly assess the true condition of the countrys
banks the Governor made the costliest mistake ever made by an Irish person.[253]

The 50 billion of emergency funding given to Irish banks by the Central Bank of Ireland
could pose a threat to the very solvency of the Central Bank itself, a report
by Citi concluded in January 2011.[254][255][256]
In March 2011, the Free Legal Advice Centres criticised the CBOI for failing to regulate
hire-purchase agreements saying that some of the worst credit practices take place on
garage forecourts when people are sold hire purchase for a car.[257]

Comparisons with the Bank of Finlandthe equivalent of the Central Bank of Ireland
which has a much more complex banking system to safeguard, show it halved its staff
since the introduction of the Euro to 650. The CBOI more than doubled its headcount to
1400 by 2012 since the introduction of the single currency, many of whom are on an
average salary of 80,000 a year,[258] work 32.5 hours per week or 6.5 hours a day and can
have in excess of 40 paid holidays a year.[259][260][261] The level of its business travel
expenses,(1571 per employee in 2014)[262] featured in the best-selling book Wasters,
[263]
increased by 46% in one year.[264][265] It has also special arrangements for officials to
cash cheques internally bypassing the commercial banks, [266] spends over 1 million
annually on subsidizing food, tea and coffee for staff with 55,000 being spent on biscuits
alone and used taxpayers money to buy golf balls branded with their logo.[267][268] At one
time, the Governor was said to be one of the highest paid Central Bankers in the world.
[269]
An endemic culture of rewarding failure has meant that not one person in the Central
Bank has been sacked for their role in the worst financial and economic crisis in Irelands
history, a leading economist said in August 2011.[270]A media commentator accused the
CBOI of operating in an Alice in Wonderland fairy tale by continually self judging its own
performance as being of the highest grade thus giving all staff at least one extra days
holidays.[271]

Investors blasted the CBOI in October 2011 after losing tens of million of euros in what a
High Court Judge described as a sort of an Irish ponzi scheme saying regulators should
have spotted the problems earlier. An inquiry was carried out, on how the Central Bank
handled the affair. This found that a whistle blower told them the true position but the
CBOI instead relied upon a letter [from the Directors] confirming that all equity monies
received had been accounted for in the firms books and records which provided
unjustified comfort to the Central Bank regarding the safety of client funds [272][273][274][275]
[276][277]

In March 2012, it fined a stockbrokers for failing to report trades to allow them prevent
market abuse and failed to establish adequate policies and procedures.[278]A Director and
shareholder of that firm who was present when most of the regulatory breaches took place
was then appointed Head of Stockbroking Supervision at the Central Bank. [279]

The decision to continue printing euro notes in Dublin when those notes could be printed
much more cheaply on existing presses elsewhere was described a colossal waste of
money in April 2012. Its senior officials also earn more than their counterparts in the
United States.[280] Over 60,000 is spent per week on third party legal services [281] and will
spend 500,000 alone to move its iconic golden ball from outside its current headquarters
on Dame Street in Dublin to its new 140m base on North Wall Quay.[282]

Early in 2013, Fianna Fil called on the CBOI to publish a top secret report that found
major and numerous problems with Irish stockbrokers. They said it was essential
investors had confidence that their money was being handled properly. The report warned
there will have to be mergers of firms to ensure the industry survives, but this process will
have to be done in a controlled waybecause any instability in the sector could pose a
danger to many peoples savings, and prevent new businesses from raising money at a
time when banks are not lending. [283][284]

The Government wanted the CBOI to do more to tackle the issue of mortgage arrears.
In our view, the Regulator is not moving as strongly as it could be. The money is there.
The legislation is there. Now is the time to get on with it, a government source said in
February 2013. In response the CBOI cautioned against interference and confirmed that
officials havent been directly confronted on the issue, but clear signals have been sent
that the Government wanted more action.[285]

Two months later the National Treasury Management Agency chastised the Central Bank
for saying that Irish insurance and pension funds held just 11m of Irish government
bonds, down from 945m at the start of 2012 suggesting that Irish investors were ditching
the bonds just as the Government was trying to return to the markets. These figures do
not reflect the true level of Irish government bonds held by domestic pension funds and
insurance companies The CBOI took down their statistics from its official website the day
after their publication but refused to say whether their data was correct. [286]

The next day they issued a silver 10 commemorative coin in honour of James Joyce that
misquoted a famous line from his masterwork Ulysses[287] despite being warned on at least
two occasions by the Department of Finance over difficulties with copyright and design. [288]

The International Financial Services Centre in Dublin is losing out on major international
banks because of how the Central Bank regulates them. The former chief executive of the
National Treasury Management Agency said he was dismayed to see banks, including big
names such as Goldman Sachs, handing back their banking licences. He went on to say
said the country was shooting itself in the foot in many ways, and the IFSC was of huge
benefit to the country,employs 30,000 people and could have grown further.[289] Dublins
ranking as a financial services centre plummeted from 10th in 2009 to 70th in
2014[290] IFSC institutions cited the timeliness of decisions by the Central Bank of Ireland
as having a significant impact on their operations which was out of line with their
expectations and experience in other jurisdictions. [291] The Government have a strategy to
try and make the IFSC the centre of FinTech, by being faster and slicker than the UK and
Germany in putting regulation in place, however in 2015 Central Bank regulations for the
rapidly growing sector look to be years away.[292] A briefing note prepared by senior civil
servants for the Minister for Finance said concerns about the Irish regulatory environment
may be pushing US financial firms to establish European operations in locations other than
Ireland saying Decision-makers at board level in the US are influenced by seeing their
companies encountering far more regulatory problems in Ireland than, say, in
Luxembourg. When visiting investors in Californiathe Minister was also told of the
difficulties experienced in receiving a regulatory licence from the Central Bank to establish
a European base in Dublin. Irish diplomats, when attempting to secure jobs for the
country, relayed back to theDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade they are receiving
negative feedback on the approach to regulation taken by the Central Bank.
[293]
The Financial Timessaid in July 2015 that doubts about the CBOIs regulatory
capacity are among the factors that have seen Dublin slip down the league table of global
financial centres.[294]

Following the disclosure of taped conversations of executives of Anglo Irish Bank discussing
the bank guarantee, which cost Ireland its economic independence, theIrish
Independentcalled the Central Bank incompetent in June 2013. [295] The transcripts
showed the executives referring to the Central Bank as our buddies in Dame Street [296] as
being a shower of clowns[297] who were effectively egging us [Anglo] on to break the
law.[298]German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the calls were contemptible.[299][300] Senior
politicians expressed astonishment when the Central Bank announced it would not be
making criminal complaints either to the Garda or the Office of the Director of Corporate
Enforcement over the tapes.[301] The CBOI later admitted of a joint golf day between
Central and Anglo Irish bank Directors at Druids Glen shortly before the bank guarantee
was announced.[302]

An internal whistle-blower revealed problems with the CBOIs outsourcing of its IT

infrastructure. Ask yourself this, what would be the consequences of any type of [data
leak]? Even if the breach did not touch the money transfers and was only information,
much of it is commercially sensitive and the possible liability [to the taxpayer] large, After
their outsourced computers crashed, Sinn Fins finance spokesperson, said I wonder if
Irish people would be happy to know that all the data for the most important bank in the
State is being held in a private companys control centre which has experienced one power
blackout already this year?[303]Months later following another IT crash, a staff member
wrote to a TD claiming that the IT system has been unstable since being moved,
(separate to the process failures), yet they continue to move more and more systems out
while the instability continues.[304] It subsequently encountered technical problems which
forced it to push back the deadline for firms to submit a key document in the regulators
fitness and probity regime.[305]
Ireland is hoping to be the home of Sharia Islamic finance in Europe. Enda Kenny told the
Irish Funds Industry Association that he was doing everything he could to ensure Dublin
became a centre of excellence for Islamic finances.[306] These efforts received a setback
when a product, approved by the CBOI as Sharia-compliant, was foundto have violated
Islamic law in Malaysia and could warrant a penalty of up to 8 years in jail.[307]

The Irish League of Credit Unions in response to the consolidation of the sector, accused
the CBOI of acting beyond its statutory powers and cloak the proceedings and the
challenge to its decisions from public scrutiny and added that it was important that State
regulators operate openly, clearly and accountably, and it warned the Central Bank
against trying to scare the public or exaggerate risk for the sake of achieving
unarticulated policy objectives. The cost to the State of the rationalisation is expected to
be in the region of 1 billion.[308] CBOI regulations will ensure that credit unions are
restricted from competing effectively with other financial service providers into the future.
[309]
A peer review of the work of the Registry of Credit Unions, which is part of the Central
Bank, told it that more on-site inspections of smaller credit unions were needed and to
communicate better.[310]

Following the collapse of Irelands oldest and third-largest stockbroker, Bloxham

Stockbrokers, after the firm had been discovered to be cooking its books for five years, the
CBOI refused to answer questions about regulatory failure or confirm that it will publish a
report outlining what went wrong and how to make sure something like this does not
happen again. They did not refer anyone to the Garda or the Director of Public
Prosecutions.[311][312] Over 3 years later, the Regulatory Board of Chartered Accountants
Irelands inquiry into the performance of the auditors of the stockbroker was still being
held up by the lack of action from the Central Banks own research into the collapse. [313]

The CBOI were aware of corporate governance issues at Irelands largest credit union in
Newbridge County Kildare for eight years before it had to bailed out by the state at a cost
of 54 million.[314][315][316]

Debt experts authorised to strike deals through the Insolvency Service of Ireland were
threatened with criminal prosecution by the Central Bank unless they became regulated by
themselves notwithstanding that both accountants and lawyers are already regulated by
their own respective professional associations. The extra red tape made some of the
experts jobs unworkable, resulting in delays for borrowers trying to resolve their debt
problems.[317] The Insolvency Service then admitted that over-borrowed families find it
difficult to get a financial expert to take on their cases. [318]

In November 2013, the organisations regulation failed to detect accounting issues at the
countrys largest car insurer, RSA/123.i.e. The problems had been occurring for at least
two years and its foreign parent had to inject 400 million to keep its Irish subsidiary in
business.[319][320][321][322] 14 months later the Central Bank hinted that it lacks sufficient
supervisory expertise to police the sector, and indicated it is worried about the financial
health of at least three insurers.[323] TheConsumers Association of Ireland criticized the
CBOI for issuing a directive to the car insurance industry to increase the prices they charge
the public and theNational Competitiveness Council slammed rises in the cost of many
types of insurance policies as barriers to Irelands competitiveness and laid the blame at
the regulators door.[324][325] A testy exchange followed with the Department of Finance, who
requested the CBOI to report on any issues of concern, got the response they were
primarily accountable to the Oireachtas and not directly to the department. [326] The CBOI
only relented and gave the information after the Minister wrote to the Governor to state
that he was aware of poor financial reports from certain domestic insurance companies:
job losses, and reports of an overall negative outlook for the sector domestically that
could have implications for the Exchequer, policyholders and the wider financial system.
[327]
A damning January 2016 assessment by international credit ratings agency, Standards
& Poors, said the handling of various insurance company failures by the regulator raised
questions about its ability to regulate the sector.[328]

The CBOI was found out to be producing useless mortgage statistics after it emerged it
excluded large numbers of non-performing home loans from its figures [329]and its Code of
Conduct on Mortgage Arrears[330] was on the side of protecting the lender, not the public.
 A Central Bank-initiated scheme to assist indebted families have their debts
[331][332]

restructured was a spectacular failure as just one in ten chosen for the scheme actually
ended up with a deal.[333] They also published misleading figures by claiming mortgages
holders are paying much lower interest rates on home loans than they actually are. When
the massive discrepancy was detected by an external expert the CBOI conceded that they
are going to have to change how they calculate average mortgage rates. [334] The regulator
considered bypassing the state funded Money Advice and Budgeting Service, who works
with those in mortgage distress, and wanted consumers to deal with a foreign organisation
with no experience in the area.[335] It has no idea how many mortgages were sold to
unregulated vulture funds which leaves the homeowners vulnerable to being mistreated
if they are in arrears.[336] Large-scale breaches of the statutory code of conduct on
mortgage arrears by banks and other lenders are unpoliced by the regulator.[337] Fianna
Fail said that CBOI mortgage lending rules were designed to discourage people from home
ownership and hit families trying to move home and the failure of the Central Bank to
impose a single sanction against a lender is a worrying indication of a continuing
deferential approach to the banks by the regulatory authorities,[338] and later ignored a call
by the Taoiseach to name and shame lenders who breached the mortgage codes of
conduct.[339]An economist blamed the same rules for contributing to a sharp fall in the
growth of construction in 2014/2015 [340] The Economic and Social Research Institute in
March 2015 found that the same measures would result in fewer houses being built, fewer
mortgage loans being issued,higher rents and unsustainable transport patterns.
[341]
The think tank also said first-time buyers should have been treated the same as other
borrowers, dismissing the Central Banks argument that first-time buyers are a different
risk proposition for banks and a wide number of studies conclude that when credit
conditions are liberalised, it is relatively younger and poorer households who tend to
benefit from greater credit provision,[342][343] A Fine Gael told the Dail I am at a complete
loss to understand how the Central Bank does not know how many distressed mortgages
have been moved from a tracker to a variable rate. I remain confused, exasperated and
unsure of how to get the information and I had been sent around the houses and down
every avenue by the Central Bank.[344] The CBOI were later accused of not wanting people
to be able buy their own home by promoting renting from landlords. [345]

The Central Bank in April 2014 arbitrarily excluded the majority of consumers from getting
compensation who were missold Payment Protection Insurance. UK banks provided over
22bn for PPI misselling costs which, if scaled on a pro-rata basis, is many multiples of
the compensation the Irish banks were asked to repay. The offending banks were also not
fined which was in sharp contrast to the regime imposed on UK banks. [346] Lawyers were
appalled at the reckless advice, the CBOI gave consumers who were missold PPI policies,
that will play into the hands of the financial institution.[347]

Months later a whistle-blower, inside a large multinational financial institution, provided the
CBOI with a detailed dossier of flagrant breaches of the regulatory requirements aimed at
protecting Irish consumers. The Regulator agreed that the affected members of the public
need not be compensated, for the payment of what was described as a paltry and
measly, fine.[348]

Weeks later,a former Governor and their former head of Financial Regulation both snubbed
invitations from the Leinster House Public Accounts Committee to appear before it to
answer questions on the 440bn bank guarantee . [349]

A report[350] by the Washington DC based International Monetary Fund raised concerns that
the Central Bank of Ireland had high staff turnover in some areas which had an knock-on
impact on its effectiveness and said officials should make more use of on-site inspections
and pursue all of its available enforcement authority, including criminal prosecutions. [351]

A 2014 detailed report by the Free Legal Advice Centres concluded that consumers were
robbed of many of their rights and protections across the financial sector and singling out
the Central Bank for criticism, said regulations governing consumer protection remain
deeply flawed.[352] It contacted the proprietors of a media organization in late 2014, in an
attempt to silence a journalist who criticized its efforts to protect consumers. [353][354] In
Spring 2015, a peer review of the light touch consumer protection function of the Central
Bank carried out by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets told it to do more
to ensure consumers are treated fairly by banks, insurers and other financial firms. [355][356]
[357]

The Irish Ambassador to London alerted the Minister for Finance of very negative
comments from British financial institutions about their experience in dealing with the
CBOI. The April 2015 note added: In their view this has the potential to undermine the
Irish financial sector.[358][359]

Nigerian fraudsters stung the CBOI (which is tasked with maintaining the safety and
integrity of the Irish banking system) by fooling them into transferring up to 1.4m into a
bogus online account.[360][361]

When the Central Bank became subject to external scrutiny under Freedom of
Informationlegislation the Deputy Governor said its very detrimental and problematic to
the way we function and well be speaking more on the phone and writing less in the
future.[362]Accounting firm, Ernst & Young received fees from the Central Bank totalling
between 21m and 22m over two years but refused to say what type of work they
engaged in, in order to receive the large pay-out. A Government Fine
Gael backbencher said The size of the payments would strongly suggest a requirement to
disclose what the fees were for. This is a significant amount of money at a time when the
public finances were under pressure and families were making significant sacrifices to help
get the country back on its feet. The Central Bank requires a level of transparency from
financial institutions in this State. Therefore, I think it is reasonable that the Central Bank
would disclose what these payment were for and apply the same level of transparency to
itself. [363]

In June 2015, they were criticized by the left wing in Dil ireann[364] for doing nothing to
protect those on low incomes, the vulnerable or have low levels of financial literacy
from loan sharks when it emerged that up to 100,000 of the 360,000 loans given by
moneylenders broke the law.[365]

The CBOIs supervision of anti-money laundering activities to stop the proceeds of criminal
activities and terrorist financing in the Irish financial system is woefully insufficient a
Deputy Governor conceded in comments not intended for public disclosure. [357]

It was revealed in August 2015, that they were aware for years but inexplicably failed to
act, of the mistreatment (deliberate overcharging, subsequent arrears followed by legal
proceedings;) of 1372 mortgage holders by Permanent TSB, the serious failure included
61 families been wrongly evicted from their homes. A subsequent editorial in Irelands
largest selling newspaper said:- How often have Edmund Burkes words echoed
despairingly The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing. For the Central Bank to preside over such inequity while having being warned, is
nothing short of disgraceful. [366][367]

The next month the Regulation Levy charged to financial services entities was increased by
40%, not to fund Regulation but to prop up a 300 million deficit in the gold-plated
defined benefit pension scheme enjoyed by all its 1,364 staff. The rise in the levy was
passed on to consumers by banks, insurers and investment funds and put some small
operators out of business.[368][369] Weeks later it was revealed that the CBOI for years
breached emergency laws cutting pay and banning bonuses in the public sector by secretly
giving managers extra cash and reducing the surplus going to the Exchequer. Those
getting the bonuses had to sign a contract promising to keep the fact and the amount of
the payment confidential. A trade unionist said Given the role that a bonus culture played
in our banking crisis, it is extraordinary that the Central Bank charged with oversight of
the countrys banking system now appears to itself be part of that culture.[370] The Public
Accounts Committee Chairman said the CBOI was giving the two fingers to the
Government again, which they did previously.[371] Staff belonging to a trade union then
passed a motion of no confidence in management by 92%. [372] Further controversy
followed when the CBOI claimed the payments were a retention scheme to ensure that key
staff do not leave, when it was learnt that they allowed the same managers to go on
secondment to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.[373]
Shortly afterwards it was learnt that a large amount of information was withheld by the
CBOI from the investigation by the 11-person Parliamentary inquiry into the collapse of the
Irish banking system.[374] The Central Bank and some of its legal representatives were
omitting huge swathes of vital documents, redacting many of the most crucial pieces of
evidence, and delaying release of vital material until it was too late to use them in
briefings for public hearings in at least one case handing them over 24 hours before a
scheduled interview about them.[375]

It emerged in October 2015 that they were warned six years earlier about the scandal of
banks wrongly taking valuable tracker mortgages off at least 10,000 homeowners costing
them thousands of euro every year in overpayments but turned a blind eye. [376]

A senior internal auditor was forced to delete critical findings on a lack of appropriate
monitoring of arrangements for engagement of external auditors, ineffective monitoring of
the banks internal auditing arrangements and lack of review of its internal audit manual.
After making a whistleblowers declaration, his employment was terminated. The Bank
accepted the finding that it was breaching the Code of Practice for the Governance of State
Bodies.[377] The deputy leader of Sinn Feinsaid- The reason I feel that this report is
troubling is because we know that a lack of regulation, a lack of oversight, sloppiness,
group-think, all of these things were ingredients over the years that led us to a very
catastrophic situation.[378]

Banking Inquiry Confirms that Irish Super-Rich and Entire Irish Elite Are
Responsible for Greatest Crisis in the Financial History of the State-
Statement by Seamus Healy TD

IRELAND HAS NO ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY TO STAND UP TO EU BULLYING

The report of the Banking Inquiry and the published evidence shows that the greed of the
Irish rich combined with the compliance of their elites are responsible for untold misery
due to the financial crash including mass unemployment, emigration, negative equity, loss
of homes and life savings. It also showed that the policies of successive governments have
left Ireland with no economic sovereignty to protect our citizens.

A new left government completely excluding Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is necessary to
tackle this situation. New regulations and procedures are not enough. The rich and their
elite hangers on will not implement any regulations if it does not suit the rich.

The government, central bank and the regulator had plenty powers and advance
information to enable them to intervene to prevent the crash but failed to use them.
In his evidence to the Inquiry, the then Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Tom
OConnell, put it in a nutshell: Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to know
that a property boom or bubble was developing. Thats that is completely
incorrect in my view Irelands banking and economic crash should never have
happened, should never have been allowed to happen, with all the consequences of huge
increases in unemployment, rising emigration, enormous debt, suicides, etc., that we have
seen.-the liquidity pumped out into the banks was 140 billion, you know, with
the both from the Central Bank and the ECB. I mean, once you spell that out,
thats 140,000 million there are 12 digits in that.- One can only surmise that,
as Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your committee, too many people were
benefitting from the boom time for prudence avoidance prudent avoidance
measures to have been taken.

TOM OConnell is right!

The Inquiry found that the almost universal adoption of the soft-landing theory
without any substantial testing or challengemust be regarded as a key failing for the
government, the Central Bank and the Department of Finance-Ciaran Lynch TD Chair. The
Economic and Social Research Institute, charged with advising citizens and government on
economic matters, and employing numerous professors of economics, also predicted a soft
landing.

There was significant overlap in membership between the board of the Central Bank and
the governing council of the ESRI. Irish elite insiders from business, trade union
leadership, academia and the business professions dominated both boards.

Citizens should use the election to clear out the representatives of the super- rich from
government before they cause another similar crash

Seamus Healy TD

Independent Alliance Divided on Begg Appointment But Seamus Healy TD

calls for Resignation of Begg and Burton in the Light of the Findings of
The Banking Inquiry

Seamus Healy TD calls for Resignation of Begg and Burton

Alliance Divided on Begg Appointment-Sunday Times Jan 24.

The Independent Alliance is divided over the governments appointment of David Begg,
the former leader of the ICTU,as chairman of the Pensions Authorty. Fergal Quinn,
president of the Alliance, and Senator Gerard Craughwell have told colleagues that they do
not want Begg to step back from the appointment, which was made by Joan Burton, the
Tnaiste. . . . .

Seamus Healy (who is not a member of the Alliance-PH), a Tipperary TD, yesterday
called on Begg and Burton to resign in the light of the findings of the Banking Inquiry.
Begg served on the board of the Bank from 2003 to 2007.Sunday Times Jan 24

Fergal Quinn, former owner of Superquinn Supermarket chain was also Chair of An Post
and dealt on behalf of an Post as an employer with David Begg as then general secretary
of the Communication Workers Union.

Gerard Craughwell, past president of TUI, is a former chair of Fine Gael in Dunlaoire but
now sits as an independent. He will be running for re-election on one of the panels for
which county councillors are the majority electors. ICTU is a nominating body for one of
the panels.
Shane Ross and all the Independent Alliance TDs voted against the FINANCIAL
EMERGENCY MEASURES IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST BILL (FEMPI) in the Dil. This act
imposes penalties by law on workers whose unions refuse to comply with a government-
ICTU public service agreement which extends additional work for 2 years. This is an anti-
union measure, proposed by a Labour minister,which is incompatible with the concept of
free trade unions. In the Seanad, Craughwell proposed amendments but failed to call a
recorded vote against the Bill. Fergal Quinn also failed to oppose the Bill.

Seamus Healy TD and Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA) have no connection with the
Independent Alliance. This is because the Alliance is not opposed in principle to going into
coalition with Fianna Fil and/or Fine Gael. Shane Ross and Fergal Quinn are self-confessed
capitalist politicians. During the boom Shane Ross complained that Sean Fitzptrick of
Anglo-Irish Bank was not considered for appointment as head of the Bank of Ireland.
Seamus Healy supported the motion of no confidence in Joan Burton on the grounds that
David Begg was unsuitable for such an appointment because of his membership of the
board of the Central Bank when it allowed the Irish Financial institutions including the
banks as a whole to borrow 50% of GDP.

David Begg Should Withdraw From the Pensions Authority And Joan
Burton should Resig following the conclusions of the report of The
Banking Inquiry

Statement by Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199

The banking inquiry has come down hard against the regulator and the
Central BankRTE NEWS.

Tnaiste Burton should Now Resign

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0122/762192-banking-inquiry-report/

The Banking Inquiry has found that both the Financial Regulator and Central Bank had
sufficient powers to intervene in the banking sector to protect the financial stability of the
State, but neither intervened decisively according to a Report on RTE News. In my
contribution to the recent no confidence debate in the Dil, I said on the record of the
Dil:I believe that Mr. Begg, who signed off on the financial stability
reports of the Central Bank during those years(2003-2007) is particularly
unsuited to and not qualified for this particular appointment.

Mr. Begg was a member of the board of the Central Bank from 2003 to 2007. This board,
including Mr Begg, allowed the financial system as a whole to borrow 50% of GDP, a level
of borrowing that was hitherto unprecedented according to Former Governor of the Central
Bank, Patrick Honohan.

The board of the Central Bank failed in its primary duty to protect the value of shares
owned by tens of thousands of citizens.

On the basis of the Financial Stability Reports to which David Begg assented, financial
consultants advised pensioners, redundant workers and those providing for retirement
generally to buy shares in financial institutions including banks in Ireland. These citizens
have lost their life savings.
The Pensions Authority is also tasked with protecting the pension contributions of citizens.

David Begg was a member of the Board of the Central Bank for fourteen years.

I believe that anybody who was a member of that board in any of the years from 2003 to
2007 should be disqualified from any state authority exercising oversight over financial
entities including pension funds.

Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199

DAVID BEGG GETS THE POST-RETIREMENT JOB (PRJ) FROM JOAN

BURTON

See also elsewhere on this blog: How ICTU Failed Us-For Election and Re-election of
General Secretaries

Motion of NO Confidence in Tnaiste Joan Burton-Speech by Seamus

Healy TD from Dail Record-Jan 19, 2016

Deputy Seamus Healy: I rise in support of this Private Members motion of no

confidence in the Tnaiste. We were promised a democratic revolution after the last
general election. Of course, this is certainly not the case as we have seen time and again
since then. In the past week, we have seen that cronyism is alive and well and at the heart
of Government and that a get out clause is being used not just by the Tnaiste but by
other Ministers to appoint party members and cronies to State boards. We were told that
we would have transparency and accountability, a democratic revolution, Dil reform and
appointments to State boards that would be fully transparent. In the case of Mr. Begg, Ms
Mangan and others, we find that there was no advertising,stateboards.ie and the Public
Appointments Service were not used and there was no short-listing of candidates. These
were personal appointments by the particular Ministers.

Even if the advertising took place and stateboards.ie and the Public Appointments Service
were used, it would be a smokescreen for cronyism because we know about the formula
this Government is using in respect of appointments to State boards two for Fine Gael
and one for the Labour Party. We have seen this not just in this Government but in
previous ones. We noticed that Fianna Fil is criticising the Tnaiste in respect of this. This
is like the pot calling the kettle black. Other speakers have said that coming up to the last
election, Fianna Fil made something like 60 appointments to State boards.

The appointment of Mr. Begg in particular has raised significant problems. He had the
audacity and gall to suggest that 20,000 was not a crock of gold. I would have thought
that as a former trade union chief, he would be well aware of the fact that 125,000
workers earn less than 20,000 per year. Surely he would be aware that a family of two
adults and two children on social welfare exist on less than 20,000 per year. How dare he
suggest that 20,000 is not a crock of gold. It may not be to him but to thousands upon
thousands of part-time workers, low-paid workers and families on social welfare, it is
effectively only an existence.

I believe that Mr. Begg is particularly unsuited to this job as chair of the Pensions
Authority. Mr. Begg was a member of the board of the Central Bank from 2003 to 2007.
This board allowed the financial system as a whole to borrow 50% of GDP. We are not
talking about individual banks. We are talking about the financial system as a whole. This
board, including Mr. Begg, allowed that system to borrow 50% of GDP. Nobody called a
halt, not even Mr. Begg. That level of borrowing was ruinous. The recently retired former
Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Patrick Honohan, said that this level of borrowing
was hitherto unprecedented. This level of borrowing led to austerity, the bust and the
devastation of families across this country. I believe that Mr. Begg, who signed off on the
financial stability reports of the Central Bank during those years, is particularly unsuited to
and not qualified for this particular appointment.

Broken promises and the breaking and reneging on of commitments made in the course of
a general election have also been part and parcel of this Government as of previous
Governments. The Labour Party in particular has broken every promise and commitment it
made during the course of the last general election. It was opposed to water charges but
the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, is
implementing water charges. Does the Tnaiste remember the Tesco advertisement? It
said there would be no cuts to child benefit but there were cuts. The Department of Social
Protection has been devastated by this Minister. I support the motion.

DAVID BEGG GETS THE POST-RETIREMENT JOB (PRJ) FROM JOAN

BURTON

David Begg has been appointed to the part-time post of head of the Pensions Authority on
20,000 Euro per year without interview.

The retired ICTU Gen Sec has already taken up a post as full-time Director of the think
tank TASC. The Chairman of TASC is former Labour MEP, Proinsias de Rossa. One f the
Funders of TASC is FEPS, A european research organisation which describes itself as close
to PES-the consortium of labour and social democratic MEPs at the European Parliament
to which the Irish Labour Party adheres.

Happily, the Tanaiste is on record as having huge respect for him. Last year when David
retired she claimed that the trade union boss had played a key role in supporting the work
of the Labour Party in ensuring collective bargaining as legislated for by this Government.
She went on to praise him as a relentlessly hard working servant for the Labour
movement.Irish Independent Jan 17

collective bargaining as legislated for by this government includes the financial

Emergency Provisions in the Public Interest ACT(FEMPI) 2013 which cut pay and
pensions of public servants and imposed penalties on unions if they did
not agree to comply with the related ICTU-GOVERNMENT
agreement. Delegates to the ICTU Biennial Delegate Congress held in Summer 2015
called for the repeal of the legislation.This motion was ignored by the ICTU leaders

As I say lower down: Any senior official who rocks the boat on social partnership or on
colluding with austerity governments hasnt a prayer of this nomination or indeed of
any post-retirement job (PRJ) such as a rights commissionership, an industrial
relations tribunal membership or nomination to a state board or quango.

This is the cancer at the heart of capitulatory Irish Trade Union

Officialdom

Despite whistle blowing to Mary Lou by a member of Cetral Bank Audit Staff-We know we
are in good hands!!

John the soft Landing Fitzgerald is on the Audit Subcommittee

Des -Ten years on Fs Board-Geraghty is on the Risk Committee-replacing ICTU Former

Gen Sec David Begg (now director of TASC) on Board now retitled Commission

The new(?) Commision is packed with Irish ELITE Insiders

-just as it was during the boom so we can all rest easy in our beds-never mind the whistle
blower!

The commisioners (formerly directors) have other things in common.

They have huge powers, particularly to damage the interests of citizens through lack of
vigilance as Irish people know to their cost.

Above all, they have no democratic accountability to anybody except the Minister. Not
alone are citizens unable to remove them, even the body which originally nominated
them cannot remove them.

In fact there is technically no nomination process. Their names of some are suggested by
interest groups.

Importantly, there has been a leading trade unionist on the board in recent decades (David
Begg for 14 years). The name is suggested by ICTU which means effectively by the
troika- SIPTU, IMPACT, PSEU.

See also on this Blog How ICTU Failed US

https://wordpress.com/post/paddyhealy.wordpress.com/1024

Any senior official who rocks the boat on social partnership or on colluding with austerity
governments hasnt a prayer of this nomination or indeed of any post-retirement job
(PRJ) such as a rights commissionership, an industrial relations tribunal membership or
nomination to a state board or quango.

Through this mechanism, virtually all general secretaries are controlled or

pressurised automatically by the trade union troika-SIPTU,IMPACT, PSEU. This system
tends to undermine democracy in individual trade unions

The general membership of the largest civil society organisation in

Ireland-ICTU- has no power to remove the trade union commissioner.

The commission is safe for the Irish Elite

THE REAL CONCLUSION FROM THE BANKING INQUIRY

Damning Indictment of Irish Elite by Former Deputy Governor of Central Bank

One can only surmise that, as Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to
your committee, too many people were benefitting from the boom time
for prudence avoidance measures to have been taken.
Dep. Gov.TOM OConnell at BANKING INQUIRY

Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), charged with advising the government and
the citizens on economic matters, predicted a Soft Landing to the boom. ESRI has high-
powered academic staff including several eminent professors.

Despite requests by me to all Inquiry Team members,the relevant heads of ESRI were not
called before the Inquiry.

This is an important omission because Deputy Governor OConnell alleges that he was
asked to contact then Director of ESRI,Prof Frances Ruane to express concern about the
content of an article by ESRI researcher(Now Director of ESRI) Prof Alan Barrett which
questioned the situation in banking
Retired Professor John Fitzgerald, appeared in a personal capacity and agreed that he had
made errors

Deputy Governor OConnell

Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to know that a property boom
or bubble was developing. Thats that is completely incorrect in my
view Irelands banking and economic crash should never have happened, should
never have been allowed to happen, with all the consequences of huge increases in
unemployment, rising emigration, enormous debt, suicides, etc., that we have seen.-
the liquidity pumped out into the banks was 140 billion, you know, with
the both from the Central Bank and the ECB. I mean, once you spell
that out, thats 140,000 million there are 12 digits in that.- One can
only surmise that, as Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your committee, too many
people were benefitting from the boom time for prudence avoidance
prudent avoidance measures to have been taken . Dep. Gov.TOM OConnell at
BANKING INQUIRY

EXTRACT From Evidence of Former Dep. Governor O Connell

Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to know that a property boom
or bubble was developing. Thats that is completely incorrect in my
view. You will recall, for example, that, in his evidence to your committee here, Peter
Nyberg himself the author of a report on the collapse asserted that it was obvious that
a property-lending mania was afoot. At the decisionmaking levels in the bank, either
people were unaware of what was happening, despite the clear evidence, or they were
aware and chose to do nothing. Either way, it all seems quite incomprehensible to me.
While the bank, in its public utterances, presented a low-key assessment of what was
happening, that is not to say that it was not fully aware of the major excesses. While the
bank in its public utterances presented a low-key assessment of what was happening, that
is not to say it was not fully aware of the major excesses. The annual financial stability
reports reviewed comprehensively what was happening and Patrick Honohans report
acknowledged that the three major excesses were well recognised in the FSRs, the
Financial Stability Reports: there was the huge increase in bank lending, the concentration
of this lending in the property sector, and the very large reliance on the by the banks on
potentially volatile wholesale funding. The main body of the stability reports set out
extensively how almost all indicators were pointing massively in the wrong direction. By
contrast, the overall assessment and tone which reflected the views of the two boards
tended to be reassuring talking of a soft landing, and so on. In fact, I should say that
one member of the board did have grave doubts, to the effect that I can recollect his
words still ringing in my ear, It was all a house of cards and would all end in tears.
However, his views appear not to have had any impact on policymaking in the bank.
Notwithstanding that directors views, it was probably necessary, in any event, to present
such a rather hopeful overall assessment in public since the Central Bank could hardly
conclude that the banks were about to collapse. However, whatever the published
assessment, the authorities should have been working assiduously behind the scenes to
curb the huge excesses and reckless lending of the banks egregious risk-taking, as
Patrick Honohan has termed it recently in his speech.- In fact, what Peter
Nyberg, who interviewed me the author of the Banking report he kept asking me
Why did nobody do anything? several times Why did nobody do anything? And I am
afraid that the answer has to be that the authorities simply did not wish to do anything.
And actually, Peter Nyberg also asked me why I did not publish a newspaper article on the
bubble. I said to him that that would have been highly unorthodox it would be like a civil
servant, you know, writing an article in the newspaper, criticising the minister of financial
policy it just wouldnt be on in any event, I dont think it wouldve had an effect at a
time when the Taoiseach was saying that anyone who was questioning the sustainability of
what was happening should go and commit suicide. And in fact, you should recollect in the
event when Morgan Kelly Professor Morgan Kelly wrote about the probability of a crash,
he was derided he was literally shouted down at an economics conference where he was
presenting his paper on the property market. So, you know, people didnt want to know.
- And from the Central Bank side, you know, one has to ask, How did the
Central Bank see the erosion of the banks deposit base being halted as the Central Bank
pumped increasingly vast amounts of liquidity into the banks to prop them up? In fact,
you may be aware of the fact that the total the maximum amount or
at its peak rather, the amount of liquidity pumped out into the banks was
140 billion, you know, with the both from the Central Bank and the
ECB. I mean, once you spell that out, thats 140,000 million there are
12 digits in that. So, you can well understand why the ECB was jumping up and down
when the accommodation provided to Irish banks was at was at that massive level.
As Professor Honohans report put it, the source of our problems was homegrown.
Those who suggest that Lehmans brought us down are almost wholly wrong, and are
merely seeking an external scapegoat, not the first time this would have happened in
Ireland, in my view. -In summary, it was crystal clear from about the turn of the
millennium, and even before, Ireland was experiencing a major property bubble; a world
beating one, in Professor Honohans words. It is not credible that those who ought to have
been aware of what was happening were in the dark. One can only surmise that, as
Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your committee, too many
people were benefitting from the boom time for prudence avoidance
prudent avoidance measures to have been taken.

TASC WEBSITE
David Begg

Director

David Begg was previously General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and
spent five years as Chief Executive of Concern Worldwide in the late 1990s. He is currently
also on the board of Barnardos. David Begg has held a number of Public and Private Sector
Non Executive positions including the Boards of Aer Lingus, The Central Bank and the
National Economic and Social Council (NESC). He was a Governor of the Irish Times Trust
from 2001 to 2011, he also served on the Advisory Board of Ireland Aid. He has a Masters
Degree in International Relations from DCU and a PhD in Sociology from NUI Maynooth

WHY DID DIRECTOR DAVID BEGG(ICTU), (14 years on Board), STAY

SILENT? Read his full evidence to Banking Inquiry at Link Below

IRISH WORKERS DESERVE A FULL EXPLANATION FROM DAVID BEGG AND THE ICTU
LEADERS

Nov 3,2015 Two Further Damning Indictments Of The Central Bank by

senior staff have now been published on the Banking Inquiry website

Frank Browne Head of Financial Stability Division, Central Bank

https://inquiries.oireachtas.ie/banking/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Frank-Browne-
WSW.pdf

Tom OConnellDeputy Governor Central Bank

https://inquiries.oireachtas.ie/banking/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Material-Clarification-
Tom-OConnell.pdf

(ICTU had professional economic advice available to it in all the crucial years: Paul
Sweeney is the Chief Economist at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. He is President of
the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, a member of the National
Competitiveness Council of Ireland, and chair of the Economists Network at TASC. Paul
wrote several books on the Irish economy and on Irish public enterprise and privatisation,
and has also written many articles on economics and business. He is a graduate of Trinity
College, Dublin.)

When David Begg appeared before the Banking Inquiry, a Labour Party politician on the
inquiry team asked him whether he had got any training for his role as a member of the
board of directors of the Central Bank. Davids lack of training was then highlighted in
the media !!!!!!!!!!!

David is now retired as ICTU General secretary and taken up a role as Head of the
Research Body TASC

I find that the explanations given by David Begg in his evidence to the inquiry are
inadequate

Read David Beggs Full Evidence to Inquiry:

https://inquiries.oireachtas.ie/banking/hearings/david-begg-former-general-secretary-
ictu-non-executive-director-central-bank-cbfsai/

John Dunne Former Director General IBEC & former Non-Executive

Director Central Bank & IFSRA was also on the board of the Central Bank
in the crucial years and gave evidence to the Banking Inquiry

Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), charged with advising the government and
the citizens on economic matters, predicted a Soft Landing to the boom. ESRI has high-
powered academic staff including several eminent professors.

Despite requests by me to all Inquiry Team members,the relevant heads of ESRI were not
called before the Inquiry.

This is an important omission because Deputy Governor OConnell alleges that he was
asked to contact then Director of ESRI,Prof Frances Ruane to express concern about the
content of an article by ESRI researcher(Now Director of ESRI) Prof Alan Barrett which
questioned the situation in banking

Retired Professor John Fitzgerald, appeared in a personal capacity and agreed that he had
made errors

Deputy Governor OConnell

Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to know that a property boom
or bubble was developing. Thats that is completely incorrect in my
view Irelands banking and economic crash should never have happened, should
never have been allowed to happen, with all the consequences of huge increases in
unemployment, rising emigration, enormous debt, suicides, etc., that we have seen.-
the liquidity pumped out into the banks was 140 billion, you know, with
the both from the Central Bank and the ECB. I mean, once you spell
that out, thats 140,000 million there are 12 digits in that.- One can
only surmise that, as Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your committee, too many
people were benefitting from the boom time for prudence avoidance
prudent avoidance measures to have been taken . Dep. Gov.TOM OConnell at
BANKING INQUIRY

FULL TRANSCRIPT

https://inquiries.oireachtas.ie/banking/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/10062015_OConnell_vol1.pdf

EXTRACT From Evidence of Former Dep. Governor O Connell

Its sometimes said that nobody seemed to know that a property boom
or bubble was developing. Thats that is completely incorrect in my
view. You will recall, for example, that, in his evidence to your committee here, Peter
Nyberg himself the author of a report on the collapse asserted that it was obvious that
a property-lending mania was afoot. At the decisionmaking levels in the bank, either
people were unaware of what was happening, despite the clear evidence, or they were
aware and chose to do nothing. Either way, it all seems quite incomprehensible to me.
While the bank, in its public utterances, presented a low-key assessment of what was
happening, that is not to say that it was not fully aware of the major excesses. While the
bank in its public utterances presented a low-key assessment of what was happening, that
is not to say it was not fully aware of the major excesses. The annual financial stability
reports reviewed comprehensively what was happening and Patrick Honohans report
acknowledged that the three major excesses were well recognised in the FSRs, the
Financial Stability Reports: there was the huge increase in bank lending, the concentration
of this lending in the property sector, and the very large reliance on the by the banks on
potentially volatile wholesale funding. The main body of the stability reports set out
extensively how almost all indicators were pointing massively in the wrong direction. By
contrast, the overall assessment and tone which reflected the views of the two boards
tended to be reassuring talking of a soft landing, and so on. In fact, I should say that
one member of the board did have grave doubts, to the effect that I can recollect his
words still ringing in my ear, It was all a house of cards and would all end in tears.
However, his views appear not to have had any impact on policymaking in the bank.
Notwithstanding that directors views, it was probably necessary, in any event, to present
such a rather hopeful overall assessment in public since the Central Bank could hardly
conclude that the banks were about to collapse. However, whatever the published
assessment, the authorities should have been working assiduously behind the scenes to
curb the huge excesses and reckless lending of the banks egregious risk-taking, as
Patrick Honohan has termed it recently in his speech.- In fact, what Peter
Nyberg, who interviewed me the author of the Banking report he kept asking me
Why did nobody do anything? several times Why did nobody do anything? And I am
afraid that the answer has to be that the authorities simply did not wish to do anything.
And actually, Peter Nyberg also asked me why I did not publish a newspaper article on the
bubble. I said to him that that would have been highly unorthodox it would be like a civil
servant, you know, writing an article in the newspaper, criticising the minister of financial
policy it just wouldnt be on in any event, I dont think it wouldve had an effect at a
time when the Taoiseach was saying that anyone who was questioning the sustainability of
what was happening should go and commit suicide. And in fact, you should recollect in the
event when Morgan Kelly Professor Morgan Kelly wrote about the probability of a crash,
he was derided he was literally shouted down at an economics conference where he was
presenting his paper on the property market. So, you know, people didnt want to know.
- And from the Central Bank side, you know, one has to ask, How did the
Central Bank see the erosion of the banks deposit base being halted as the Central Bank
pumped increasingly vast amounts of liquidity into the banks to prop them up? In fact,
you may be aware of the fact that the total the maximum amount or
at its peak rather, the amount of liquidity pumped out into the banks was
140 billion, you know, with the both from the Central Bank and the
ECB. I mean, once you spell that out, thats 140,000 million there are
12 digits in that. So, you can well understand why the ECB was jumping up and down
when the accommodation provided to Irish banks was at was at that massive level.
As Professor Honohans report put it, the source of our problems was homegrown.
Those who suggest that Lehmans brought us down are almost wholly wrong, and are
merely seeking an external scapegoat, not the first time this would have happened in
Ireland, in my view. -In summary, it was crystal clear from about the turn of the
millennium, and even before, Ireland was experiencing a major property bubble; a world
beating one, in Professor Honohans words. It is not credible that those who ought to have
been aware of what was happening were in the dark. One can only surmise that, as
Professor Alan Ahearne has said here to your committee, too many
people were benefitting from the boom time for prudence avoidance
prudent avoidance measures to have been taken.
Chairman: Ill Ill give you two examples there. Itll come up on the
screen at the moment, you say, when around 2005, Alan Barrett had
expressed a view in an ESRI Quarterly Economic Commentary that the
banks were in a rather fragile state, I was instructed to request the
Director of the ESRI to ensure that such comments were not published in
future. You then go on say, In the 2007 Financial Stability Report [that
we just discussed], a deliberate decision was taken to delete the
conclusions of a research study updating the extent of the overvaluation
of Irish property services. So, going back to you again, can you provide
further information on this as to how the request was made to you and
how, how these and how did you follow through on the request with
regard to these matters? Mr. Tom OConnell: Yes. Well, in relation to the
Alan Barrett comment, which was at I think it happened at the launch
of the ESRI quarterly commentary, and I think the reference to the
fragility of the banks was actually in the quarterly commentary, I was, I
was asked by somebody senior to me in the bank to ring Frances Ruane
in the ESRI, which I duly did, and asked that, you know, those references
should not arise in the future. Now to some degree thats
understandable, you know. If the leading research institute is
commenting on the possibility of the banks collapsing, I mean, its one
thing to try to sort of cool down those comments but I would argue that
behind the scenes, something should be done to prevent that happening
and that really wasnt happening at that time.

Chairman

Ill Ill give you two examples there. Itll come up on the screen at the moment, you say,
when around 2005, Alan Barrett had expressed a view in an ESRI Quarterly Economic
Commentary that the banks were in a rather fragile state, I was instructed to request the
Director of the ESRI to ensure that such comments were not published in future. You then
go on say, In the 2007 Financial Stability Report [that we just discussed], a deliberate
decision was taken to delete the conclusions of a research study updating the extent of the
overvaluation of Irish property services. So, going back to you again, can you provide
further information on this as to how the request was made to you and how, how these
and how did you follow through on the request with regard to these matters?

Mr. Tom OConnell

Yes. Well, in relation to the Alan Barrett comment, which was at I think it happened at
the launch of the ESRI quarterly commentary, and I think the reference to the fragility of
the banks was actually in the quarterly commentary, I was, I was asked by somebody
senior to me in the bank to ring Frances Ruane in the ESRI, which I duly did, and asked
that, you know, those references should not arise in the future. Now to some degree thats
understandable, you know. If the leading research institute is commenting on the
possibility of the banks collapsing, I mean, its one thing to try to sort of cool down those
comments but I would argue that behind the scenes, something should be done to prevent
that happening and that really wasnt happening at that time.

Senator Sean D. Barrett

The phone call to the ESRI about the Alan Barrett article. Soon afterwards, as you know,
all the independent articles were dropped from the quarterly economic commentary, it just
became an in-house ESRI thing. Were those events connected? Was the ESRI worried that
it was annoying the Central Bank?

Mr. Tom OConnell

I, I dont know whether it was a coincidence or not but, I mean, as far as my recollection
goes, I think the, the comment by Alan Barrett was probably was in the commentary
itself. You know, it wasnt a special article on the banking sector. And Morgan Kelly had an
article subsequent well, was it subsequent? Yes, I think it was subsequent, actually, to it.
So, I, I wasnt fully aware that the independent articles had been taken out. I mean, it
might depend on people who were offering articles to the ESRI to put in in their
quarterly commentary.

David Begg(ICTU) assented to all the Financial Stability Reports mentioned below

ICTU had professional economic advisers on its staff

Nov 7, 2015

Central Bank cut property bubble warning from report

Fiach Kelly

Irish Times, Saturday, November 7, 2015, 01:02

Former Central Bank director general Liam Barron decided to exclude warnings about the
overvaluation of property from a 2007 financial stability report, the Oireachtas banking
inquiry has been told.

Thomas OConnell, who was assistant general director of the banks economic division and
chief economist from 2005 to 2010, made the claim about Mr Barron in a clarification
statement to the inquiry.

He previously provided oral evidence to the committee, which examined the States
financial collapse, in June.

In his oral evidence, Mr OConnell said the Central Bank had to pull its punches in
relation to concerns about the economy despite indications of great difficulty ahead.

He further claimed it was his opinion as early as 2001 that things were going crazy and a
massive property bubble had developed.

Financial stability reports, however, tended to include reassuring summaries that did not
correlate with their data, he added.

In his clarification statement, Mr OConnell, who joined the Central Bank in 1970 as an
economist, says the three most senior people in the bank had the final say in amending
the stability report before it was sent to the board.

The most active of the three in this regard would have been Liam Barron, the director
general and chair of the financial stability committee.

It adds that there were major concerns in the economics area of the bank with the
continuing rise in property prices, and therefore there was a need to try to assess to what
extent property prices were overvalued.

Overvaluation

Mr OConnell says that as far as he is aware, no consideration was given to remove the
overvaluation estimates.
They were arbitrarily excluded, he says, presumably on the grounds that, as property
prices continued to escalate to unsustainable levels, the publication of large overvaluation
estimates could lead to the bubble bursting.

He then adds: Liam Barron decided to exclude the overvaluation estimates from the 2007
FSR.

While Mr Barron gave his own written statement to the inquiry which dealt with the
evidence given by Mr OConnell, it is understood he submitted it without sight of Mr
OConnells subsequent clarification statement.

It also says that,Frank Browne, the Central Banks head of financial stability from 2003-
2010, was responsible for co-ordinating or putting together the draft financial stability
report.

In keeping with the hierarchical nature of the bank, the amendments proposed by the top
three executives in the bank would be incorporated into that draft before submitting it to
the board.

Mr Browne also submitted a statement to the banking inquiry in which he said the Central
Bank misled the public about the frail state of Irelands financial system in the run-up to
the crash.

He also told the inquiry that warnings issued by his team as far back as 2004 were ignored
by the banks senior management.

The thrust of his 90-page statement was rejected outright by former bank governor John
Hurley and other senior Central Bank figures from that time.

Warnings on the property bubble were not taken lightly, Mr Hurley insisted.

2015 irishtimes.com

UPDATE MAY 29

Neary Blames Central Bank (Gov Hurley, David Begg ICTU, John Dunne
IBEC et al.) at Inquiry

Patrick Neary Was CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority.He sat on the Board
of the Central Bank with David Begg, John Dunne and others. He also had regular
meetings with the central Bank. David Begg has sought to evade responsibility for the
grossly irresponsible activity of banks by pointing out that he was not a member of the
Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority which was set up as a distinct entity in 2003.
This body was tasked with ensuring that individual banks operated in line with regulations.
However the Central Bank retained responsibility for the covered banks and financial
system as a whole. Their task was to ensure that the banks as a whole did not borrow and
lend money to such an extent as to endanger financial stability of the country.
The Annual Report on which John Dunne and David Begg signed off each
year is entitled Financial Stability Report (FSR)

Proceedings of Inquiry-Extract

https://inquiries.oireachtas.ie/banking/hearings/patrick-neary-former-ceo-irish-financial-
services-regulatory-authority/

Senator Michael DArcy

Can I ask, Mr. Neary, in relation to the FSR reports, you participated in the FSR reports?
Mr. Patrick Neary

Yes, the FSR reports were driven by the economists in the Central Bank. I mean, we didnt

Senator Michael DArcy

You participated?

Mr. Patrick Neary

I did. I participated in the discussions, some of the discussions at the preparatory phase on
the financial stability committee(of Central Bank). And also as a member of the
authority we used to have a joint meeting with the board of the Central
Bank to discuss the content of the FSRs.

Senator Michael DArcy

Yes, I want to raise the issue of personal indebtedness within banking. In 1995, the
percentage of personal indebtedness to the GDP of the nation was 71%; in 2006, it was
192%, according to the FSR reports; in 2007, the predicted figure, according to the FSR
report, was 248% of GNP. The original figures I quoted were GDP. What was going to be
the outcome, Mr. Neary, when a downturn came, for people when they were indebted to
that extent? When a downturn was going to occur, how were people going to be able to
pay their bills? (The Central Bank Had allowed unprecedented borrowing of 50% of GDP by
Irish Banks and Financial Institutions between 2003 and 2008 which funded this lending-
Evidence of current Governor Honahan to Inquiry)

Mr. Patrick Neary

Im not an economist, and thats not a defence, and, you know, it certainly would suggest
to me that it raises a question about people able to meet their indebtedness, in general,
but bank loans are, you know, done on an individual basis, and if we are talking about
peoples ability to service their, their commitments for residential mortgages and that,
youre looking at them on an individual basis. I mean, this would be a sign. I would
expect that people who are, you know, trained and proficient in, in
assessing, you know, economic threats would have raised an alarm
about, but in some strange way, this transmitted into a message from the
Central Bank that, notwithstanding all of these issues, that we were going
to have a SOFT LANDING.

UPDATE MAY 22

Governor Hurley Admits Failure of Central Bank From 2003 to 2008 at

Banking Inquiry

Begg Denial of Responsibility Undermined at Hearing

David Begg ICTU was a senior member of the Board of the Central Bank
throughout this period

But where Hurley was less confident and assured was on the failure of the Central Bank to
properly see the crisis develop from 2005 onwards. We did not see the crisis coming we
should have escalated our warnings at the time, he was forced to concede Irish
Independent May 22.
He agreed that the major responsibility of central bank was to maintain financial stability
of the financial system as a whole.

Governor Hurley was also forced to admit that the Central Bank had legal powers to give
legally binding policy guidance to the Regulator but did not do so. He said repeatedlyThat
would not be done we would not do that

It is accepted by all at the Inquiry that the banks were allowed to borrow 50% of GDP
between 2003 and 2008 (hitherto unprecedented-Gov Honohan) ad the indebtedness of
Irish individuals and businesses was allowed to reach gargantuan proportions by
irresponsible bank lending.

The Central Bank failed to protect financial stability

It was the unprecedented borrowing and lending which made the banks and the state
particularly vulnerable to the financial crisis abroad including the fall out from the collapse
of Lehmans in the USA

The proceedings at the inquiry yesterday totally undermined the contention of David Begg
(ICTU) that he had no responsibility for the banking crisis because he was not a member of
the board of the Financial Regulator.

At one stage an official document was read to Gov Hurley which showed that a draft
Central Bank Financial Stability Report

had been altered. It was put to him that in formulating the reports he had to be concerned
with Irelands standing abroad, international investment in Ireland etc. He replied to the
effect that of course one must exercise due care but added: OF COURSE YOU CANT
FRIGHTEN THE HORSES

Was this the real story? Due to the virtually total dependence of the country on
international financial and industrial investment due to the policies of successive
governments, IRELAND HAS NOT SUFFICIENT SOVEREIGNTY TO REGULATE
ITS OWN BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

Was this the real story? Due to the virtually total dependence of the country on
international financial and industrial investment due to the policies of successive
governments, IRELAND HAS NOT SUFFICIENT SOVEREIGNTY TO
SATISFACTORILY REGULATE ITS OWN BANKS AND FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS.

Lack of knowledge, information, division of responsibility, is just All a

Cod when everyone new that a modest terraced corporation house in
Dublin was on sale for half a million Euro

In fact Professor John Fitzgerald said exactly this at an earlier hearing

when explaining that he had no excuse for his Soft Landing ESRI
Reports during the boom!!!

UPDATE JUNE 2 Afternoon

Paddy Healy on Liveline to-day

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A20790350%3A0%3A
%3A
UPDATE June 2

ALAN DUKES On RTE

It has been alleged that a company owned by Denis OBrien has got loans from IBRC at
unusually low interest rates. Crucially, Alan Dukes Head of IBRC in 2011 did not deny this
on RTE yesterday. He denied that the interest rate on loans depended the size of the loan
or who the person was. This ,of course, is not the same thing. He said that level of risk is
a factor. It would be a major scandal if it emerged that super-rich individuals and
companies with low risk of non repayment, unlike credit unions, were getting low interest
arrangements from the Government through IBRC, while government through its
ownership of AIB and Permanent TSB was fleecing home owners and small businesses on
variable rate interest mortgages and loans.

The state is paying 8 billion in interest on c. 200 billion of debt or c. 4% interest each
year. Is it lending to the Super-rich at 1% to 2%

Could Alan DUKES and Michael Noonan please clarify?

UPDATE June 1

Catherine Murphy Note:Alan Dukes,IBRC, on Morning Ireland, RTE seemed

to imply that the risk of an individual or of company being unable to fully repay a loan was
a major factor in setting the interest rate!!!

Did he mean that a super wealthy individual would get a lower interest rate than a person
in negative equity, all other things being equal?

Surely the reverse should be the case, particularly from a Bank owned by the state !!!!!

Is the regulator involved in these decisions? Is the owner of the bank, Minister Michael
Noonan involved?

IBRC, Minister Noonan, please clarify Mr Dukes remarks.

Update May 21

Begg (ICTU) and John Dunne( IBEC) Called Before Banking

Inquiry Yesterday Afternoon

My Year Long Campaign Has succeeded Thanks to all supporters

Notification Date Appearance Date

Begg, David Central Bank/ICTU 20/05/2015 TBC

Dunne, John IBEC 20/05/2015 TBC

Update May 20

John Hurley, Former Governor Of The Central Bank, will appear before
Banking Inquiry tomorrow.

During his term of Office the banks as a whole were allowed to borrow an additional 50%
of GDP between 3003 and 2008. David Begg (ICTU Gen SEC) and John Dunne (IBEC) were
members of the Board. In the opinions of Governor Honohan and Prof John Fitzgerald
(ESRI Retd.) this is the period when the real damage was done to the financial system.
Does Hurley Agree? Will David Begg (ICTU and now Director of Tasc???) be called to
explain his role? Will government and particularly Labour Party Reps on Inquiry protect him
from accountbility?

Update May 14

Begg (ICTU) and Dunne (IBEC) have not yet been Called before Banking
Inquiry. WHY?

Is it because ICTU and IBEC support Austerity Policies of FG/Lab Government?

The selection of those to be called before the Banking Inquiry is of vital importance.
Government may attempt to prevent David Begg ICTU and John Dunne IBEC being called
because of their support for government policies though they were both members of the
board of the Central Bank in the crucial years.

David Begg has sought to evade responsibility for the grossly irresponsible activity of
banks by pointing out that he was not a member of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory
Authority which was set up as a distinct entity in 2003. This body was tasked with ensuring
that individual banks operated in line with regulations. However the Central Bank retained
responsibility for the covered banks and financial system as a whole. Their task was to
ensure that the banks as a whole did not borrow and lend money to such an extent as
to endanger financial stability of the country. The Annual Report on which
John Dunne and David Begg signed off each year is entitled Financial
Stability Report

As can be seen from below the Central Bank grossly failed in its duty. David Begg was
one of the most senior members of the board of the central bank when the covered banks
borrowed 10% of GDP per year or 50% of GDP overall between 2003 and 2008

Did David Begg oppose this? Did he report it to executive Council of ICTU? Did ICTU
oppose it?

If he did and was over-ruled, why did he not resign and bring the matter to public
attention?

Stability reports would have been put before each meeting of the Central Bank attended by
Begg. Financial Stability was the principal purpose of the Central Bank. A Financial
Stability Report is issued each year to the public. As can be seen below, the official Report,
issued in 2007, was grossly incorrect. All members of the Board of the Central Bank,
including Begg, signed off on it!

Note: The Central Bank administered stress tests to the covered banks in 2007-months
before the crash. The banks passed the tests

Both Patrick Honohan and even John Fitzgeral are now stressing that the excessive
borrowing of the financial system as a whole was the major at the rootof the bank bust
and financial melt-down

David Begg, General Secretary of ICTU, was on the board of the Central
Bank for 14 years up to mid-2010.

YESTERDAY SEPT 18,2014 he announced that he will retire next March as General
Secretary of ICTU. Will he be called before the Banking Inquiry? He has much to explain
to the Irish people

Before he became governor of the Central Bank, Professor Honohan in Economic and Social
Review (Summer 2009) said:Irish banking system had been, in effect, on a life-support
system since September 2008.-.Complacency resulted in the banks fuelling the late
stage of an obvious construction bubble with massive foreign borrowing, leaving them
exposed to solvency and liquidity risks which in past times would have been inconceivable
At the end of 2003, net indebtedness of Irish banks to the rest of the
world was just 10 per cent of GDP. By early 2008 that had jumped to
over 60 per cent

The borrowing of 50% of Gross Domestic Product over 5 years by the

covered banks is precisely what the Central Bank is tasked to prevent-
grossly irresponsible borrowing which threatens financial stability.

As a result countless thousands have lost their jobs and savage austerity
has been visited on the population including pay and pension cuts.

David Begg owes an explanation to Irish trade unionists who pay dues to their
trade unions who contribute to ICTU which pays the general secretaries wages as
general secretary of ICTU.

In 2007 the Central Bank stress tested the covered banks just months
before the crash. The Banks passed the tests.

The Directors of the bank were representative of the elite of Irish

Society:

David Begg, Secretary General, ICTU. He was chair of its Audit and Risk Management
Committee, which was tasked to advise on risk management policies

John Dunne was formerly Director General of IBEC

Dr Brian Hillery, former chairman of Independent News & Media

Dermot OBrien was the Chief Economist with NCB Stockbrokers, having worked with
them from 1987 2007

Tony Grimes is Director General of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority
having spent most of his career with the Bank. Prior to that he worked in the ESRI and
Davy Stockbrokers.

Jim Farrell has extensive experience of international banking. He has held senior
positions with the National Treasury Management Agency

Gerard Danaher is a barrister, closely linked to Fianna Fail.

David Doyle (Then secretary general of the Department of Finance),

Mr Alan Gray, the Managing Partner of the Indecon Economic Consulting Group,

Patrick Neary was appointed to the position of Prudential Director of the Financial
Regulator in 2003. His responsibilities included the protection of consumers deposits,
funds and policies. He was previously Head of Securities and Exchanges Supervision and
Deputy Head of Banking Supervision in the Central Bank, where he began his career in
1971. He is a fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA).

Deirdre Purcell former journalist and Actor. In 2003, Charlie McCreevy appointed
Purcell to the Central Banks board. She was on its Audit and Risk Management
Committee, which was tasked to advise on risk management policies
The Governor was John Hurley, former Sec general of Department of
Finance, and career civil servant

The Central Bank Report (2007) contained the following statements :

The Irish financial sector was, of course, impacted like all others by
these global developments. Medium- to long-term funding was not as
readily available on wholesale markets as had been the case. However,
Irish banks have negligible exposure to the sub-prime sector and they
remain relatively healthy by the standard measures of capital ,
profitability and asset quality. This has been

confirmed by the stress testing exercises we have carried out with the
banks.

Turning to the Banks own activities, a strong focus on financial market

issues was the dominant feature in the second half of the year. The
institutional arrangements we have in place, where the Central Bank and
Financial Regulator operate within the one single organisational
structure, enabled us to meet the challenges we faced.

(Central Bank Report 2007 Governor John Hurley)

Financial Stability Report 2007 Bank of

Ireland http://www.centralbank.ie/publications/documents/1.%20financial
%20stability%20report%202007%20-%20part%201.pdf

All those who were members of the governing board of the Central Bank should explain
how this occurred.

Trade unionists have a particular interest in hearing an explanation from the General
Secretary of ICTU, David Begg who was a member of the Board and Chair of the Audit and
Risk Management Committee of the Central Bank at the time.

As a result of the activities of privately owned banks supervised by the Central Bank,
countless thousands have become unemployed, have been forced to emigrate,and have
pay and pensions cut.
Probably the most
important election of a
lifetime
Westminster campaign counts down to
voting on 8 June
29 May 2017 Edition

Sinn Fin launches its manifesto in Dungannon, County

Tyrone
MICHAEL MCMONAGLE

We must keep the momentum

going, make our voices heard
and our anger felt by the
spineless British Tory
Government in London
THE Westminster election is just weeks away and campaigning
is well underway across the North as Sinn Fin looks to get the
highest number of votes possible.
As expected, given the timing and motivation of British Prime
Minister Theresa May in calling the election, Brexit has been
the main theme of campaigning.
While Theresa May, the Tories and their DUP unionist allies are
seeking a mandate to push through their Brexit agenda, Sinn
Fin has made it clear to voters that this election is an
opportunity to send a clear message against Brexit, against
Tory cuts and for Irish unity.
The election campaign may have been slower to start in the
North than in Britain but there is no doubt that it is now in full
flight with posters on lamp-posts in cities, towns and villages
across the North and canvass teams knocking on doors,
seeking the all-important votes.
The issue of electoral pacts dominated the early stages of the
campaign as the possibility of unionist pacts was the main
topic of discussion.
Given the historic election performance of Sinn Fin in the
Assembly election in March and the ending of the unionist
majority at Stormont for the first time since partition, attention
turned to whether the DUP and Ulster Unionist Party would
stand aside for each other or field agreed candidates in key
constituencies to prevent Sinn Fin winning more seats.
Despite the fact that no formal pact was agreed between the
unionist parties, the UUP unilaterally agreed not to stand
candidates in West Belfast, Foyle and North Belfast.
The move effectively gives the DUPs Nigel Dodds an easier
run in North Belfast.
Sinn Fin entered into discussions with the SDLP, Green Party,
Alliance and others about the possibility of securing
arrangements which would allow the anti-Brexit, pro-equality
vote to be maximised in constituencies but no agreement
could be reached.
Following the announcement by Sinn Fin that John Finucane,
son of murdered Belfast human rights lawyer Pat Finucane,
would be the partys candidate in North Belfast, Sinn Fin
called on the SDLP to stand aside in the constituency, as well
as in Fermanagh & South Tyrone, where Michelle Gildernew is
the only serious challenger to sitting Ulster Unionist MP Tom
Elliott.

A walk in the park for Sinn Fin candidates Mirtn

Muilleoir, Chris Hazzard, Michelle O'Neill, Elisha
McCallion and John Finucane
The Sinn Fin party leader in the North, Michelle ONeill,
reaffirmed that Sinn Fin is the only anti-Brexit, pro-equality
party capable of winning those seats but her call was rejected
by the SDLP, who put forward low-profile spoiler candidates in
each constituency who may cost valuable votes.
During the Assembly election campaign earlier this year, DUP
leader Arlene Foster breathed life into the election when she
made her now-infamous crocodile comments, angering
nationalists and republicans and driving more and more people
to polling stations.
The DUP leader would have been well advised to stay away
from the media during this campaign given her performance in
the last but she clearly did not take any notice and she has
weighed in with some more controversy this time around.
In what should have been a soft-focus profile piece in the anti-
republican Sunday Independent in Dublin, Arlene Foster
managed to embroil herself in an almighty sexism row when
she used the word blonde to describe Michelle ONeill.
Her attempts to get herself out of the mess by claiming she
was being complimentary only served to draw more attention
to the original remarks and reignite the debate around
everyday sexism and arrogance in public life.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood followed Arlene Fosters ill-
advised media style when he needlessly plunged himself and
the SDLP into another controversy when the DUP leader said
she was concerned about the increase in the number of people
applying for postal and proxy votes (a mechanism encouraged
on social media by the House of Commons itself!).
Seemingly oblivious of the fact that Brexit and continued DUP
arrogance has resonated with voters, instead Colum Eastwood
appeared to suggest that something untoward was happening
and that the SDLP were not orchestrating it.
Those comments did not go down well with the wider
nationalist community, however, particularly in areas such as
Derry where memories of unionist gerrymandering are still
fresh in many memories of the Civil Rights struggle during
unionist domination.

Sinn Fin representatives from across Ireland line out

for An L Dearg in Belfast on Saturday 20 May when
thousands demonstrated their support for an Irish
Language Act
While Brexit dominates the political landscape, issues around
rights and respect are also major electoral issues, particularly
around the Irish language.
On Saturday 20 May, tens of thousands, including large
numbers of young people, took to the streets of Belfast in a
colourful demonstration through the city centre to add their
voices to calls for an Irish Language Act.
Sinn Fin representatives once more joined the protesters and
were featured prominently in the news coverage.
As the campaign moved into its final phase, Sinn Fin launched
its manifesto in Dungannon, in the key election battleground of
Fermanagh & South Tyrone, where Michelle Gildernew is hoping
to win back the historic seat from Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott, a
former soldier in the Ulster Defence Regiment.
At the manifesto launch, Michelle ONeill made it clear that this
election is the most important for a lifetime and that the
political stakes have never been higher.
She was joined at the launch by fellow Sinn Fin candidates
Chris Hazzard MLA (South Down) and Elisha McCallion MLA
(Foyle), who explained the content of the manifesto to the
media.
Sinn Fins case for the North to have Designated Special
Status Within the EU features prominently in the manifesto.
Speaking at the launch, Michelle ONeill called on people to use
the election to send a clear message to Theresa Mays Tories at
Westminster and the DUP that they are opposed to Brexit.
Outlining the importance of each and every vote at this
election, Michelle ONeill said:
Often we say when an election occurs that this one is really
the most critical. But we honestly cannot understate the huge
importance of this one.
The political stakes are high. This is probably the most
important election of a lifetime.
The Sinn Fin leader in the North also said it affords people an
opportunity to reject the Brexit agenda of the Tories and their
allies in the DUP.
This election is also of such importance because it was called
by British Prime Minister Theresa May in the narrow self-
interests of the Tory Party who have no regard whatsoever for
the people of the North, our interests or our future and who
are intent on dragging us out of the EU despite the fact that
the majority of the people here voted to 'Remain' in June of last
year.
So, this is very much an opportunity to tell both the Tories and
the DUP again in the strongest possible terms that we reject
Brexit; reject the Border; reject any attempt to put limits on our
freedom of movement; reject barriers to agriculture and trade.
And that we absolutely reject Tory cuts.
That what we stand for is rights, equality and Irish unity.
Michelle ONeill said the election is part of a political fighback
against Brexit, the Tory cuts agenda and the arrogance of the
DUP.
The recent Assembly election has activated a transformation
unimaginable to the founders of the Northern state.
We must keep the momentum going and to make our voices
heard and our anger felt by the spineless British Tory
Government in London.

Foyle candidate Elisha McCallion on the campaign trail

with young republicans at Free Derry Corner
She also told voters that Brexit and the continued growth of
Sinn Fin has created a new political arena in Ireland.
I have no doubt that this will be another ground-breaking
election for Sinn Fin.
The old certainties are gone and a new political era is opening
up in Irish politics.
Brexit and Tory cuts demonstrate the undemocratic nature of
partition.
Westminster should not be allowed to dictate our political
future.
So we must not let them.
Irish unity is now firmly on the agenda and rights and equality
have been put centre-stage of the political process.
The choice for voters is clear vote for parties that will sit on
the side of the Tories and their cuts and for Brexit or with us in
Sinn Fin to safeguard their rights, agreements, prosperity and
our future in the EU with the rest of Ireland and who are anti-
Brexit.

New Taoiseach, same

old Fine Gael
The end for Enda but crises in housing,
health and the Garda go on
29 May 2017 Edition
 The Long Goodbye: Enda Kenny with the ministers scrapping
to replace him not just as leader of Fine Gael but as Taoiseach

MARK MOLONEY

Kennys Ireland today is a haven

for tax avoiders, vultures, the
unaccountable and cronyism -
Oliver Callan
MAY was a month in Leinster House that saw an enormous shift
in the political landscape with the resignation of Enda Kenny as
leader of Fine Gael and as Taoiseach from the beginning of
June.
Since then, the media coverage has been dominated with
fawning Fine Gael backbenchers and outpourings of reverence
from political commentators who really should know better.
Much of the commentary of newspaper editors, CEOs, bankers
and admirers of Fine Gaels politics is decidedly at odds with
public opinion.
Two days before Enda Kennys announcement, the Simon
Communities held a meeting with TDs and senators at
Buswells Hotel where they outlined how the increasing gap
between Housing Assistance Payments and the spiraling costs
of rent meant that many people are simply being forced into
homelessness. Of course, the Fine Gael/Independent
Government will be keen to ignore this issue and, indeed, I
couldnt see any Government representatives at the briefing.
Another crowning glory for the departing Enda in May came
with the announcement that hospital waiting lists hit a record
high of 666,000. He will not like to be reminded of the 2007
general election when Fine Gael slammed Fianna Fil for
allowing the numbers to hit 29,000.
To top it all off, we saw yet more scandals erode public
confidence in An Garda Sochna. Questions were being asked
of Commissioner Nirn OSullivan after an internal audit raised
serious issues about the questionable use of taxpayers' money
in the Garda budget, including the transfer of 100,000 from
the Garda Training College to the private Garda Boat Club.
Another report in a Sunday newspaper revealed how An Garda
Sochna tapped the phone of an opposition party worker. This
particular activist was based in a constituency where he rivaled
an important Government minister. An Phoblacht understands
that it is highly probable that the person whose phone was
bugged is a Sinn Fin activist.
The swirling controversies were summed up by Sinn Fin
leader Gerry Adams. He noted that it has been crisis and
chaos that has dominated Kennys reign as Taoiseach.
One of the best rebuttals to the fawning over Enda Kennys
time in office came from satirist and impressionist Oliver Callan
(Scrap Saturday and Callans Kicks), who hit out at journalists
within the political bubble in Leinster House for becoming
teary-eyed at moments like these that their vision is
splintered into emotional memories and fond anecdotes for
radio panels.
His sobering analysis of a man he described as The Accidental
Taoiseach was more incisive and accurate than much of the
unctuous praise from more mainstream hacks.
The truth is he had a majority so large he could have
achieved anything but chose to squander a chance that may
not fall into the hands of one person quite so spectacularly
ever again, Callan wrote in the Irish Times.
Kennys Ireland today is a haven for tax avoiders, vultures,
the unaccountable and cronyism. He was a details dodger,
someone who shrewdly outsourced failure to his ministers but
adopted and cuddled any success as his own.

The Garda College at Templemore channeling

taxpayers' money to the Garda Boat Club
It was a theme also taken up by Sinn Fin deputy leader Mary
Lou McDonald TD who, speaking on the floor of the Dil on the
day his resignation as leader of Fine Gael took effect, said:
The truth is that he has been a very bad Taoiseach for
ordinary people. He is a Taoiseach who has implemented
policies which benefited the most-well-off in society to the
detriment of everyone else.
In 2011, Deputy Kenny came to power with the largest
majority in the history of the state and, to great fanfare, he
promised a democratic revolution. However, what he actually
delivered during his six years as Taoiseach was crisis after
crisis.
This analysis didnt go down well with the serried ranks of the
Blueshirts who shouted and screamed from the Government
benches with a level of outrage that had previously only been
seen when it was suggested that the Dil bar should be closed
during votes.
The two contenders for Enda Kennys job wasted little time in
getting their campaigns off the ground.
Such has been the focus on faction fighting and declarations of
support for the contenders to be Kennys successor Social
Protection Minister Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Simon
Coveney Fine Gael were so dizzy they forgot to vote during a
motion on the sale of AIB shares, much to the bemusement of
Opposition TDs.
Summing up the possible outcome from the Fine Gael
leadership contest, Mary Lou McDonald said the new Taoiseach
will either be the Great Demoniser of the Unemployed and
Poor Leo Varadkar or the Minister for Chronic Homelessness
and Hotel Rooms Simon Coveney.
Plus a change.
http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26880

If Europe wont protect

our fisheries, the Irish
Government must
Stand up for Irish fishing communities
and force the EUs hand before there
are no communities left to stand up for
9 May 2017 Edition

Vessels which land all their Atlantic catches in Irish waters

should process in Ireland

LIADH N RIADA

As a small island nation, fishing

is an integral part of the fabric
of communities up and down our
coast and an 891million
industry that directly employs
11,000 people
SINN FIN MEP Liadh N Riada has just been appointed
by the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament as
their Brexit Rapporteur for Fisheries.
The appointment is a reflection of the Ireland South
MEPs work on the EUs Fisheries Committee, a role she
has been highly active in.
As well as holding public meetings in coastal
communities around the country on fisheries issues,
she is the first MEP to facilitate a meeting in Brussels
directly between representatives of the Irish fishing
industry and the body that advises the European
Commission on fisheries issues.
Writing exclusively for An Phoblacht this month, Liadh
outlines the danger posed to the Irish fishing industry
by Brexit, what needs to be done to prevent disaster
and beyond Brexit, and why the EU needs major reform
of its fishing policy.
If traditional fishing communities are to survive, the EU
must establish proper technical and legal distinctions of
small boats from large vessels

ITS TELLING IN ITSELF that, just weeks since the EUs first
Brexit summit at the end of April and almost a year after the
referendum of 23 June 2016, its already something of a clich
to point out that the British Government not only had no plan
for Brexit but not even a clear understanding of what it means.
Whats more shocking is the almost cavalier attitude of the
Irish Government to Brexit and the effect it will have on
Ireland, North and South.
While they have taken something of a half-baked wait-and-see
approach to issues such as a hard Border and the status of
the North, this looks positively proactive when compared to
their attitude to the potentially devastating effects of Brexit on
the Irish fishing industry.
In April, I met Scottish Government Brexit Minister Michael
Russell in Cork for an insight into how discussions between
Scotland, Westminster, Ireland and the EU were going.
His frankness and honesty in discussing issues which have so
far been shrouded in half-truths and ambiguity was refreshing.
When I raised the issue of how the main stakeholders were
approaching the issue of the Irish fishing industry his response
was to the point.
It hasnt even been brought up, he responded.
While I am not surprised that the British Tory Government at
Westminster has little regard for Irish fishermen, I find it
unsettling in the extreme that the Irish Government is not
demanding more prominence for what is going to be an
extremely complex issue.
There will, of course, be those who will baulk at this criticism
and claim that there are two years of negotiations to go. This is
a depressingly blinkered approach to what will be one of the
most difficult issues of the negotiations. Hurriedly concocting a
hodgepodge fisheries policy mid-negotiation at some
unspecified point down the line will spell disaster for Irish
fishing communities. The fact that the Irish Government has
yet to raise the issue (even as part of an overview or setting
out of their priorities) has coastal communities rightly
concerned.
Irish fishing is an 891million industry that directly employs
11,000 people, mostly in coastal regions, and many more
across the country in knock-on enterprises.
It is also, as a small island nation, an integral part of the fabric
of communities up and down our coast, with traditions and
skills being handed down through generations.
Brexit poses a two-pronged threat to the Irish fishing industry.

Legislation needs to take a step in the right direction

in regulating industrial floating factories
Firstly, Tory Prime Minister Theresa Mays Fortress Britain
approach to Brexit means they have already signalled their
intentions to pull up the drawbridge on British waters and
simply expel all non-British boats from their territory.
Given the close proximity of Irish and British waters, not to
mention current informal agreements around fishing North and
South, an average of 36% Irish landings are taken from waters
that Britain claims.
If Irish boats are barred from these waters it will not only have
a huge effect on those livelihoods but will also put a significant
extra strain on Irish stock as that 36% will then have to be
taken from an increasingly crowded pool.
And what of Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle?
Britain currently claims the entirety of both bodies. Brexit
forces these territorial disputes to a head. Could we end up
with the ludicrous situation in which fishermen in Carlingford
and Greencastle would be violating international laws by
simply taking to the water on their doorstep? It may sound
preposterous but, given the Tory attitude to these negotiations,
that is exactly where an ineffectual or indifferent Irish
Government will take us.
Secondly, and even more devastatingly, we face the possibility
of Brexit pushing the European boats currently in British waters
into Irish waters.
A post-Brexit Ireland would have more than 33% of the most
productive fishing grounds in the EU. Where else would those
boats want to go?
This is simply unthinkable and would lead to the destruction of
not only the Irish fishing industry but could quite possibly have
an irreparable effect on Irish fishing stocks.
This must be an absolute red line for the Irish Government. If
Britain exercises full control of its Exclusive Economic Zone (a
sea zone prescribed by the UN over which a state has special
rights), the Irish Government must insist that Ireland simply
cannot bear the brunt of foreign fleets displaced from British
waters.
If indigenous fishing industries are to have any hope of
surviving then the Common Fisheries Policy must be revised.
Crucially, International Transferable Quotas and relative
stability have to be reviewed.
As it stands, pre-Brexit, a mere 5% of the total catch in Irish
waters is processed here.
Around 1.2million tonnes of fish are caught annually in Irish
waters yet only some 20% of the total catch is allocated to us;
the rest of the 80% usually goes abroad.
Out of the 250,000 tonnes that goes to Irish vessels, just
50,000 tonnes are actually processed in Ireland, and it is from
processing where the value is added.
Post-Brexit, who knows what those numbers will be? The only
thing we can be assured of is that they wont be better
Insisting that vessels which land all their Atlantic catches in
Irish waters must process in Ireland would be a start.
The damage foreign boats being pushed into Irish waters
would do to the fishing industry here is also just one aspect of
that threat.
The fact is such a move could threaten the very sustainability
of Irish fishing stocks.
Around 58% of fish stock that is taken from waters claimed by
Britain is by non-British vessels, some 650,000 tonnes
annually.
If that extra burden is put on Ireland it will not only kill our
indigenous industry but could very well turn Irish waters into a
barren dead-zone in a generation.
Domestically, we must also ensure that there is a fairer
distribution of existing quotas. The reality is that quotas are
currently skewed in favour of a small number of wealthier,
more high-profile ports. If the industry is to survive right
around our coast then we need to see some flexibility in quotas
when it comes to distribution.
While regulations are important, the current implementation of
the penalty point system needs serious review. It seems to be
relentless in its targeting of indigenous, small-scale fishermen,
lumbering them with excessive penalties for relatively minor
infractions in many cases.
 Scottish Government Brexit Minister Michael Russell
in Cork was to the point on Brexit and fishing
Another major factor that is contributing to the threat posed to
the Irish industry and environment is the continued impunity
that super trawlers are operating with.
Beyond Brexit, the EU must allow member states to have an
open and free discussion on how these vessels operate in their
waters.
Crucially, the EU must stop tacitly backing multinational super
trawler operators at the expense of ordinary fishing
communities. These destructive behemoths are wreaking
unchecked havoc on coastal communities from Cork to
Donegal.
Lets not pretend we dont all know whats going on here.
Super trawlers and wealthy, large-scale industrial vessel
owners have benefited from a cosy relationship with national
authorities, many of whom are working with these powerful
entities whose significant business interests give them
unaccountable political sway.
More often than not they are not inspected properly and blind
eyes are turned while our own smaller fleets face the full
weight of the law.
We know they have a dubious history when it comes to
obeying regulations around quotas, catches and dumping.
We know all too well the environmental and economic damage
they do to the territories they enter with nets that can easily
ensnare more than a dozen jumbo jets.
Australia has made moves to ban these monsters outright.
Shouldnt the EU at least be talking about the possibility; at
least be discussing the views of member states?
Yet the European Council seems determined to reject any
changes to regulation surrounding them.
During the recent debate on the characterisation and definition
of fishing vessels I put forward a number of modest
amendments that were supported by the Committee but
shamefully opposed by the Council.
The fact is there are major flaws in legislation that do not
properly distinguish between small-scale, traditional and
artisanal fisheries and large-scale industrialised fisheries.
My proposals would have balanced out some of these glaring
inequalities, such as taking into account other vessel size
attributes besides vessel length, their social role in coastal
communities, the ecological impact of their gears, fishing and
fuel capacity, processing ability and output, and the economics
of the enterprise.
Legislation needs to take a step in the right direction in
regulating these industrial floating factories that have been
catastrophic for local communities and their small fleets,
marine biodiversity and stocks.
The Common Fisheries Policy, Relative Stability and its ITQ
system has enabled governments to auction off fish to
multinational predators operating these colossal factory ships
pushing out ordinary small fishermen.
If traditional fishing communities are to survive, the EU must
establish proper technical and legal distinctions of small boats
from large vessels. The de facto EU policy of supporting these
multinational giants at the expense of ordinary fishing
communities must come to an end.
If the EU wont act then the Irish Government must.
They must use every available resource at their disposal to
stop, search and inspect these 'super trawlers' every time they
enter Irish waters. Let it be known that as soon as they are in
our territory they will come under the most rigorous watch and
relentless scrutiny.
Stand up for Irish fishing communities and force the EUs hand
before there are no communities left to stand up for.
As GUE/NGL Brexit Rapporteur for Fisheries I will be reporting
to a significant block of MEPs from across 13 countries and I
promise to use whatever influence I can bring to bear to stand
up for our fishermen, our environment and our coastal
communities.

If the Irish Government would display a similar intent (rather

than letting Ireland take a back seat in these talks and just
hoping that the Tories will be reasonable), perhaps those
communities could rest a little easier.
http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26893
Mayo to honour the
Hunger Strikers
29 May 2017 Edition
National Hunger Strike
Commemoration - 3pm Sunday
13th August, Ballina, Mayo. Main
speaker Gerry Kelly MLA plus
many award-winning bands
The 1981 Hunger Strike was a pivotal moment in Irish history
which saw republican political prisoners thwart British
Government efforts to criminalise the struggle for a free and
united Ireland.
Spreag crgacht na Stailceoir Ocrais daoine ar fud na cruinne
a bhfuil dil sa tsaoirse acu.
Anseo in irinn is faoi bhrd a chuimhnonn poblachtnaithe ar
n-obairt agus ar a ngaisce.
Gach bliain, danann poblachtnaithe gach cearn dirinn
agus thar lear comradh ar obair deichnir fear ga a fuair
bs sna H-Blocanna sa Cheis Fhada sa bhliain 1981.
We remember also the sacrifices of Frank Stagg and Michael
Gaughan who died on hunger strike in England.
It is fitting therefore that this years commemoration will be
held in Michael's and Franks home county of Mayo.
This years commemoration will remember also those
republicans of earlier generations who died on hunger strike,
including Sen McNeela (also from Mayo) and Tony Darcy from
neighbouring County Galway.

Stair Phoblachtnach Mhaigh

Eo

Michael Davitt
Mayo has a long and proud republican history stretching back
to the 1798 Rebellion led by the United Irishmen.
Mayo man and Fenian Michael Davitt led the Land League,
which was founded in Castlebar in 1879, and won back the
land for the people from the landlords and stoped evictions.
Mayo played a very significant role in the Tan War, with several
notable ambushes of British forces, and subsequently played a
part in the Civil War.
Three Mayo republicans died on hunger strike for the rights of
political prisoners.
They were Sen 'Jack' McNeela, who died on 19 April 1940 in
Arbour Hill Military Detention Barracks, Dublin, after 55 days
on hunger strike; Michael Gaughan, who died on 3 June, 1974,
after 64 days on hunger strike in Parkhurst Prison, England;
and Frank Stagg, who died on 12 February 1976 after 62 days
without food.

Celebrate their lives

Gerry Adams TD
AM cinninach i stair na hireann an Stailc Ocrais.
The 1981 Hunger Strike saw the men and women in the H-
Blocks of Long kesh and Armagh Womens Prison and the
tens of thousands who supported them thwart British
Government efforts to criminalise the struggle for a free and
united Ireland.
The bravery of Bobby and Francie, Raymond, Patsy, Joe,
Martin, Kevin, Kieran, Tom and Mickey has inspired freedom-
loving people across the globe.
Is le brd mr a chuimhnonn poblachtanaigh ar an chrgacht
agus an obairt a lirigh siad uilig.
Every year, republicans from across Ireland and abroad
commemorate the sacrifice of the ten young men who died in
the H-Blocks in 1981.
T an cion canna againn ar obairt Frank Stagg agus Michael
Gaughan a thug a mbeatha ar stailc ocrais i Sasana.
It is fitting that this years commemoration will be held in
Michael's and Franks home county of Mayo.
At this years commemoration we will also remember those
republicans of earlier generations who died on hunger strike,
including Sen McNeela, also from Mayo, and Tony Darcy from
neighbouring Co Galway.
These freedom fighters
these political prisoners
were all about the future.
This is an opportunity to
remember them all and to
celebrate their lives.

Message from Senator Rose

Conway Walsh
I am delighted that Mayo will host the 2017 National Hunger
Strike Commemoration.
Mayo saw three of its own young men Sen McNeela,
Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg die on hunger strike for
their republican beliefs and for the rights of political prisoners.
Mayo will honour their sacrifice and those of the men who
died in Long Kesh in 1981, as well as the memory of Galway
man Tony Darcy, with dignity and pride.
Imeachta Comrtha
Saturday 3rd June
2pm Leigue Cemetery, Ballina
Wreath-laying ceremony marking 43rd anniversary of
the death of Michael Gaughan.
Main speaker: Senator Rose Conway Walsh

Sunday 4th June

1pm-7pm Westport Town Hall
Art and Hunger Strike Exhibition
6pm Guest speaker: Caoimhghn Caolin TD
Exhibition open to public from 1pm

Friday 23rd June

8pm Charlestown Arts Centre
Hunger Strike Exhibition
Guest speaker: Owen Carron, former election agent for Bobby
Sands MP

Friday 30th June

8pm Ballina Arts Centre
Screening of '66 Days'
(Film about Bobby Sandss hunger strike)
Guest speaker: Former Hunger Striker Raymond McCartney
MLA

Friday 7th July

2pm-7pm Cranmore, Sligo
Hunger Strike Exhibition

Saturday 8th July

11am-4.30pm Glasshouse Hotel, Sligo
Hunger Strike Exhibition

Sunday 9th July

2pm-7pm Easkey, Co Sligo
Hunger Strike Exhibition

Friday 14th July

8.30pm Castlebar Library
'Women in Struggle' Exhibition
Former political prisoner Sle Darragh will read an extract from
her book John Lennon is Dead, followed by a talk with both Sle
and Cllr Mary Clarke on womens resistance and the legacy of
the 1981 Hunger Strikes.

Friday 21st July

8pm Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet
Screening of '66 Days'

Saturday 22nd July

12-6pm Ballaghaderreen Library, Co Roscommon,
Hunger Strike Exhibition & Lecture about William
Patrick Partridge
By Prof Conor McNamara, GMIT.
Afterwards a procession will leave Ballaghaderreen Square
leading to Partridges grave to mark the 100th anniversary of
his death.

Saturday 29th July

6pm Raddison HotelGalway City
Galway Remembers the Hunger Strikers Talk and
Presentations
This event will be followed with music by Rebel Hearts
@ 9pm.
Tickets available @ 15 each.

Friday 11th August

8pm Great National Hotel, Ballina
Panel Discussion
Ffeaturing Run ODonnell on the hunger strikes of Sen
McNeela, Tony DArcy, Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg. Plus
Danny Morrison on the 1980/81 Hunger Strikes and a former
woman political prisoner on the Armagh Jail struggle 1980/81.

Saturday 12th August

10am-4pm Great National Hotel, Ballina
'Colonialism and Conflict' workshop
Facilitated by Trademark Belfast
Evening discussion 8pm Including former H-Block prisoner and
Palestinian speaker
Organised by Sinn Fin Republican Youth
Function featuring Spirit of Freedom @ 9.30pm

Sunday 13th August

3pm Ballina
National Hunger Strike Commemoration
Main speaker Gerry Kelly MLA plus many award-winning bands

Friday 21st July, Friday 28th July, and

Friday 4th August
Radio documentary
Erris FM will be broadcast Liamy McNallys three-part radio
documentary Dying for the Cause The Story of the Mayo
Hunger Strikers on Friday 21st July, Friday 28th July, and Friday
4th August.
Other Mayo radio stations will replay the documentary in the
run-up to the national commemoration.
http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26881
Dublin Bikes looked a lot different in the 1940s!

Beautiful black and white photo of bicycles lined up on O'Connell street in 1946.
http://buncranatogether.com//alternative-history-of-right2
QUESTIONS R2W AND THESE TDs NEED TO ANSWER
* What exactly have we won? We refer you to our review of the final
report; The Day the Music Died for Ireland's water movement -
Politics as Usual.
* When and who made the decisions to accept and even take part in
an establishment setup i.e the Oireachtas Committee on Future
Funding of Domestic Water in the first place?
* Who made the decisions to accept the proposals in the
Confidential Draft Report and why did the R2W TDs mislead us with
their Victory statement on April 6th? Right2Water Tds' premature
Victory claim - We were sold a pup?
*Who decided to accept the excessive charges principle and accept
Irish Water Ltd? https://www.thejournal.ie/right2water-excessive-
water-use-/
* Why was there no mention of the 'Water Framework Directives 9.4
Section', the 'Irish Exemption', as it is called, or anything about the
River Basin Management Plans in the report, either in the Oireachtas
Water Committee's report or during proceedings?
* Why was the wider movement not kept abreast of all relevant
details, including submissions prior to and during the Oireachtas
Water Committee'sproceedings? Even to date we do not have the
details.
* Given the Oireachtas Water Committees very limited Terms of
Reference, its make-up and the political affiliation of its members
which ensured an outcome, surely there were grounds to refuse to
take part in such an obvious establishment setup?
* We put it to you that the grassroots movement had been sidelined
and had no part in any of the submissions and decisions of the
Oireachtas Water Committee.
Retired priest awarded
legal costs after indecent
assault conviction is
quashed

1
Tadhg O Dalaigh
Ruaidhr Giblin
June 1 2017

A retired priest whose conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy in the

1970s was quashed has been awarded legal costs for his successful appeal.

The Catholic Church had funded Tadhg O'Dalaigh's legal representation,

according to lawyers for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who had opposed
the costs application on grounds that he was "not out of pocket himself".
Last week, The 73-year-old, of Woodview, Mount Merrion Avenue, Blackrock,
successfully appealed his conviction for indecently assaulting a schoolboy at
Colaiste Chroi Naofa boarding school in Carrignavar, Co Cork in the 1970s.

O'Dalaigh had been found guilty by a jury and was sentenced to five years
imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge Donagh McDonagh on
December 18, 2014 for the offence, a sentence which he had served by the time
his appeal was determined.

The single incident allegedly took place at night time when the complainant
awoke to find himself being masturbated.

The Court of Appeal quashed O'Dalaigh's conviction over the trial judge's
decision not to warn the jury about the dangers of convicting in the absence of
corroboration and on Friday last, the three-judge court refused an application
by the DPP for a retrial.

The three-judge court felt it would not be in the interests of justice to order the
retrial of someone who had served their sentence in full. The antiquity of the
case and O'Dalaigh's age were also factors in the court's decision.

Counsel for O'Dalaigh, Patrick Gageby SC, accordingly applied for legal costs
for the appeal.

However, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Garrett McCormack

BL, opposed the application adding that O'Dalaigh's legal representation was
funded by the Catholic Church.

In circumstances where O'Dalaigh was not out of pocket himself for the
appeal, Mr McCormack asked the court to refuse the application to award
O'Dalaigh legal costs.

Mr Gageby said it wasn't a consideration that had ever been canvassed on the
question of legal costs. He said it was not in the gift of the prosecution to
speculate as to the source or origin of these matters. Those are private
matters in my submission, he said.
advertisement
Advertisement 00:20
Ruling on the costs application today, Mr Justice Alan Mahon, who sat with
Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Hedigan, said the court
believed it appropriate to award O'Dalaigh his costs.

Although not acquitted by the jury, O'Dalaigh now stood no less innocent
than if he had been.

The decision to quash the jury verdict was rendered necessary by the trial
judge's decision not to give a corroboration warning, which had been sought
by O'Dalaigh's lawyers and opposed by the prosecution at trial.

There can therefore be no blame or responsibility attributed to O'Dalaigh for

what occurred, Mr Justice Mahon said.
No application was made to recover the costs of the Circuit Court trial and
O'Dalaigh had not benefited from State funded legal aid, the judge said.

During his trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, the jury were told that
O'Dalaigh had pleaded guilty in 1999 and again in 2014 to indecently
assaulting a number of pupils at the same school. These convictions had been
reported in the press and O'Dalagh had been named.

He had acknowledged that he had indecently assaulted other boys at the

school but adamantly denied assaulting the complainant.

It had been pointed out that other priests had themselves been involved in the
sexual abuse of pupils at the school. In effect, O'Dalaigh maintained that if the
complainant had been abused as alleged, the abuser was another staff
member.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-
news/courts/retired-priest-awarded-legal-costs-
after-indecent-assault-conviction-is-quashed-
35778002.html

A significant problem', as
drink-driving figures soar
by 18pc
June 1, 17

Sports Minister Shane Ross.

New data reveals that the number of people driving under the influence of
alcohol has increased by 18 per cent since 2016.

The data from An Garda Siochana also shows that April 2017 saw more arrests
for drink driving than in any single month in the past five years.

A total of 63 people have died on the roads to date in 2017, which is a

reduction of 13 up to the same period last year.

Shane Ross, Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport, said that drink-
driving is "a significant problem".

Drink-driving in this country remains a significant problem. That is why I

brought the Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty-Drink Driving) Bill 2017 before the
Oireachtas, which proposes that anyone detected driving over the legal limit
will receive a mandatory disqualification from driving. This is essential
legislation, designed to save lives. This Bill is based on scientific research,
addressing drink driving at lower limits."

RSA Chairperson, Liz ODonnell, said:

"Road collision data and the latest arrest statistics confirm that drink driving
is still a problem in Ireland. Consuming any alcohol impairs driving and
increases the risk of a collision. Saving lives on Irish roads requires a zero-
tolerance attitude to drink-driving. That is why the RSA supports the move to
introduce an automatic disqualification for drivers found to be over the legal
alcohol limit.

Superintendent Con ODonohue of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau,

said that alcohol impaired driving continues to be one of the most significant
factors contributing to fatal and serious collisions on Irish roads.

"Arrests for driving under the influence continue to increase week on week.
While it is disappointing to see that drivers are still prepared to take a chance
it is important for all to understand that there is significant and focused
enforcement by An Garda Sochna of our life saving intoxicated driving
laws.

Provisional research from the RSA shows that alcohol was present in 30pc of
road traffic collision fatalities in 2013 and 2014.

The data also shows that 55pc of all fatalities with a positive toxicology for
alcohol were male driver/motorcyclist deaths.
advertisement
Advertisement 00:18
One third of all fatalities with a positive toxicology for alcohol took place in
Galway (10pc), Cork (11pc) and Dublin (12pc).

The statistics show that the must popular times for drink-driving occur during
the weekend and summer months.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/a-significant-
problem-as-drinkdriving-figures-soar-by-18pc-
35777968.html

Garda warn homeowners

of summer spike in
burglaries - and advise
how prickly plants can
help deter thieves
Garda list 'defensive planting' as part of
their summer home security advice

Prickly plants could be a viable deterrent to potential burglars at your home

this summer, according to garda.

Garda have listed 'defensive planting' as part of their summer home security
advice.

New figures released by An Garda Sochana show that almost one in every
four break-ins from June to August results from an unsecured door or
window. This falls to one in six during the winter.
The analysis also shows that break-ins are mostly likely to occur between
midnight and 4am, and between noon and 3pm.

Homeowners are now being advised to lock up over the summer months and
are being warned not to post their holiday snaps online while they are away.

As well as securing doors and windows, garda have now also advised
householders to plant prickly plants to help deter thieves.

Known as 'defensive planting', a barrier of prickly hedge along the boundary of

a home or underneath a window can provide an extra layer of home security,
according to garda.

Mahonia, Purple Berberis, Ulex Europeans, Golden Bamboo, Firethorn and

Shrub Rose all feature on the garda list of recommended prickly plants.

"We want people to be aware of how unsecured doors or windows create an

opportunity for a burglar during the summer," Sergeant Kelvin Courtney said
at the launch of the latest Supporting Safer Communities Campaign at Bloom
in the Park 2017.

"Over the next week, community police officers across the country will be very
active in advising people how best to avoid such break-ins. Dont make the job
of a burglar any easier for them thats the message.

"We are also encouraging homeowners to maintain gardens and prune trees
and shrubs, so as to remove hiding places for burglars on our property.
Advertisement 00:29
"A tidy garden also creates the illusion of an occupied home and it improves
visibility for the homeowner, or indeed the neighbour who might be looking
after your home if you are away on holidays," he continued.

"Remember to put away any tools and equipment that could be used to break
into our homes. Dont help the burglar store aware ladders and tools, use
quality locks on garden sheds, and chain valuable property like bicycles within
them."

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-warn-
homeowners-of-summer-spike-in-burglaries-and-
advise-how-prickly-plants-can-help-deter-thieves-
35777863.html
Serial sex offenders face
tougher sentences under
new bill

1
Independent Alliance TD Kevin 'boxer' Moran with Debbie Cole

Serial sex offenders could face tougher jail sentences under new legislation
being brought before the Dil.

Independent Alliance TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran has introduced a Bill which

seeks to ensure that a sex offender who has a previous conviction for a similar
crime must serve at least three-quarters of the maximum sentence for the
second offence.

Mr Moran began work on the Bill after meeting rape victim Debbie Cole, who
joined him at yesterday's launch.
Ms Cole was raped at the age of 19 and her attacker was jailed for six years.

"However, he went on to sexually assault three more women in 1997 and was
once more jailed again in 2015 for a period of eight years on charges of false
imprisonment, assault and making threats to kill a woman," Mr Moran said.

"These offences compounded the original victim's psychological harm and

seriously affected her well-being, which continues to this day."

Sparkling Mandarin-Orange
Dessert

If youre looking to impress your guests, this Sparkling Mandarin

Orange Dessert ought to do the trick (and its got a little kick!).
Preparation time

Prep Time 10min.

Total Time 2hr. 40min.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup boiling water
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
2-1/2 cups sparkling water
2 cans (11 oz. each) mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
Directions

Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl, stir

3 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in sparkling
water, pour into 8 champagne glasses or dessert
dishes. Refrigerate 30 min. or until thickened.
Top with oranges. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
Combine COOL WHIP and red pepper, spoon over
desserts just before serving.

Mango Cheesecake
This no-bake cheesecake is a delicious
summer treat.

Preparation time

Ingredients 9
Prep Time 00:25
Cook Time 06:30
Serves 12
Ingredients

1/4 cup cold water

1 tbs gelatine powder
125 g biscuits
75 g butter melted
500 g cream cheese softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
500 g mango diced
300 mls thickened cream
1 mango sliced *to serve
1 food processor 1 microwave 1 freezer
Directions

Grease a 22cm-round (base) springform cake

pan. Line side with baking paper, extending
paper 1cm above edge of pan.
Place water in a small heatproof jug. Sprinkle
over gelatine. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for
20 to 30 seconds or until gelatine is dissolved,
stirring halfway through cooking. Set aside to
cool.
Meanwhile, process biscuits until fine crumbs.
Add butter. Process until combined. Press
biscuit mixture over base of prepared pan.
Refrigerate while preparing filling.
Wipe processor clean. Process cream cheese,
sugar and half the diced mango until smooth
and combined. Add cream. Process for 30
seconds or until combined. With motor
running, gradually add cooled gelatine
mixture, processing until combined. Transfer
to a bowl. Fold in remaining diced mango. Pour
over prepared base in pan. Refrigerate
overnight or until set.
Serve chilled cheesecake topped with sliced
mango.
n reference to free travel with private transport operators
the minister said: It is open to all private operators to
participate in this scheme.

No plans to scrap free travel pass

There are no plans to roll back on the States free travel
pass, it has been confirmed.
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Joyce Fegan
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, was

asked if there was any risk to the scheme.
None. Absolutely, emphatically none. There is no threat
whatsoever to free travel. No reductions, Minister Ross
said.
He was speaking at a Joint Oireachtas Committee on
Tourism, Transport and Sport that was looking at the
implications of Brexit on Minister Rosss portfolio as well as
the current situation at Bus ireann.
In reference to free travel with private transport operators
the minister said: It is open to all private operators to
participate in this scheme.
The minister added that meetings on this matter were
ongoing between his department and the Department of
Social Protection.
The privatisation of bus routes was also discussed at
yesterdays committee meeting.
Mr Ross assured that there was a commitment to not
expanding beyond 10% privatisation of routes.
Both Minister Ross and Minister of State at his department,
Patrick ODonovan spoke about the impact of Brexit.
Mr Ross outlined sector-specific concerns relating to
aviation, the maritime sector, road haulage and cross-
border public transport services. Our absolute preference
is to maintain the closest possible trading relationship
based on a level playing field between the UK and the EU,
including Ireland, Minister Ross said.
Mr ODonovan said there had been a softening of
tourists from Britain to Ireland in recent months.
The decline in visitor numbers from Britain reflects
feedback weve been getting from our Irish industry
partners some softening in bookings from Britain, he
said.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/free-travel-
pass-to-remain-451380.html
Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still
grasp how the Irish people are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from
their own natural resources in short, we dont own them.
That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the
wind that blows across the land and the fresh water that flows
through it, are not owned by the Irish people.
In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history,
Devs 1937 Constitution, reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed
ownership of all natural resources from the ancient Irish people to
the recently founded State under Article 10, then made its
trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts.

Eddie Hobbs: Largest act of larceny against Irish

people
Wednesday, June 01, 2016
We dont own our natural resources under Article 10 of the
Constitution. It needs to be repealed, but is there anyone
with the bottle to take it on, asks Eddie Hobbs
Atlantic, narrated by the feral voice of Brendan Gleeson, is
the second in a remarkable series of evocative films by
Risteard ODomhnaill who, starting with The Pipe, charted
the story of Rossport tucked behind the dunes amid the
sentinel cliffs of Erris Head and Broadhaven Bay.
Pulling the camera lens high above the dramatic coastline
and its Corrib gas pipeline, Atlantic brings the audience
the story of the North Atlantic itself and the battle
between local and international corporations a struggle,
at its heart, between individuals and closely bound
communities and those who are lobbied, in national
government and in Brussels.
The film, now screening to audiences throughout the
country, hits deep, interweaving the common issues
between the peoples of Newfoundland, Norway, and
Ireland, and telling the story of how each fared in the
struggle to retain ownership and control of natural
resources, against the backdrop of the huge decline in
fishing stocks from industrialisation by massive fleets and
the tension between sonic booming from oil explorers and
the marine ecosystem.
It brings the wild, beautiful and bountiful Atlantic to the
viewer in a manner not achieved on film before, rekindling
a sense of stewardship, lost since Ireland chose to join the
EEC and, it appears, sacrificed its fishing grounds and
coastal communities, to protect its inland.
The territory of Ireland extends nearly half ways across the
North Atlantic. It is an area six times our land mass within
which we are entitled to fishing stocks in low digits and
under which weve given away the rights to hydrocarbons,
ever since Fianna Fil minister Ray Burke, unaccompanied
by civil servants in meetings with oil and gas explorers in
1987, reversed the actions taken by Justin Keating in the
1970s.
The Labour minister had mimicked those of far-sighted Norwegian politicians
in their struggle against multinational explorers. Atlantic revisits the clash
between the peoples rights to a fair share of rents from natural resources and
powerful business interests aligned against them by telling the story of how
Newfoundland stood up to the landlocked Canadian capital of Ottawa and the
big oil lobby to secure the type of share Keating had once won.

Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still grasp how
the Irish people are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from their own natural
resources in short, we dont own them.

That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the wind that
blows across the land and the fresh water that flows through it, are not owned
by the Irish people.

In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history, Devs 1937
Constitution, reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all
natural resources from the ancient Irish people to the recently founded State
under Article 10, then made its trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts.

The divide between the self-preservation of the State and its privileges and
the Irish people only comes into sharp focus when there is an existential
economic crisis, such as the last one which we entered at a low debt of just
23% of GDP.

A fresh global economic crisis, the likelihood of which currently is probably

about one in seven, would catch Ireland, this time, at debt levels four times
higher, while governed by a minority administration now holding all of its
water in a single corporate entity.

At a fundamental level, the decision facing Britain in June is about whether the
British people wish to regain the right to eject all those who govern them
every few years or to continue to deposit many aspects of sovereignty to an
unelected EU Commission, a decision in many ways about what modern
citizenship means.

Stop anyone in the street today and ask them to describe how EU government
works or to identify its key leaders and youll be met with blank stares but
show a photo of two TDs dancing on a Pajero outside Leinster House and
theyll be identified in an instant, one set unknown but with huge powers, the
other well known, but with none.
Until and unless the Irish people demand the return of all our natural
resources by overturning Article 10, we remain captive not just to the
uncomfortable trade-offs in the ongoing EU existential struggle, but also to a
State polity that will do just about anything to preserve its privileges.

Irish viewers leaving Atlantic do so, invariably, angry but still not grasping that
theyve just watched a film, not about their natural resources but those of the
State. RT, who chose not to broadcast the multi-award winning The Pipe,
may yet decide that Atlantic is safer fare, but will the state broadcaster then
commission a series of current affairs treatments about the whale in the
swimming pool, the alienation of the Irish people from their natural resources?
What do you think?

Eddie Hobbs has repeatedly in the last few years brought up the fact that we don't own our
own natural resources and that they have been given away. Unfortunately he hasn't got much
traction with the establishment simply because they don't want to listen. This hasn't stopped
him and yesterday in the Irish Examiner he has again written about the great ripoff in the
context of the recent release of the film-documentary, The Atlantic produced by the same
producer of The Pipe.

Here are some extracts from the article in the Irish Examiner:

We dont own our natural resources under Article 10 of the Constitution. It needs to be
repealed, but is there anyone with the bottle to take it on, asks Eddie Hobbs

Atlantic, narrated by the feral voice of Brendan Gleeson, is the second in a remarkable series
of evocative films by Risteard ODomhnaill who, starting with The Pipe...

..... Atlantic brings the audience the story of the North Atlantic itself and the battle between
local and international corporations a struggle, at its heart, between individuals and closely
bound communities and those who are lobbied, in national government and in Brussels.
The film, now screening to audiences throughout the country, hits deep, interweaving the
common issues between the peoples of Newfoundland, Norway, and Ireland, and telling the
story of how each fared in the struggle to retain ownership and control of natural resources,
against the backdrop of the huge decline in fishing stocks from industrialisation by massive
fleets and the tension between sonic booming from oil explorers and the marine ecosystem.

...The territory of Ireland extends nearly half ways across the North Atlantic. It is an area six
times our land mass within which we are entitled to fishing stocks in low digits and under
which weve given away the rights to hydrocarbons, ever since Fianna Fil minister Ray Burke,
unaccompanied by civil servants in meetings with oil and gas explorers in 1987, reversed the
actions taken by Justin Keating in the 1970s.

The Labour minister had mimicked those of far-sighted Norwegian politicians in their struggle
against multinational explorers. Atlantic revisits the clash between the peoples rights to a fair
share of rents from natural resources and powerful business interests aligned against them by
telling the story of how Newfoundland stood up to the landlocked Canadian capital of Ottawa
and the big oil lobby to secure the type of share Keating had once won.

Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still grasp how the Irish people
are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from their own natural resources in short, we dont own
them.

That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the wind that blows across the
land and the fresh water that flows through it, are not owned by the Irish people.

In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history, Devs 1937 Constitution,
reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all natural resources from the
ancient Irish people to the recently founded State under Article 10, then made its trusteeship
unchallengeable in the courts....

...Until and unless the Irish people demand the return of all our natural resources by
overturning Article 10, we remain captive not just to the uncomfortable trade-offs in the
ongoing EU existential struggle, but also to a State polity that will do just about anything to
preserve its privileges....
Largest act of larceny against Irish people
Irish Examiner http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/largest-act-of-
larceny-against-irish-people-402544.html

We dont own our natural resources under Article 10 of the Constitution. It needs to
be repealed, but is there anyone with the bottle to take it on, asks Eddie Hobbs

Atlantic, narrated by the feral voice of Brendan Gleeson, is the second in a

remarkable series of evocative films by Risteard ODomhnaill who, starting with The
Pipe, charted the story of Rossport tucked behind the dunes amid the sentinel cliffs
of Erris Head and Broadhaven Bay.

Pulling the camera lens high above the dramatic coastline and its Corrib gas pipeline,
Atlantic brings the audience the story of the North Atlantic itself and the battle
between local and international corporations a struggle, at its heart, between
individuals and closely bound communities and those who are lobbied, in national
government and in Brussels.

The film, now screening to audiences throughout the country, hits deep, interweaving
the common issues between the peoples of Newfoundland, Norway, and Ireland, and
telling the story of how each fared in the struggle to retain ownership and control of
natural resources, against the backdrop of the huge decline in fishing stocks from
industrialisation by massive fleets and the tension between sonic booming from oil
explorers and the marine ecosystem.

It brings the wild, beautiful and bountiful Atlantic to the viewer in a manner not
achieved on film before, rekindling a sense of stewardship, lost since Ireland chose
to join the EEC and, it appears, sacrificed its fishing grounds and coastal
communities, to protect its inland.

The territory of Ireland extends nearly half ways across the North Atlantic. It is an
area six times our land mass within which we are entitled to fishing stocks in low
digits and under which weve given away the rights to hydrocarbons, ever since
Fianna Fil minister Ray Burke, unaccompanied by civil servants in meetings with oil
and gas explorers in 1987, reversed the actions taken by Justin Keating in the 1970s.

The Labour minister had mimicked those of far-sighted Norwegian politicians in their
struggle against multinational explorers. Atlantic revisits the clash between the
peoples rights to a fair share of rents from natural resources and powerful business
interests aligned against them by telling the story of how Newfoundland stood up to
the landlocked Canadian capital of Ottawa and the big oil lobby to secure the type of
share Keating had once won.

Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still grasp how the Irish
people are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from their own natural resources in
short, we dont own them.

That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the wind that blows
across the land and the fresh water that flows through it, are not owned by the Irish
people.

In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history, Devs 1937
Constitution, reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all natural
resources from the ancient Irish people to the recently founded State under Article
10, then made its trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts.

The divide between the self-preservation of the State and its privileges and the Irish
people only comes into sharp focus when there is an existential economic crisis,
such as the last one which we entered at a low debt of just 23% of GDP.

A fresh global economic crisis, the likelihood of which currently is probably about one
in seven, would catch Ireland, this time, at debt levels four times higher, while
governed by a minority administration now holding all of its water in a single
corporate entity.

At a fundamental level, the decision facing Britain in June is about whether the British
people wish to regain the right to eject all those who govern them every few years or
to continue to deposit many aspects of sovereignty to an unelected EU Commission,
a decision in many ways about what modern citizenship means.

Stop anyone in the street today and ask them to describe how EU government works
or to identify its key leaders and youll be met with blank stares but show a photo of
two TDs dancing on a Pajero outside Leinster House and theyll be identified in an
instant, one set unknown but with huge powers, the other well known, but with none.

Until and unless the Irish people demand the return of all our natural resources by
overturning Article 10, we remain captive not just to the uncomfortable trade-offs in
the ongoing EU existential struggle, but also to a State polity that will do just about
anything to preserve its privileges.

Irish viewers leaving Atlantic do so, invariably, angry but still not grasping that theyve
just watched a film, not about their natural resources but those of the State. RT,
who chose not to broadcast the multi-award winning The Pipe, may yet decide that
Atlantic is safer fare, but will the state broadcaster then commission a series of
current affairs treatments about the whale in the swimming pool, the alienation of the
Irish people from their natural resources? What do you think?
Largest act of larceny against Irish people
June 1, 2016
We dont own our natural resources under Article 10 of the Constitution. It
needs to be repealed, but is there anyone with the bottle to take it on, asks
Eddie Hobbs

Atlantic, narrated by the feral voice of Brendan Gleeson, is the second in a

remarkable series of evocative films by Risteard ODomhnaill who, starting
with The Pipe, charted the story of Rossport tucked behind the dunes amid the
sentinel cliffs of Erris Head and Broadhaven Bay.

Pulling the camera lens high above the dramatic coastline and its Corrib gas
pipeline, Atlantic brings the audience the story of the North Atlantic itself and
the battle between local and international corporations a struggle, at its
heart, between individuals and closely bound communities and those who are
lobbied, in national government and in Brussels.

The film, now screening to audiences throughout the country, hits deep,
interweaving the common issues between the peoples of Newfoundland,
Norway, and Ireland, and telling the story of how each fared in the struggle to
retain ownership and control of natural resources, against the backdrop of the
huge decline in fishing stocks from industrialisation by massive fleets and the
tension between sonic booming from oil explorers and the marine ecosystem.

It brings the wild, beautiful and bountiful Atlantic to the viewer in a manner
not achieved on film before, rekindling a sense of stewardship, lost since
Ireland chose to join the EEC and, it appears, sacrificed its fishing grounds and
coastal communities, to protect its inland.

The territory of Ireland extends nearly half ways across the North Atlantic. It is
an area six times our land mass within which we are entitled to fishing stocks
in low digits and under which weve given away the rights to hydrocarbons,
ever since Fianna Fil minister Ray Burke, unaccompanied by civil servants in
meetings with oil and gas explorers in 1987, reversed the actions taken by
Justin Keating in the 1970s.

The Labour minister had mimicked those of far-sighted Norwegian politicians

in their struggle against multinational explorers. Atlantic revisits the clash
between the peoples rights to a fair share of rents from natural resources and
powerful business interests aligned against them by telling the story of how
Newfoundland stood up to the landlocked Canadian capital of Ottawa and the
big oil lobby to secure the type of share Keating had once won.

Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still grasp how
the Irish people are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from their own natural
resources in short, we dont own them.

That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the wind that
blows across the land and the fresh water that flows through it, are not owned
by the Irish people.

In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history, Devs 1937
Constitution, reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all
natural resources from the ancient Irish people to the recently founded State
under Article 10, then made its trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts.

The divide between the self-preservation of the State and its privileges and
the Irish people only comes into sharp focus when there is an existential
economic crisis, such as the last one which we entered at a low debt of just
23% of GDP.

A fresh global economic crisis, the likelihood of which currently is probably

about one in seven, would catch Ireland, this time, at debt levels four times
higher, while governed by a minority administration now holding all of its
water in a single corporate entity.

At a fundamental level, the decision facing Britain in June is about whether the
British people wish to regain the right to eject all those who govern them
every few years or to continue to deposit many aspects of sovereignty to an
unelected EU Commission, a decision in many ways about what modern
citizenship means.

Stop anyone in the street today and ask them to describe how EU government
works or to identify its key leaders and youll be met with blank stares but
show a photo of two TDs dancing on a Pajero outside Leinster House and
theyll be identified in an instant, one set unknown but with huge powers, the
other well known, but with none.

Until and unless the Irish people demand the return of all our natural
resources by overturning Article 10, we remain captive not just to the
uncomfortable trade-offs in the ongoing EU existential struggle, but also to a
State polity that will do just about anything to preserve its privileges.

Irish viewers leaving Atlantic do so, invariably, angry but still not grasping that
theyve just watched a film, not about their natural resources but those of the
State. RT, who chose not to broadcast the multi-award winning The Pipe,
may yet decide that Atlantic is safer fare, but will the state broadcaster then
commission a series of current affairs treatments about the whale in the
swimming pool, the alienation of the Irish people from their natural resources?
What do you think?

Call for more monitoring of super trawlers after

dolphin deaths
The Journal.ie Published Sep 17th 2016
http://www.thejournal.ie/super-trawlers-irish-water-2984580-
Sep2016/
SEN KELLY HAS called for greater monitoring of super
trawlers off the Irish coast following the deaths of three dolphins.
The Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South recently wrote to the
European Commission about the issue, after if was raised with
him by constituents and dolphin and whale interest groups.
Speaking to EuroParlRadio, Kelly said he was pleasantly
surprised when the commission responded, saying it was
something he didnt expect.

Since 1991, the coast of Ireland has been a dolphin and whale
sanctuary and, unfortunately, in July this year three dolphins
were found dead and one of them had a rope around its tail.
There are suspicions that the super trawlers are killing these
dolphins and then throwing them back into the sea. Kelly said
the commission is obviously taking it seriously because it has
proposed revised technical measures on how to deal with this
issue and the monitoring of super trawlers.

"The only way to deal with an issue like this is to have onboard
inspections, in particular, and then for the Sea-Fisheries
Protection Authority (which is based in Clonakilty, Co. Cork) to
be given the opportunity and resources to continuously monitor
whats happening off the west coast of Ireland. Kelly said the
rules need to be enforced and people who break them should be
dealt with and [brought] to justice.

In July, Sinn Fin MEP Liadh N Riada called for an effective

ban on super trawlers fishing on Irish waters. Under the EU
Common Fisheries Policy, vessels registered in the EU are
allowed to fish in any EU waters. At the time, N Riada said:
Super trawlers are seldom if ever boarded and seem to be
immune from any form of inspection. Which stands in stark
contrast to the treatment of Irish fishermen, who are subject to
very regular oversight and who are routinely punished for even
the slightest discrepancy in record keeping.

Eddie Hobbs is a financial advisor www.eddiehobbs.com

http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/
eddie-hobbs-largest-act-of-larceny-against-irish-
people-402544.html

EVERYONE SHALL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ADVISED"

So says the CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF EUROPEAN
UNION (IN ARTICLE 47):
Related Internet Search Engine Listing:("CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS OF EUROPEAN UNION, Everyone shall the possibility of being
advised, William Finnerty")http://tinyurl.com/nqga2ju
=== === ===
CLOSELY RELATED EMAIL SENT RECENTLY TO REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
PRIME MINISTER ENDA KENNY TD
'So far (Sunday, May 31st 2015), the request for the above-
mentioned "advice on initiating a legal challenge" is all being
completely ignored by all concerned -- including lawyer Brendan
Glynn -- it would seem: from William Finnerty's viewpoint at least.'
The piece of text just above is from an email sent yesterday (May
31st 2015) to -- among others -- Republic of Ireland Prime Minister
Enda Kenny TD, President Michael D Higgins, and Chief Justice Susan
Denham: who are believed to be the Heads of the Three Main
Branches of the Republic of Ireland's Government (Executive,
Legislative, and Judicial respectively).
A copy of the full email in question can be viewed at yhe following
www locatio:
http://www.humanrightsireland.com/PrimeMinister//Email.htm
=== === ===
This Charter is not much of a "Binding Instrument" in the Republic of
Ireland at the present time it would seem?
http://www.humanrightsireland.com/PrimeMinisterEndaKennyTD/31
May2015/Email.htm

Prison officer gets apology, then service denies any

disclosure
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Michael Clifford
The prison service is denying that a prison officer
whistleblower made a protected disclosure about the
misuse of public funds despite the head of the service
writing to the officer to apologise for his treatment
following the disclosure.
The officer is taking a case at the Work Relations
Commission (WRC) based on what he alleges was bullying
and isolation he suffered after he made the protected
disclosure.
He had complained that the prison was appointing
untrained personnel to catering and gym roles in a move
that was a misuse of public funds.
Among his complaints of bullying and isolation were:
He was not reassigned to the catering area for three
years where he had worked after he made his
initial complaint about untrained workers in the
kitchen;
He was constantly assigned to work with members
much junior to him and given a staff number
ordinarily assigned to junior officers in order to
belittle his standing among fellow staff members;
He was not interviewed following two violent
incidents in the prison, despite being the chief officer
in charge of the area. One officer sustained a broken
ankle in the incident and another required 13
stitches. A subsequent review found: It is quite
extraordinary that a primary witness to a serious
assault was not interviewed.
While the prison service disputed his complaints, an
external review, conducted by a retired judge, upheld his
complaints and agreed that he had been penalised as a
result.
At a WRC hearing yesterday, the prison service strongly
submitted that the disclosure/complaint made by the
complainant does not qualify as a protected disclosure and
(sic) understood within the provisions of Protected
Disclosures Act 2014.
It is further submitted that the complainant was not
subjected to any penalisation arising from the disclosure
made by him.
Yet last February, after the review by Judge William Early
was completed, the director general of the prison service
Michael Donnellan wrote to the officer in relation to a
protected disclosure made by you.
The letter went on: I want to sincerely apologise for the
distress caused to you and your family as a result of the
manner in which your complaints were addressed by the
Irish Prison Service.
I want to put on record my acknowledgement of the
valuable service you have provided to this organisation in
pointing out deficiencies in operations and in
recommending improvements.
A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said due to the
confidentiality around protective disclosures it would be
making no comment.
Earlier this week the Irish Examiner revealed another case
of a prison officer who made a protected disclosure about
a violent incident in Cloverhill Prison which the prison
authorities had denied for two years had even occurred.
Officer Gerard Butler has been threatened with dismissal
over his failure to complete an academic course as part of
his employment.
He claims the threat is linked to his protected disclosure.
The prison service confirmed that no officer has been
dismissed in last five years over a failure to complete the
course in question.

While the prison service disputed his complaints, an external review, conducted by a retired
judge, upheld his complaints and agreed that he had been penalised as a result.

At a WRC hearing yesterday, the prison service strongly submitted that the
disclosure/complaint made by the complainant does not qualify as a protected disclosure and
(sic) understood within the provisions of Protected Disclosures Act 2014.
It is further submitted that the complainant was not subjected to any penalisation arising
from the disclosure made by him.

Yet last February, after the review by Judge William Early was completed, the
director general of the prison service Michael Donnellan wrote to the officer in
relation to a protected disclosure made by you.

The letter went on: I want to sincerely apologise for the distress caused to you
and your family as a result of the manner in which your complaints were
addressed by the Irish Prison Service.

I want to put on record my acknowledgement of the valuable service you have

provided to this organisation in pointing out deficiencies in operations and in
recommending improvements.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said due to the confidentiality around
protective disclosures it would be making no comment.

A 38-year-old inmate of Cloverhill prison died in his

hospital bed with his electronic tag still on and it stayed
on the deceased for a further five hours before finally
being removed.

Two prisoner officers also remained at the mans bedside

at St Vincents Hospital as the Dubliner took his last breath
on October 31, 2015.
As a result, the Inspector of Prisons, Helen Casey, has
recommended that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) review a
number of aspects around the use of electronic tags for
seriously ill prisoners.
She also recommended that the use of electronic tagging
in conjunction with prison escort personnel should be
reviewed, given the associated costs.
The prisoner had a history of liver problems and was
awaiting a liver transplant at the time of his death.
Ms Casey made the recommendations after the mans
family expressed concern over the nature of his
incarceration in his final days.
According to Ms Caseys report, the family asked why the
electronic monitoring tag was left on after his death and
why prison officers were at the deceaseds bedside.
The family said the man was tagged and too ill to go
anywhere. The prisoner had an electronic monitoring
device fitted and activated from Friday October 2, 2015
until October 31, 2015.
The IPS confirmed that two prison officers were present
with the deceased from the time the monitoring device
was fitted until the time of his death. The man was not on
temporary release while at St Vincents Hospital and the
IPS stated he was on a hospital order.
The prison governor sought temporary release for the
prisoner on the afternoon of October 31, to allow for the
removal of the two prison escort officers.
Ms Caseys report states: This request had been
approved on the late afternoon of the 31 October 2015 but
the deceased passed away before the prison officer escort
was removed.
The man was jailed on January 11, 2014 and was due for
release on January 6, 2017.

The mans family informed Ms Casey that he had served

previous stints in prison. He lost the sight of his left eye
following an assault by another prisoner in April 2015
during an unprovoked attack.

looks at one prison officers complaints, which were

upheld by retired judge William Early, and the prison
services response.
Judge William Early ruled that the discloser suffered
bullying, isolation and was denied career opportunities, in
his area, catering.

THE experience of one prison officer in making a protected

disclosure is unlikely to engender confidence in the prison
services capacity to deal with internal criticism.In
November 2014, the prison officer referred to here as
the discloser raised concerns about unqualified
personnel being awarded jobs in both catering and the
staff gym in one of the States prisons.
In November 2014, the prison officer referred to here as
the discloser raised concerns about unqualified
personnel being awarded jobs in both catering and the
staff gym in one of the States prisons.
These personnel were appointed ahead of others,
including himself, who had earned specialist qualifications.
The situation, the discloser claimed, meant that there
were dangers attached to both the kitchens and the gym
and that the process of appointments resulted in a misuse
of exchequer funding.
advertisement
He took his concerns to the Public Accounts Committee,
receiving a reply that it would be investigated.
The Commission for Public Appointments also investigated
the case and found that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) fell
short of the standards provided in the code of practice in
how it made appointments. It also stated that certain
candidates were disadvantaged.
In March 2016, the discloser wrote to the secretary
general of the Department of Justice and informed him
that his actions in raising these matters came under the
conditions of a protected disclosure.
This, he did, because he said he was being bullied and
isolated for raising his concerns and now wanted the
protection provided for the in the Protected Disclosures
Act. (The 2014 act makes it an offence to target any so-
called whistleblower who makes a protected disclosure).
Among his complaints of bullying and isolation were:
He was not reassigned to the catering area for three years
where he had worked after he made his initial
complaint about untrained workers in the kitchen.
He was constantly assigned to work with members much
junior to him he has 23 years experience and given a
staff number ordinarily assigned to junior officers in order
to belittle his standing among fellow staff members.
He was not interviewed following two violent incidents in
the prison, despite being the chief officer in charge of the
area. One officer sustained a broken ankle in the incident
and another required 13 stitches. A subsequent review
found: It is quite extraordinary that a primary witness to
a serious assault was not interviewed.
The departments internal audit unit investigated the
disclosers claims and found that his concerns didnt
constitute a protected disclosure and that he hadnt
suffered penalisation at work.
The discloser appealed the decision. An external reviewer,
retired judge William Early, was asked to look at the case.
He delivered his report earlier this year, finding that the
disclosers complaints did constitute a protected
disclosure and that he has suffered bullying and isolation,
and was denied career opportunities.
Early also found that the disclosers correspondence
indicates a man who is intelligent and sincere and who
has acted in good faith throughout. It is the opinion of the
external reviewer that the discloser has provided a
valuable service to the IPS in pointing out deficiencies in
its operations and in recommending improvements.
Following that decision, the IPS head Michael Donnellan
wrote to the discloser apologising for his treatment and
assuring him the concerns would be addressed.
The discloser is currently taking an action against his
employer for the bullying and isolation which he says he
has suffered, a claim that was upheld by retired judge
Early.
On the opening day of the action at the Work Relations
Commission on Tuesday, representatives for the IPS have
now claimed that there was no protected disclosure, and
therefore, no bullying or isolation.
So the head of the IPS has apologised for the treatment
meted out to an employee following his protected
disclosure, while another representative of the IPS is
submitting to the Work Relations Commission that there
was no protected disclosure.
Two members of the Public Accounts Committee are now
in possession of a file on this matter and it is expected to
feature at the committee hearing in the coming months.

The WRC is due to reconvene in the first week of July.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/prison-officer-gets-apology-
then-service-denies-any-disclosure-451383.html
Regrets, hes had a few, in Leaders Questions
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Lise Hand
The outgoing Taoiseach is not renowned for his
scintillating oratory and is unlikely to miss Leaders
Questions, but a couple of speeches made an impact,
Taoiseach Enda Kenny during his eloquent apology to
Magdalene laundry victims from the Dil in 2013.

It was lunchtime on a desultory day in the Dil. Most of the

denizens of Leinster House were in the restaurants or out
enjoying a bit of sunshine.
The summer recess was only 24 hours away. Nobody was
paying much attention as the Taoiseach entered the
chamber and slipped into his seat, least of all the couple
of journalists sitting on the press gallery.
But a couple of minutes into his speech on Wednesday,
July 20, and the journalists began furiously scribbling
notes.
Staffers and politicians loitering in their offices while
keeping one eye on the in-house live Dil feed reached for
their phones. Quick. Turn on the telly and watch Enda. No,
this isnt a joke.
It was his reaction to the publication of the Coyne report,
and the day he delivered his powerful philippic against the
litany of sex abuse perpetrated by the Catholic Church.
He stood in an almost empty chamber and delivered his
denunciation in a calm tone which belied the searing
language.
The rape and torture of children were downplayed or
managed to uphold instead, the primacy of the
institution, its power, standing, and reputation, he read
as the world sat up and took notice.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny: Cloyne Report
Jul 21, 2011
For the latest Irish and international news: http://www.rte.ie/newsnow

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has strongly criticised the Vatican for what he said
was an attempt to frustrate the Cloyne inquiry, accusing it of downplaying the
rape of children to protect its power and reputation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo5MXrqbDeA

After all, the head of government was not a man known for
his soaring oratory and was a practising Catholic, to boot.
It was perhaps Enda Kennys finest hour in the Lower
House during his lengthy career as a Teachta Dla, and
marked a significant sundering of the shackles which had
so long bound the State to the Church in a stifling pact.
And today, almost exactly six years later, he stands up in
the chamber for what will be his final question-time as
leader of Fine Gael and perhaps barring a total
breakdown of post-election discussions between his
successor and either the Independent coalition buddies or
Fianna Fil semi-enemies his last one as Taoiseach also.
Although he will undoubtedly miss many aspects of both
jobs, one suspects that he wont pine much at
relinquishing the bi-weekly duty of Leaders Questions.
Mr Kenny is not a natural debater, nor does he do quick-
fire repartee and like several taoisigh before him
prefers to take a rambling, scenic route towards an
answer.
Moreover, he doesnt possess too many cherished
memories of the almost nine years he spent in the seat
assigned to the leader of the opposition, trying to deal
with Bertie Aherns slippery replies and mangled
vocabulary, succeeded by Brian Cowens sneering and
heckles.
Mr Kenny certainly wont dwell on the devastating put-
down unleashed by an arrogant Mr Cowen in 2008 during
a debate on the Mahon Tribunal, when the then-tnaiste
snapped that Mr Kenny was neither qualified or able to
judge the evidence against Mr Ahern. It was a cruel gibe,
and a rattled Mr Kenny had no comeback.
But as Taoiseach he got into his share of scraps too,
sparking uproar in the chamber two years ago when he
suggested that heckling Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy
should toddle along to a meeting with Irish Water
executives.
And Mr Kenny has regularly had bitter exchanges with Sinn
Fin leader Gerry Adams. The two men have made little
secret of their mutual dislike.
In February, the Taoiseach rounded on the Louth TD during
a row over the Governments handling of the Sgt Maurice
McCabe controversy, excoriating Mr Adams as an
absolute hypocrite who was playing politics with an
issue that is so sensitive and so personal that it goes to
the very heart of the public soul of Ireland.
However, by and large, the ghosts of the great orators of
Rome will not be rising from their crypts to applaud Mr
Kenny off the political stage.
But he had his moments in the Dil chamber, though, and
some of those moments were truly memorable, such as
the Cloyne speech and also his eloquent apology on behalf
of the State to the women of the Magdalene laundries.
In February 2013, tears flowed on the benches and in the
public gallery where survivors and supporters sat and
listened as an emotional Mr Kenny spoke.
The Magdalene women might have been told that they
were washing away a wrong, or a sin, but we know now
and to our shame they were only ever scrubbing away
our nations shadow, he said.

Statement by Taoiseach Enda Kenny on Magdalene

Laundries
Feb 19, 2013
In full, the statement of Taoiseach Enda Kenny on the Magdalene Laundries.

Keep up to date with all the latest Irish and international news and current
affairs with http://www.rte.ie/newsnow

Follow us on twitter @rtenewsnow and on

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RTENewsNow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyx7llUx5GA
Within a fortnight at most, or maybe as soon as the Dil
resumes on June 13 after a weeks break, a new taoiseach
will be in the driving-seat, jousting with the opposition.
If, as the odds indicate, Leo Varadkar is the winner,
observers have already had a preview of his modus
operandi in Leaders Questions.
The Social Protection Minister took a spin in the hot seat in
April, and turned in a commanding performance which
could well have served as a job interview by his Fine Gael
comrades.
The digs flew thick and fast, with Mr Varadkar having a
simultaneous go at both Fianna Fil and Paul Murphy,
informing the latter that the party of Lemass, the party
that was once proud to stand up for things that would do
the right thing for the Irish people is now in a position
that it determines its position on water solely out of their
fear of you and Sinn Fin.
There may not be too many desultory days in the Dil
from here on in if Mr Varadkar is minded to maul the
opposition and get some skin and hair flying in these
snoozy sessions.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/regrets-hes-had-
a-few-in-leaders-questions-451287.html

Time for Minister Michael Creed to speak up on the

Super Trawler Travesty

Minister Michael Creed

Its time for everyone to contact the new Irish Minister
for Marine and ask what he is doing to protect the Irish
environment, local jobs and fish stocks from the
European Fleet of Super Trawlers that are set to return
12 miles outside the Irish coast in October 2016.

The newly elected Minister for Agriculture & Marine

Michael Creed has a responsibility to the Irish people
to ensure Ireland's Whale & Dolphin Sanctuary status is
fully protected.

In March 2016 a spokesman for super trawler owners

said they were open to discussions about how to reduce
the possibility of catching dolphins in their nets after it
was claimed a near record number of the mammals
were killed when large factory ships were fishing off the
north-west coast of Ireland at the time.

The Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) reported that

record numbers of dolphins washed up during January
and February 2016, many of which were on the north-
west coast and which showed marks consistent with
being drowned in fishing nets urgently needs to be
addressed.

Our new Minister for the Marine needs to act now and
seek clarification from the council of ministers in
Brussels on this issue. A call for independent observers
to be onboard super trawler factory ships is an
important part of the solution so bycatch is recorded and
catch quotas are adhered to.

CONTACT Minister for Marine Michael Creed

Agriculture House, Kildare St. Dublin 2. DO2 WK12

Phone: 01 6072000
Email: michael.creed@oir.ie

CONSTITUENCY: Cork North West

CONSTITUENCY DETAILS
95 Railway View, Macroom, Co. Cork
TELEPHONE: 026-41835
http://www.stopsupertrawlers.org

Largest act of larceny against Irish people

Irish Examiner http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/largest-act-of-
larceny-against-irish-people-402544.html

We dont own our natural resources under Article 10 of the Constitution. It needs to
be repealed, but is there anyone with the bottle to take it on, asks Eddie Hobbs

Atlantic, narrated by the feral voice of Brendan Gleeson, is the second in a

remarkable series of evocative films by Risteard ODomhnaill who, starting with The
Pipe, charted the story of Rossport tucked behind the dunes amid the sentinel cliffs
of Erris Head and Broadhaven Bay.

Pulling the camera lens high above the dramatic coastline and its Corrib gas pipeline,
Atlantic brings the audience the story of the North Atlantic itself and the battle
between local and international corporations a struggle, at its heart, between
individuals and closely bound communities and those who are lobbied, in national
government and in Brussels.

The film, now screening to audiences throughout the country, hits deep, interweaving
the common issues between the peoples of Newfoundland, Norway, and Ireland, and
telling the story of how each fared in the struggle to retain ownership and control of
natural resources, against the backdrop of the huge decline in fishing stocks from
industrialisation by massive fleets and the tension between sonic booming from oil
explorers and the marine ecosystem.

It brings the wild, beautiful and bountiful Atlantic to the viewer in a manner not
achieved on film before, rekindling a sense of stewardship, lost since Ireland chose
to join the EEC and, it appears, sacrificed its fishing grounds and coastal
communities, to protect its inland.

The territory of Ireland extends nearly half ways across the North Atlantic. It is an
area six times our land mass within which we are entitled to fishing stocks in low
digits and under which weve given away the rights to hydrocarbons, ever since
Fianna Fil minister Ray Burke, unaccompanied by civil servants in meetings with oil
and gas explorers in 1987, reversed the actions taken by Justin Keating in the 1970s.

The Labour minister had mimicked those of far-sighted Norwegian politicians in their
struggle against multinational explorers. Atlantic revisits the clash between the
peoples rights to a fair share of rents from natural resources and powerful business
interests aligned against them by telling the story of how Newfoundland stood up to
the landlocked Canadian capital of Ottawa and the big oil lobby to secure the type of
share Keating had once won.

Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in Ireland still grasp how the Irish
people are, uniquely in Europe, alienated from their own natural resources in
short, we dont own them.

That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons underneath, the wind that blows
across the land and the fresh water that flows through it, are not owned by the Irish
people.

In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short history, Devs 1937
Constitution, reversed the 1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all natural
resources from the ancient Irish people to the recently founded State under Article
10, then made its trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts.

The divide between the self-preservation of the State and its privileges and the Irish
people only comes into sharp focus when there is an existential economic crisis,
such as the last one which we entered at a low debt of just 23% of GDP.

A fresh global economic crisis, the likelihood of which currently is probably about one
in seven, would catch Ireland, this time, at debt levels four times higher, while
governed by a minority administration now holding all of its water in a single
corporate entity.

At a fundamental level, the decision facing Britain in June is about whether the British
people wish to regain the right to eject all those who govern them every few years or
to continue to deposit many aspects of sovereignty to an unelected EU Commission,
a decision in many ways about what modern citizenship means.

Stop anyone in the street today and ask them to describe how EU government works
or to identify its key leaders and youll be met with blank stares but show a photo of
two TDs dancing on a Pajero outside Leinster House and theyll be identified in an
instant, one set unknown but with huge powers, the other well known, but with none.

Until and unless the Irish people demand the return of all our natural resources by
overturning Article 10, we remain captive not just to the uncomfortable trade-offs in
the ongoing EU existential struggle, but also to a State polity that will do just about
anything to preserve its privileges.

Irish viewers leaving Atlantic do so, invariably, angry but still not grasping that theyve
just watched a film, not about their natural resources but those of the State. RT,
who chose not to broadcast the multi-award winning The Pipe, may yet decide that
Atlantic is safer fare, but will the state broadcaster then commission a series of
current affairs treatments about the whale in the swimming pool, the alienation of the
Irish people from their natural resources? What do you think?
Despite the fury surrounding the water debate, few in
Ireland still grasp how the Irish people are, uniquely in
Europe, alienated from their own natural resources in
short, we dont own them.
That means the fish in our seas, the hydrocarbons
underneath, the wind that blows across the land and the
fresh water that flows through it, are not owned by the
Irish people.
In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our short
history, Devs 1937 Constitution, reversed the 1922
Constitution and passed ownership of all natural resources
from the ancient Irish people to the recently founded State
under Article 10, then made its trusteeship
unchallengeable in the courts.
The divide between the self-preservation of the State and
its privileges and the Irish people only comes into sharp
focus when there is an existential economic crisis, such as
the last one which we entered at a low debt of just 23% of
GDP.

Article 11.All the lands and waters, mines and

minerals, within the territory of the Irish Free State
(Saorstt Eireann) hitherto vested in the State, or
any department thereof, or held for the public use or
benefit, and also all the natural resources of the
same territory (including the air and all forms of
potential energy), and also all royalties and
franchises within that territory shall, from and after
the date of the coming into operation of this
Constitution, belong to the Irish Free State (Saorstt
Eireann), subject to any trusts, grants, leases or
concessions then existing in respect thereof, or any
valid private interest therein, and shall be controlled
and administered by the Oireachtas, in accordance
with such regulations and provisions as shall be from
time to time approved by legislation, but the same
shall not, nor shall any part thereof, be alienated,
but may in the public interest be from time to time
granted by way of lease or licence to be worked or
enjoyed under the authority and subject to the
control of the Oireachtas: Provided that no such
lease or licence may be made for a term exceeding
ninety-nine years, beginning from the date thereof,
and no such lease or licence may be renewable by
the terms thereof.
'In what is, arguably the largest act of larceny in our
short history, Devs 1937 Constitution, reversed the
1922 Constitution and passed ownership of all
natural resources from the ancient Irish people to the
recently founded State under Article 10, then made
its trusteeship unchallengeable in the courts'' is the
owl eddie missing another claim there as neglecting
to mention our neighbour
Treason pure and simple.
we dont have the tools to challenge. The restoration of Citizens
Initiated Referendums is paramount, all your well intentioned hot air
and belly aching is just that. You have no say. I have no say. By
design.
Support the restoration of Citizens Initiated Referendums to our
constitution or.... I'll bite my tongue.

There will b nothing left with them gangsters!

LEGAL ISSUES IN IRISH RESIDENTIAL

MORTGAGES

Legal Issues in Irish Residential Mortgages

Numerous acts, regulations and practice
directions govern the enforcement of
residential mortgages which protect borrowers
(Mortgagors) and oblige lenders
(Mortgagees) to fulfil onerous obligations to
enable them to enforce their security.
We are increasingly advising clients who are
interested in acquiring books of Irish
residential mortgages, investing in Irish
covered bonds or investing in Irish RMBS. This
Briefing contains a summary of certain legal
considerations relevant to potential
purchasers as well as a brief outline of legal
issues regarding the servicing of Irish
residential mortgages.
Of particular concern to potential investors
should be issues which impact on either the
enforceability of the mortgages themselves or
the timeline of enforcement.
Enforcing Residential Mortgages Issues which
Impact on Enforceability
Start Mortgages v- Gunn
The cases of Start Mortgages Ltd & Ors v.
Gunn & Ors1 (Start Mortgages) and the
subsequent decision in Tom Kavanagh and
Fergus Lowe v Jeremiah Lynch and Saint
Angelas Student Residences Limited2
highlighted the effect of the Land and
Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 (the
2009 Act) on enforcement procedures in
respect of certain mortgages. Subsequent
cases (EBS v Gillespie [2012] IEHC 243,
McEnery v Sheahan [2012] IEHC 331 and
William Moran & Ors v AIB Mortgage & Ors
[2012] IEHC 322]) have gone some way
towards clarifying the position, as regards pre-
1 December 2009 mortgages, where a
Mortgagee is seeking to exercise its summary
possession power, its power of sale, its power
to appoint a receiver or its power to overreach
(i.e. to sell clear of subsequent interests such
as judgment mortgages). The Arthur Cox
Finance Group has prepared a separate client
briefing in relation to these matters, a copy of
which can be obtained from your usual Arthur
Cox contact or a member of the Finance
Group. In summary, current caselaw makes it
very difficult for a Mortgagee to benefit from
the summary possession power in respect of a
mortgage over registered land entered into
prior to 1 December 2009 unless the secured
monies became
due prior to that date, any required demand
was served prior to that date, and the
mortgage was submitted for registration in the
Land Registry before that date.
European Communities (Unfair Terms in
Consumer Contracts) Regulations 1995 and
2000 (the Unfair
Terms Regulations)
TheUnfairTermsRegulationsareparticularlyrelev
antin respect of the enforceability of
residential mortgages and related loan
documentation. An unfair term in a consumer
contract is not binding on the consumer,
however this should not affect core terms if
they are drafted using plain intelligible
language. In the case of a residential
mortgage where the Mortgagor is a consumer,
if the relevant loan or mortgage contract is
capable of continuing in existence without the
unfair term, that contract
willcontinuetobindtheparties.
Ifanychargesarefoundtobe in violation of the
Unfair Terms Regulations, the Mortgagee may
be precluded from recovering those amounts,
or they may be set-off against the total
amount secured, which will damage the value
of the Mortgagees security.
Potential purchasers of Irish residential
mortgage books
should inspect carefully the terms of the
mortgage and loan documentation to ensure
that there is no violation of the Unfair Terms
Regulations.
European Communities (Distance Marketing of
Consumer Financial Services) Regulations
2004 (as amended) (the Distance Marketing
Regulations)
Residential mortgage and lending contracts
entered into without the Mortgagee and
Mortgagor being simultaneously present may
be regarded as distance contracts and come
within the scope of the Distance Marketing
Regulations where the Mortgagor is a
consumer.
Under the Distance Marketing Regulations a
distance contract may not be enforceable
against a consumer if the supplier has failed
to give certain information to a consumer
before that consumer is bound by the
contract. This information includes details of
certain contractual terms and conditions and
the total price to be paid by the consumer.
If the Mortgagee did not provide such
information to the Mortgagor, the Courts may
find the relevant mortgage or loan contract
unenforceable. However, a Court may decide
that the contract is enforceable if it is satisfied
that the breach was not deliberate and did not
prejudice the Mortgagor, and that it would be
just and equitable to dispense with the
Mortgagees obligation to provide that
information.
Potential purchasers should bear in mind that
checking an Irish residential mortgage book
for compliance with the Distance Marketing
Regulations is essential.
Protection of the Family Home
A family home is defined in Irish law as a
dwelling in which a married couple ordinarily
resides. In Ireland, the family home is afforded
special protection under both the Constitution
and legislation, which renders enforcement of
security over family homes more difficult for
Mortgagees.
Under the Family Home Protection Act 1976
(as amended, the 1976 Act) a spouse who
does not own the family home must give prior
written consent to any disposal of an interest
in the family home, including by way of
mortgage. If this consent is ineffective or has
not been given, any transaction disposing of
the family home could potentially be set aside
at the instance of the non-owning spouse
within certain time limits. The 1976 Act also
provides that a Court may restrict
enforcement of a mortgage or sale in certain
circumstances.
Pursuant to the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996,
if an individual is found by the Courts to have
disposed of the family home with an intention
to deny his/her spouse a right to that family
home,thetransactiondisposingoftheassetcanbe
setaside. A Mortgagee will only be protected if
it is shown to have acted without intentionally
seeking to deny a spouse his/her rights.
Family home issues are normally dealt with by
the Mortgagee obtaining a declaration that the
relevant Irish property either is or is not a
family home. Potential purchasers of Irish
residential mortgage books should conduct
their own diligence of the relevant loan files to
confirm that these declarations have been
provided, or obtain appropriate warranties
from the seller
that such declarations have been obtained
and the relevant legislation has been complied
with.
Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009
The 2009 Act is particularly relevant when
dealing with a
mortgageenteredintoonorafter1December200
9. The
2009 Act contains certain enforcement-
provisions which
are mandatory in respect of Irish residential
mortgages
(these provisions can be contracted out of by
agreement of
the Mortgagee and Mortgagor in the case of
non-residential mortgages).
Oneofthesemandatoryprovisionsisthatthe
Mortgagees enforcement rights provided for
in the 2009 Act are only exercisable for the
purposes of protecting the mortgaged
property or for realising the Mortgagees
security. Further,
Court orders must be obtained before the
Mortgagee can take possession of, or sell, the
residential property. These particular
provisions apply only to mortgages entered
into on or after 1 December2009.
Itisalsoworthnotingthatforeclosure,which
allowed for a Mortgagee to take a Mortgagor
to Court to remove his/her equity of
redemption (i.e. the Mortgagors right to have
the mortgaged property returned), was
abolished by the 2009 Act.
Issues which Impact on the Timing of
Enforcement Actions
Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears 2010
(CCMA)
The revised CCMA came into force on 1
January 2011 and requires regulated
Mortgagees to be flexible in relation to
borrowers in arrears and pre-arrears
situations. It also restricts enforcement actions
in certain cases. The Arthur Cox Financial
Regulatory Groups December 2010 Briefing
on the CCMA is available here. The CCMA
becomes relevant where a loan, secured by a
borrowers primary residence, goes into
arrears or pre-arrears. The definition of
primary residence is quite broad and can
include a residential investment property
where it is the only residential property in the
State owned by the relevant borrower. Failure
to comply with the CCMA may result in delays
to the Mortgagees ability to enforce, lead to
penalties under the Central Banks
Administrative Sanctions Procedure and cause
reputational damage to the Mortgagee.
MARP
Every Mortgagee which is subject to the CCMA
is required to have a Mortgage Arrears
Resolution Process (MARP)
in place for managing arrears and pre-arrears
cases. It is also required to maintain a
dedicated Arrears Support
Unit and an Appeals Board. The MARP must
reflect the mandatory obligations imposed on
Mortgagees as to how they communicate with
Mortgagors in arrears and pre- arrears, and
Mortgagees must also comply with obligations
regarding the exploration of possible
alternative repayment arrangements with
Mortgagors.

Alternative Repayment Arrangements

Under the CCMA, a Standard Financial
Statement must be provided by a Mortgagee
to a Mortgagor in arrears or pre-arrears under
which relevant information is collected and
collated to enable the Mortgagee to assess
whether any alternative repayment
arrangements are viable.
Such arrangements can include, for example,
putting in place an interest-only arrangement
for a specified period, extending the mortgage
term or changing the mortgage type
(however, a Mortgagee cannot require a
Mortgagor to switch from a tracker mortgage
to another product as part of such an
arrangement). A Mortgagee is not obliged to
offer an alternative repayment arrangement if
no such arrangement is viable and the CCMA
obliges Mortgagees to assess the suitability of
each mortgage for an alternative repayment
arrangement.
Communication requirements
The CCMA obliges regulated Mortgagees to
follow certain communication steps with
Mortgagors in arrears and pre-arrears
regarding outstanding payments. Regulated
Mortgagees must also provide an information
booklet to relevant Mortgagors containing
details of the Mortgagees MARP, its general
criteria for assessing requests for alternative
repayment arrangements and information
about relevant State supports.
The CCMA restricts the frequency with which
Mortgagees can make unsolicited contact with
Mortgagors in arrears or pre-
arrearstothreecontactspermonth.InApril2012,t
he Central Bank clarified this restriction by
confirming that neither missed calls nor
engaged numbers count towards that monthly
limit.
Restrictions on enforcement
The CCMA imposes a moratorium on
enforcement
action whereby a Mortgagee cannot apply to
Court for repossession of the primary
residence until 12 months from the date that
the Mortgagor was classified as a MARP case
(i.e. 31 days after the date that the arrears
first arose). It is important to note that the
clock stops for so long as the Mortgagor is
complying with an alternative repayment
arrangement or while the Mortgagees
Appeals Board is processing an appeal by the
Mortgagor. The moratorium does not,
however, apply where the Mortgagor is not
cooperating, where the Mortgagor has
committed a fraud on the Mortgagee or where
the Mortgagor has committed a non-arrears-
related breach of contract.
Failure to comply with MARP
A regulated Mortgagee which is subject to the
CCMA may be obliged to swear an affidavit
that it has complied with the CCMA and its
own MARP process. Notably, even in cases
where no affidavit is sought, recent Court
decisions have indicated that the question of
whether or not a regulated Mortgagee has
complied with the CCMA will affect a Courts
decision as to whether or not to grant an order
for possession. In Stepstone Mortgage Funding
Limited v. Fitzell & Anor3 Laffoy J stated that
she found it impossible to agree with the
proposition that in proceedings for possession
of a primary residence by a Mortgagee where
the CCMA is relevant, the Mortgagee does not
have to
3 [2012] IEHC 142.
LEGAL ISSUES IN IRISH RESIDENTIAL
MORTGAGES 03
NOVEMBER 2012
demonstratecompliancewiththeCCMAtotheCou
rt. In light of this decision, failure to adhere to
the requirements of the CCMA is very likely to
affect a Mortgagees ability to enforce
residential mortgage security.
Earlier this year, the Central Bank sought and
obtained information from the leading Irish
regulated Mortgagees regarding the mortgage
arrears resolution strategies (MARS) which it
had asked those Mortgagees to develop, in
particular as regards loan forbearance and
modification techniques. The Central Bank
expects these Mortgagees to fully implement
these approaches by the end of 2012, and a
potential purchaser of an Irish residential
mortgage book should carefully review the
sellers MARS as the approach taken by that
seller could influence the ability to enforce
mortgages in a timely manner (and hence the
value of the mortgage book).
Consumer Protection Code (the CPC)
The CPC (a revised version of which came into
effect
on 1 January 2012) sets out various conduct of
business requirements that regulated entities
(including regulated Mortgagees and
purchasers of books of loans if they
themselves are regulated) must adhere to.
The general principles of the CPC (for
example, ensuring that all customers are
treated fairly) apply to all customers with
other provisions being relevant to either
consumers generally (being individuals
(whether acting for business purposes or not)
and certain small businesses) or personal
consumers (being individuals acting
forpersonalpurposes).
CompliancewiththeCPCisalegal obligation and
failure to comply may result in the Central
Bank invoking its Administrative Sanctions
Procedure (but will not automatically
invalidate a loan or mortgage contract, or
render it unenforceable). Where a regulated
Mortgagee is subject
to the CCMA, in its dealings with a particular
Mortgagor the CCMA will apply in lieu of
certain parts of the CPC.
Court Enforcement Procedure
Assuming that a Mortgagee has complied with
its obligations under both the CCMA and
(where the mortgage was entered into on or
after 1 December 2009) the 2009 Act, the
relevant enforcement procedures are as set
out below. Where the mortgage was entered
into prior to 1 December 2009, the contractual
provisions of the mortgage must be very
carefully considered, together with any
procedural restrictions contained in the
Conveyancing Act 1881 (if not disapplied) and
the issues raised by Start Mortgages.
Proceedings can be issued in either the High
Court or Circuit Court. Initial enforcement
steps in relation to residential mortgages
entered into on or after 1 December 2009
must be taken in the Circuit Court. When
initiating proceedings, a High Court special
summons or Circuit Court civil bill (grounded
on affidavit) will be filed in the relevant Court
office and a return date will be assigned. Time
between filing and the return date can vary,
however it is generally 6 weeks. In the case of
Circuit Court proceedings, if no appearance or
prima facie defence is entered by the
defaulting Mortgagor, the County Register can
grant an order for possession or a well-
charging order. If the Mortgagor enters a
prima facie defence by replying affidavit, the
County Registrar will send the matter forward
to be heard by the Court. In the case of High
Court proceedings, the Master of the High
Court will hear the application on affidavit
evidence and can grant or refuse orders or
send the matter forward to be
04
heardbytheHighCourt.
Iftheactionissentforwardtothe Circuit Court or
High Court, significant delays and legal costs
can be expected, in particular if discovery
orders are granted
andifthemattercontinuestoafullplenaryhearing.
The County Registrar, the Master of the High
Court and the relevant Court itself each has
discretion to award the costs involved
in the enforcement proceedings to either
party. Where the defaulting Mortgagors
defence has not been successful, a costs order
can frequently be made against that
Mortgagor.
Where a Mortgagee seeks an order for
possession under the 2009 Act, the Court may
adjourn the proceedings or stay the order if it
appears to the Court that the Mortgagor is
likely to be able to pay the arrears within a
reasonable period of time. If a Mortgagee
succeeds in obtaining an order for sale under
the 2009 Act, it is obliged (as far as
reasonably practicable) to take steps to obtain
the best price reasonably obtainable for the
property.
Other Relevant Issues
Consumer Credit Act 1995 (as amended, the
CCA) and the Consumer Protection Act 2007
(the CPA)
The CCA imposes extensive requirements as
to form and content of loan documentation
(including documentation relating to mortgage
loans) where a Mortgagee is dealing with a
consumer-Mortgagor (i.e. a natural person
acting outside his/her business, trade or
profession). Failure to comply with the
provisions of the CCA may constitute an
offence. While the section of the CCA which
renders a loan agreement unenforceable for
failure to comply with the CCA does not apply
to a loan secured on a residential property,
this does not mean that a Court would not
hold the relevant agreement unenforceable
were it to form the view that the consumer-
Mortgagor had suffered unfair prejudice both
due to a failure
to comply with the CCA and due to breaches
of other legal
and regulatory obligations. A potential
purchaser of an Irish residential mortgage
book should carefully inspect the terms of the
loan documentation to ensure compliance
with the CCA.
The CPA should also be considered by
potential purchasers
as it imposes a duty on lending institutions to
act fairly in commercial contracts (including
mortgages) with consumers and prohibits
misleading or aggressive practices. However,
failure to comply with the CPA does not render
the underlying contract unenforceable.
Interpretation of Contractual Terms
Under Irish law, when a contract contains an
ambiguous term, the contract will usually be
interpreted against the interests
of the party who drafted it (known as the
contra proferentem rule). As a mortgage will
generally be drafted for or on behalf of the
Mortgagee, any unclear term may be
construed against the Mortgagee and affect its
ability to enforce.
Reform of Bankruptcy Legislation
Under the EU/IMF Programme of Financial
Support for Ireland, the Irish Government was
required to reform the existing
laws in relation to personal insolvency. The
Personal Insolvency Bill was published on 29
June 2012 (the Arthur Cox July 2012 Briefing is
available here). The Bill proposes a significant
overhaul of Irish bankruptcy law by
introducing three types of non-judicial debt
settlement arrangement (Debt Relief Notices,
Debt Settlement Arrangements and Personal
Insolvency
Arrangements), the establishment of an
Insolvency Service and the reduction of the
bankruptcy period from 12 years to 3 years.
The Bill was passed by Dil ireann on 7
November 2012 and is expected to be
presented to the Seanad on 21 November
2012. While only limited amendments were
made at Committee stage and by Dil
ireann, the Minister for Justice has indicated
that additional revisions will be made before it
is presented to the Seanad. The Governments
intention continues to be that the Bill is
enacted into Irish law before the end of 2012.
Notably, the Bill includes a procedure whereby
a borrower may apply for a Personal
Insolvency Arrangement which covers secured
debt up to 3,000,000 and unsecured debt.
Although the Bill provides significant
protections for secured creditors and the tests
for qualifying for a Personal Insolvency
Arrangement are such as to enable
distinctions to be made between cant-pays
and wont pays, the unavoidable impact of
this will be that the principal balance on
certain mortgages will be written-down and
other mortgage loans will be modified. In
combination with the proposed reduction in
the bankruptcy period which should
incentivise banks to deal with unsustainable
mortgages, the Bill, once enacted, will have a
very significant impact on the Irish mortgage
market. Developments in this regard should
continue to be monitored carefully, and a
further Arthur Cox Briefing will be published
once the Bill is finalised.
Registration
Registration of a mortgage is of particular
importance as regards priority over other
creditors. Until recently, the usual practice in
Irish residential mortgage transactions was for
the Mortgagors solicitor to give an
undertaking to the Mortgagee to register the
mortgage following drawdown of the loan.
Solicitors who fail to fulfil such undertaking
within a 6 year period can be sanctioned by
the Law Society of Ireland, and may also face
actions for damages. It is now usual for
Mortgagees to manage this registration
process themselves.
To date in Ireland, there have been significant
delays in registration. Potential purchasers of
Irish residential mortgage books should
diligence the level of unregistered mortgages
and outstanding undertakings relevant to the
book and seek appropriate warranties from
the seller.
Guarantees
A residential mortgage may frequently have
been guaranteed by a third party. Where this
is the case, and a Mortgagee wishes to pursue
the guarantor, the Mortgagee must ensure
that:
the guarantee is stated to be irrevocable
and unconditional;
none of the terms of the guarantee violate
the Unfair
Terms Regulations (see above); and
if the guarantee is from a family member,
the guarantor obtained independent legal
advice (to counteract
any potential arguments of undue influence
having been exerted by the Mortgagor).
Life Policies
In residential mortgages, a life assurance
policy is often provided as security. The CCA
makes it mandatory for the Mortgagee to
arrange for life assurance or mortgage
protection cover guaranteeing repayment of
the loan in the event of the Mortgagors death.
There are certain exceptions, such as where
such life cover is already in place.

http://www.arthurcox.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/01/Arthur-Cox-Legal-
Issues-in-Irish-Residential-Mort-Nov-2012.pdf
She's jus a Cnut labour Fg out out out!

Interesting read this, and note it was dated 2012...... a briefing from Arthur Cox solicitors
( who represent the banks in the eviction courts) aimed at vulture fund type investors,
warning of the difficulties in enforcing security on home mortgages..... and very
interesting to see that Unfair terms and conditions are in there, in 2012!!!
Question should be, how many times did Arthur Cox solicitors, as officers of the
court, while representing a bank plaintiff in the circuit court, do their duty to due
process, to the law and the court, as officers of the court, that the courts should
be checking on the legality of the court process? No doubt an easy answer, no
need for postcards, the top of a needle broken into 50 sections would be more
than enough to answer this one!
http://www.arthurcox.com//Arthur-Cox-Legal-Issues-in-Irish

And if Arthur knew it, so did all the other solicitors, the law society and the
registrars and judges.... just saying, seems the only ones they decided should
need to be ' protected' from these issues, were the circling vulture funds......
nothing to see here now, move along!
Court told Jobstown protester was
arrested and handcuffed in front of
four-year-old child
May 30, 2017

By Isabel Hayes
An anti-water charges protester was arrested and
handcuffed at home in front of his four-year-old child by
garda acting in a manifestly excessive manner, his trial
has been told.
Scott Masterson's child became upset when she saw her
father being handcuffed after six garda called to his
Tallaght home on the morning of February 9, 2015,
defence barrister Roisin Lacey SC told Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court today.

Ms Lacey was cross-examining Detective Garda Darren

Rooney, who denied Mr Masterson's child was present
when he was handcuffed.
Det Gda Rooney took the witness stand on day 23 of the
trial of Mr Masterson who, along with Solidarity TD Paul
Murphy and five other men, have denied falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell
by restricting their personal liberty without their consent at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15,
2014.
The court heard three teams of garda called to the homes
of defendants Scott Masterson, Michael Murphy and
Kieran Mahon to arrest them at around the same time on
February 9, 2015 - a Monday morning.
Det Gda Rooney told Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, that
garda called to Mr Masterson's Tallaght home at 6.55am.
He said there was a child present and garda waited while
Mr Masterson made domestic arrangements.
Mr Masterson was then taken to Tallaght garda station and
interviewed with his solicitor present. A brief interview
transcript was read in court, during which Mr Masterson
identified himself as being present at the protest.
I attended a peaceful protest, Mr Masterson told garda,
the court heard. I remained peaceful and restrained at all
times as is my democratic right.
Under cross-examination from Ms Lacey, representing Mr
Masterson, Det Gda Rooney said six garda went to Mr
Masterson's home. He accepted that Mr Masterson's
youngest child was present at the time, but he denied that
Mr Masterson was handcuffed in front of his child.
I don't recall that it was in front of his four-year-old, he
said, later adding, I don't think I would put someone in
that position.
He rejected Ms Lacey's assertion that another garda told
Mr Masterson to comfort his child after he was handcuffed.
Mr Masterson was making his children's lunches when
garda knocked on the door, Ms Lacey said. He called to
his older child to remain upstairs after garda entered the
home and then phoned his partner to get her to come
home, the court heard.
Det Gda Rooney agreed that Mr Masterson allowed
garda into his home and co-operated with them. When
asked why it was deemed appropriate to handcuff him, he
said it was for our safety and his safety.
It's often the case when someone is arrested, their
behaviour changes, Det Gda Rooney said. Ms Lacey
rejected this, saying: He was making his children's
lunches.
She said Mr Masterson being handcuffed in front of his
four-year-old child was unnecessary and manifestly
excessive.
I'm not accepting he was handcuffed in front of his child,
Det Gda Rooney replied.
The court heard Mr Masterson was not approached by
garda to give a voluntary statement at any stage. When
asked why not, Det Gda Rooney said it was the belief of
the investigation team that an arrest would be most
appropriate.
Earlier, Detective Garda Conor Fleming told the court that
he called to the Tallaght home of Councillor Kieran Mahon
at 6.50am on February 9, 2015.
Mr Mahon was taken to Tallaght garda station, given
access to a solicitor and interviewed briefly later that
morning. He identified himself in an image taken from the
protest and confirmed he was a member of the Anti-
Austerity Alliance.
Under cross-examination from Kerida Naidoo SC,
representing Mr Mahon, Det Gda Fleming confirmed that a
total of six plain-clothes garda went to Mr Mahon's house
that day. Four of them were armed. Mr Mahon's children,
aged 10 and 13, were in the house at the time, the court
heard.
Mr Naidoo put it to Det Gda Fleming that five garda
entered the house that day and dispersed around the
house. Det Gda Fleming said he believed only three
garda entered the house but said he could be open to
correction. All three were armed, he added.
Det Gda Fleming said they knocked on the front door
before Mr Mahon answered and gestured them in to the
living room.
He said they waited while Mr Mahon had a quick wash
but he said he did not believe any garda stood outside the
bathroom door or went upstairs and stood on the landing.
Mr Naidoo said Mr Mahon had spoken with garda in
December and said he was happy to co-operate with
garda and make himself available at any future date. Det
Gda Fleming said he was unaware of this.
He said garda were also unaware there were two children
present before they called to the house.
Would it not be important before you bring armed men
into a house on a school day to know if there might be
children there? Mr Naidoo asked.
I didn't know who was going to be in the house, Det Gda
Fleming said.
He said Mr Mahon did not make any complaints about his
arrest and no firearms were produced at any stage.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank
Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of
Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green,
Tallaght and Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght have pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a
jury.
http://www.echo.ie/show/article/court-told-jobstown-protester-was-
arrested-and-handcuffed-in-front-of-four-year-old-child

Jobstown protester asked Gardai "how

could protesting be false
imprisonment?"
May 31, 2017
By Fiona Ferguson
A 71-year-old man charged with the false imprisonment of
Joan Burton during a water charges protest in Jobstown
told gardai he had joined the protest while in the area
getting petrol.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Frank Donaghy told
garda who explained to him that the maximum sentence
for the offence was life imprisonment: That wouldn't be
long for me. How could protesting be false imprisonment?

Mr Donaghy of Alpine Rise, Tallaght, Dublin along with

Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men, have
denied falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty
without their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
Garda Chris Moylan agreed with Sean Gillane SC,
prosecuting, that he was one of a number of garda who
attended at Mr Donaghy's home on February 12, 2015 at
7.21am to arrest him. He said they rang the doorbell and
the door was answered by Mr Donaghy.
The court heard they were invited into the house and Mr
Donaghy was cautioned before being brought to Tallaght
garda station where he was interviewed.
Mr Donaghy told garda he was a member of the Anti
Austerity Alliance. He said he had been in the area getting
petrol and had not known there was a protest going on.
He said he had stopped, joined in a peaceful protest and
had been there for a few hours. He said that all he
remembered was taking part in a sit down protest and
sitting down with others behind Ms Burton's car until the
garda came and pulled them away.
It was a sit down protest. People have been doing it for
years. I think it's fairly legitimate, he told garda. Garda
asked him what his intention was and he told them that he
did not recall.
He told garda that the atmosphere was peaceful and said
he felt safe. He said garda had tried to pick someone up
from the back of the car and that's when the trouble
started. He described that people came from
everywhere.
Garda asked him to describe the trouble and he said it
was people pulling and pushing and shouting, adding I
forget most of it really.
The garda agreed during cross examination by defence
counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, that it was never suggested
during questioning that Mr Donaghy had directly stopped
Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell leaving the car.
He agreed with Mr Dwyer that Mr Donaghy, who has no
previous convictions, had been up front, frank and gave
complete explanations about how long he was there, what
he did there and when he left.
Mr Dywer said the bottom line thrust of Mr Donaghy's
position had been that he did not think he had done
anything wrong by joining a sit down protest.
The garda agreed rights of personal liberty and security
outlined in the Irish Constitution and the European
Convention of Human Rights had been put to Mr Donaghy
during interview but that there were also rights to
associate and hold and express opinions.
He agreed with Dwyer that he was aware rights often
compete and have to be balanced.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Ken Purcell
(50) of Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview
Green, Tallaght; Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght and Mr Donaghy have pleaded not guilty to falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell
by restricting their personal liberty without their consent at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15,
2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a
jury.
http://www.echo.ie/show/article/jobstown-protester-asked-gardai-how-
could-protesting-be-false-imprisonment

Jobstown protester asked Gardai "how

could protesting be false
imprisonment?"
May 31, 2017

By Fiona Ferguson
A 71-year-old man charged with the false imprisonment of
Joan Burton during a water charges protest in Jobstown
told gardai he had joined the protest while in the area
getting petrol.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Frank Donaghy told
garda who explained to him that the maximum sentence
for the offence was life imprisonment: That wouldn't be
long for me. How could protesting be false imprisonment?
Mr Donaghy of Alpine Rise, Tallaght, Dublin along with
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men, have
denied falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty
without their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
Garda Chris Moylan agreed with Sean Gillane SC,
prosecuting, that he was one of a number of garda who
attended at Mr Donaghy's home on February 12, 2015 at
7.21am to arrest him. He said they rang the doorbell and
the door was answered by Mr Donaghy.
The court heard they were invited into the house and Mr
Donaghy was cautioned before being brought to Tallaght
garda station where he was interviewed.
Mr Donaghy told garda he was a member of the Anti
Austerity Alliance. He said he had been in the area getting
petrol and had not known there was a protest going on.
He said he had stopped, joined in a peaceful protest and
had been there for a few hours. He said that all he
remembered was taking part in a sit down protest and
sitting down with others behind Ms Burton's car until the
garda came and pulled them away.
It was a sit down protest. People have been doing it for
years. I think it's fairly legitimate, he told garda. Garda
asked him what his intention was and he told them that he
did not recall.
He told garda that the atmosphere was peaceful and said
he felt safe. He said garda had tried to pick someone up
from the back of the car and that's when the trouble
started. He described that people came from
everywhere.
Garda asked him to describe the trouble and he said it
was people pulling and pushing and shouting, adding I
forget most of it really.
The garda agreed during cross examination by defence
counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, that it was never suggested
during questioning that Mr Donaghy had directly stopped
Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell leaving the car.
He agreed with Mr Dwyer that Mr Donaghy, who has no
previous convictions, had been up front, frank and gave
complete explanations about how long he was there, what
he did there and when he left.
Mr Dywer said the bottom line thrust of Mr Donaghy's
position had been that he did not think he had done
anything wrong by joining a sit down protest.
The garda agreed rights of personal liberty and security
outlined in the Irish Constitution and the European
Convention of Human Rights had been put to Mr Donaghy
during interview but that there were also rights to
associate and hold and express opinions.
He agreed with Dwyer that he was aware rights often
compete and have to be balanced.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Ken Purcell
(50) of Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview
Green, Tallaght; Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght and Mr Donaghy have pleaded not guilty to falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell
by restricting their personal liberty without their consent at
Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15,
2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a
jury.

http://www.echo.ie/show/article/jobstown-protester-asked-
gardai-how-could-protesting-be-false-imprisonment

Garda said he was called a "woman

beater" and a "uniformed scumbag"
during Jobstown protest
May 29, 2017
By Isabel Hayes
A garda witness has said he was called a woman beater,
a disgrace, a uniformed scumbag and a coward after he
helped a woman who fell over during the Jobstown water
charges protest.
Garda Jonathan Ryan took the stand on day 22 of the trial
of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men who are
accused of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan
Burton and her aide Karen O'Connell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The men have denied the charges at Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court.
Today Gda Ryan told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting,
that he arrived at the scene to see Ms Burton and Ms
O'Connell in the back of a car that was surrounded by
protesters. He said he recognised Paul Murphy among the
protesters.
Gda Ryan said some of the protesters were banging on
the car, which was shaking. It wasn't a nice situation at
all, he said.
Gda Ryan said he was at the scene about three-quarters
of an hour when a decision was made to move the women
to a garda jeep. He described garda forming a cordon of
two lines to protect the women, but it dissolved in a
matter of seconds.
She was protected by the guards and then she was
swarmed by protesters, Gda Ryan said of Ms Burton. He
described the situation as extremely hostile and
aggressive.
Once the women were in the jeep, Gda Ryan described
how a bottleneck formed among the crowd, causing him to
fear for the safety of those present.
People very deliberately stationed themselves in front of
the jeep to make sure it couldn't move even though people
were being caught up in the squeeze, Gda Ryan said.
Protesters who sat in front of the jeep were creating a
very dangerous situation, he added.
Gda Ryan said at one point, a woman fell over and he
helped her up. He said one of the defendants, Michael
Banks, then called him a woman beater, a disgrace, a
uniformed scumbag and a coward. Gda Ryan said Mr
Banks had seen what happened and was just trying to
goad him.
Gda Ryan went on to describe how later when the jeep
had made its way onto Fortunestown Rd inch by inch, he
saw Paul Murphy hold a vote among protesters as to
whether Ms Burton should be kept there or marched out of
the area.
He said there was a unanimous decision to keep her
there and that Paul Murphy appeared very very pleased
with this.
He appeared to be enjoying himself, Gda Ryan said of
Paul Murphy. He was smiling and chuckling away.
Under cross-examination from Sean Guerin SC,
representing Paul Murphy, Gda Ryan was shown video
footage of the vote being taken by protesters. The footage,
which has been played several times in court, showed
Paul Murphy and Michael Murphy voting to march Ms
Burton's car out of the area. The majority of the crowd
voted to keep Ms Burton there.
Mr Guerin put it to Gda Ryan that his evidence was
wholly incomplete and misleading. He said his
recollection of events was such to portray Paul Murphy in
the worst possible light.
I don't remember everything that happened, Gda Ryan
replied. He said he did not hear everything that was said
on the day, but he reiterated that he saw Paul Murphy
smiling and laughing during the vote.
The court heard that in his statement, Gda Ryan
described Paul Murphy as being in charge. Mr Guerin
put it to Gda Ryan that he toned down his evidence by
not saying this to the jury.
You're a dishonest witness to whom terrible things may
have happened that day, but who made a false statement
that Mr (Paul) Murphy was in control of the crowd that day
which you have not been willing to confirm under oath to
the prosecution and only done so reluctantly when put to
you by the defence in the teeth of evidence to the
contrary, Mr Guerin said.
Gda Ryan denied this, saying his evidence to the jury was
honest.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank
Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of
Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green,
Tallaght and Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght have pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a
jury.

http://www.echo.ie/show/article/garda-said-he-was-called-
a-woman-beater-and-a-uniformed-scumbag-during-
jobstown-protest

Jobstown protest trial hears evidence

of Mick Murphy's arrest
May 29, 2017

By Isabel Hayes
A South Dublin councillor told garda there will be no
issue explaining that to any judge when shown video
footage from the Jobstown anti-water charge protests, his
trial has heard.
When arrested and interviewed by garda in February
2015, Councillor Michael Murphy repeatedly told garda
the video footage speaks for itself and he said the rights
of both sides were balanced on the day of the 2014
protest, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today.

Cllr Mick Murphy

Mr Murphy's garda interview transcripts were read out on
day 22 of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy who, along
with Michael Murphy and five other men, are accused of
falsely imprisoning former Tanaiste Joan Burton and her
aide Karen O'Connell by restricting their personal liberty
without their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The men have denied the charges at Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court.
Detective Garda David Connolly told Sean Gillane SC,
prosecuting, that garda went to Michael Murphy's
Ballyboden address at 6.45am on February 9, 2015,
where they found him sitting in his car. He was arrested
and cautioned.
During two interviews that day, garda played video
footage from the protest, including footage in which a vote
was held as to whether to keep Ms Burton there or march
her out of the area. When garda asked Michael Murphy if
taking a vote implied that Ms Burton was not free to leave,
he replied: The video speaks for itself, the court heard.
When asked if that was him walking alongside the jeep
containing Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell, Michael Murphy
replied: Whoever that is has his hands in his pockets
walking. The video speaks for itself. It's quite clear, the
court heard.
When asked if that was him banging on the jeep, Michael
Murphy once again replied: The video speaks for itself.
When garda asked who he was speaking to when he
made comments about bringing Ms Burton back to the
church as that was the only place she would be safe,
Michael Murphy replied: Who brought her out of the
church is the answer to that. The video is quite clear.
There will be no issue explaining that to any judge.
When questioned about the rights of Ms Burton and Ms
O'Connell, Michael Murphy said: There's also the right to
protest. These videos would suggest both rights were
balanced on the day.
Earlier, Garda John Healy told the court that when he
arrived at the protest he was called a rat, a traitor, a free
state bastard by protesters. I was told I deserved to die a
horrible death, he said.
Gda Healy said he was also approached by two young
fellas at one point, who he said threatened to rob his
wedding ring, baton and pepper spray. He said a female
protester apologised for the men's behaviour and told him:
That's not what we're about.
Gda Healy said he recognised Paul Murphy at the protest
because he was a TD. He said he believed Mr Murphy
showed a blatant disregard for the safety of garda and
Ms Burton.
She could have been seriously hurt if anyone got at her,
Gda Healy said of Ms Burton.
Gda Healy said he believed Paul Murphy was in charge.
He was a sitting TD. He had a councillor with him and a
number of supporters. He would have been the most
senior person, so to speak, Gda Healy said.
In cross-examination, Mr Guerin put it to Gda Healy that it
was better to be called a free state bastard than a Tan
man, referring to the Black and Tans.
I wouldn't like to be called either, Gda Healy replied.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank
Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of
Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green,
Tallaght and Scott Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive,
Tallaght have pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown
Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a
jury.
http://www.echo.ie/tallaght/article/jobstown-protest-trial-hears-evidence-of-
mick-murphy-s-arrest

Jobstown trial: Schoolboy

discharged after false
imprisonment verdict
Welcome to Ireland 2016, where bankers etc walk free yet
a school boy is found guilty of kidnapping, despite @ 90
garda there!
http://www.irishtimes.com//jobstown-trial-schoolboy-
found-

Judge says former tnaiste and adviser forcibly detained

during water charge protest
Fri, Oct 21, 2016,
Fiona Gartland, Tom Tuite
Protesters during the trial of a 17-year-old for false imprisonment at the Dublin
Childrens Court in Smithfield, Dublin. Video: Colm Keena
A judge has said that he was satisfied a schoolboy was
guilty of the false imprisonment of former tnaiste Joan
Burton during a water charges protest in Jobstown two
years ago.
However, Judge John King said he was discharging the
youth conditionally on good behaviour for nine months.
The teenager will not have a criminal record.
The youth denied falsely imprisoning the former Labour
Party leader and her adviser Karen OConnell, who were
allegedly trapped in two Garda cars for three hours
during a demonstration at the Fortunestown Road in
Jobstown, Tallaght, on November 15th, 2014. He was
aged 15 at the time.
The Dublin West TD had been at a graduation ceremony
at An Cosn education centre when a water charges
protest took place outside.
She told the court earlier that she was frightened and did
not think she had the alternative of being able to get out
of Garda cars surrounded by people shouting abuse and
banging on windows.
In closing submissions in the four-day trial, which saw
daily protests outside the court from anti-water charge
activists, the 17-year olds legal team argued that the
prosecution was a recipe for totalitarianism.
Human rights
Asking the judge to dismiss the charges, they contended
that the prosecution was not in accordance with Irish or
European human rights laws and that the State had not
made out a case to answer.
However, the judge found the personal liberty of Ms
Burton and Ms OConnell was restricted and they were
forcibly detained during the incident.
The judge noted Ms Burton, in evidence, said when she
was walking into the church, for a conferring ceremony,
the boy was holding a phone close to her and saying talk
to us, talk to us.
YouTube footage showed the incident and, the judge
said, he did not accept a person behind the boy
obstructed him so he could not move out of the way.
Other footage showed the boy with a megaphone and
another clip showed him at the very least in animated
conversation with garda. He said the boy was an active
participant in blocking the car and most damning of
all, when told Ms Burton and Ms OConnell were getting
into an unmarked Garda car, he ran and called other
protesters and they surrounded the car.
He also used a megaphone and shouted at protesters to
sit down and chanted no way, we wont pay, the judge
said.
Judge King highlighted RT footage that showed the boy
in front of the vehicle and in front of the public order
unit. He said the boy was present from the walk to the
church to the slow march of the Garda vehicle out of the
area and was an active participant.
Not peaceful
He said all elements of common design were made out
and the assembly was not peaceful and was contrary to
public order and morality.
This meant it did not attract the protection of the
Constitution or of the European Convention on Human
Rights. He said if the accused wished to challenge the
constitutionality of the legislation under which he was
charged, or its compatibility with the convention, the
District Court was not the appropriate venue.
He added rights under both were not unqualified and
depended on the facts of the case.
The court heard earlier that, in a statement to garda, the
boy said he was sorry for participating, and the stress I
am learning I placed the tnaiste under. He also said he
was sorry for wasting his mothers and Garda time.
Det Insp Derek Maguire told the court it was like a
rugby maul when he tried to escort Ms Burton from An
Cosn to the nearby St Thomass Church for the second
part of the graduation ceremony.
He told the court Ms Burton got hit with some kind of
object in the head. Her shoe came off and there was
pure aggression during the stand-off.
Speaking outside the court after sentencing, the boys
father said the case would be appealed.
We are not happy. He is not guilty of anything; he didnt
do anything, he said. There is no justice in this country
for young people.
His words were greeted with cheers from a crowd of
more than 100 protesters.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-
law/courts/jobstown-trial-schoolboy-discharged-
after-false-imprisonment-verdict-1.2838080

Enda Kenny's last Leaders' Questions: Dog Latin

and Clare Daly like a dog with a bone
Illegitiminon carborundum: The Taoiseach had just been
asked by Galway Independent TD Noel Grealish if he had
any advice for his successor in the job, and he jokingly
offered the dog-Latin phrase which roughly translates as
Dont let the bastards grind you down, writes Lise
Hand.
hursday, June 01, 2017

Light-hearted as the exchange was between the two men,

it was a telling phrase all the same because it revealed
one of the main characteristics of a politician who had
weathered 42 years in politics, including 13 elections, 15
years as party leader and six years as Taoiseach.
Resilience.
Even his most adamantine foes would acknowledge Enda
Kennys ability to rebound after knock-downs or put-downs
or setbacks.
It was advice quietly digested by the two Cassius-like lean
and hungry contenders Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar
who were sitting a few feet away, but both looking as if
they wished to be anywhere else as their boss stepped
into the ring for whats likely to be his final bout of
Leaders Questions.
At first, it seemed as if it would be a ho-hum business-as-
usual session, although unusually for an increasingly
sparsely-attended parliamentary set-piece, every Fine
Gael minister bar Michael Noonan was present and correct
along the front benches. Fianna Fils Michel Martin
quizzed Enda at length on the selling of AIB shares. But
then when Gerry Adams began to grill him on the same
theme, Michel decided it was time to have some fun.
Taoiseach, dont mention the Northern Bank, he loudly
advised Enda, referring to the 26.5m heist allegedly
carried out by an IRA gang in 2004. Guffaws broke out
around the (non-Sinn Fin) sides of the Dil chamber. I
didnt mention the Northern Bank, Enda promptly
repeated three times to the Sinn Fin leader.
They were all beginning to get a bit giddy, when an
unamused Clare Daly brought them all back down to earth
with a thud. When the dust settles, your legacy will be
stained by the manner in which you handled the departure
of the previous garda commissioner, a stain which has
obviously cast a shadow over your willingness or ability to
deal with the present one, she declared sternly. I feel
bad for you because of this.
Oh dear. It looked as if the Taoiseachs swan-song was
going to end on a bum note. But then on comes Noel
Grealish with a flourish, channeling his inner Gaybo. Will
you outline what you consider to be your greatest
achievements? Also, what are your biggest regrets? he
asked, before wondering aloud what advice Enda would
give Leo or Simon on his way out the door.
All sides roared. Clare Daly and her trusty sidekick Mick
Wallace left in silent high dudgeon at this outbreak of
cross-chamber chumminess. Communications Minister
Denis Naughton laughed and shook his head. He was
scarlet for Noel.
How long do I have, Ceann Comhairle? requested a jolly
Enda.
Three minutes is sufficient, suggested Barry Cowen,
ready with the boot.
I have absolutely no regrets about having appointed
Minister Simon and Minister Leo Varadkar. They are two
fine young men, he gestured towards the duo who were
only morto at the sudden attention being drawn to the
election elephant in the room. What about the rest of
them? sniped Dara Calleary, as more rowdiness broke
out.
Then Enda decided to take a short trip down a memory
lane which another minister would prefer to forget. They
might not have been my supporters when my friend
Richard took to the field some years ago. Everyone
enjoyed the discomfiture as the Taoiseach got one last kick
in at the unfortunate rebels.
Noel was on a roll. Denis Naughten and I put the fear of
God into Simon and Leo a few weeks ago when we sent
them a text message saying that the Taoiseach was going
to announce the following morning that he would step
down one week after Mayo wins the All-Ireland final. Denis
was telling me poor Leo was crying in the corner, saying
he will never get the job of Taoiseach, he crowed. Even
Leo laughed at that. As did Simon, most heartily.
But then life moved on, as life does. The Order of Business
began, and Endas team drifted out of the chamber.
Theyre like the primroses, melting off the ditch when the
hailstones come, observed Mattie McGrath.
The chamber was much quieter by the time that Enda
wrapped up his final Taoiseachs Questions. You wont
have me to deal with for too long more, he told the Leas
Ceann Comhairle in a (probably) unconscious echo of
Richard Nixons bitter exit line to the media in 1962 as he
bowed out of politics, only to be elected president four
years later.
Perhaps Taoiseach Leo or Taoiseach Simon should put a big
red circle around 2021. Just in case.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/
enda-kennys-last-leaders-questions-dog-latin-and-
clare-daly-like-a-dog-with-a-bone-451358.html

Verdict in Magdalene case may be far-reaching

Two former residents of An Griann training centre will
learn today if the High Court will allow them to be
admitted to the Magdalene redress scheme. During the
case, it was revealed that the Ombudsman was already
formally investigating the scheme. Conall Ftharta
reveals the extraordinary nine-month row between the
Ombudsman and the Department of Justice which could
have far-reaching consequences for the scheme
Thursday, June 01, 2017

THE determination of two women to go to the High Court

to fight a decision by the Department of Justice to exclude
them from the Magdalene redress scheme has led the
Ombudsman to launch a full investigation into whether the
scheme has been administered fairly.
While the case has received the smallest amount of
publicity, it could have far-reaching consequences for the
Department of Justice in terms of how it has administered
one of the largest redress schemes in recent years.
The Ombudsman has confirmed it is to investigate
possible prima facie evidence of maladministration of
the scheme by the department a significant
development by any stretch.
The inquiry will consider whether the application process
operated in an open and fair manner and whether the
department relied on information that was irrelevant
and/or incomplete, when deciding on a persons eligibility
under the scheme.
It will also look at how the department sourced, gathered,
and evaluated information on the Magdalene laundries
and other institutions covered under the redress scheme.
The investigation will cover issues raised in nine of the 30
complaints the Ombudsman has received from women
who were excluded from the scheme but will also involve a
wider investigation into the administration of the scheme
generally.
In a letter to one of the women involved in the case, the
Ombudsman bluntly states that, following a re-
examination of her case, he has concluded that there is
on the face of it, evidence of maladministration.
So how did it get to this?
It began with two women who had been admitted to An
Griann training centre which was located on the grounds
of the High Park Magdalene laundry operated by the
Sisters of Our Lady of Charity.
Both women worked in the laundry as young girls. This
was not disputed. However, they were denied access to
the redress scheme by the Department of Justice because
they had been admitted to An Griann and not to the
laundry directly.
The view of the department which was publicly stated
on numerous occasions by Justice Minister Frances
Fitzgerald is that An Griann was a separate entity to
the High Park laundry which served a different purpose.
The Government also repeatedly defended the exclusion
of the training centre from the scheme by stating it was
included in the Residential Institutions Redress Board
scheme (RIRB).
All women admitted to An Griann were entitled to full
compensation for the entire duration of their stay under
that scheme.
After the Department of Justice refused the women on
appeal in June and October 2015, proceedings were
lodged.
Separately, in June 2015, the Ombudsman upheld a
decision by the Department of Justice to refuse three
women who were in An Griann access to the scheme.
While the fact that you worked in the laundry attached to
St Marys Refuge is not in dispute, I do not see anywhere
in the file where there is any dispute regarding the fact
that you were admitted to An Griann and not St Marys
Refuge.
Therefore, as you were not admitted to one of the 12
listed institutions, I do not see a basis for concluding that
there was maladministration in the teams decision not to
approve your application on the basis that you did not
qualify for funding under the Scheme, he said.
The Ombudsmans decision came on June 2, 2015 just
two days before the Irish Examiner revealed that evidence
that An Griann training centre and the High Park
Magdalene laundry were one and the same thing was
uncovered by the HSE in 2012.

This evidence was to become central to the High Court

case that followed and the current investigation of the
scheme.
The three women sought a judicial review of the
Ombudsmans decision and in December 2015, as part of
a settlement, the Ombudsman agreed to re-examine the
cases.
According to the correspondence obtained by the Irish
Examiner, within four months, the Ombudsman had
changed its position and had formed the view that An
Griann residents should be eligible for the Magdalene
redress scheme.
This sparked a remarkable nine-month dispute between
the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice over the
latters interpretation of An Griann and the scheme itself.
It ended with the Ombudsman feeling it had no choice but
to launch an investigation into whether the scheme has
been administered fairly.
Remarkably, none of this had been revealed to the two
women taking the case against the department or their
legal team until last January.
The row began in April 2016, when a senior investigator at
the Office of the Ombudsman, Tom Morgan, wrote to
assistant secretary at the Department of Justice and
Equality Jimmy Martin stating that the latters decision to
refuse a Ms McG access to the scheme should be
reviewed.
He stated this should be done as the departments
assertion that An Griann was a specific and separate
institution from High Park laundry that had been dealt with
by the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) was
not supported by the evidence.
Having considered the facts of this case again, we cannot
agree with this contention and do not believe it is
supported by the evidence. From the information
available, it appears that any division between An Griann
and St Marys laundry can only be considered quite
artificial and did not reflect the reality of everyday life
there, states the letter.
Mr Morgan stated that while alterations were carried out in
1971 partitioning off a second floor of the laundry, this
was not enough to show that separate entity was
created. He also refers to the HSE evidence uncovered by
the Irish Examiner in support of this view.
Furthermore, the HSE accepted (in a memo dated June
2012) that St Marys and An Griann were essentially one
and the same. This would appear to be a reasonable
conclusion in view of the fact that the women and girls all
shared the same buildings and had to automatically spend
a portion of each day working in the St Marys laundry,
regardless of what part of the building they slept in.
Mr Morgan also points out that while the woman (Ms McG)
received an award from the RIRB, such women are not
excluded from the Magdalene redress scheme.
A lengthy response was issued by Mr Martin at the
department on May 4, in which he accepts that, as An
Griann was not a separate entity until 1971, Ms McG
would be admitted to the scheme.
However, he argued that there was strong evidence that
they were separate institutions by the very fact that it was
eligible for the RIRB and those in the laundry were not. He
also states that An Griann was a certified place of
detention for remand and probation and was an approved
residential childrens home by the Department of Health.
It is clear from 1971 that a newly created unit called An
Griann Training Centre, with its own access was
established and more formal education was provided, he
states.

Mr Martin also states that the HSE memo stating that An

Griann and High Park laundry were one and the same
thing did not in any way constitute acceptance by the
HSE that St Marys and An Griann were one and the
same.
The author of the memo was not in effect in a position,
nor do not believe it was the intention of the memo, to
establish whether St Marys and An Grianan was
essentially one and the same.
He was considering if records relating to An Griann
should be submitted to the McAleese committee.
Mr Martin also took issue with the Ombudsmans views
that women who received a payment under the RIRB could
access the scheme pointing out that the terms of
reference make it clear that institutions covered under the
RIRB are not included in the redress scheme.
If An Griann was to be included in the scheme it would
be necessary to seek a further Government decision on
expanding the scheme to include a further institution. We
would also need to ask the Government to consider
including an institution which was provided for in the
Residential Redress Board Scheme resulting in a situation
whereby some women will receive double compensation
for the same period of time spent in the one institution.
By June, the department had issued the Ombudsman with
a document certifying An Griann as a place of detention
in 1971.
Mr Martin also supplied correspondence with the Sisters of
Our Lady of Charity in 2013 in which they clearly set out
the services they provided in High Park and clearly state
that, in 1971, a newly-created unit was established with
completely separate living space and its own access which
could accommodate 15 girls and was called An Griann
Training Centre.
However, the material was not enough to sway the
Ombudsman. In fact, it only confirmed its view that the
two institutions remained intrinsically linked post 1972.
On June 10, Mr Morgan informs Mr Martin that the Office of
the Ombudsman has conducted a review of 30 complaints
to its office from women had applied to the scheme and
had decided that 13 warrant further consideration.
Three further cases shared the same characteristics as Ms
McGs case and Mr Martin is advised that they should be
treated accordingly.
There are another four applicants who resided in An
Grianan between 1972 and 1980 and who worked in the
laundry. It is our view that the lines between An G and St
Marys continued to be blurred after 1972 when it was
certified as a remand centre.
The Order certifies it as a remand centre for four girls but
there were 15 there at any one time. Even the report of
the inspection [supplied to the Ombudsman by the
Department Of Justice] refers to reserving one bedroom
for remand girls accommodating about four.
It was separate in so far as the sleeping arrangements
were concerned but there is no evidence that it was
separate in any other real way, such as kitchen, dining
room or any other communal areas.
Mr Morgan also points out that the correspondence from
the Order themselves in 2013 confirms that girls
continued to work in the laundry up to 1980.
As this is a restorative justice scheme, it is our view that
the absence of evidence to the contrary, the benefit of the
doubt should be afforded to these applicants and these
further four complainants should be entitled to redress
under the scheme, he wrote.

The senior investigator also points to two other

applications raising a similar issue to An Griann in that
the institutions may have been one and the same and we
intend to consider this further.
While we have had sight of 30 cases, you will have
received a far greater number of applications and we
would expect that any applicants who were resident in An
Griann should automatically have their case reviewed.
I should point out that we received a new complaint from
an applicant as recently as this week, therefore, we cannot
say that this is the totality of cases under consideration by
us, writes Mr Morgan.
However, the department refuses to budge on the issue
and the following month restates its opinion that that High
Park and An Griann were separate institutions and that
any effort to include the latter in the redress scheme
would require a decision from Government.
By July 15, the Ombudsmans annoyance becomes clear
and the first mention of a possible investigation of the
administration of the scheme is mentioned.
Mr Morgan points out that no decision of Government is
required as all of the women under review by the
Ombudsman had worked in one of the 12 listed
institutions by dint of the fact they all worked in the High
Park laundry.
It is our view that any individual who underwent forced
labour at the behest of the State without pay should be
entitled to redress under the scheme... While we are of the
view that the operation of the scheme itself may show
evidence of prima facie maladministration, if it is intended
through the Memorandum for Government or otherwise, to
interpret the scheme as including these individuals, then
we would be satisfied to resolve the complaints on that
basis.
If, however, that is not the intention, then we will need to
consider whether an investigation into the operation of the
scheme is warranted, states Mr Morgan.
However, the threat of an investigation did little to sway
the department which asks for any evidence of
maladministration to be forwarded on.
On September 30, Mr Morgan replies to Mr Martin outlining
a case where the Ombudsman felt it was unclear why
the department relied on a specific date of discharge for a
Ms R.
According to correspondence on file, Ms R was admitted
to St Marys Refuge/An Griann on xxx. The department
has stated that she was discharged on xxx. However, it is
not clear from an examination of the file, why this date
was chosen as other possible dates of discharge are also
referred to in correspondence. Ms R has stated that she
did not leave An Griann until around xxx.
The amended social insurance record, as provided by the
Department of Social Protection, shows a date of entry
into insurable employment as 1981/82. In light of this, and
in the apparent absence of any other independent
evidence, it is our view that Ms Rs testimony in this
regard should be accepted..
Mr Morgan states that the above amounted to prima facie
evidence that the decision to refuse Ms Rs application for
the whole of the period she worked there may have been
taken on irrelevant grounds, based on erroneous or
incomplete information, improperly discriminatory and
otherwise contrary to fair or sound administration.
By October 21 last, relations between the two parties
deteriorated further with the Ombudsman unhappy that
the departments responses go back over old ground hat
has already been covered and makes general assertions
that do not adequately address the specific facts and
issues raised in the above cases.
Mr Morgan again states that if the department is not
willing to review the cases of women who worked in An
Griann up until 1980 the Ombudsman will have no
alternative but to institute an investigation encompassing
the outstanding cases.
On November 3, Mr Martin informs the Ombudsmans
office that it had sought the advice of the Attorney
General on the matter and simply wished to reiterate
what had previously been argued in relation to the status
of An Griann.
Mr Martin also states that it is the view of the department
that the Ombudsman is acting outside of its remit, as
including residents of An Griann to the redress scheme
amounts to adding an institution to the scheme.
It is our understanding that the Ombudsmans jurisdiction
is confined under section 4 of the Ombudsman Act 1980
(as amended) to the examination of the administration of
scheme such as the Magdalene Laundries Restorative
Justice Ex Gratia Scheme and that the Ombudsman does
not have jurisdiction to engage in matters of policy.
It is our view that any suggestion to nominate new
institutions or to change the nature or scope of the
scheme is to question the underlying policy and is ultra
vires the Ombudsmans role under the Act.
On December 9, Mr Morgan informs Mr Martin that the
Ombudsman is launching an investigation into the
scheme. This was formally issued by Ombudsman Peter
Tyndall to secretary general of the Department of Justice
Noel Waters.
Mr Tyndall stated the investigation would examine
whether the application process operated in a clear, open,
fair and consistent manner; whether the Department
relied on irrelevant and/or incomplete information when
deciding on a persons eligibility under the scheme and
the various practices of the department in sourcing,
gathering and evaluating information on the institutions
covered by the scheme.
A bitter nine-month behind the scenes row with the
Department of Justice led the Ombudsman to launch an
investigation into the possible maladministration of the
Magdalene redress scheme.

The annual Flowers for Magdalene event. The Magdalene

redress scheme is now the subject of an investigation.
Picture: RollingNews.ie

Launched last December, it will examine:

if the application process operated in a clear, open, fair
and consistent manner
whether the department relied on irrelevant and/or
incomplete information when deciding on a persons
eligibility under the scheme and the various practices of
the department in sourcing, gathering and evaluating
information on the institutions covered by the scheme.
The inquiry will cover issues raised in nine of the 30
complaints the Ombudsman has received from women
who were excluded from the scheme but will also involve a
wider investigation into the administration of the scheme
generally.
However, the decision to launch the investigation came
after a nine-month series of exchanges between the
Ombudsman and the Department of Justice beginning in
April of last year.
That month, senior investigator at the Office of the
Ombudsman Tom Morgan wrote to assistant secretary at
the Department of Justice Jimmy Martin stating its belief
that former residents of the An Griann training centre
which was on the grounds of the High Park Magdalene
Laundry in Dublin should be eligible for the Magdalene
redress scheme. Mr Morgan said the departments
decision to refuse a Ms McG access to the scheme should
be reviewed.
He stated this should be done as the departments
assertion that An Griann was a specific and separate
institution from High Park laundry that had been dealt with
by the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) was
not supported by the evidence.
Having considered the facts of this case again, we cannot
agree with this contention and do not believe it is
supported by the evidence. From the information
available, it appears that any division between An Griann
and St Marys laundry can only be considered quite
artificial and did not reflect the reality of everyday life
there, stated Mr Morgan.
This was to spark a remarkable series of back and forth
exchanges between the Ombudsman and the department
on the issue, with the department vigorously contesting
the claim.
By September, the Ombudsman was outlining a specific
instance to the department where it was unclear why it
used a specific date of discharge for a Ms R.
By November, Mr Martin had informed the Ombudsman it
had sought the attorney generals advice before stating
the Ombudsman was acting outside its remit.
The following month Ombudsman Peter Tyndall wrote to
the secretary general of the department to inform him
that a formal investigation into the operation of the
scheme was being launched.
 Magdalene survivors 'shocked and angered' after Government grants National
Maternity Hospital to religious order

The Government is being accused of showing a total

disconnect with Irish women in handing ownership of the
new National Maternity Hospital to the Sisters of Charity.

A demonstration will take place outside the Department of

Health in Dublin this lunchtime.

An 'Uplift' petition has already attracted tens of thousands

of signatures in a bid to block the move.

Follow

Graham Linehan

. I'm against Magdalene nuns controlling the

https://
my.uplift.ie/petitions/bloc
k-sisters-of-chairty-as-sole-owners-of-national-maternity-
hospital?bucket=&source=twitter-share-button
via
53 53 Retweets120 120 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Organisers say they have a clear message for the Minister

for Health, that Ireland wants well-funded, State-run public
services, that are not owned by the church, big
corporations, or anyone else.

Survivors of the Magdalene Laundries say they are

"shocked and angered" at the decision to hand over
ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital to the
religious order as part of a deal for the land at the site.

Millions of euro are still owed by the church in

compensation to victims of institutional abuse.

Opposition parties have claimed there could be a conflict

between medical decisions, the possibility of new abortion
legislation, and the new owners' Catholic values.

Department of Health
Block Sisters of Charity as
'sole owners' of National
Maternity Hospital
DK

Campaign created by
Denise Kiernan
Sign and share this petition to prevent the Sisters
of Charity becoming 'sole owners' of the hospital.
Show the state we will not allow the abuse of our
babies, children, and women to be swept under
the rug. Demand a formal apology from Sisters of
Charity and demand they pay their share of the
redress scheme.
Why is this important?
The Sisters of Charity is one of 18 residential institutions that is
highlighted by the Ryan report 2009 to have been responsible for
child abuse. They still owe 3 million to the redress scheme for
its survivors. The Sisters of Charity, along with three other
religious congregations, were responsible for the management
of Magdalene Laundries. In 2013 they stated they would not be
making ANY contributions to the State redress scheme to the
women who had been subject abuse in the Magdalene
Laundries. The Department of Health now want to give 'sole'
ownership of the new 300 million State-funded National
Maternity Hospital.
Deny them 'sole' ownership. Demand they formally apologise
 and pay redress.
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/block-sisters-of-chairty-as-
sole-owners-of-national-maternity-hospital?
bucket=&source=twitter-share-button

View image on Twitter

Follow

Uplift
Anyone who thinks can be operated free from ethos -
read their website
http://
bit.ly/2phmoKz

10:52 PM - 19 Apr 2017

\ 47 47 Retweets32 32 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Former WRC chairman, Kieran Mulvey, who brokered the

deal, says the funds owed by the order is a seperate issue
- and Health Minister Simon Harris says the Sisters of
Charity won't have any religious influence in the new
hospital.

But Councillor ilis Ryan from the Workers Party, which is

organising today's demonstration, says the Government
have 'widely' missed the mark.

"Thousands are interested in coming along to this

demonstration, more demonstrations are organised for the
weekend, and it's very much, I think, the straw that broke
the camel's back," she said.

The demonstration is taking place outside the Department

of Health, at Hawkins House, in Dublin city centre at 1pm
today, with others being organised around the country.

Follow

Patricia O' Dwyer

Cork University Maternity Hospital Protest - We own our
hospitals. Nationwide
Saturday 22nd April 3pm
 4:52 PM - 19 Apr 2017
\ Retweets1 1 like
Twitter Ads info and privacy

High Court Magdalenes case adjourned after Ombudsman probe

revealed

A High Court case has revealed that the Department of

Justice is under investigation by the Ombudsman for its
administration of the redress scheme for survivors of the
Magdalene Laundries.

The Justice for Magdalenes group says the case has been
adjourned while representatives from the Department of
Justice explain why the Ombudsman's investigation was
not initially disclosed.

Two women are challenging the department's decision not

to include them in the redress scheme, despite the fact
the women worked in the laundries as children.

Katherine O'Donnell from the Justice for Magdalenes

research group said: "Because they did not reveal that
information to the court, the High Court had to adjourn the
case to allow the Department explain why they omitted to
bring this to the court's attention."
Friday, January 27, 2017
http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/
verdict-in-magdalene-case-may-be-far-reaching-
451342.html
FG leadership: Coveney 'optimistic' of overturning
early Varadkar lead, with 24 hours to go
hursday, June 01, 2017
By Elaine Loughlin, Political Reporter

Simon Coveney has said he is "very optimistic" that he can

still win the Fine Gael leadership race with just 24 hours to
go.

The Housing Minister, who has been trailing since the

beginning of the race, has appealed to grassroots
members voting today and his parliamentary colleagues
who will be balloted tomorrow to think about what is best
for the party and the country before they cast a vote.

"I think we can still win - I am very optimistic about that,"

he said.

Speaking on RTE's Sean O'Rourke programme he said he

has "made no secret" of the fact that he will need to
change the minds of around five members of the
parliamentary party in order to secure the leadership.

However, he said the majority of Fine Gael TDs, senators

and MEPs had attended the four hustings, the first three of
which he claimed he had won.
"I think some people have reflected on their position and
that is the benefit of a secret ballot," he said.

The outcome of the contest is likely to be known before

6pm tomorrow, when the votes of the three electoral
colleges - parliamentary party, councillors and ordinary
members - are counted.

Mr Coveney said there were three phases in the 16-day

campaign, with the first being the public declarations of
TDs, Senators and MEPs.

"Everyone felt they needed to be out early and Leo got a

bit of momentum," which he described as "frustrating".

"It then moved into a more substantial phase, we started

talking to the membership, we were debating, the two
candidates were tested.

"Now we are into the final phase and that is people voting
across the country and the private conversations that
need to take place in the party to make sure that we are
doing the right thing."

Hitting out at his opponent he said the only reason Mr

Varadkar attacked him on an apparent lack of policy
during the final hustings, was because he was "taken
aback" by the fact that Mr Coveney had preformed so well
in the first three debates.

But Mr Coveney added: "People have strayed outside the

boundaries a bit.

"Leo and I need to show some character and leadership at

the end of this. For my part of Leo wins I will shake his
hand, I will wish him well and I will work with him to make
sure the party is stronger at the end of this and I hope he
will do the same.

"Political contests are competitive and sometimes

friendships are strained. I have been in Fine Gael for 20
years as a public representative, Leo has been in Fine Gael
for quite some time as well so we all work together, we
are on the same side essentially so that's why these
contests are difficult for party members," he said.
Fine Gael leadership hopeful Leo Varadkar dismissed
reports he refused to continue as health minister in the
new government, as he launched proposals to speed up
the recovery in rural Ireland.
His launch came as another minister hinted that he
wanted an economic or finance portfolio in any cabinet
reshuffle.

Fine Gael polling stations opened last night for the race to
succeed Enda Kenny.
Mr Varadkar, the frontrunner, took issue with reports that
he had turned down the chance to stay in health during a
private conversation with Enda Kenny when the last
cabinet was being formed.
Ive never had the opportunity to choose which
department Ive served in. Thats something thats
assigned to you by the Taoiseach, he told Shannonside
Northern Sound.
He said the suggestion he turned down continuing in the
top job at Hawkins House was not the whole truth.
It had been reported Mr Kenny told colleagues privately
that he had asked Mr Varadkar in May last year when
deciding on his new cabinet to continue in health but he
refused.
Meanwhile, the social protection minister was in Mullingar
yesterday where he outlined proposals to accelerate the
economic recovery in rural areas.
Flanked by fellow ministers Heather Humphreys and
Michael Ring, Mr Varadkar said: The Irish economy is
experiencing a strong recovery overall, but progress
remains slow in many parts of rural Ireland.
Measures proposed include prioritising agriculture and
food industry concerns during Brexit negotiations;
extending motorway networks in the West and in Donegal;
implementing the national broadband plan, and increasing
funds for tourism initiatives.
Mr Varadkar took issue with rival Simon Coveneys Ireland
2040 plans to help rural communities, quipping that these
had not even been published yet.
Elsewhere, Education Minister Richard Bruton hinted he
would like a finance portfolio.
Clearly, I have economic experience across a range of
ministries and, indeed, in opposition. So I think I have
skills that remain very relevant, and I would be open to
serve in any way that a future Taoiseach would ask me
to, he said.

Enda Kenny has said he has no regrets as Taoiseach -

including putting Leo Varadkar or Simon Coveney in his
cabinet.
The Taoiseach was speaking in what is likely to be his final
session of Leaders' Questions in the Dail earlier today.

Mr Kenny said he was happy to hand over the reins - and

was glad his two pretenders had served underneath him.

"They may not have been supporters of mine when my

friend Richard took to the field ... but I was happy to watch
them grow as ministers and bring about a situation where
they have actively and vigorously campaigned for the
right to lead this party over the last couple of weeks."
UPDATE 3pm:It is being claimed that some of those
backing Leo Varadkar in the Fine Gael leadership contest
have switched sides.

A senior figure in the Simon Coveney campaign says at

least two TDs or Senators who have backed Varadkar are
now going to vote for Coveney.

Coveney's campaign has been targeting six members of

the Fine Gael parliamentary party in an effort to switch
their votes.

If all six of those are switched, and Coveney wins the

support of the remaining undeclared voters, he would win
the election once he gets 60% of grassroots voters.
UPDATE 2.40pm: It wouldnt make sense to change all of
the cabinet positions in a reshuffle irrespective of who
wins the Fine Gael leadership race, according to
Communications Minister, Michael Naughten.

Mr Naughten was speaking as between 10,000 and 11,000

Fine Gael members begin to cast their votes in the
contest.

Mr Naughten said he hopes to keep his current brief

regardless of who wins the leadership.

EARLIER: Fine Gael says turnout in the leadership

election so far is 53%.

Eight polling stations were open yesterday - including a

number in Simon Coveneys native Cork.

Polling continues this evening for more constituencies,

including Leo Varadkars home of Dublin West.

The party says based on the figures it expects between

10,000 and 11,000 members to cast a vote in the contest.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/irelan
d/fg-leadership-coveney-optimistic-of-overturning-
early-varadkar-lead-with-24-hours-to-go-
791999.html

Fine Gael appoints security company to oversee

ballot boxes
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
It says a lot about a lack of trust in politics when
politicians seem to not even trust themselves.

Fine Gael members voting in Dublin.

Fine Gael has contracted a security firm which normally

protects the physical movement of large quantities of
money from banks via vans to oversee the security of its
ballot boxes over the coming days.
Several sources in the party have told the Irish Examiner
the move was taken in order to guarantee leadership
votes from grassroots members are not tampered with
between now and the time they are revealed on Friday.
And while there is no suggestion that anyone is
attempting to manipulate the votes to gain the result they
want, the decision to appoint a high-level security firm to
keep the ballot boxes under lock and key at an unspecified
secure location underlines the tense nature of the contest.
Fine Gael has put all the necessary arrangements in place
to ensure the integrity of the vote for the new leader of
our party. All ballot papers will be secured and protected in
advance of the count on Friday, a party spokesperson
said when asked about the ballot box security measures.
News of the use of external security experts to protect
leadership votes came as the second of five days voting
took place yesterday.
On Tuesday, thousands of votes were cast in Kerry, Mayo,
Carlow, Dublin, Cavan, Kildare, and Wicklow, with votes in
parts of Cork, south Dublin, Donegal and Westmeath held
on Monday night. These votes involved more than 21,000
grassroots Fine Gael members across the country, and will
continue until tomorrow, with all votes cast being guarded
until the vote count in Dublin on Friday.
Over the coming days, local councils nationwide will also
cast their votes in favour of either Social Protection
Minister Leo Varadkar or Housing Minister Simon Coveney,
before members of the parliamentary party vote on Friday
between 8am and 12pm.
While the three electoral colleges are all crucial to the
vote result, the parliamentary party section which
consists of TDs, senators and MEPs is the most high-
profile and accounts for 65% of the final result.
The council section accounts for 10% of the result, while
grassroots members represent 25% of the final tally.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/fine-gael-
appoints-security-company-to-oversee-ballot-
boxes-451303.html

Judge raises issues concerned with US intelligence

agencies collecting data on Facebook users
Thursday, June 01, 2017

A High Court judge has raised issues with lawyers for the
US government about the effect of findings of non-
compliance by US intelligence agencies with restrictions
on surveillance, writes Ann O'Loughlin.

Ms Justice Caroline Costello raised the issues when hearing

submissions about the significance for the Data Protection
Commissioner's case concerning the validity of EU-US data
transfers of recently announced restrictions on collection
of a certain category of personal data by the US National
Security Agency.

While the NSA has historically been authorised to acquire

communications to, from, or about a target under
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Security Act
through its Upstream internet surveillance programme, it
will no longer collect communications about a target.

The judge last March reserved judgment on the case but

Eileen Barrington SC, for the US government,
subsequently asked the judge to factor in the new
developments when preparing her judgment.

The judge agreed to receive the information, formally

provided by Facebook Ireland as a party to the case. She
also agreed to allow experts for the sides to provide brief
reports of their views on it and to hear short oral
submissions on Thursday from the sides. She will give her
judgement later on an unspecfied date.

In her proceedings, Commissioner Helen Dixon wants the

judge to ask the Court of Justice of the EU to decide the
validity or otherwise of European Commission decisions
approving data transfer channels known as standard
contractual clauses (SCCs).

Her case is against Facebook Ireland because Facebooks

European headquarters are here - and Austrian lawyer
Max Schrems who for different reasons oppose referral.
The US government is among several parties joined as
amici curiae, assistants to the court on legal issues.
Max Schrems.
The developments raised by the US government are a
decision of the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
(FISC) of April 26th last which addressed the failure of US
agencies to comply with surveillance restrictions imposed
by the FISC and restraining collection of "about" data.

Another development was a decision by the US Court of

Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that Wikimedia, but not
several other plaintiffs, had the necessary legal standing
to challenge the Upstream surveillance programme.

On Thursday, Brian Murray SC, for the Commissioner,

argued the new material was not significant to the core
issues the High Court has to decide. The FISC opinion
mainly relates to US persons while the Wikimedia decision
does not affect the Irish court's analysis, he said.

Eoin McCullough SC, for Mr Schrems, argued the FISC

opinion was essentially about the protection of US persons
and did not alter the position concerning retention of
personal data of non-US persons. The experts who
analysed the decisions considered it did not materially
alter their evidence to the court, he said.

Paul Gallagher SC, for Facebook, disagreed and argued the

FISC opinion is significant. The opinion is binding and
showed a functioning supervision system independent
from the US government, he said. The decisions meant
collection of "about" communication has stopped and
indicated "a sea change" in how information is collected
which does affect content of foreign communications, he
argued.

Colm ODwyer SC, for the Washington-based Electronic

Privacy Information Centre, said the FISC opinion and the
fact the NSA has eliminated "about" searches was
significant but the impact was limited because of the
degree of agency non-compliance and institutional "lack of
candour" referred to by the FISC. The FISC had also not
ruled the NSA could not reintroduce "about" searches.

Eileen Barrington SC, for the US government, said the FISC

opinion is a significant legal development which illustrates
"effective judicial oversight" and also has an impact on EU
citizens. The FISC opinion provided for additional
safeguards and any future introduction of about comms
would require fresh approval from the FISC, she added.

The judge observed the FISC opinion appeared to disclose

a "history of disquiet" concerning how "about"
communications were handled rather than the principle of
collecting "about" communications.

Ms Barrington agreed "about" data collection could be

reintroduced but said FISC would have to be satisfied to
certify that. It was "distorting" to look exclusively at the
issue of formal judicial remedies and the court should
have regard to the totality of the "systemic protections".

Asked by the judge about the position of EU citizens whose

data was collected without authorisation and who are
unaware of that, counsel said it is now unlawful to have
"about" data collected under Upstream and that was a
direct benefit for non-US citizens.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/irelan
d/judge-raises-issues-concerned-with-us-
intelligence-agencies-collecting-data-on-facebook-
users-792073.html
Blanket data retention is illegal under EU law, court says. ... His original concern was with the
Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, ... Malta EU 2017 EU .
https://curia.europa.eu//applic/pdf/2016-12/cp160145en.pdf

Landmark EU ruling: Legality of UK's Investigatory Powers Act challenged

court challenge over surveillance act
EU Court Jan 2017 says The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act is
illegal
https://assets.documentcloud.org//C-203-15-amp-C-698-15-Ar

High Court smacks down 'emergency' UK spy bill as UNLAWFUL

Government has until March 2016 to write new legislation
https://rusi.org//20150714_whr_2-15_a_democratic_licence_t
A QUESTION OF TRUST REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATORY POWERS REVIEW by
DAVID ANDERSON Q.C. Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation
https://regmedia.co.uk//terror_law_review_uk_surveillance_

Who fears to speak of

Easter week?
Gene Kerrigan makes the case that some in
power only grudgingly commemorate 1916,
but it's not a bad idea to include John
Redmond
1
'Some have protested at the trolling banners, but their appearance
on the Bank of Ireland building is a good thing. Its useful to have
such a prominent reminder of the values of our ungracious, uneasy
establishment

Official Ireland has long appeared to be terribly nervous about

commemorating the 1916 Rising. There's widespread public enthusiasm for
the cultural and historical events, particularly among the young, but the
Government can't shake off the impression that it feels obliged to do this, and
may even benefit politically from it, but its heart isn't really in it.

It's as though, in dealing with the legacy of the struggle for independence, it
finds itself in a land that's not quite its own.

There was a time, up to the late 1960s, when the politically correct thing to do
was praise the 1916 Rising without qualification. Your attitude to the Rising
was a litmus test indicating the purity of your Irishness.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/gene
-kerrigan/who-fears-to-speak-of-easter-week-
34555843.html
Article 11.All the lands and waters, mines and
minerals, within the territory of the Irish Free State
(Saorstt Eireann) hitherto vested in the State, or
any department thereof, or held for the public use or
benefit, and also all the natural resources of the
same territory (including the air and all forms of
potential energy), and also all royalties and
franchises within that territory shall, from and after
the date of the coming into operation of this
Constitution, belong to the Irish Free State (Saorstt
Eireann), subject to any trusts, grants, leases or
concessions then existing in respect thereof, or any
valid private interest therein, and shall be controlled
and administered by the Oireachtas, in accordance
with such regulations and provisions as shall be from
time to time approved by legislation, but the same
shall not, nor shall any part thereof, be alienated,
but may in the public interest be from time to time
granted by way of lease or licence to be worked or
enjoyed under the authority and subject to the
control of the Oireachtas: Provided that no such
lease or licence may be made for a term exceeding
ninety-nine years, beginning from the date thereof,
and no such lease or licence may be renewable by
the terms thereof.

FOR A UNITED IRELAND

The struggle to end British colonial rule in the Six Counties of the
north of Ireland is a struggle for Irish national independence and self-
determination. The modern demand for independence began at the
close of 18th century by the Irish people who lived in appalling
conditions entirely due to the brutal exploitation of the colonial power.
As the struggle intensified in the 19th century, the response of British
imperialism was to stir up religious hatred and ferment sectarian strife
using the venal leaders of the Protestant community in the north of
the island as their willing tools.

The Easter Rising in 1916 sparked off the armed struggle which led
to the declaration of the Republic of Ireland in 1919 and all-out war
against the might of British imperialism. Divisions in the nationalist
ranks led to the acceptance of a British imposed settlement which
partitioned the country in 1920.

The current struggle to end the British occupation of the north of

Ireland, led by Sinn Fein, began in 1969. Thousands of lives have
been lost since then, entirely due to British imperialism's
determination to retain its hold on the Six Counties through military
might, political manipulation, repressive laws and economic
domination. Through these methods, British imperialism, since 1921,
has also been able to extend its influence over the Irish governments
in the south.

Since our last Congress some progress has been made. The
renewed IRA cease-fire, rapidly followed by Labour's victory in the
1997 general election, raised hopes that the new British government
would respond realistically to the demands of the Irish people for an
end to partition.

We have long recognised the right of the Irish people to determine

the nature of their struggle to end British colonial rule in the occupied
north. We believe that the conflict will finally end when British
imperialism recognises that it must withdraw from the north of
Ireland, end partition and permit the re-unification of the country it
criminally divided in 1921.

We welcomed the all-party talks which led to the 1998 Good Friday
Agreement which provides for a government of the north of Ireland
which includes Sinn Fein and the nationalist Social Democratic and
Labour Party, seeks to end the discrimination and institutionalised
sectarianism against the Catholic community, provides for cross-
border authorities and the limited participation of the Irish
government, on the basis that it was acceptable to Sinn Fein.

The Good Friday Agreement was given a democratic mandate by the

all-Ireland referendum - the first all-Ireland election since l9l8 in which
it was endorsed by 85 per cent of voters. The continued failure by the
British government to ensure implementation of the agreement
reflects the true attitude of the British ruling class towards the wishes
of the people of Ireland as a whole, while its continued presence in
the occupied six counties is justified on the basis of the Unionist
"majority" artificially manufactured in 1921.

Sinn Fein's acceptance was on the basis that the Good Friday
Agreement provided a way forward for achieving re-unification
through dialogue, discussion and negotiation. The IRA ceasefire
continues and Sinn Fein has made substantial concessions to further
the cause of peace. Sinn Fein has agreed to take part in the Six
County Assembly and the constitutional changes demanded from the
Irish government as part of the process.

Now the agreement is in danger of collapse due to the intransigence

of the Unionist parties in the north of Ireland, backed by the British
ruling class which seeks to claw back what it had conceded when the
Good Friday deal was struck.

The demand that the IRA hand over its weapons is entirely unrealistic
as it plainly only applies to them. The British government makes no
serious attempt to disarm the Unionist militias and death-squads
which serve as auxiliaries for the British Army. Indeed, the
presentation of de-commissioning by both the Unionists and the
British government is completely at odds with the terms of the Good
Friday Agreement. This clearly stated that all parties to the
agreement would work with the De Chastelain Commission, using
their best endeavours to facilitate the start of all round de-
commissioning by May 2000. The Government has still to move on
the question of reforming the para-military Royal Ulster Constabulary
let alone move to withdraw its garrisons.

Despite the maintenance of the IRA's second military cessation for

over two years, attacks on the Catholic/nationalist community by the
RUC and loyalist paramilitaries have continued unabated. Among the
16 people killed by loyalist paramilitaries during this period have been
Robert Hamill and human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson. The
reactionary Orange Order continues to insist on the right to display its
bigotry and supremacy over Catholics, and has maintained its siege
of the Garvaghy Road community in Portadown for 14 months. The
Orange Order's displays of bigotry, backed up by a militarised RUC,
would not be tolerated anywhere in Britain.

The British labour and peace movements have a crucial role to play
in using their influence to put pressure on the Labour government to
stop stalling and trying to renege on the Good Friday Agreement.
British working people must demand a genuine decommissioning of
weapons from all parties including the British Army and the RUC, and
the removal of the Unionists' veto in the British union and political
arena.

The demand raised by Sinn Fein for the demilitarisation of the six
counties and for the removal of all guns from Irish politics is a
principled position which deserves the support of the British labour
movement. Unionist opposition is but the latest manifestation of their
assumed right to a veto over all political developments within the six
counties and with regard to relations between Britain and Ireland.
This is simply not acceptable.

The New Communist Party will continue to build solidarity with the
Irish people and their struggle to end British colonial rule over part of
their country and continue to work with the Irish solidarity and
prisoners' campaigns in Britain.

The simple truth is that a continued British presence is incompatible

with democracy in Ireland. The NCP demands a united sovereign
Ireland free from all outside interference, and an end to racism and
discrimination against people of Irish descent living in Britain. The
NCP acknowledges the role of Sinn Fein as the vanguard force in the
struggle for national liberation. and pays tribute to the revolutionary
commitment and sacrifices of its members over the years and
decades. The NCP will continue to work with the Wolfe Tone Society
and the Connolly Association in support of the peace process and
complete British disengagement from Ireland.

[NCP home page]

[Back to Congress Documents]

[Top of this page]

THE NATIONAL QUESTION IN BRITAIN

The New Communist Party welcomed the establishment of the
Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly by the Labour
government. The party has long recognised the rights of the Scottish
and Welsh nations to full national self-determination. The creation of
the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly reflected the
demands of Scottish and Welsh workers for greater democratic
control of their own lives and their own distinct national cultures.

We support Scottish and Welsh demands for the right to preserve

and develop their cultural heritage and national identity. We support
their right to possess and control all the physical and other resources
present on their land or in their territorial waters.

We also support the demand for genuine self-governing powers for

the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, which at the
moment are intended to be little more than regional authorities. And
the powers of both Houses are clearly limited by the Act which
established them which makes it clear that sovereignty remains with
the Westminster Parliament.
Though the Scottish Parliament does have the right to vary income
tax by up to three per cent, constitutional questions, social security,
general economic development, defence and foreign policy remain in
the hands of the Westminster Parliament. The Welsh Assembly has
no fiscal powers at all and will simply administer the responsibilities
formerly held solely by the Secretary of State for Wales and decide
on the spending of the Welsh budget allocated by Westminster.

The New Communist Party supports the demand for the

encouragement of the Welsh language, which should be raised, in
practice as well as in theory, to equal standing with English,
throughout Wales. We support demands for the encouragement of
Scottish Gaelic in those areas of Scotland where it is spoken.

Though a degree of local autonomy has been won by the Scots and
Welsh it, in itself, is no guarantee that the national traditions and
culture of the Scottish and Welsh people will be developed, nor will it
automatically lead to the strengthening of working class power.

The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, both British dependencies,
have always retained local governments with powers far greater than
any granted to the Scottish Parliament or the Welsh Assembly,
though ultimately they too are answerable to the Westminster
Parliament and the Crown. These island governments comprised of
local exploiters have presided over the virtual demise of their entire
heritage and culture while creating tax-havens for themselves and
wealthy mainlanders. These governments did nothing over the past
hundred years to preserve the Manx Gaelic language or the Channel
Islanders' French dialect from terminal decline. Their labour laws and
practices are even worse than those in Britain. We fully support the
struggles of the labour movement in the Isle of Man and the Channel
Islands and the efforts by the citizens of these islands for democratic
and progressive change and genuine cultural revival.

The struggle for genuine national independence for the Scottish and
Welsh nations is an integral part of the struggle of the working class
of England, Scotland and Wales for socialist revolution.

The separatist Scottish National Party argument for independence

within the European Union, and the platform of the Plaid Cymru -
Party of Wales, reflect the bourgeois class basis of both these
nationalist parties and deny the economic unity which capitalist
development has brought to all three countries.
No independent class of big capitalists exists in Scotland or Wales.
Therefore as long as Wales and Scotland remain capitalist they
cannot be independent from England and as long England remains
capitalist it would not tolerate a socialist Scotland or Wales. Nor is
there a separate English, Welsh or Scottish working class. It is one,
integrated working class.

The united struggle by the Scottish, Welsh and English working

class, together with all the ethnic minorities which also live in these
three countries, is essential to the defence and advancement of
national rights. It is an essential part of the organisational unity of the
working class which already exists within the trade union movement.
It is an essential part in the revolutionary process which will end the
rule of the capitalist class and establish a republican federal socialist
system based on equality for all the nations and peoples living in
England, Scotland and Wales.

PROGRESSIVE CO-OPERATION
The New Communist Party was founded in 1977 to make a clean
break with the revisionist and social-democratic trends within the old
Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). That party no longer
exists. Its successor, the Democratic Left, is an irrelevant right social-
democratic debating society. But the left social democratic and
revisionist ideas of the CPGB's British Road to Socialism live on in its
direct heirs, the Communist Party of Britain (CPB) and the
Communist Party of Scotland (CPS).

At the same time we have always recognised that there is the

possibility of co-operation on certain issues such as peace, anti-
racism, or the wages struggle with these parties and others which
have sprung from the British communist movement. There is certainly
the need to exchange views with all of them on a regular basis. This
was recognised back in 1995 by the CPB leaders themselves who
convened a round-table conference of communist parties which the
NCP attended.

We felt this was a positive initiative and often called for further
meetings on the same basis. It was never followed-up by the CPB
leadership.

Our own proposals for a communist round-table are:

For a communist liaison committee which would allow for the regular
exchanges of information and views between the various communist
parties in Britain at a leadership level. It would be a non-voting, non-
 executive body and the only offices, that of chairperson and convenor,
would rotate between the participating parties.

We believe the round-table should consist of the New Communist

Party, Communist Party of Britain, Communist Party of Scotland,
Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (ML) and the Communist
Party of Britain (ML) should the latter wish to take part. Participation by
other movements after the establishment of the round-table would then
be on the basis of unanimous agreement of the existing members of
the committee.

The meetings should be held in a labour movement building, preferably

Marx House. If that was not possible then the venues could rotate
amongst the participating members of the committee.

The party delegations should consist of at least two representatives

though there should be no upward limit.

Each delegation will take turns in chairing the meetings and each
delegation would take turns in convening the next meeting.

Minutes of the discussions will be the responsibility of each delegation

and they will be assumed to be open and for the record unless there is
prior agreement at the meeting for an off-the-record or confidential
discussion.

The round-table should meet quarterly and any expenses incurred by

the committee, such as hire of rooms, would be met by the participating
delegations.

The formal name for this committee and its terms of reference would
have to be agreed at the first working session.

These proposals were put to the CPB in July, 1998 and were
rejected. Nevertheless we believe the provide the only basis for
regular exchanges of information and views. They therefore remain
on the table.

BUILD THE NEW WORKER

The New Worker remains the sole weekly communist voice in Britain.
It presents the policies and perspectives of our party to the working
class and the broad mass of the people. It raises issues of national
and international importance that directly bear on the working class
and the world revolutionary movement. It is a tool for conveying a
Marxist-Leninist analysis to the problems of the day while pointing the
way to the socialist future.
The New Worker is read by thousands in Britain and thousands more
overseas. Articles are translated and reprinted by progressive and
communist journals all over the world. The editorial, selected articles
and main news items appear weekly on our Internet pages enabling
us to reach out to British and overseas students and their institutions.
The NCP web-site on the Internet, now four years old, has greatly
assisted in winning new contacts from movements and individuals
involved in struggle across the continents. During the Balkan War it
allowed us to remain in daily contact with the Yugoslav people under
Nato attack. It has proved a valuable asset in the struggle to extend
the readership and sales of the paper.

The New Worker has a crucial role in the struggle to overcome the
weaknesses and divisions within the labour, trade union, peace, co-
operative and left movements in Britain. This can only come about
through increased sales and activities around our communist weekly.
New Worker rounds and pitches account for the overwhelming
majority of sales every week. Subscriptions and sales in independent
bookshops and shops, while equally important, can never substitute
for direct sales and face-to-face contact with the people.

The fight to win more readers and supporters of the paper is closely
linked with the struggle to raise funds to ensure the New Worker's
survival. Our paper represents the voice of struggle in all its forms,
giving a clear communist line to the issues of the day, and a Marxist-
Leninist analysis of the problems facing the working class. The bigger
the readership, the greater the influence of the party will be. This is
our paramount task.

The New Worker is the key component of the party's means of

communication. The paper must be kept at the forefront of
organisational and ideological work. The resources and expertise of
the party membership must constantly be harnessed to improve the
content and development of our paper.

THE MORNING STAR

The New Worker is not in competition with the Morning Star. Our
paper is a communist weekly and the Morning Star is a daily paper of
the left. Though the political line of the Morning Star is ultimately led
by the revisionist Communist Party of Britain it seeks to be the broad
daily paper of the left as a whole. We support that aim despite the
many differences with its direction and stance. But differences
between communist analysis and that of the broad left, or a section of
the broad left, are inevitable during the process of working class
struggle.

The NCP has consistently helped to defend the Morning Star whose
daily coverage of industrial news is an asset to the union movement.
All members and supporters are urged to read it and take part in the
activities of the People's Press Printing Society.

MARX MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The Marx Memorial Library in London, now in its 66th year, is another
important asset of the working class and the British communist
movement. The Library has recently re-opened after extensive
refurbishment partly supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The
improvements should give more visitors and members better access
to the Library's priceless collection of working-class and communist
literature and archives. The New Worker is an affiliate and comrades
actively participate in the Library's work. All comrades are urged to
campaign for trade union affiliation to the Library as well as joining on
an individual basis.

THE COMMUNIST WAY

The New Communist Party must be at the forefront of every-day
struggle fighting for the maximum unity amongst the class to achieve
winnable economic gains and political objectives while all the time
presenting the case for communism and revolutionary change to end
the whole system of exploitation once and for all.

Only a revolutionary party can lead the class to overthrow the

bourgeoisie. It can't be done through elections because when the
ruling class is threatened it abandons the trappings of democracy
which are after all only democracy for itself and go into open
dictatorship. It can't be done through general strikes because they in
themselves can so easily be defeated or diverted by our rulers,
though a general strike is part of the arsenal of revolutionary
advance.

A socialist revolution means the transfer of political power from the

capitalist class to the working class. It can only succeed with the
mobilisation of the masses. It can only succeed when the ruling class
is unable to rule in the old way and the working class is no longer
prepared to be ruled in the old way. There must be a leading Marxist-
Leninist party around which the working class can close ranks.
Throughout the world the communist movement has been built on
sacrifice and hardship. Our party is no exception. Every comrade
must work to build the party and take part in the daily struggles of the
people at work and in the locality. Class consciousness is at its
sharpest at the point of production and we must focus on industry.
We must build groups and branches in every factory and office, in
every industry, trade and housing estate.

We want a fighting party based on the tried and tested principles of

democratic centralism, iron discipline, regular self-sacrificing work
and an unyielding hatred of the capitalist system. We want a party
with deep roots amongst working people because it is not parties that
make revolutions it is working people, the overwhelming majority of
the population of this country who once they realise their strength are
unstoppable.

A BETTER TOMORROW
Bourgeois democracy is democracy for the exploiters and
dictatorship in all but a formal sense for the exploited. Bourgeois
elections, when they are held, are used so that the maximum number
of votes can be manipulated by the smallest number of people.
Parliament no more makes the real decisions for the country than the
councils do in the localities.

Socialism ensures that the will of the masses, the overwhelming

majority of the people, is carried out. There will be no more
exploitation. Everyone will have decent housing, a job, good
education, a free national health service and decent pension when
the time comes to retire.

There will be no more slums, poverty, racism, discrimination and

bigotry. There will be culture, sports, arts and entertainment for all, by
the masses for the masses. The old culture of selfishness,
individuality and competition which pits worker against worker will go.
Every worker in their plant, office or collective will have an important
role to play. The destruction of the environment by capitalism,
including the destruction of the rainforests, would be replaced by a
system of planned, sustained production for use not profit.

There will be no more artificial white-collar and blue-collar divisions

no more dead-end jobs because every job will have a value for
society. And hours will be less and workers will have more
recreational time: time to appreciate life, to discover and debate, to
play or travel, time to ponder, time to create.
Socialism will unleash the great potential of working people to build a
new and better society, for themselves and for the generations yet to
come.
The Socialist Revolution and the Right of Nations to Self-Determination-V. I.
Lenin

Victorious socialism must achieve complete democracy and, consequently, not only bring
about the complete equality of nations, but also give effect to the right of oppressed
nations to self-determination, i.e., the right to free political secession.

The Principled Position Of All British Left Wing Organisation Should

Be For the Full unity and Independence of Ireland and Complete
Disengagement of the British State from Ireland. BUT WHAT IS
THE REALITY?

The Position of British Left wing Groups on British disengagement from Ireland is a key
ctiterion for assessing the political position of their Irish sister bodies and their own
credentials as principled British revolutionaries.

Positions of British Left Wing Groups on Ireland

Jeremy Corbyn British Labour Party Leader: British Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn
has reiterated his support for a united Ireland. Asked whether he supported unification
during an interview with the New Statesman current magazine, Mr Corbyn answered, its
an aspiration that I have always gone along with. Thu, Sep 24, 2015

From Their Websites:

Socialist Party UK (Trotskyist) (Irish Sister Bodies: SP(I) ,SP (NI), Solidarity (RoI), Labour
Alternative (NI)
Socialism and Internationalism
No to imperialist wars and occupations. (No mention of British Occupation of Ireland-
PH)
-
SWP UK (Trotskyist) Irish Sister Bodies SWP (I) PBP(I)
Against imperialism
Colin Barker continues his series on the Where We Stand Socialist Workers Party
statement of principles printed each week in Socialist Worker
At many stop the war stalls British soldiers mothers and partners stop to sign petitions.
They report what the soldiers themselves say: Were not there to help the Iraqis but to
grab the oil.At present Iraq is like a colony of the US, directly ruled on Washingtons
orders. The US is building bases there, and trying to shape the new government. However,
when direct US rule ends, imperialist control will continue.-(No mention of British
Occupation of Ireland-PH)

CP(UK) Irish Sister Organisation CP(I)

The Communist Party supports the right of self-determination of the Irish people and
campaigns for Britain to renounce all claims on Ireland.

Socialist Fight (Trotskyist) Irish Sister Organisation None

As socialists living in Britain we take our responsibilities to support the struggle against
British imperialisms occupation of the six north-eastern counties of Ireland very seriously.
For this reason we have assisted in founding the Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group
and we will campaign for political status these Irish prisoners of war and for a 32-county
united Socialist Ireland. We reject all two nations in Ireland theories.
New Communist Party of Britain

The party stands for the withdrawal of British troops from Northern Ireland and
supports the . . . struggle for Irish national independence and self-
determination. The NCP demands a united sovereign Ireland free from all outside
interference. . . . The NCP acknowledges the role of Sinn Fein as the vanguard
force in the struggle for national liberation

http://www.newworker.org/congressdocs/resolution
s1999.html#FOR%20A%20UNITED%20IRELAND
Labour New Election Promises-For Breaking
Scrool Down for Labour Deception on Tax To Protect the Rich ,
TESCO AD and Extracts from Labour Election Manifesto in Last
Election( 2011)
Siptu boss tells Labour to resolve leader crisis and do deal with FG
Philip Ryan Iris Independent Published 14/04/2016

1
Jack OConnor at Leinster House yesterday. Photo: Tom Burke
SIPTU President Jack OConnor has urged Labour to quickly resolve
the issue around the partys leadership as speculation mounts over
acting Tnaiste Joan Burtons future.
During a private meeting in Leinster House, Mr OConnor also told
Labour officials the party should seek commitments on pay and
investment in public service in return for supporting a Fine Gael-led
minority government from the opposition.
Doorsteps Cry Out Against Broken Promises Seamus Healy
TD
The most consistent and angriest complaint on the door steps is of
broken promises and the resultant targeting of those on low and
middle incomes for cuts and new taxes.
When considering promises and announcements by Labour and Fine
Gael in this General Election Campaign, voters are considering what
happened to the promises they made in the last General Election
Campaign.
The Public have been pointing out to me the litany of broken
promises which include:
> St. Michaels Unit.
At a local level, Labour Leader Eamonn Gilmore, promised to protect
South Tipperary General Hospital. Labour Minister, Kathleen Lynch,
in government, closed down St Michaels Psychiatric Unit in Clonmel
and transferred it to Kilkenny.
> Hospital Trolleys
We will end the scandal of Hospital Trolleys said Enda Kenny. The
result is Trolley Chaos in our Emergency Departments, the closure
of 2,000 hospital beds, the loss of 11,000 health staff and the loss
of 2 million home help hours.
> Water Tax
Through the 2011 General Election TESCO AD and in its election
manifesto, The Labour Party promised to prevent the introduction of
domestic water tax. In government they agreed to introduce this
tax and Minister Alan Kelly is now implementing it.
>Child Benefit
In the 2011 General Election Tesco AD, the Labour Party said it
would prevent Fine Gael reducing Child Benefit. Labour leader Joan
Burton, in government, did the opposite and cut Child Benefit.
>FAMILY HOME TAX
Fine Gael Leader, Enda Kenny, said It Is Morally Wrong, Unjust and
Unfair to Tax a Persons Home. But in Government, he introduced
this unfair tax.
>Lone Parents
Speaking in the Dil on 18th April 2012, Minister Joan Burton said
she would only proceed with plans to reform the One Parent Family
Payment by 2014/15 if she got a credible and bankable
commitment by the time of Budget 2013 that the Irish Government
would put in place a system of safe, affordable and accessible child
care, similar to what is found in the Scandinavian countries to
whose systems of social protection we aspire.
Minister Burton went ahead with the changes without any such child
care system being in place.
> Crime
Enda Kenny promised to increase the Garda Force by 2,000 Garda.
The result was 2,000 less Garda, 130 Garda Station closed and
increased levels of rural crime.
>Heating Allowances
Then there was the Labour Manifesto promise to invest in ending
fuel poverty which causes unnecessary deaths of older people every
winter. However, Labour will also take immediate action to alleviate
the risk of fuel poverty in the short term by reinvesting 40 million
from the
carbon tax to alleviate fuel poverty, and by developing a national
fuel
poverty strategy as set out in Labours Fuel Poverty and Energy
Conservation Bill. Labour Party Manifesto 2011.
Instead, the heating allowances were cut by the Labour Leader
The Public are fed up of broken promises. They are taking the
recent spate of promises from all the political parties with a large
dose of salt.
The Door Steps say Dont Believe Them and Dont Let It Happen
Again!
Seamus Healy TD
Tel : 087-2802199
08/02/2016
Motion of NO Confidence in Tnaiste Speech by Seamus
Healy TD From Dil Record
Deputy Seamus Healy: I rise in support of this Private Members
motion of no confidence in the Tnaiste. We were promised a
democratic revolution after the last general election. Of course, this
is certainly not the case as we have seen time and again since then.
In the past week, we have seen that cronyism is alive and well and
at the heart of Government and that a get out clause is being
used not just by the Tnaiste but by other Ministers to appoint party
members and cronies to State boards. We were told that we would
have transparency and accountability, a democratic revolution, Dil
reform and appointments to State boards that would be fully
transparent. In the case of Mr. Begg, Ms Mangan and others, we
find that there was no advertising,stateboards.ie and the Public
Appointments Service were not used and there was no short-listing
of candidates. These were personal appointments by the particular
Ministers.
Even if the advertising took place and stateboards.ie and the Public
Appointments Service were used, it would be a smokescreen for
cronyism because we know about the formula this Government is
using in respect of appointments to State boards two for Fine Gael
and one for the Labour Party. We have seen this not just in this
Government but in previous ones. We noticed that Fianna Fil is
criticising the Tnaiste in respect of this. This is like the pot calling
the kettle black. Other speakers have said that coming up to the
last election, Fianna Fil made something like 60 appointments to
State boards.
The appointment of Mr. Begg in particular has raised significant
problems. He had the audacity and gall to suggest that 20,000 was
not a crock of gold. I would have thought that as a former trade
union chief, he would be well aware of the fact that 125,000
workers earn less than 20,000 per year. Surely he would be aware
that a family of two adults and two children on social welfare exist
on less than 20,000 per year. How dare he suggest that 20,000 is
not a crock of gold. It may not be to him but to thousands upon
thousands of part-time workers, low-paid workers and families on
social welfare, it is effectively only an existence.
I believe that Mr. Begg is particularly unsuited to this job as chair of
the Pensions Authority. Mr. Begg was a member of the board of the
Central Bank from 2003 to 2007. This board allowed the financial
system as a whole to borrow 50% of GDP. We are not talking about
individual banks. We are talking about the financial system as a
whole. This board, including Mr. Begg, allowed that system to
borrow 50% of GDP. Nobody called a halt, not even Mr. Begg. That
level of borrowing was ruinous. The recently retired former
Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Patrick Honohan, said that
this level of borrowing was hitherto unprecedented. This level of
borrowing led to austerity, the bust and the devastation of families
across this country. I believe that Mr. Begg, who signed off on the
financial stability reports of the Central Bank during those years, is
particularly unsuited to and not qualified for this particular
appointment.
Broken promises and the breaking and reneging on of commitments
made in the course of a general election have also been part and
parcel of this Government as of previous Governments. The Labour
Party in particular has broken every promise and commitment it
made during the course of the last general election. It was opposed
to water charges but the Minister for the Environment, Community
and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, is implementing water
charges. Does the Tnaiste remember the Tesco advertisement? It
said there would be no cuts to child benefit but there were cuts. The
Department of Social Protection has been devastated by this
Minister. I support the motion.

Jan 14 Labour promises childcare for 2 an hour -in five years

time!
Would you believe this? Irish Examiner

DEC 27 25 Euro Per Week Increase in Pensions- if Labour

Gets an Overall Majority
Labour Burton Election Promise Sunday Independent Dec 27
2015
If you believe that youll believe anything!!
Even if pensioners got the 25 Euro per week increase immediately
rather than over 5 years as promised by Burton, they would be still
losing money as shown below!
Labours Broken Promises in the last General Election(2011) are
carried below
In the Budget for next year(2016), the old age pension is to be
increased by 3 Euro per week. The weekly fuel allowance was
increased by 2.50 per week applicable for 6 months- reduced from
32 weeks by Joan Burton in a previous budget. The Government
had also abolished the smokeless fuel allowance of 3.90 per week.
In the same budget the richest 10,000 on 595,000 euro each
per year are to get 20 euro per week in USC and Income Tax
relief.
Since 2009, an older person living on the State pension and the
Household Benefits package has seen their income cut by more
than 13 per week. This includes cuts to home heating allowances
and the telephone allowance by Joan Burton, Labour Party leader
and Minister for Social Protection
AGE ACTION says that almost a hundred thousand older
people are living in deprivation.
Were disappointed not to have heard anything so far about
restoring the Telephone Allowance and particularly disappointed to
have heard nothing yet on prescription charges.
These have risen 500 per cent since they were introduced and hit
older people, who might have multiple prescriptions, particularly
hard. Its simply a tax on sick people.
The outgoings of pensioners have also increased. In addition to
prescription charges, Labour has also imposed Local Property Tax
and Water Taxes on Pensioners irrespective of means or ability to
pay
Between reductions in income and increase in outgoings, social
welfare pensioners are losing much more than the 13 Euro per week
in income reductions mentioned above. This takes no account of
increased electricity and gas bills and increases in bus fares or in
inflation generally .
That Labour TESCO AD In Last General Election (2011)
Fine Gael -Every Little Hurts! a Labour Party ad from the 2011
General Election based on ads for Tesco. They appeared in
newspapers during the campaign.
Labour Election Manifesto 2011
Water Charges
Ensuring Access to Safe Water
Security of access to clean drinking water is essential for public
health.
This has been undermined by recent scandals of polluted water
supplies, and drought caused by extreme weather.
Labour does not favour water charges,
which do not address the immediate needs of those who currently
receive intermittent or poor water supplies. Labour will continue to
invest in the water services programme as part of the capital
budget,
focusing on minimising treated water lost through leakage.
FUEL ALLOWANCES FOR THE POOR
Tackling Fuel and Energy poverty
In the medium-term, our proposals will result in a cleaner, more
secure,
more affordable supply of heat and electricity to Irish homes.
However,
Labour will also take immediate action to alleviate the risk of fuel
poverty in the short term by reinvesting 40 million from the
carbon tax to alleviate fuel poverty, and by developing a national
fuel
poverty strategy as set out in Labours Fuel Poverty and Energy
Conservation Bill.
LABOUR MINISTER BURTON CUT CHILD BENEFIT BENEFIT
TWICE DESPITE PROMISES To Stop Fine Gael Doing So (see
Tesco AD Above)
Seamus Healy TD asks Labour Party to Reverse the cuts at Leaders
Questions in Dil
My question for the Minister(Howlin Labour), if he will
listen, is whether he will reverse the social welfare cuts,
including, in particular, the cuts in child benefit, heating, fuel
and telephone allowances for elderly people and the carers
allowance.
Deputy Seamus Healy(Workers and Unemployed
Action): The Minister has been inviting us to consider outcomes.
Maybe we should examine some of the outcomes of the social and
economic policy of this Government. The gap between rich and poor
in Ireland is now four times the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development, OECD, average. Incomes in the
average Irish household have fallen by 50% and low income
households lost a greater proportion of their income than the better
off. The number of those in poverty has risen and the level of the
poverty has deepened.
That is the view expressed recently by the OECD which confirmed
the ESRIs finding that budget 2014 had had the greatest impact on
low income groups, the incomes of which had declined by 2%, and
supported the claim by Social Justice Ireland that budget 2013 had
been unjust and regressive. Social Justice Ireland stated:
For the second year in a row this Government has introduced a
Budget that is deeply regressive, both socially and economically
Socially it hits people on low incomes, including the working poor,
more than it hits the better off.
That is the result of the Government, the Labour Party in particular,
reneging on the commitments given in the Programme for
Government and during the 2011 general election. One of the
most blatant examples is the cut in child benefit. During the
2011 general election the Labour Party took out Tesco-like
advertisements and at every door its candidates told voters
that Fine Gael wanted to cut child benefit. Labour Party
candidates asked the public to vote for them in order to stop
child benefit cuts. The public put its trust in the Labour Party
and what happened? The party has supported cuts in child
benefit every year since it entered government.
An Ceann Comhairle: I ask the Deputy to, please, put his
question.
Deputy Seamus Healy: My question for the Minister
Deputy Seamus Healy: My question for the Minister, if he will
listen, is whether he will reverse the social welfare cuts, including,
in particular, the cuts in child benefit, heating, fuel and telephone
allowances for elderly people and the carers allowance. Is the
Labour Party not ashamed, in this the centenary year of the 1913
Lockout and the partys foundation that it is introducing budgets
that hit the low-paid rather than the super rich and the very
wealthy?
Deputy Brendan Howlin(Labour): I have listened to the usual
political drivel from the Deputy opposite.
Deputy Seamus Healy: It is true.
Deputy Brendan Howlin: It may have escaped the Deputy
perhaps his salary and other supports are too healthy that we
have just gone through the worst economic crisis in the history of
the State. The Government has managed to pick up the broken
pieces of a shattered economy and returned it to growth. The
critical criteria people will consider are fundamental issues such as
employment. How many people have jobs? When we entered
government, the unemployment figure was heading towards
500,000. The Deputy is not interested in listening to me. He is
fumbling with his papers.
Deputy Kathleen Lynch: He is preparing his second speech.
Deputy Brendan Howlin: The unemployment rate is now falling.
It is still too high, at 290,000, but we expect it to fall below 11%
this year. Nobody would have believed this a few years ago. We
have stabilised our budgets and torn up the prom note, that
despicable arrangement made by the previous Administration. We
have brought confidence back to the economy. That is the judgment
people will make.
The Deputy referred to commitments made by my party. He may
not have noticed that it is not in a single party Government. We did
not win an overall majority in the last general election. We
negotiated a programme for Government with a party which had
won significantly more seats than we had. However, if one considers
the balance between all of the commitments made by my party and
Fine Gael to the people, one will see that the vast bulk have been
delivered on. For some Deputies opposite, the very prospect of
recovery and renewal is anathema to their political outlook. There
are Deputies on the Opposition side who revel in the misfortune of
the people and the State because they think they can make political
capital from it.
Deputy Seamus Healy: The policy of the Government is to make
the poor and the less well-off pay.
Deputy Brendan Howlin: That is a lie.
Deputy Seamus Healy: It made promises with full knowledge of
the situation in 2011. The assets of the super rich are back above
peak levels in 2006, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Deputy Brendan Howlin: What does that mean?
Deputy Seamus Healy: It means that there are very wealthy
people in this country (who should be taxed).
TAXATION
Labour Manifesto 2011 again:
Fair Taxation
Labour has long argued for a fair and balanced tax structure in
Ireland and we will seek to renegotiate the EU/ IMF deal to achieve
this objective. It is an important principle of taxation that those who
have the most, must contribute the most, and that revenue-raising
must begin with reform, rather than constantly delaying it as Fianna
Fil have done.
We will extend the 10% USC rate to employee incomes over
100,000
Needless to say, this was not done.
Instead, FG/LAB cut USC on very large incomes in Budjet 2016
giving 100 million Euro to the top 5% on 186,000 Euro per year
each
Despite the warning in the TESCO AD (above) that a FG majority
government would increase VAT by 2%, Labour agreed to this rise
in VAT in the first budget of the new government!!!! VAT is a
particularly unfair or regressive because those on low and middle
incomes spend the vast bulk of their income in order to live unlike
the very rich. This change contributed to the situation in which the
poorest 10% of the population pay the greatest proportion OF
THEIR OWN INCOME in tax. (See post on this Blog : Poorest People
Most Highly Taxed)
There was no increase in income tax or in
USC on the rich during the lifetime of this
government.
Local Property Tax- IMPOSED BY LABOUR ON ALL
HOMEOWNERS Irrespective of Income
Labour Opposed Bill to Abolish the Tax in Dil
Deputy Seamus Healy (Workers and Unemployed
Action;South Tipperary) Speaking in Support of a Private
members Bill to abolish the Tax:
I support the Bill. (to abolish the Local Property Tax) The Taoiseach
said (During 2011 General election campaign) it is morally wrong,
unjust and unfair to tax a persons home. He has reneged on that
promise as he has reneged on many another policy during his
period in government.
This is a form of double taxation as we have already paid these
taxes. It pays no regard to ability to pay. As other speakers have
said, not a single extra cent will go to local authorities for local
authority services. In the last four years, more than 534 million
has been taken out of local authority budgets. This is a rip-off to
pay the banks and the bondholders. We know that because the
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government
himself has told us. Speaking in the House on 21 February 2013 on
the Motor Vehicles (Duties and Licences) Bill, the Minister, Deputy
(Phil) Hogan, told us, stating:
In 2012, 46.5 million of motor tax income was transferred
from the local government fund to the Exchequer. This year,
an amount of up to 150 million will be similarly transferred.
These are necessary measures towards the reduction of the
national debt.
Motor tax income is part of the local authority fund. We are paying
banks and bondholders from the local government fund and
replacing that fund with the hated local property tax.
Local authority tenants will also have to pay the tax through their
rent and lower and middle-income families who own their house,
even if it is in huge negative equity and mortgage arrears, are
compelled to pay this tax. It is a shameful item of regressive
legislation, introduced with the support of the Labour Party. It is
certainly not a property tax, it is a family home tax and is called a
property tax to attempt to fool the population. It is a hated tax and
the public are waiting for the opportunity to give the Government
parties a bloody nose. They will do so in the local and European
elections in 2014.
The Labour Party has played a despicable role in this and I call on
members of trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party to instruct
their unions immediately to stop taking the political levy from
contributions. This is a method of sending a strong message to the
Labour Party.
LABOUR DECEPTION ON TAX TO PROTECT THE RICH
Fintan OToole: The myth of Irelands progressive tax system
The top 10% pay 29% of their incomes in tax. The bottom 10% pay
28%
Irish Times Tue, Sep 29, 2015, 05:45
Fintan OToole
The sleight-of-hand is more Tommy Cooper than Penn and
Teller.
The point of all the repetition is to suggest that those at
the top need a break from all this world-beating fairness,
while those at the bottom have nothing at all to complain
about.
The funny thing about this truth is that its not true at all. It
is, literally, not even a half-truth.
If you got a euro every time you turned on the radio or opened a
newspaper to be told that Ireland has one of the most progressive
tax systems in the world, youd be rich.
Except you wouldnt be because Ireland has one of the most
progressive tax systems in the world so the Government would take
nearly all the money away from you and give it to the poor.
Repeat after me: Ireland has one of the most progressive tax
systems in the western world. (Sunday Times editorial last Sunday)
The deputy mentioned a progressive tax system but we have one
of the most progressive tax systems in the world in Ireland (Enda
Kenny, November 2014).
We have the most progressive tax system in the OECD (Michael
Noonan, November 2014).
We have one of the most progressive taxation systems in the
world (Chris Johns, The Irish Times, June 2014).
Internationally, we have one of the most progressive tax systems
in the world. (Brian Hayes MEP, May 2015)
[Ireland] has one of the most progressive tax systems in the
world (Alan Kelly, October 2014).
The tax reforms of recent years mean that Ireland now has the
most progressive tax system in the European Union (Martin Phelan,
president of the Irish Tax Institute, The Irish Times, November
2012).
It should be acknowledged that Ireland has one of the most
progressive tax systems in the world (Michael Noonan, July 2014).
Ireland now has one of the most progressive tax systems in the
developed world (Eamon Gilmore, October, 2013).
Deceptions
This is one of those memes that reproduces itself in a perfectly
closed loop. It is that most dangerous of deceptions: a truth
universally acknowledged. And therefore the logic that flows from it
that anyone who even talks about making the taxation system
fairer by shifting the burden from the poor to the rich is an idiot
seeps into the groundwater of conventional wisdom, especially, as
now, when a budget is in the offing.
The point of all the repetition is to suggest that those at the top
need a break from all this world-beating fairness, while those at the
bottom have nothing at all to complain about.
The funny thing about this truth is that its not true at all. It is,
literally, not even a half-truth. In the way its expressed in each of
the above quotes, it is a simple trick of language. If you ask the
people who keep saying it what their evidence is theyll always refer
you to figures produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-
Operation and Development (OECD). But the OECD figures they cite
dont actually refer to tax systems at all. They use a very narrow
measure income tax paid by someone earning 55,000 compared
to someone earning 22,000. Be that as it may, they undeniably
refer solely and specifically to income tax. A tax system means
corporate, capital, income, property, wealth, value added and every
other form of taxation. Income tax in Ireland is, in terms of the
revenue raised, just 41 per cent of the tax system. A claim about
that 41 per cent is being systematically converted into a truth
about the whole system.
The sleight-of-hand is more Tommy Cooper than Penn and Teller,
but it works because it tells the right people what they want to hear.
Hence the substitution of tax system for income tax has become
almost automatic.
Last weeks report from the Irish Tax Institute, for example, actually
reads: Ireland has one of the most progressive income tax systems
in the OECD. This becomes, as reported in the Irish
Independent on September 23rd, The institute claims Irelands tax
system is one of the most progressive in the developed world. See
what happened there?
Why does this matter? Because it distorts a key reality of Irish life:
people at the bottom pay as much of their incomes in tax as those
at the top. To hide something as outrageous as this you actually
need two linguistic tricks. One is the ideological autocorrect that
turns income tax to tax system.
The other intertwined claim, also repeated ad nauseam, is that huge
numbers of people are completely outside the tax net, pay no
tax or contribute nothing to the national coffers.
But everyone pays tax. Theres an apparently little-known tax called
VAT. There are other indirect taxes. Almost all the tax paid by the
bottom 30 per cent of households is indirect. Taxes on consumption
are disproportionately paid by people on low incomes who have to
spend all their money.
Regressive
The bottom 10 per cent of people pay nearly 30 per cent of their
incomes in indirect taxes; the top 10 per cent pay 6 per cent,
according to the Nevin Institute. The whole claim to having the
most progressive tax system depends on ignoring the highly
regressive nature of indirect taxes . What do you get if you count
them back in? The top 10 per cent pay 29 per cent of their incomes
in tax. The bottom 10 per cent pay 28 per cent. Thats progressive
in the same sense that most of the discussion about this is honest.
https://paddyhealy.wordpress.com/labour-new-
promises-for-breaking/

'Contempt for Dil ireann':

Government still plans to sell
AIB shares despite vote against
it
The Government yesterday forgot to vote against a motion delaying the
sale.
May 19th 2017
OPPOSITION TDS HAVE hit out at Finance Minister
Michael Noonan as he still plans to go ahead with the selling
off of AIB shares, despite the Dil yesterday passing a vote to
delay the move.
The motion to prevent the sale of 25% of AIB was proposed
by Labour yesterday. As campaigns for the Fine Gael
leadership got underway, it seems the government forgot all
about it.
The result of this was the Labour motion to delay the sale
passing.
However, in a statement yesterday, the Finance Department
yesterday said it would not be recognising the vote. As it was
on a Private Members Motion, it was not legally binding
the Department said.
In a statement last night, Labour leader Brendan Howlin
said Noonans decision showed a worrying contempt for
Dil ireann.

If the Government wants to override a decision of

parliament, then they should table a new motion, and seek
majority support, said Howlin.
Their disregard for the views of parliament amounts to the
final nail in the coffin of this do-nothing Dil.
Speaking this morning on RTs Morning Ireland, Howlin
said the move really underscores the complete impotence of
the current Dil.
His statements were echoed by Social Democrat TD
Catherine Murphy.
Instead of respecting the democratic process, Minister
Noonan is showing contempt for the Dil, she said.
He is trying to justify running roughshod over our
parliamentary democracy by saying that the Programme for
Government allows the sale of AIB shares.
Labour said it wanted assurances sought to ensure that the
money would be used to pay for new homes, schools and
hospitals.
In an article over the weekend, Howlin said that the sale
would reduce our debt-GDP ratio by just 1%.
He said that the estimated 3 billion that the government
would get from the sale of the shares must be kept in AIB
until such time as we know we can use it.

http://www.thejournal.ie/aib-noonan-vote-
3397740-May2017/?utm_source=shortlink
Two civilian Garda members contradict Nirn
OSullivan
Thursday, June 01, 2017

Two civilian members of the garda have directly

contradicted formal evidence by Garda Commissioner
Nirn OSullivan, insisting she knew about the Garda
college financial scandal a month earlier than previously
claimed.
Nirn O'Sullivan: Garda chief's evidence directly
contradicted.

The head of the gardas legal affairs and HR units

revealed the situation during a deeply divisive
meeting during which they turned on their finance
unit counterpart by accusing him of blocking
investigations into the case, said they do not have
confidence in senior management, and hinted at a
new secret Garda bank account linked to EU funding
and education grants.
Speaking during a six-hour Dil Public Accounts
Committee meeting, Labour TD and PAC deputy
chair Alan Kelly asked senior Garda civilian officers
when Ms OSullivan was first informed of the
scandal.
The commissioner who is due to re-appear at the
PAC on June 14 told the committee last month
she only learned of the situation on July 27, 2015.
However, speaking under Dil privilege, the two
civilian officers said she was, in fact, informed at
least one month earlier.
Responding to Mr Kelly, college whistleblower and
the forces civilian head of HR, John Barrett, said he
was told by former chief administration officer Cyril
Dunne that Ms OSullivan was told of the situation
at a meeting on July 2.
While Mr Dunne was not present at yesterdays PAC
hearing, Mr Barrett said thats what Cyril told me
and I have no reason to doubt him.
The view was repeated by the Garda civilian head of
legal affairs, Ken Ruane, who also confirmed Ms
OSullivan was informed in a conversation on June
30 and at a meeting on July 2.
Mr Ruane said a formal meeting with Ms OSullivan
took place on July 2 at 10.30am in the college, and
he said there was a written note confirming this
from Mr Barrett to Mr Ruane on July 6.
After describing the detailed evidence as a direct
contradiction of Ms OSullivans view, Mr Kelly
asked the Garda civilian head of finance Michael
Culhane if he disagreed with any of the information,
with Mr Culhane simply saying no.
The clear contradiction with Ms OSullivan came
during a heated morning meeting in which Mr
Culhane was repeatedly accused of attempting to
block an investigation into the college scandal.
In his opening evidence to the PAC, Garda civilian
audit chief Niall Kelly alleged he was encouraged
not to investigate the case and had information
withheld from him.
The view was repeated by Mr Barrett, who said
there was a very deliberate attempt at
concealing information by Mr Culhane and others.
Both Niall Kelly and Mr Barrett said they do not
have confidence in senior management, while Mr
Barrett said it was appalling a letter by Mr
Culhane accusing him of breaching the Official
Secrets Act by making private notes was given
freely to the PAC despite Mr Barrett seeking it via
FOI for years.
Although former Garda committee audit member
Michael Howard and current head of legal affairs Mr
Ruane said Mr Culhane was hostile to inquiries,
Mr Culhane rejected the claims outright.
However, he was repeatedly put under scrutiny by
PAC members.
Fianna Fil TD Marc Sharry asked him is it not you
who at least by title be the subject of investigation
into possible criminal procedures given that Mr
Culhane has been head of the Garda finance unit
since 2000.
However, the view was strongly rejected by Mr
Culhane.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan raised
further questions about the controversy.
Questioning Mr Barrett over a new audit into EU
funding and garda education courses for the Garda
college since 1998 and whether they are linked to a
previously unknown AIB account in Cabra, Dublin,
she said: My understanding is the proceeds of that
are not going where they should be going.
However, speaking under Dil privilege, the two civilian officers
said she was, in fact, informed at least one month earlier.
Responding to Mr Kelly, college whistleblower and the forces
civilian head of HR, John Barrett, said he was told by former
chief administration officer Cyril Dunne that Ms OSullivan was
told of the situation at a meeting on July 2.
While Mr Dunne was not present at yesterdays PAC hearing, Mr
Barrett said thats what Cyril told me and I have no reason to
doubt him.
The view was repeated by the Garda civilian head of
legal affairs, Ken Ruane, who also confirmed Ms
OSullivan was informed in a conversation on June 30
and at a meeting on July 2.
Mr Ruane said a formal meeting with Ms OSullivan
took place on July 2 at 10.30am in the college, and he
said there was a written note confirming this from Mr
Barrett to Mr Ruane on July 6.
After describing the detailed evidence as a direct
contradiction of Ms OSullivans view, Mr Kelly
asked the Garda civilian head of finance Michael
Culhane if he disagreed with any of the information,
with Mr Culhane simply saying no.
The clear contradiction with Ms OSullivan came
during a heated morning meeting in which Mr
Culhane was repeatedly accused of attempting to
block an investigation into the college scandal.
In his opening evidence to the PAC, Garda civilian
audit chief Niall Kelly alleged he was encouraged not
to investigate the case and had information
withheld from him.
The view was repeated by Mr Barrett, who said there
was a very deliberate attempt at concealing
information by Mr Culhane and others.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/two-civilian-
garda-members-contradict-noirin-osullivan-
451364.html
Varadkar Rushed To Hospital After Suspected Contact With Member Of The
Working Class
June1,2017

THERE IS SERIOUS concern for the skin of Fine Gael leader-in-

waiting Leo Varadkar following a disturbing incident in Dublin
City centre earlier this morning.

At a time when he and his team should have been basking in his
magnificance ahead of his coronation as leader of Fine Gael,
Minister for Social Protection and Photo Opportunities, Varadkar,
is now receiving life saving treatment after inadvertently
encountering a member of the working class and being forced to
listen to their concerns.
While attending a media briefing with the press at which he
handed out free Leo coffee, Leo cakes, Leo t-shirts, Leo badges, Leo
pens and Leo made up statistics about welfare fraud, Varadkar was
accosted by a working class person who eye witnesses said might
have momentarily breathed the same air as him.

It was horrifying, explained TD Eoghan Murphy, who feared he

wouldnt be taken out for his walk by his owner, now Varadkar was
aggressively washing all the traces of working class off his body in a
special poor-decontamination unit at the Beacon Hospital.

We knew it was serious when we asked the man, who had an

accent, what time he had gotten out of bed at and he said 12pm, I
feel sick thinking about how I let Leo down, Murphy added.

The almost-person at the centre of the unprovoked contact with

Varadkar has been identified as security guard Michael Drumlin.
Garda could not rule the possibility that at one time in his life,
Drumlin may have been in receipt of some kind of social welfare
payment.

Unreleased footage seen by WWN shows Drumlin interrupting

Varadkar taking selfies to ask him a question about possible flaws
in a number of his proposed policies. Members of Varadkars team
attempted to step in front of the man as they covered their
candidates ears so he wouldnt be subjected to an interaction of
any kind, but it is clearly too late as the former Minister for
Healths skin begins turning noticeably red and irritated looking.

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2017/06/01/var
adkar-rushed-to-hospital-after-suspected-contact-
with-member-of-the-working-class/
A short interview with John Curran TD, Chair of the Joint Committee on Social Protection
report - Social Protection Committee calls on Citizens Information Board to halt flawed and ill-
considered MABS & CIS restructuring

https://media.heanet.ie/player/c08ceca98c0da3c6d45861d9d01aaa67
THE TRAITOR PARTY
Western Sahara
European Commission
ignoring of UN-
recognised Polisario
Front on EU-Morocco
Agreement raised in
Dil
1 June 2017

Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco

JOHN HEDGES
AN PHOBLACHT EDITOR
European Court of Justice
annulled the EU-Morocco
Agreement only six months ago
because it illegally applied to
Western Sahara
A EUROPEAN COMMISSION move to renegotiate its
Association Agreement with Morocco on trade, political
co-operation and development issues without involving
the people of Western Sahara and their UN-recognised
political representatives, the Polisario Front, has been
raised in the Dil (Irish Parliament) by Sinn Fin TD
Sen Crowe with the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister.
Morocco has occupied much of resource-rich Western Sahara
since 1975. Most of the population has been expelled by force,
many to camps in the Algerian desert where 165,000 refugees
still live. United Nations resolutions have called for the right to
self-determination of the Saharawi people. The United Nations
considers the Polisario Front to be the legitimate
representative of the Sahrawi people. (See more below)

Deputy Sen Crowe (pictured) reminded the Irish Parliament on

Tuesday:
In a landmark judgment on 21 December 2016 (Polisario v
Council), the European Court of Justice annulled the EU-
Morocco Agreement because it illegally applied to Western
Sahara.
He added:
Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco and no state officially
recognises Moroccos claimed sovereignty over Western
Sahara.
The ECJ ruling made clear that the European Commission
cannot make agreements with Morocco that relate to Western
Sahara without gaining the consent of the people of Western
Sahara.
It now seems that the European Commission is trying to
renegotiate the agreement that was annulled by the ECJ
exclusively with Morocco.
This ignores the mandate of the exclusive, legitimate and UN-
recognised representative of the people of Western Sahara, the
Polisario Front.

Saharawi Republic President Mohamed Abdelaziz (who died

last year) meets Sinn Fin TDs Gerry Adams, Sen Crowe and
David Cullinane during an official visit to Ireland in 2012
Deputy Crowe told An Phoblacht:
I raised this issue with the Foreign Affairs Minister in Dublin
today and questioned what safeguards the Irish Government is
demanding from the European Commission to ensure that the
negotiations are in full conformity ECJ ruling.
He said he also called on the Irish Government to block any
attempts by the European Commission to negotiate exclusively
with Morocco.
The Irish Government must ensure that the landmark ruling
by the ECJ on Western Sahara is respected and it must oppose
any attempts to undermine the fundamental rights of the
Sahrawi people, the Sinn Fin deputy said.
Frente POLISARIO strongly condemns proposal of
European Commission for mandate to negotiate
revision of 2000 EU-Morocco Association Agreement
Where is Western Sahara?

WESTERN SAHARA is located on the north-west coast of

Africa bordered by Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria.
The colonial administration of Western Sahara by Spain
ended in 1976.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia al-Hamra and
the Rio del Oro is called Polisario, based on its Spanish
acronym.
Polisario has been the unified voice of the Saharawi movement
for independence and statehood since 1973.
Polisarios armed struggle began in 1975 after Spain ceded its
phosphate-, fish- and possibly oil-rich colony to Morocco in a
secretive and illegal deal, says the global justice magazine
New Internationalist.
Polisario declared independence as the Saharawi Arab
Democratic Republic in 1976 and is now recognised by many
governments and is a full member of the African Union.
Many Saharawi fled repression by Moroccan occupation forces
to seek refuge in camps in Algeria.
In 1991, the UN brokered a ceasefire, promising to hold an
independence referendum. Such a vote was proposed in the
1970s, when the international community agreed that Morocco
holds no historical right to the territory, but the sides have
been unable to agree on a list of eligible voters.
http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26907

EU intends to ignore Court of Justice

judgment on Western Sahara trade
http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7
d2dc30d5a57b201e09f24856b7bad0b327fbe322.e34KaxiLc3qMb40
Rch0SaxyKbx10?
text=&docid=186489&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=req&dir=
&occ=first&part=1&cid=6228781
Moroccos exports of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara
Fertilizer companies from across the globe import controversial
phosphate rock from Western Sahara, under illegal Moroccan
occupation. This report shows which of them imported in 2016
http://www.wsrw.org/files/dated/2017-04-
24/p_for_plunder_2016_web.pdf
403 hospital consultants
charged a total of 48.3m for
tax evasion 2013-2016. from
C&AG 2015 report.

In two cases, 1m each was recovered

More hospital consultants engaged in tax fraud 2013-2016
than there are entire cases of suspected social welfare
identity fraud.
Irish government ceremony to appease market algorithms. Performed by
Dept. of Finance economists in ceremonial dress.

Some balls in fairness. 13 billion in unpaid tax from Apple that the EU urged
the government to claim, and they wont
This is how you end up as one of the top five tax havens for banks. Planning
and dedcation lads, that's the key

The tax havens of Europe in

2011 - top 3 provide the key
members of the EU
commission (Juncker,
Timmermans & Hill)
Oxfam Latest Tax Havens bp-opening-vaults-banks-tax-havens-
270317-

https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/bp-opening-vaults-
banks-tax-havens-270317-en.pdf
'YANKS PLEASE COME OVER' - an IDA ad in Fortune Magazine Sept 1964.
 GLOBAL TAX JUSTICE AT A CROSSROADS

SOUTHERN LEADERSHIP AND THE CHALLENGE OF TRUMP AND BREXIT

City University London, 5-6 July 2017

Tax justice stands at a crossroads. After a period of sustained but partial progress, 2017
brings with it a strong risk of deterioration. In this years annual conference we will:

evaluate the extent of recent advances in international financial

transparency and against tax evasion and avoidance
look ahead to the policy earthquakes likely to be wrought by the UKs
exit from the European Union, and the USAs election of President Trump,
given that the UK is at the head of the biggest global secrecy network, and
the USA is potentially the biggest threat to progress
discuss the position of lower-income countries which are more
powerfully mobilised on tax justice issues than ever before, with Ecuadors
leadership of the G77 directed to the creation of a globally representative,
intergovernmental tax body. Coupled with instability in the relationships
between key high-income countries, this leaves the OECDs effective role
as the international rule-setter more uncertain than for many years.

Co-organised by the Association for Accountancy & Business Affairs (AABA), City,
University of London (CityPERC), and the Tax Justice Network (TJN), this is the latest in
an annual event series dating back to 2003. The events bring together researchers,
academics, journalists, policy staff of civil society organisations, consultants and
professionals, elected politicians and their researchers, government and international
organisation officials. And of course, this is open to concerned citizens everywhere. All
are welcome. The purpose is to facilitate research, open-minded debate and discussion,
and to generate ideas and proposals to inform and shape political initiatives and
mobilisation.

Call for papers

Papers and abstracts are now sought on all aspects of tax justice. The organisers wish in
particular to encourage papers that address the following areas:

-The race to the bottom in tax and financial regulation, including

Analysis of the current US corporate tax and other reforms

The Brexit tax haven threat, and EU response
Tax incentives and corporate tax rate competition within regions

-Feminist perspectives/gendered analysis on tax justice and its role in social

progress

-Blacklisting of tax havens the evolution of policy approaches, and results

-Evaluations of international progress since 2008, and the outlook today

The deadline for submission of abstracts (maximum 300 words) is 24 March

2017. Please send to Fariya Mohiuddin fariya@taxjustice.net The decisions of the
organising committee are expected to be communicated by 7 April 2017 and the deadline
for submission of full papers (5,000-10,000 words) for accepted authors is 8 June 2017.

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/global-tax-justice-at-a-crossroads-tjn-aaba-
annual-conference-2017-tickets-31976056245

There is a small charge for attendance and refreshments during the two
days. Participants are usually expected to finance their own travel, although applications
from students and others with limited means for bursary support will be considered. More
information about this workshop is available from: fariya@taxjustice.net

Please do promote the event to your networks and within your organisations. Heres a
pdf version of the call for papers to print or circulate.

Newly launched Tax Justice UK assesses party manifestos in UKs

snap general election

MAY 31, 2017

Justice UK {1}, the newly launched sister organisation to the Tax
Justice Network, releases today its detailed analysis of the general
election manifestos of the main political parties, assessing how far
they advance, or reverse, an agenda that is compatible with the
pursuit of tax justice principles and the public interest.
It finds that none of the parties will admit that, ten years after the
financial crisis, the British economy is being run in the interests of
a small financial elite based in the City of London, to the detriment
of the rest of the British population and of many other people
across the world.
In November 2008, the Queen visited the London School of
Economics and asked why no-one had foreseen the largest
financial crisis since the 1920s. In reality the warning lights had
been flashing for years, but people in power chose to ignore the
signals and failed to represent the public interest. The subsequent
 breakdown in trust has caused an unprecedented crisis of social
cohesion that threatens our democratic institutions.
In 2016, the Tax Justice Network looked back at the financial crisis
and argued convincingly that economic growth and equality in the
UK are still held back by a finance curse:
the crash and growing inequality cast doubt on the idea that
finance is a boon to the host economy beyond a point, a
growing financial sector can do more harm than good. {2}
The glib politicians assumption that the interests of the British
people are aligned with those of the City of London could not be
further from the truth.
A year on, the manifestos of the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal
Democrats, the Greens, UKIP and the SNP demonstrate varying
levels of commitment to addressing tax avoidance and building a
fair and progressive tax system, according to a detailed analysis
by Tax Justice UK. The analysis assessed the extent to which the
general election manifestos of the main UK political parties
advance, or reverse, an agenda that is compatible with the pursuit
of tax justice principles. It scored their pledges on tax issues based
on 10 criteria (covering tax avoidance and transparency, the UKs
secrecy network, tax competition and tax fairness). {3}
Their key findings are as follows:
RESOURCING HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS: Only Labour
has made a significant commitment to increase HMRCs
resourcing and its ability to tackle tax avoidance in a meaningful
way, although the Greens come close. A relatively small
investment by the next UK government would yield significant
financial returns as well generating political capital.
CLAMPING DOWN ON THE UKS SECRECY
JURISDICTIONS: Both Labour and the Lib Dems plan to put
pressure on tax havens as part of their international development
strategy, although Labour is specifically focused on the UKs
network. The Conservatives do not make any mention of this,
following their failure to cajole or compel Britains overseas
territories and crown dependencies to embrace transparency in
2016, while UKIP are also silent and the Greens and the SNP do
not present any detailed plans.
CORPORATION TAX: There is a clear ideological distinction
between the parties here, with the Lib Dems and SNP taking a
middle-ground position between Labour and the Greens on one
side, and the Tories and (presumably) UKIP on the other. Reducing
business taxes is a form of tax competition, a policy that is based
on flawed economics, and there is no evidence to support the
 argument that higher business taxes will be passed on to workers
and consumers. A corporation tax rate of 26% would still be the
lowest in the G7.
WEALTH TAXES: Labour and the Greens plan to actively
increase taxes on unearned income; the Lib Dems will simply
reverse recent cuts, while the SNP will support limited action
across the UK. UKIP will go backwards by increasing inheritance
tax thresholds, while the Tories do not plan any changes. Leaving
aside the evolving Tory plans to use property wealth to fund in-
home social care, the Conservatives have missed an opportunity
to tackle inequality of wealth, rather than income. The top 10%
own 45% of wealth and the bottom 50% own just 9%. As Phillip
Blond recently wrote, there can be no popular capitalism if people
do not have capital.
And the scores? Labour leads the pack with a score
of 76 out of a possible 100, followed by the Greens on 51, the SNP
on 48, the Liberal Democrats on 47, and the Tories and UKIP both
on 22. (Plaid Cymru have been excluded because only local taxes
are devolved to the Welsh Assembly, so their manifesto could not
be fairly compared to the others.) For the full report see
www.taxjustice.uk/election.

It is striking that Labour, even in its most radical manifesto for

decades, holds back from grappling with the choke-like grip that
the City of London exerts on UK economic and fiscal policy, which,
to quote TJNs 2016 report, has crowded out manufacturing and
non-financial services, leeched government of skilled staff,
 entrenched regional disparities, fostered large-scale financial rent-
seeking, heightened economic dependence, increased inequality,
helped disenfranchise the majority and exposed the economy to
violent crises.
Will Snell, Director of Tax Justice UK, commented:
Ten years after the crash, little progress has been made.
Household debt is at record levels. Air pollution levels are
hazardous in our cities; climate change is unaddressed.
Investment in productive jobs has not materialised. Market power
has become concentrated in the hands of multinational companies
who extract wealth without paying taxes on their vast profits. The
majority of new jobs pay low wages and provide little or no job
security. Housing is unaffordable. Wealth and income is unevenly
distributed between a tiny minority and vast numbers who are just
about managing. The UKs financial system remains opaque,
unaccountable and rigged to serve the interests of the 1%, not the
99%. The status quo is neither equitable nor sustainable, and it will
only get worse if the threats to turn the UK into a Brexit tax haven
become reality. The next government must take it upon itself to run
the country and the economy in the interests of the whole
population, not just those at the top of society.
CONTACTS for comment:
Will Snell, Tax Justice UK +44 (0)7928 858882
will@taxjustice.uk
NOTES
{1} Tax Justice UK (www.taxjustice.uk) is a new organisation that is
linked to but independent of the Tax Justice Network
(www.taxjustice.net). Tax Justice UK is a campaigning organisation
focused on the UK, while the Tax Justice Network is a global
research and policy organisation. Tax Justice UK is politically non-
partisan and will work on three issues:
` The role of tax: Taxation builds a civilised society, healthy
economy, secure country and decent public services. Tax Justice
UK will celebrate the role of tax in building a civilised and fair
society.
` A fairer tax system: The costs of contributing to tax revenues
should be shared fairly, taking into account the ability to pay. Tax
Justice UK will advocate for a fairer and more progressive tax
system.
` A more effective tax system: All UK taxpayers, including
companies as well as individuals, should pay all of the tax that they
owe. Tax Justice UK will campaign against tax avoidance by
companies and individuals.
 {2} See the full report at www.taxjustice.net/2016/02/10/the-
finance-curse-britain-and-the-world-economy
{3} The full list of criteria is as follows:
` Tax avoidance and transparency
` The next government should increase the resources made
available to HM Revenue and Customs to enforce UK tax
legislation and to crack down on tax avoidance.
` The next government should ensure that HM Revenue and
Customs places more emphasis on reducing tax avoidance by
large companies and wealthy individuals.
` The next government should legislate to introduce public
registers of all beneficial ownership of companies and of trusts
(and legislation for the incorporation and registration of trusts).
` The next government should legislate to introduce public
country-by-country reporting for UK publicly quoted companies,
while making the case for public country-by-country reporting on a
multilateral basis.
` The UKs secrecy network
` The next government should use its statutory powers to
compel all of the UKs crown dependencies and overseas
territories to sign up to automatic information exchange, to
introduce public registers of beneficial ownership of companies
and of trusts, and to introduce public country-by-country reporting.
` Tax competition
` The next government should commit not to make any further
cuts to the corporation tax rate (and should, ideally, plan to restore
it to its previous rate of 28%).
` The next government should conduct a comprehensive
review of the 1400 tax reliefs in the UK (which cost the UK
exchequer 119bn per year, according to the NAO), analysing the
costs and benefits of each and removing those that serve no
useful purpose.
` Tax fairness
` The next government should avoid increasing regressive
taxes (including indirect taxes such as VAT, and council tax) that
have a disproportionate impact on the finances of poorer
households in the UK (unless they serve an explicit social purpose,
such as a sugar tax to reduce childhood obesity).
` The next government should plan to increase taxes on
wealth and unearned income, for example by introducing a land
value tax, increasing the rates of capital gains tax and all
investment income taxes, and protecting inheritance tax from
further threshold increases and from rate reductions.
 The next government should ensure that the tax
system does not reduce the tax liabilities of companies so that they
are subsidised by individual taxpayers (as happened in the oil and
gas sector, for example, with the scrapping of petroleum revenue
tax and reducing the supplementary charge for oil companies).
Finance Curse document from May 201

http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/upload/pdf/Finance_Curse_Final.pdf

Protesting PwC:
Professionals Without
Conscience
APRIL 6, 2017 1 0 BLOG, ENABLERS AND INTERMEDIARIES, EVENTS
This week is the global week of action for tax justice and on
Wednesday 5th April activists from the Tax Justice Network and
Methodists for Tax Justice held a protest outside the London
offices of Price Waterhouse Coopers.
The global week of action for tax justice is happening one year
after the release of the Panama Papers. The Panama Papers were
the latest in a series of large leaks from the offshore world that
have revealed the true extent to which lawyers, bankers and
accountants have facilitated the hiding of vast amounts of money
in offshore financial centres by individuals and companies. One
year on, these facilitators of financial impropriety have suffered few
consequences and continue to operate with impunity.

Why PwC?
Over the past few years PwC has revealed itself to be a
particularly big player in the world of tax avoidance. The Luxleaks
scandal showed the company to be providers of tax avoidance
schemes to large firms on an industrial scale. PwC was working
with the Luxembourg tax office, and one tax officer there in
particular to sign off hundreds of deals with multinational
companies allowing them to transfer billions into the country
virtually tax free, depleting the resources for public services in
other countries.
The companys reaction to this was appalling. Rather than accept
that theyd seriously lost their way in terms of its ethics and wider
professional obligations, it proceeded to track down and bully the
whistleblowers who had revealed its own poor behaviour. In
particular, the company compelled one former employee Raphael
Halet, under duress, to sign a non-disclosure agreement which he
believed, wrongly as it turned out, prevented him from entering a
defence in a later criminal trial.
Heres a reminder of evidence the UK Parliaments Public
Accounts Committee heard about PwCs practices which we wrote
about here:
The committee received evidence from a former senior PwC
employee stating that within the firm the policy was that it would
sell a tax avoidance scheme which had only a 25% chance of
withstanding a legal challenge. As the committee chairperson put it
you are offering schemes to your clients knowingly marketing
these schemes where you have judged there is a 75% risk of it
then being deemed unlawful.
Photos from the Protest outside PwC 1 Embankment Place, part
of the Global week of action for tax justice

The silent watchdog

But PwCs promotion of tax abuse is not the only way in which the
company has been shown to be having a damaging effect on
economies. The company has recently been shown to be asleep at
the wheel as auditors of major companies which have suffered
accounting scandals and fraud. Below are a few examples:

The BHS affair

11,000 people in the UK lost their jobs when the company BHS
collapsed leaving pensioners afraid for their future because of a
giant hole in its pension fund. The industry regulator is asking
questions over how PwC signed off the company as a going
concern just days before being offloaded for 1 to a former
bankrupt with no retail experience.

Accounting fraud at Tescos

Shares in Tesco, one of the UKs best known retailers plummeted
in September 2014 when it revealed that it had mis-stated its
profits by, erm, 250 million. PwC, the companys accountants, are
currently being investigated by the industry regulator over their role
in the affair.

British Telecom shares crash after

accounting scandal
British Telecom is seeking to drop PwC, their auditor for 30 years
after they discovered an accounting scandal in their Italian division
which forced the company to write down 530 million and sent
shares crashing, wiping off 8 billion of the value of the company.
With such an inglorious record its a wonder how the company
continues to operate. But the big audit firms have such a
stranglehold on the market that customers are left with little choice.
Its time for the government to take action and break up the big
four accountancy firms, and properly regulate the industry.

http://www.taxjustice.net/2017/04/06/protesting-pwc/
Reflecting the realities of tax risk in the theory of tax
avoidance
http://www.davidquentin.co.uk/RiskMining_The_Public_Exchequer.pdf

TAX AVOIDANCE Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation 3rd

December 2012
https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Business_Taxation/Docs/P
ublications/Reports/TA_3_12_12.pdf
The Mechanics of Aggressive Tax Planning by Multinational Corporations ... School
of BusinessTrinity College Dublin ... corporations were able to avoid US taxation
https://www.tcd.ie/tidi/assets/doc/Development%20Research
%20Week%202013/Aggressive%20Tax%20Planning%20by%20MNCs
%20-%20Frank%20Barry.pdf
Financial Flows and Treasury Management Firms* ... School
of Business Trinity College, Dublin ... being at variance with legislation to
counteract tax avoidance. 3
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Documents/JimStewart2006.pdf
Tax Competition And Tax Avoidance: Implications For Global Development 2 Greg
Rawlings (Australian National University) Offshore Finance Centres, Multilateral ...
http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/upload/pdf/Program_Essex2004.pdf
Jim Stewart - Trinity College Dublin - tcd.ie

Low tax Financial Centres and the Financial Crisis: ... School
of Business, Trinity College, Dublin. ... documents filed with Companies
Registration Office .

https://www.tcd.ie/iiis/documents/discussion/pdfs/iiisdp420.pdf
RITA DE LA FERIA Professor and Chair of Tax Law at the University of ... the Centre
for BusinessTaxation, ... and did PhD at the University of Dublin, Trinity College
http://www.fd.ulisboa.pt/wp-
content/uploads/2016/08/CV_RitalaFeria.pdf
general principles of taxation, ajs ... a perfect income tax. a paper read before
the dublinstatistical society: ... george johnston allman, esq., 5, trinity .
http://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/8401/jssisiVolII1_15.pd
f?sequence=1
PUBLICHEARING on Thefightagainsttaxevasion-FATCAasasteptowards
internationalautomatic ... of Trinity College Dublin and a ... Direct taxation, Tax .
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201305/201
30521ATT66359/20130521ATT66359EN.pdf
TASC would also like to acknowledge the external
contributions of Dr James Stewart
of TrinityCollege Dublin ... the
Irish taxation system. tax avoidance
http://www.tasc.ie/download/pdf/tasc_tax_injustice.pdf?
issuusl=ignore
Government of Ireland to Improve International Tax ... America and the
Government of Ireland for the Avoidance of Double Taxation ... business if the
entity

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/tax-
policy/treaties/Documents/FATCA-Agreement-Ireland-1-23-2013.pdf

state aid provisions also apply to direct business taxation. National tax systems
face ... taxevasion, fraud and avoidance ... the EU. Tax polic

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2015/549001/E
PRS_IDA(2015)549001_EN.pdf

Apples tax affairs spark a transatlantic face-off

Christian Oliver, Tim Bradshaw and Barney Jopson

Washington calls foul over the EU inquiry amid anger over a $1tn
offshore cash pile

http://globaltraderelations.net/images/Article.Tax_and_EU_and_Overs
eas_FT_4.5.16_.pdf
In Company; All Business English Courses; ... Tax Avoidance
Worksheet. ... Apple and Starbucks are regularly under the spotlight
2013
http://www.businessenglishonline.net/wp-
content/uploads/2014/01/Business-Person-of-the-Year-2013-final.pdf
Non-confidential version of the McDonalds decision

On June 6, 2016 the European Commission published the non-confidential version of its
decision to open a State Aid investigation into a tax ruling given by Luxembourg to
McDonald's.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?
uri=CELEX:62016TO0131&from=EN
KPMGs EU Tax Centre publishes a news bulletin that includes analysis of CJEU
decisions and commentary on the impact of such decisions in EU Member States.

Hybrid mismatches with third countries

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?
pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2017-
0135+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN
Nokia 3310 - The Icon Is Back! We are the first retailer in Ireland to stock this hugely
anticipated phone, Featuring a large colour screen, a rear camera, excellent battery life and
of course, Snake is back! The New Nokia 3310 comes Sim Free meaning you can use the
phone no matter what network you're on. Available online now and from 2pm tomorrow
(Friday 2nd June) at our stores. Remember, you saw it here first! Like and Share to let your
family and friends know
Are these unlocked to any network?
Mother campaigns to get
potentially life saving medicine
for daughter
Veras daughter Ava has Dravet Syndrome, a rare
disorder causing grand mal seizures that could prove fatal
at any time. Avas condition does not respond to
conventional medication and her doctors had ran out of
options, effectively sending her home to die.

Thats why Vera and her husband Paul decided to try CBD
oil. They had seen success stories such as Charlotte Figi,
whose seizures had been almost eliminated after taking
the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, CBD.
Ava responds well to CBD oil
but family think that THC could
reduce seizures further
While Avas condition has improved remarkably and her
seizures reduced by 90%, the childs parents believe that
a medical cannabis extract containing both CBD and a
small amount of THC could bring her seizures down to
almost zero.
The family have been tirelessly campaigning to try and
convince the Irish Ministry of Health to approve medical
cannabis containing THC for Ava. But despite the Irish
Parliament passing a Medical Cannabis Bill
before christmas, and the launch of a Compassionate
Access Programme, Harris and his team have dug their
heels in, refusing to approve a prescription for Ava
containing THC.

Family see no option but to

leave Ireland
And so, just this week, Vera Twomey announced that the
whole family will be moving to Spain, where they hope to
access the medical cannabis they believe Ava needs.
In an interview with Endoca, Vera said:
Over the last couple of weeks, what with the way the Bill
has been progressing. The progress is so limited. Its
being blocked at every avenue they can.
Were looking at Ava the whole time, its just simply we
had to move or do something. So we decided the best
thing to do was to pack up and go.
The idea with Spain is that its as far as Id be able to go
with Ava. I dont think it would be realistic to imagine that
we could go to Colorado.

Irish government say Vera

must prove that THC
medication works
The move, which includes all four of Veras children, is in
response to the Irish Governments latest position.
The Government and the HSE (Health Service Executive)
have demanded that we provide clinical evidence that its
working for Ava, and based on the clinical evidence that
the THC was working, then we would be able to apply for
a license and bring the medication back into the country.
The family hope to work with doctors in Spain who are
used to prescribing medical cannabis to minors with Avas
condition.
It should be pointed out that medical cannabis is not legal
in Spain, but there are medical cannabis clinics working
with experienced doctors, many of whom are members of
the respected Spanish Medical Cannabis Observatory.
Only time will tell whether Vera and her family get the
result they so dream of for Ava; that THC further reduces
her seizures, and that the Irish Government allows them to
lawfully bring the medication back into Ireland so they can
return home.
For more information about Veras campaign for Ava, visit
her Change.org page.

Over the last year, Vera Twomey has become the public face of the Make
it Medicine campaign to legalise medical cannabis in Ireland. And yet,
Vera has just revealed that she and her family are being forced to leave
the country.
It all seemed somehow like the fairy tale ending.
Back in November, Vera Twomey started walking from her
Cork home to get the attention of Irish Health Minister
Simon Harris. Her 6-year-old daughter Ava has the
rare condition, Dravet Syndrome, which can see her
having seizures up to twenty times a day. Mother Vera
believed that medical cannabis could improve her
daughters illness after children with the same
condition reduced their seizures to almost zero after taking
medical cannabis containing CBD and small amounts of
THC.
Vera had barely walked 30 kilometres before Minister
Harris got in contact, agreeing to meet with her in person
to discuss the case. Within weeks the Irish Parliament had
unanimously passed a bill making medical cannabis legal,
with many crediting Veras emotional public stance as a
deciding factor in the hearts and minds of many of the
Members of Parliament.

Ireland passes bill to legalise

medical cannabis
Minister Harris agreed to proceed pending the findings of
a report commissioned by the Health Products Regulatory
Authority. When the report was eventually published last
month, the Twomey-Barry family could breathe a sigh of
relief as Avas paediatric epilepsy was declared a
qualifying condition.
And yet yesterday, barely two weeks after the report was
published, Vera set off again from her home in the South
West of Ireland to walk the 260 kilometres to Dublin. So
what went wrong?

Avas application is rejected

According to Twomey, Avas application for medical
cannabis has been turned down because the family does
not have a paediatric neurologist with the appropriate
license stipulated by the Irish government to prescribe
medical cannabis for Avas condition.
Following the last meeting with Vera and her husband
Paul, the Irish Ministry of Health made the a statement
saying, until such time as the necessary legislative
amendments has been made to facilitate the
implementation of the Cannabis Access Programme, it
remains open to the Minister to consider granting a licence
to an Irish registered doctor for access to medicinal
cannabis for named patients.

Goal posts keep moving

The couple insist that Minister Harris does have the power
to grant Ava access to medical cannabis on
compassionate grounds and cant understand why despite
several meetings with the Minister, he has refused to
budge on his position. They also state that they have
complied with every requisite that the Ministry of Health
has demanded, but they moved the goal posts on each
occasion, and thats why weve had to walk, says Vera.
Until now they have been buying CBD oil legally costing
them approximately 300 a month. While this has
significantly reduced Avas seizures, her parents believe
the medicine she needs would also contain a small
amount of THC, which is currently illegal in Ireland unless
prescribed through the pilot access programme.

A matter of life or death for Ava

For Vera, its a simple matter of life or death for little Ava.
My husband and I are living in terror that well lose our
daughter to seizures and Simon has it in his power to help
us.
https://www.endoca.com/blog/news/no-choice-leave-
ireland-says-vera-twomey/
And so, its day two of Veras walk to Dublin and this time
theres silence from Harris and the Ministry of Health. It
remains to be seen whether this second protest walk
will provoke any real shift in the Irish governments position
regarding Avas case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfbcwTGNqVo

The first medical consultancy in Europe

specializing in cannabinoid treatments
Kalapa Clinic provides patients with an alternative treatment for their
chronic illnesses. We use cannabinoids to treat patients as well as
providing them with the tools for reducing the risks associated with its
consumption through consultations and follow-ups with specialized medical
and psychological staff.

We are the first medical consultancy in Spain and across Europe that specializes in
cannabinoid treatments and our clinic is supported by licensed physicians that are trained
in cannabinoid therapies for all those who have a chronic condition.

Cannabis Stavia L has been used since hundreds of years for medicine in many traditional
cultures. Many studies are currently focusing on the efficiency of cannabinoids such as CBD
(cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahidrocannabidiol), as well as the additional cannabinoids that
can relieve many symptoms and diseases. Specifically, several results were observed for
diseases that were difficult to diagnose such as refractory epilepsy. Other results show that
these treatments contribute to reduce pollution and unpleasant side effects such as vomiting
or nausea.

Ireland looks set to be the next country to legalise the use

of cannabis for medical purposes.
In the Irish Parliament last night, the vote on the
legalisation of medical cannabis saw cross party support,
as the first phase of the bill was passed.
Initially opposed to the Bill, Health Minister Simon Harris
said, I believe there is a strength of feeling among the
general public that the use of cannabis-based products
should be allowed for the alleviation of symptoms
associated with certain conditions and I acknowledge the
numerous representations from members of the public and
from public representatives to my department reflecting
this.
Harris has already initiated a review by the Irish Health
Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), whose
recommendations will be incorporated into the Bill at the
committee stage.

Mother, Vera Twomey-Barry and daughter, Ava who has been helped by CBD
oil
A key factor in Harris shift in position has been his
continued contact with Cork mother, Vera Twomey-Barry,
whose daughter Ava has the rare genetic condition, Dravet
Syndrome.
After being told by her doctors there was nothing more
they could do for Ava who was having up to 20 seizures a
day, Vera began giving her 6-year-old daughter CBD oil,
the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Just a month into treatment Avas seizures have reduced
by 90%, and her mother Vera has been publicly lobbying
for a change in regulation, so that her daughter and others
like her, can be prescribed CBD by doctors in Ireland.
Speaking from Dublin, Vera is ecstatic at the news.
This will give us the best Christmas of our lives, she
says, filled with hope for the future of our daughter, our
family and for many other new friends we have made who
need this treatment too.

A parliamentary Bill proposing the legalisation of medical

cannabis for certain health conditions due to be debated in
the Irish Parliament this Thursday, has been declared a
free vote, thanks to The Independent Alliance Party.
Originally proposed by People before Profit
representative Gino Kenny, several prominent Irish
politicians such as Minister for Transport Shane Ross and
Minister of State Finian McGrath, have successfully
requested that the Bill be a vote of conscience.
A number of parties had already come out in favour of the
bill, including Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats
and the Green Party. So far only Fine Gael are publicly
in opposition.
However, the nature of a free vote means that members of
Dail (the Irish Parliament) wont be obliged to follow party
lines and will be permitted to vote according to their own
personal beliefs.
The topical nature of this Irish vote is much down to the
dogged determination of Cork mum of four, Vera Twomey-
Barry, whose daughter Ava has the rare genetic condition,
Dravet Syndrome. Ava, now aged 6, regularly had up to 20
epileptic seizures a day, and after her parents had been
told by her doctors that there was nothing more they could
do to help her, mother Vera turned to Cannabis Oil.
Vera Twomey Barry with daughter Ava. Image courtesy of the Irish
Independent
Vera had read about high profile cases such as Charlotte
Figi and Katelyn Lambert, children with the same condition
as Ava, whose seizures had been drastically reduced
thanks to the non-psychoactive compound from the
cannabis plant, CBD.
After just two months taking CBD oil, Avas seizures have
reduced by 80-90%.
She was standing up straighter, recalls Vera, she was
making more eye contact and the next thing in a family
joke, Avas giggling just like the other kids. She had never
laughed like that before.
But for mum Vera, Avas improved health wasnt
enough. She felt that medical cannabis should be legally
available and prescribed through a doctor. So last month
she decided to walk from her home in Cork to the Irish
Parliament in Dublin.
News soon reached Irish Health Minister Simon Harris,
who asked Vera to call a halt to her protest, agreeing to
meet with her to discuss the issue.
A month on, Harris has agreed to review Irelands policy
on medicinal cannabis, stating, I know that many patients
believe cannabis should be a treatment option for their
medical condition. However, cannabis is not currently an
authorised medicine and has not gone through the normal
regulatory procedures for medicines which are designed to
protect patients and ensure treatments are supported by
good evidence of their effectiveness.
He is also in discussion with the family about granting Ava
an individual exemption, pending an assessment by a
doctor and the issue of a special license.
However, Harris will not be voting in favour of the Bill until
the review he has ordered has been completed.
With a coalition government currently in power in Ireland, it
remains to be seen what the eventual outcome of the vote
on the medical cannabis Bill will be.
Either way, the courage and tenacity of one mother has
certainly brought the debate into the homes of the ordinary
Irish people, with a recent poll estimating 92% in favour of
the legalisation of cannabis for medical use. And for that
Vera Twomey-Barry can be proud.
For more information about Veras campaign to
legalise medical cannabis in Ireland please visit
Change.org
https://www.endoca.com/blog/news/free-vote-medical-cannabis-
take-place-irish-parliament/
92% of Irish people believe
that cannabis should be
legalised when recommended
by a doctor
The vast majority of Irish people are in favour of cannabis being
legalised for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a doctor.
Nov 28th 2016,

Source: Shutterstock/Wollertz
THE VAST MAJORITY of Irish people are in favour of
cannabis being legalised here when recommended for
medical reasons by a doctor according to a new survey.
The survey shows that 92% of Irish people would be in
favour of the legalisation of cannabis for medical purposes.
Support for the question was highest in the Munster
counties at 94%, although all areas surveyed showed greater
than 90% of respondents answering yes to the question.

Women showed a 93% favourability towards the survey

question compared to 90% of men asked.
The opinion poll was carried out by Red C Research on
behalf of Help Not Harm in order to understand the general
views of the public towards the medical use of cannabis.
1,000 respondents were interviewed via phone call using a
random selection of the Irish population.
A Medical Cannabis Bill will be debated in the Dil this week
for the first time since its submission in July.
Help Not Harm is a non-profit organisation campaigning in
its own words for a health-based approach to drugs in
Ireland.
Dravet syndrome is a rare, catastrophic, lifelong form of epilepsy
that begins in the fi rst year of life with frequent and/or
prolonged seizures. Previously known as Severe Myoclonic
Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI), it aff ects 1:15,700 individuals, 80% of
whom have a mutation in their SCN1A gene [1]. While seizures
persist, other comorbidities such as developmental delay and
abnormal EEGs are often not evident until the second or third
year of life. Common issues associated with Dravet syndrome
include:

Prolonged seizures

Frequent seizures

Behavioral and developmental delays

Movement and balance issues

Orthopedic conditions

Delayed language and speech issues

Growth and nutrition issues

Sleeping diffi culties

Chronic infections

Sensory integration disorders

Disruptions of the autonomic nervous system (which

regulates https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=DZrMv8YZc74things such as body temperature and
sweating)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZrMv8YZc74

Current treatment options are limited, and the constant care

required for someone suff ering from Dravet syndrome can
severely impact the patients and the familys quality of life.
Patients with Dravet syndrome face a 15-20% mortality rate due
to SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), prolonged
seizures, seizure-related accidents such as drowning, and
infections [2,3]. Research for a cure off ers patients and families
hope for a better quality of life for their loved ones

http://www.thejournal.ie/red-c-poll-medical-cannabis-3106304-
Nov2016/

CBD CANNABIS OIL

https://www.endoca.com/en/products

Today is about Tuam':

Catherine Corless commends
Zappone for appointing
experts to investigate burial
site
We need a comprehensive understanding into the truth of what
happened in our country, Zappone said.
June 1, 17
Updated 5.30pm
I AM VERY pleased today, this is a step forward.
Those were the words of Catherine Corless today, the local
historian who helped uncover evidence that there were up to
700 children and babies buried in an unmarked grave in
Tuam in County Galway.
In March, significant remains were found in what
appeared to be a sewage container at the site of the former
mother and baby home in the Galway town of Tuam.
A Commission of Investigation was quickly established to
conduct searches at the site.
Today, Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone announced
the appointment of a team of international experts to
investigate the burial site at the Tuam mother and baby
home.
An Irish-based forensic archaeologist, a US-based forensic
anthropologist and a UK-based forensic scientist have been
enlisted to be part of the team that examines the burial site.
The minister also said she was considering broadening the
terms of reference for the independent commission
investigating mother and baby homes to help to answer
some of the questions which have been raised again in
public debate.
Speaking in the Dil today, Minister Zappone said that while
the independent commission was preparing its full report on
the matter there is a need to develop a comprehensive
understanding into the truth of what happened in our
country.
The team will be led by Dr. Niamh McCullagh, whose
experience includes work with the Independent
Commission for the Location of Victims Remains in
Northern Ireland and the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in
Action Command that aimed to locate the bodies of war
dead.
She also has knowledge of the Tuam site having conducted
preliminary examinations of the burial chamber there.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie in March, Corless said the
ideal would be to take the remains of the children and bury
them in the main Tuam graveyard, where they should have
been buried in the first place.
No mourning at final resting
place of Tuam babies only an
eerie silence
Today she said Minister Zappone has brought them one step
forward to that becoming a reality with the appointment of
the international expert.
She [McCullagh] will know if it is possible to excavate and if
a scan can be done on the whole area. I have always said,
find them all. There is no point just looking at the ones they
have found. I am very adamant that there are more remains
in the playground area (located next to the site).
The minister has done all she possibly can, she hasnt dilly-
dallied. But today is about Tuam.
Zappone told reporters this afternoon that McCullagh will
identify the options for government, looking at the
possibility of exhuming the remains and identifying if there
are any further remains on the site that have yet to be
discovered.
The minister said the possibility of identifying the remains
through DNA testing is also being explored.
It has taken some time to come to point where we have
identified a group of experts who can actually tell us what
are the things we need to do in terms of managing the site in
Tuam, as well as whether we can identify the remains and if
there are any further remains. This is hugely technical work.
We needed to find the best people for the job.
The Childrens Minister said the work to be carried out is
very complex.
This things take time to do right and I am determined that
they are done right, she said.
Zappone has also enlisted the aid of DCU legal expert Dr
James Gallen to draft a strategy that would seek
recognition for the experiences of former residents, promote
civic trust and serve to re-assert the fundamental value of
the rule of law in our democracy.
Regular updates on the progression of these teams will be
provided, the Minister said, with plans in place to provide a
monthly update on her Departments website on the first
Friday of every month.
Despite speculation that there could be a Cabinet reshuffle
in the coming weeks under a new Fine Gael leader, Corless
said she is not concerned there could be a new TD taking
over from Zappone.
Pressure is on the government to act , countries around the
world are watching, she said, adding that media outlets
such as the New York Times and other international
publications are keeping a close eye on how it progresses .
You were just a bastard in their
eyes. But they cant hide from the
truth now
Due to increased media attention on mother and baby
homes over the last few months, the minister added that
there has been an increase in demand for access to records
from members of the public.
I asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to enhance its
capacity for the provision of information to assist former
residents who may wish to establish when they resided in a
mother and baby home.
My Department has worked with Tusla to progress this
matter as quickly as possible and I am pleased to confirm
that the work will commence immediately.

No mourning at final resting

place of Tuam babies - only an
eerie silence
TheJournal.ie finds a town reeling from confirmation of the truth hidden
for generations in a muddy plot.
Mar 4th 2017
ITS EERILY QUIET at the Tuam grave site on Friday
afternoon, the day the world was told a significant number
of remains of babies and small children were found in
sewage chambers on the grounds of former mother and baby
home.
The sod is turned on what was once a simple grass-covered
memorial site, and hoardings mark the perimeter. Next to a
standard health and safety notice, which blocks the entrance
to the excavation site, a plaque mounted on the wall reads:
In loving memory of those buried here. Rest in peace.
And it is peaceful today almost too much so.
No one is around. There are no bouquets of memorial
flowers. A childs pink bike lies on its side in a puddle, but
there are no children playing in the playground which backs
onto the final resting place, as it turns out, of so many
hidden innocents.
At a glance it looks like a small plot beside just another
housing estate in the west of Ireland. In reality it is a scar on
Irish society a mass grave that could hold a substantial
number of the up to 800 infants who died at the Bon
Secours Mother and Baby home to which it was attached.
Walking down the town, the reaction from the locals to the
mornings bulletin from the excavation is mixed.
Shock
Some are shocked and say they hope the young babies can
now rest in peace, others are evasive and hope that this is
not a blight on the town they love.
I am born and bred in Tuam and I didnt know about the
stories of the home until about ten years ago, said one local
businesswoman.
How they only found out about it now, I dont know. Why
didnt they do this five years ago or more?
Another local said they didnt want to hear anything about it.
Why cant they just leave it alone, just leave it alone The
people living up there just want to be left in peace, they dont
want to hear about it.
It will be on the news tonight, but I dont want to know
about it it is sad it puts a bad name on Tuam, said
another.
There is a sombre mood in the town, as the rain pours down.
A sense of relief
By stark contrast, Catherine Corless house is bustling with
journalists and TV crews demanding her time.
In 2014, the local historian discovered evidence that human
remains had been buried on the grounds of the mother and
baby home. Her findings were instrumental in the setting up
of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby
Homes.
On this stormy Friday evening, everyone wants to hear from
the woman who has fought hard for the truth for years. A
woman who was too often told to just let it go and, at worst,
told she was making it all up.

Today she is vindicated.

Standing in her cosy kitchen near Dunmore, close to Tuam,
she and her husband, Aidan, make cups of tea for the
strangers who have descended on her home.
Survivors from the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, such as
PJ Haverty, have also stopped by the Corless household to
give their thanks.
We finally know the truth
If it wasnt for Catherine, we wouldnt be here, we wouldnt
finally know the truth. We owe her everything, he says.
As the family dog runs through peoples legs, clearly excited
by the heightened atmosphere, Corless takes a seat, while
offering a biscuit.

While her husband fields calls from US TV stations and the

BBC, there is a sense of relief in Corlesss voice when she
says:
I never knew this day was going to come. To get this news so
suddenly, and totally unexpected, but fantastic for all the
survivors of the Tuam home, and especially for those who
have family buried there.
She says people were worried the commission wouldnt take
the claims seriously but, all was made clear when
Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone called this morning.
Its a great relief and I am just very happy with today, she
says.
However, the unfurling of the truth doesnt stop there, says
the historian. Those responsible need to be held to account
now.
I believe the Bon Secours sisters must have known because
they left in 1961 they are adamant they know nothing,
there are no records but I dont believe that. They have to
have knowledge.
She was right: How Catherine Corless uncovered
what happened in Tuam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsuvBdZd6Fc

The religious order said today in a statement that they had

no comment to make in relation to the findings.
Corless describes the statement as most callous.
I want an apology from the Bon Secours they need to do
that to help the survivors to heal. They need an apology
from the State and the religious order, and all the authorities
that placed them there, and for their mothers and the way
they were treated.
The survivors are heart-broken. They know now what
mothers went through. They have been treated as second-
class citizens all their lives, even to this day.
What will happen next? Shes not sure.
Its up to the survivors really. I think they should be
contacted because it is their families that are buried there.
The ideal would be to get them [the remains of the children]
out of that tank, hopefully, their little bones still remain and
hopefully, it is possible to get them out of there and bury
them in the main Tuam graveyard, where they should have
been buried in the first place. That would be there wish.
At least we know this now, it is a huge step forward, we
know theyre there now.
Hopefully they will be shown some dignity and some
respect at last that has been our wish from the very start
for them to be treated like human beings.
http://www.thejournal.ie/tuam-babies-scene-3270181-Mar2017/

You were just a bastard in their

eyes. But they can't hide from
the truth now'
PJ Havertys mother spent five years hammering on the door of the
Tuam home trying to get the nuns to return her son instead they gave
him away.
Mar 5th 2017
PJ Haverty on life after the Tuam Mother and Baby
Home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GMC7dmI2c

PATRICK JOSEPH HAVERTY spent the first five and a half

years of his life in Tuam mother and baby home.
Sitting in local historian Catherine Corlesss house, Haverty
tells TheJournal.ie that the formal recognition that a
significant number of childrens remains have been
discovered in sewage containers at the old mother and baby
home site is bittersweet.
For years, survivors like Haverty have been telling their
story, but until three years ago, it had fallen on deaf ears,
something he says has to change now.
Haverty was born in the Tuam home in 1951.
My mother had to leave (the mother and baby home) after
12 months and she knocked on the door for five and a half
years trying to take me out, but the nuns wouldnt allow it,
so eventually I was fostered out to a good family.
The people who ran the home did not want a bond to
develop between mother and son, so they sent her away, he
explains.
Unmarried mother
She was not your typical young teenager who got pregnant
she was 27 years old but she was unmarried.
She got work in Tuam, and every time she would head off to
work she would come down and knock on that door and
plead with the nuns to let her see her son. They always said
no, go away.
He was eventually reunited with his mother years later when
he found her in Brixton, south London. But his memories of
his first step into the world when he was fostered out as a
child remain clear.
I can remember the day I left the home. I was all dressed up
and I walked out with some people that I didnt know.
Haverty said he was brought out to a car, but got a fright
when a dog appeared.
Id never seen a dog before, so I jumped back in to the car
again.
This is a testament to just how much of an unorthodox
upbringing he had in the home, where he didnt know
anything about the outside world, he explains.
While he says he doesnt remember many details from the
home, one memory does stick in his mind: Mattresses lying
up against the wall, drying out, after the young infants had
wet the bed.
I was one of the lucky ones I got into a good foster home
and got to meet my mother again after many, many years,
says Haverty.
However, even though he was only in the home in his early
years, he never escaped the stigma of being the child of an
unmarried mother.
They knew that I was out of wedlock and it is the Church
that is to blame for that, because that is the way they were
raised to think. We were nothing but a kind of scum you
werent normal because you didnt belong to a wedded
family.
You were just a bastard in their eyes. People would just
make little of you and look down on you. They wouldnt even
talk to you.
As a young man, Haverty says he was shy, but he would still
go to the local dance halls. However, who he was and where
he had come from always remained an issue.

Stigma
If I did get talking to a nice girl, sometimes we would get on
great. But the next week, you see, she wouldnt talk to me.
Why? Because someone had got to her. Someone had told
her her friends maybe who I was and where Id come
from. Or her parents would tell her not to go near me,
because I came from an unmarried woman. Theyd tell her
to keep away.
Now that the truth has prevailed in Tuam, Haverty wants an
apology from the Bon Secours and from the State. Not just
for him, but for his mother, who passed away four years ago.
I didnt choose to be born into that situation, yet we were
the ones who paid for it. Us and our poor mothers, who did
absolutely nothing wrong. I want that apology, so that I can
read it over my mothers grave and so I can tell her, she
didnt do anything wrong.
During our conversation, he receives a call from an old
friend who was close to his foster parents. They saw him on
RTE News and they want to congratulate him.
Someone has finally listened to us at last, he told his friend
in a quivering voice.
No one listened
No one in Dil ireann listened to us, only a small number
of politicians, he says.
One persons secretary said they didnt know where Tuam
was and simply said good luck to you when we asked for
help.
We asked the Taoiseach to come down to the site last year
but he didnt. Weve heard nothing today from him today.
Its like you have to drag it out of them, an apology, for all
this sort of thing.
However, he pays particular tribute to Fianna Fils amon
Cuiv.
He is the only one who listened to us, he sat down with us
and brought it up in the Dil.
Aidan, Catherine Corlesss husband, points out that many
politicians never took them seriously. But now they have to,
he states.
Former Galway East politician Colm Keaveney was
constantly trying to highlight the issue, says Corless. Sure,
he eventually lost his seat for doing so, he adds.
In 2014, Keaveney called on the Taoiseach to offer a formal
apology on behalf of the State for what he described as
appalling treatment of mothers and babies.
Calls for an apology
Keaveney told RTs News at One that there is no excuse
for silence on the issue. Three years on, the survivors say
that silence is still resounding.
Sure they know now that we were telling the truth, they
shouldnt be hiding from it, said Haverty.
They all need to apologise. They [the religious orders] have
rosaries in one hand and the devil in the other.
Haverty has high praise for Childrens Minister Katherine
Zappone who he says has shown true compassion for the
survivors of the mother and baby home.
While other politicians havent wanted to know about us,
she really has made huge strides to listen to us. She sat here
and just listened to us. I felt, at last, someone is taking a
minute to listen to us.
Perhaps it is because she is not from here, that she is from
America. Perhaps she is not conditioned like the Irish people
to just stay quiet, not to ask questions about that. She
wanted to unearth it, which is why I think she got so
emotional about it, because she wants to find the truth for
all of us.

The Children's Minister says she would like to see if

examinations at the sites of other mother and baby homes
could be done.

Katherine Zappone announced the appointment of a

forensic archaeologist to decide what is possible at the
Tuam site in Co Galway.

She told the Dil she hopes to build consensus among

survivors about what should happen next.

She told reporters this evening she is personally in favour

of examining other mother and baby homes.

"If there is the possibility for remains of children that are

unidentified in other homes, in terms of what I've heard
and what I feel, yes I would like to see the possibility of
work done in that regard," she said.

"That's why what we're trying to do in Tuam is so

significant and frankly it's unparallelled throughout the
world."

The Coalition of Mother And Baby Home Survivors is

demanding to meet the Taoiseach immediately.

The call follows the release of the second interim report of

the Commission on the issue, which recommended the
Government reconsider including children - who lived
without their mothers at such homes - in the State Redress
scheme.

However, the Government says it is not appropriate to do

that at the moment.
Spokesman for the survivors group, Paul Redmond, says
they want to meet the Taoiseach, and are also hoping to
meet Children's Minister Katherine Zappone.

I put in for another meeting with Minister Zappone,

because she did actually invite groups to meet her, he
said.

Its not going to an easy meeting, I can tell you that for a
start.

Were going to be here until the end and were going to

be here way past the end, until we get full inclusion.
A Sinn Fin Deputy has published a Dil motion which will
be debated this week, calling for a Truth Commission to
establish the facts about Ireland's mother-and-baby
homes.

Donnchadh Laoghaire said that the revelations of recent

weeks at Tuam, and subsequent reports, have shocked
and angered Irish people.

He says survivor groups have also criticised "behind-

closed-doors hearings" and he believes we need to shine a
light on the historic mistreatment of women and children
in Ireland.
"Since the foundation of the State, there's no doubt that
there was underpinned by an attitude towards women,
particularly unmarried women, and their children, a lack of
respect, and indeed neglect and maltreatment."

"And that manifested itself in a wide variety of institutions

- the mother-and-baby homes is a significant example of
it, but it goes right across the system."
Minister John Halligan has called on garda to question any
surviving Bon Secours nuns who ever worked at the Tuam
mother-and-baby home, to establish whether a criminal
investigation is warranted.

He said in a statement that old age should not diminish

accountability in the Tuam mother-and-baby home
scandal.

"As was the case with the Nazi war crimes trials, if an
individual has been an accessory to a crime then they
should be held accountable, regardless of how many years
have passed or their advancing age," he said.

"Bearing in mind that the child mortality rate at

Bessborough in 1943 was approaching 70% - similar to
some concentration camps - I believe a criminal
investigation needs to take place on the basis that these
children were neglected."

Mr Halligan has also called for State intervention to ensure

the Catholic Church takes responsibility for "casting
children into the dirt".

"The records show that many of these children died from

malnutrition and illnesses worsened by starved immune
systems," he said.

"A 1946 county board health inspection report recorded

how the children were 'emaciated, fragile'. Many more
died from 'debility from birth', no doubt in many cases
down to their mothers' not receiving proper medical care
during childbirth.

"The Bon Secours Order was paid a weekly rate to take

care of these women and children and it clearly neglected
to do so. And if it is found to be guilty of criminal neglect,
its assets should be seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau."

Mr Halligan wants the surviving Bon Secours sisters from

the Tuam home to be interviewed about the post mortem
practices and burial arrangements.
"I will not accept that they cannot shed some light on this
disrespectful discarding of innocent children's remains.
And I'd be very interested in their thoughts as to why the
death rate of babies at the home was double that of other
mother and baby homes around the country", he added.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/kath
erine-zappone-in-favour-of-examining-other-mother-and-
baby-home-sites-792060.html

Nama chief makes

dramatic accusations of
land hoarding amid
housing shortage crisis

Nama building
The head of Nama has dramatically accused funds he sold billions of euro
worth of property assets to of now hoarding the lands to beef up their profits.
Just 6pc of land bought from Nama has been built on, according to CEO
Brendan McDonagh, who was speaking at the launch of NAMA's annual
report today.

He said the agency had sold enough land to build 50,000 homes but just
3,000 have actually been delivered.

While he said the reasons housing construction on those sites is so slow must
be examined, he named hoarding by landowner as a significant factor.

That is a huge issue in my view.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said constitutional concerns regarding

property rights had prevented so called use it or lose it taxes being brought
in to force more land into development, but the way was now clear for action.

He said a vacant site levy was the best approach to punish land hoarding, he
said.

It can be brought in now, he added, and indicated that his successor will
bring in a new levy in the Budget for next year.

Nama expects to make a surplus of 3bn once its last assets have been sold
off.

It is 700m more than previously expected.

The money is the difference between the 32bn cost of setting up Nama and
the cash raised by the agency.
The bulk of cash raised by Nama has gone to the banks, the final balance will
be paid back to the Exchequer.

Nama has reported a profit for 2016 of 1.5bn.

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/nama-chief-
makes-dramatic-accusations-of-land-hoarding-amid-
housing-shortage-crisis-35777828.html

The head of Nama has dramatically accused funds he sold billions of euro worth of property
assets to of now hoarding the lands to beef up their profits.
Just 6pc of land bought from Nama has been built on, according to CEO Brendan
McDonagh, who was speaking at the launch of NAMA's annual report today.
He said the agency had sold enough land to build 50,000 homes but just 3,000 have actually
been delivered.
While he said the reasons housing construction on those sites is so slow must be
examined, he named hoarding by landowner as a significant factor.
HOME SWEET HOME versus NAMA

28th December 2016

A BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAMA BORN 21ST DECEMBER 2009

Since its inception social housing completed by NAMA is 1,702. If you look at their
official website yes a lot of contracts have been agreed but the completed figure is
1,702. Since its creation in December 2009 it has only created 1,702 social housing
units, that is 243 social housing units each year it has released from its portfolio in 7
years.

It has agreed and delivered a copious amount of contracts but the outstanding
figure of 1,702 is right up there standing at the top of the tables of figures listing the
different charities, housing authorities, county councils and more that they are
working with. After these contracts have been delivered where is the shortfall
happening?

NAMA has identified 6,893 properties in its portfolio suitable for social housing (out
of which 1,702 has been completed and one should suspect they have more than
that). Out of the 60,000 properties it has acquired it is releasing just a fraction over
10% for social housing (see image below).

Then there is the amount of money NAMA is also getting from the reselling of its
property portfolio. 37 billion in by end- October 2016 (see image above). Where
does this money go? Why is nothing declared how much NAMA is generating from
reselling its acquired properties in government? Who exactly gets the money? Why
are there no questions or anger coming from the public?

That 37 billion could build three hundred and seventy thousand houses at a cost of
100 per square foot. This is using private builders paying private suppliers. The
government could build the houses at possibly 50 per square foot giving a massive
four hundred and forty thousand houses built.

So, where is this NAMA money going?

On the 15th of December just under a week before NAMAs birthday some
concerned members of the public decided enough is enough. They took it upon
themselves to take over a NAMA controlled building. They did this with the intent of
giving rough sleepers in Dublin a place of sanctuary and a place to take shelter over
the Christmas and beyond.

Apollo House had been left empty for 6 years. The building was taken over by Home
Sweet Home assisted by unions and other housing activists. The Home Sweet Home
is a collection of artists, musicians, actors and others concerned with the
neverending homelessness crisis here in Ireland. Were they right to take this action
and should they continue to do more?

In my opinion, Yes.

Why?

37 billion NAMA has made, is that in one year, one day, or seven years? Who got the
money?

27 billion went to bond holders we are told on NAMAs official website. Whats
happening with that 10 billion left over after bond holders have been paid? Out of
their portfolio of over 6,893 identified as suitable for social housing units surely 10
billion could take those buildings and renovate them in a jiffy. How come the Irish
government is only planning to spend 5.83 billion on housing over 5 years if it has
10 billion in its coffers from state owned NAMA?

I know there are so many questions. But these questions justify somewhat the
actions taken by those who occupied Apollo House and actually tried to do
something to end homelessness, if even for only a temporary amount of time. Home
Sweet Home has been granted a stay of execution on an injunction which will result
in the Apollo House building having to be vacated by January 11th 2017. Now, the
government has realised the attention is being brought upon them, NAMA and
homelessness the government has opened 54 new social places for homeless
people. They now have 24 hour access places with individual rooms as was the
vision of Home Sweet Home.

But, NAMA has so many more properties that are in trouble of running into
dereliction. So, under the care of individuals with a purpose these buildings could be
maintained for NAMA until they find a buyer or purpose for these properties.
Apollo House has been filled with professionals from every trade; social care workers
(me included), electricians, builders, plumbers, security guards, teachers, recruitment
workers, artists, chefs, media workers, administration, fitness instructors, nurses,
doctors, counsellors among many more. The homeless are benefitting and could
benefit so much more given time from all these different skills being displayed.

Some of the big names involved in the Home Sweet Home movement are UFC
champion Conor McGregor & his coach John Kavanagh (who might be possibly be
giving some residents some fitness and motivation training in the new year), Christy
Moore, Christy Dignam & Aslan, Damien Dempsey, Jim Sheridan among many more.

The government must be embarrassed (I know I would be) that a group of people on
a shoestring budget could do more to help the homeless than they have done in six
years with billions in their budgets. And more must be done to end homelessness
nationwide. But, we cant just wait for government to do it so support groups who
are trying to end homelessness like the Irish Housing Network and Home Sweet
Home Eire.

Enda Kenny. Prime Example Of Why System Change Is Needed.

NOTE: If some people is looking for yet another short version article of Enda
Kennys time in top elected office, full of convenient matters deliberate
skipped over, this is NOT the article for them. This is a greater detailed version
of why Enda Kenny is a perfect example of political system change that is
needed and why its long, long overdue.

The Other Side Away From Fine Gael

PR And Its Biased Media.
Over the next few months, years and possible decades, the PR spinning of Enda
Kennys time in office will be put forth as a man that led Ireland through some tough
times. This is true he did lead the country. There are also many glossed up PR
versions of Enda Kennys supposed pure glowing time served in government office
but that have clearly, deliberately, glossed over many of his own historic antics, party
antics he stood by. They have all too conveniently, quickly by-passed more that he
allowed, non-investigated and skipped over in many double-standard, self-defeating
actions.

If for once, the full truth was told by Fine Gael PR spin artists and if the eyes of many
deliberate blind supporters opened their eyes, they all might admit he led Ireland by
threats, bullying a nation, abusing the state political system, giving too much away
secretly to others beyond our borders and even within it. They might admit Ireland
lost more a further right of self-determination, financial amount of lost public
revenue and far, far more.

The future history of Enda Kenny as it will be stated by RTE and others in whitewash
attempt, might turn out to be something complete different to the full true reality of
the Enda years.

To many and there is many that have suffered because of Enda Kennys term in
office, the wonderful praises heaped on Enda Kenny upon his eventual resignation,
was and still is, simply sickening to hear and read in print. It is like a slap in the face,
to those that have suffered and will continue to suffer, because of Enda Kenny and
what he allowed to pass. A man that also in truth, many consider to be another
hidden traitor to Ireland and its people.

In the article below, an extensive one, UnitedPeople will state why many people in
Ireland and beyond it are refusing to blindly swallow the current PR whitewash or
deliberate shortened version of Enda Kenny and his track history. Fine Gael
supporters will obviously challenge any opinion voiced below. That is their right.
They cannot argue with clear facts however. All they can so with those, is what they
have been doing for two Enda terms try spin them yet again.

So It Begins
When Fine Gael came to power in 2011 there was great words of a
democratic revolution within weeks however, it became obvious
that Fine Gael taking control of the state, was going to subject it
instead, to more of the previous same. There would be no
democratic revolution. There would be more old politics PR spun
as supposed new politics.
Truthfully, Enda Kenny did at times, have moments of greatness.
There was the Dail damning speech he made, rightly criticising the
Vatican after the damning Cloyne report and the abuses that took
place involving it. There was the state apology made towards the
victims of those that suffered at the hands of Magdalene
organisation. There were other instances like this that gave
opportunity for Enda to shine.

Sadly, Enda however was his own worst enemy in the end. He would do such few
great things then later in contradictory action, aid the same people and
organisations he criticised, let their culprits escape criminal prosecution then allow
financial gains to be made by same.

Enda would let the religious organisation get away without paying even
half of the total 1.4 Billion bill they left the Ireland people with. The
people once again, would be left with that part of the compensation bill
also.
Enda would allow a 300+ Million maternity hospital (public paid for) to
be handed over to same religious organisations for a virtual song.
Enda would stand quietly by while he and others in Fine Gael were all
too knowing about how a religious organisation was closed-door,
stacking a new maternity hospital board of directors, in its favour.
 Enda and Fine Gael would support other TDs into being forced yet
again, to stand for religious prayer (if this was tried anywhere outside
the Dail, it would be a possible legal case of religious discrimination).
Enda and Fine Gael party would see that they should have been a
criminal prosecution (crime after the fact) of Cardinal Brady, who for
13+ years refused to go to Garda, telling anything of what he knew
regarding a serial sex abuser in his midst and that the sex abuser was
possible still active (which he apparently was for some time).

Just when you thought there might be flashes of greatness that would last a test of
time, Enda immediate actions afterwards or much later, would stomp on the earlier
opportunities to show Ireland that politicians could in fact, be great again. When it
came foot actions, as we shall soon see, Enda too, often suffered from an own foot
in mouth problem, also to his regular detriment.
If Enda Kenny and Fine Gael learned to do anything better while under his tenure-
ship, it was certainly how to even better PR spin things.

Take for example the supposed exit of Ireland from the Troikas financial bailout.
According to RTE and other biased media, this was the end of it all. The truth was far
different. The troika in fact, would go on to still gain money from Irelands people
yearly in absolute massive interest payments but all this was deliberately not
presented to the public by Enda and co.

Like what happened from Enda taking over in 2011, the people of Ireland once again
would only get a deliberate edited version of truth. One that in fact, held back what
should have been far more revealing important facts. And this would be the way
that Enda would maintain things, along with Fine Gael, to this very day.

(The irony is not lost about criticisms Enda made towards now President Trump
when Endas often own news, was not exactly the full truthful version either!)

When it came to double-standards, Enda Kenny himself, took that situation to new
heights.

One example: in trying to convince people that the public should yet again, pay for
their water a third or fourth time at the same time as already paying for it other
ways Enda would try through biased media, to convince people that if they didnt
cough up, the state would be fined by the EU for not obeying EU directives.
While trying on this con-job, what Enda and co deliberate left out, was the fact
that they were quite happy to continue (to today) take public money in order
to pay EU fines being already imposed. Why? Only because Enda and Fine
Gael under his leadership, imposed the EU court questioned VRT charge on
vehicles in the Irish state. On one hand Enda was telling people to obey the
EU or else fines would be imposed but quietly, Enda was himself defying the
EU, spending public money to pay still imposed regular fines. The public yet
again, here too, was kept in the dark about all this. Still is!

In the same above broadcast that he implied that the Troika was completely gone
out of Irish affairs, he also spoke about how Ireland was supposedly moving in the
right direction and it was the first of many years (again) where Irelands
independent was intact.
That sounded great to the masses of TV tuned in ears of course. Shortly thereafter,
Fine Gael got a bump in the polls as sought by the party. However, once again
reality was far different in the background, to what was being PR spun to the
national public across their TV screens in whitewash.

What Fine Gael was not telling, regarding Irelands supposed independence, was the
party along with their then coalition partners, signed the state deeper into an EU
army along with a further arms race Ireland now would become involved in. This
matter involves some detail. Therefore, for those interested in this one topic, they
should click HERE and discover how on one hand Enda was saying Ireland was
gaining independence back, while on the other quiet sneaky hand one he was not
showing to the nation was completely giving it away in sovereignty and in massive
financial weapons buying terms.

In the same broadcast that he made just before Christmas that year, he also stated
that Ireland would never have its stability undermined by the speculation and greed
of others. As we know now, later, after a number of PR attempts to look like they are
going something to ensure this, vulture funds are still running riot and kicking
people out of their homes across Ireland, housing prices are continuing to soar,
rental prices are also walloping upwards and the number of homeless in one year
alone previous, has increased 100%.

Again, Endas spoken words not reflecting reality and this is even before we get to
the section detailing some of his other foot in mouth official tall tales told!

When Enda Kenny did speak, much to the regular fear and horror
of his own party members, his versions of events as experienced
by himself, was often different every time he told it and even
complete fiction (again). Take for example, his most recent fiction
and multiple version of events surrounding the bullying of Maurice
McCabe.
There was the complete imagined conversation between himself
and Zappone regarding the matter (this fiction was media buried as
each feared causing a sudden national election, such was the
scandal over this fiasco alone so the matter was quietly
dropped).
Then there were the three different versions of previous events,
surrounding what Enda Kenny knew, by whom and when Three
different versions of those matters would come forth from Enda. It
got to the point where even the best of Irish journalists was
confused as to what parts told, was the actual truth! If the
journalists were confused, the further public of Ireland was left
scratching their heads also, at the whole fiasco.
Some were left thinking This is the man that is still being allowed
lead the country? Indeed, it was. Fianna Fail didnt want to create
a general election situation (short version: so they could gain in
other ways). Enda Kenny therefore, again was allowed be held
unaccountable, for that national unfunny farce too. One where in
and outside the Dail, his stretching of truth was an
understatement!

Enda Kenny leaves office having inherited his seat from his father
in Mayo. First elected in 1975, his exiting from office leaves Ireland
just as much divided as when he entered it. He exits having led
Ireland into the greatest housing crises and homeless crises since
the foundation of the Irish state and under his tenure at the helm,
matters in each grew far worse than ever. Thats not opinion its
statistical fact.
Ten years ago, he promised to end one scandal, that being people
on hospital trolleys. Looking at reality again and verified statistics,
the stretcher numbers have mushroomed hugely and hospital
delays have gone way beyond a previous historic point one that
was an already previous recognised national emergency. Fact.
More fact is that five years ago, Enda was warned about the impending housing
crises. What did he do? He led Fine Gael to make matters even far more worse. For a
start, besides creating the legal conditions that allowed more private gamblers and
vultures to swoop in, he led the political charge to give banks even more
opportunities to evict people from their homes in the hundreds of thousands and
once he had created the changes in the law to do this far quicker, the banks then
took up his gift opportunity and an already growing crises, got far, far worse. Enda
didnt stop there however with his Fine Gael party. In order to satisfy the banks, he
then saw it brought about that another court system be created, to facilitate all these
eventual evictions.
On RTE camera however, he spoke about how shocking events had taken a turn and
spoke about how his party alone, was going to tackle the still growing problem.
Meanwhile, in the background, he was leading Fine Gael in only making matters far
worse. Of course, biased media conveniently glossed over this part of the whole
fiasco, all too often. Convenient? Absolutely. The public was at times successfully
give a whitewash here too about matters of critical national importance. Accident?
Absolutely not.
 Cronyism and Nepotism.
On March 9th , 2011, Enda Kenny was elected leader of the Fine
Gael & Labour government. His own family was there in the Dil,
sitting in the public gallery to see Mr Kenny rise and then speak. At
2.05pm in the afternoon, Mr Kenny spoke the following words:
Our lives and our futures are predicated on one thing, thats the
truth. Thats why today I enter into a covenant with the Irish people,
in this current (economic) crises, still full of many unknowns,
honesty is not just our best policy, it is our only policy.
His government promised to do many things. One of them was to:
sever the links between politics and business once and for all
and, in doing so, stop the further pollution of our society; re-
establish a moral code and order regarding public life; and through
that, restore public confidence in politics and government.
Whatever his PR intention was, in reality, it didnt happen. In fact,
things seem not only continue, going in the opposite direction but
at times become worse. For example, questions, if not eyebrows,
have been at least raised over the following, just under an Enda
Kenny government alone:

Darragh Loftus (neighbour of Enda Kenny) to the board of Solas,

state agency.
 Mr Loftus sister, Jennifer, being appointed to the board of An Post
by then-Communications Minister, Pat Rabbitte.
John McNulty, a Donegal businessman, appointed to the board of
the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) a situation involving
again Enda Kenny which resulted in him actually taking the blame
for something he did wrong and then denying it the next day.
Henry Minogue to the board of Bus Eireann. Minogue was recently
selected to contest the local elections as a Fine Gael candidate in
Castleknock, Leo Varadkars own ward.
SIX positions were alone made by a Minister Jimmy Deenihan.
Some in contravention to an established formal application
process. They were Dr Ciara Breathnach, Mr Ted Creedon, Ms
Catherine Heaney, Dr Fidelma Mullane, Mr Michael Parsons and
Dr Kieran OConor. Some of those chosen must have earned their
place without question however neither former Labour Party
press officer Catherine Heaney or Fidelma Mullane, a close friend
of President Higgins, submitted formal applications but were
nevertheless were strangely chosen to sit on a Heritage
Council board despite other 76 people doing the right professional
thing and applying for the available positions through the proper
procedures only to be overlooked for all their good efforts.
John Moran and his appointment to Secretary-General position,
85,000 was spent meanwhile on an official headhunt. He later
resigned. (Was he the fall-guy for how the government managed to
overstate its debt liabilities by more than 3.6 billion?)
Carol, wife of recent Labour Party leader and coalition partner,
Eamon Gilmore, becoming a policy specialist on further education
in the Department of Education. a job that came with a massive
92,000 instant wage and nice pension to further boot. No
tendering of the job, no advertising of the vacant position. Just
slotted in quietly.
Patrica Ryan, hired by Labour junior minister Kathleen Lynch,
position Special advisor. Ms Ryan who was forced to previously
resign from her 120,000 wage role as CEO of a Limerick project
 after a series of exposing articles raised certain issues, later
gained another top job without even an interview, at a time when
even the board was being chaired by former PD (Progressive
Democrat) TD Pat Cox. Ms Ryan having also worked for Mr Cox
and for then PD TD Mary Harney too. For less than a year in the
later job, she was paid 83,250 in wages. Initially 700 per day.
Fine Gael TD Phil Hogan even hired his own brother to the board
of Irish Water. Prior to Mr Hogan himself being later rewarded for
his Irish Water efforts and more, then himself being given a
massive plum job/wages/pension rights over in the EU
Headquarters in Europe!
Heather Humphreys appointment of a fellow Fine Gael councillor
to the board of IMMA also raised a few eyebrows. The appointment
was judged by some to be an attempt to improve Seanad chances!
The list could continue onward. More people were awarded
positions under highly questionable circumstances. Whatever was
promised in PR words by the then Fine Gael leader, fact was
different from his PR fiction. It should be noted to that all this was
signed off by his coalition partners who regular played their own
part in the shenanigans too. They too did same and at times, also
just remained silent about the whole carry on, allowing it and still
propping up the Fine Gael leader.
Former FG strategist Frank Flannery said that cronyism in Ireland
was the Ebola of Irish Politics. It seems still that the disease is not
only existing and even worse, allowed exist but as of this
publication being released, still continuing with little or no genuine
efforts to combat the whole situation.
To quote Journal.ie on January 24th, 2013 article Column:
Scandal over state board appointees shows there is reform in
name only:
Although board positions are open to all citizens, 74 per cent of
board members surveyed by the Institute of Directors feel that the
appointment process is still unfair and not transparent. One
anonymous respondent described the advertising as total window-
dressing, which so far, has made no difference. and At time
of appointment, 40 per cent of current board members say the
skills requirements of the position were not discussed with them.

From the 1990s was the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning
Matters and Payments (Mahon Tribunal). Its final report included
the following:
Corruption, and in particular political corruption, is a deeply
corrosive and destructive force. While frequently perceived as a
victim-less crime, in reality its victims are too many to be identified
individually. Political corruption diverts public resources to the
benefit of the few and at the expense of the many. It undermines
social equality and perpetuates unfairness. Corruption in public
office is a fundamental breach of public trust and inherently
incompatible with the democratic nature of the state.
In 2012, the Edelman Trust Barometer (www.edelman.ie) found
that seven in ten Irish people didnt trust the government leaders to
tell them the truth. The report also noted that:
Trust in Ireland is at a critical inflection point. Citizens seek
leadership, clarity and solutions and dont believe any institution is
delivering on these expectations. The clear message for
government is that it is perceived not to be getting its message
through or listening.
So it was then under the above suspicious circumstances and far
more, that many more citizens of Ireland became not only aware of
the goings on in Irish political circles but that they also grew
increasingly weary of placing any trust with a local or national
politician. Seriously who could blame them?
Could Enda Kenny leading Fine Gael, have done anything to
combat cronyism and nepotism as previous spoken about?
Certainly. Was anything at all done? Extremely highly doubtful. The
usual antics of government corruption continued and was
allowed to continue unchallenged not one held to account or
punished for such activity. Where was the honesty is not just our
best policy, it is our only policy as spoken by Enda Kenny himself
on his very first day, to all attending the Dail that day and the nation
he was greater addressing. As many have subsequently found out
what Enda Kenny would say, when he did speak, was not what
was reality, non-fiction or something to come.
So the political corruption continued during his terms too,
unabated and unaccountable.
Not Telling!
Ireland currently is riding too high in the international levels of
corruption, for many peoples liking. Some espouse that corruption
in Ireland has grown to be of a lesser situation while others
espouse that our crooked including elected, have just grown more
skilled in hiding it all. Whatever the truth, Enda Kenny and Fine
Gael have in their tenure of state office so far, being expert in not
telling many accurate facts and completely lying about others.
Enda Kenny and co has become all too short with full information,
usually feeding deliberate edited versions of truth, leaving out
critical facts that they would rather a nation of people didnt know.
To cite all examples of their ability to hide facts and misconstrue
events that have happened, would likely, fill an enormous book in
itself. The best we can do there is offer a few token examples. The
following is just SOME of the sort of information held by Enda
Kenny and his underlings, that obey his commands and sign-offs
on matters.
The country has thirty plus Dil committees. In continuing cronyism
(friends and business mates) and nepotism (family) under an Enda
leadership two terms, positions on many a quango was awarded to
the Enda/FG loyal. The latest example of this could be John
McNulty (see HERE). QUOTE: The now former Fine Gael leader
was involved in the appointment of Mr McNulty to the board of the
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), housed at the Royal Hospital,
in a bid to boost his credentials ahead of a Seanad by-election.
Cronyism and nepotism continued under the reign of Enda Kenny.
Some stated it got worse. There was no better accountability after
questioning a few cases were exposed and Enda repeatedly didnt
appear willing to ask what the hell was going on, by whom and
why! Considering he might have been involved in same, this could
have come as no surprise to many!

.
Ireland has sixty senators costing 200,000 a day. One of them at
least (and probably not on their own) previous decided, in order for
them to get to their Dublin workplace the Seanad they must,
rather than taking a direct route as the rest of Dublin people have
to do in similar trip daily, go instead by alternative route. That same
person was with Enda and still is now, a top minister in the FG
government. Their re-routeing going on with deliberate blinds eyes
turned? Why? Because to some extent, many operate a similar
operation to exploit the expenses system?
.
The alternative route (excuse: to avoid certain traffic that might
delay a person) took (and still does) them completely into another
constituted, zone region. The effect of they having to travel by an
alternative zone, is that they can claim approx 29,000 extra in
travel expense (versus just 9,000 they would normally be able to
gain on top of their already big wage & additional perks and they
still do.
.
This was allowed to be let away with under Endas reign and
apparently is still continuing. Now (to be fair) it could be counter
argued that Mr Kenny cant over see every aspect of every
Dail/Seanad elected and their possible deliberate bumping of their
expenses but in retort to a counter-point, it could also be argued
that Enda Kenny with Fine Gael, could have done something
anything to stop abuse of the current political expense system.
No. Nothing has been done. The SIPO (Standards In Public Office)
body that needs more legislation to back it up and have greater
need investigative powers, are being deliberate left without.
.
Deliberately? Its a good question as FG members in either
Dublin elected house, along with other parties, have been said to
be doing something similar. No rush to make changes there then?
.
2015 30,000 people in Ireland diagnosed with cancer. The
number headed toward upwards to 40,000 for 2016. Despite these
alarming raised numbers, there was under Enda, no state
investigation of any description, as to why this is happening! Were
certain Irish parties afraid they might upset someone, a business,
or even another country? Where is the answers, why arent they
forth coming, where is the transparency? Note also, we state
investigation not yet another pointless, poor outcome, no one
held to account, expensive inquiry where the only winners is the
legal business.
.
Thanks to Enda Kenny, Fine Gael and then Labour speeding up
the ability of banks to take homes off citizens two months rather
than twelve 50,000+ more homes (families) further came under
direct threat of repossession and eviction. Previously, at least,
when the families had twelve months, they had time to get their act
together, their finances sorted out better, time to legal challenge
certain points of law. Now thanks to Enda steering and oking Fine
Gael policy, its is all still rammed through a system of extra set-up
courts that a Fine Gael and previous Labour government made
sure, was brought in to facilitate these quickie repossessions. Way
to go Enda!
.
300,000+ empty houses in Ireland yet the country has a massive
homeless problem. One being further exacerbated as banks move
in and take more homes, while Endas government, locally then
had to re-house them eventually at cost to state further (yes,
thats you paying again).
.
One in five kids going to school hungry. It was left to schools
whose budgets were state repeat cut, to try cope with the problem
despite the austerity cuts that Enda at the helm, imposed.
The Dil costs the people of Ireland between seven and eight
million Euro per year for pensions of TDs. Ones once there and
some still there, are reaping the nations given cash. We shall get to
what Enda himself is now to get on retirement from the Dail, later.
.
6,200,000 was given to a Rothschild bondholder. What for? To
ask for advice concerning bondholders and the call for their
burning yes, seriously! This had to have been signed off by
Enda. At the very least, he had to have known about it. If he didnt,
gross incompetent? See HERE..
When it comes to Irish Water, the company No legal
accountability is possible via the National Ombudsman. As Irish
Water is outside the legal remit of the Ombudsman (was openly
admitted across national airwaves by the top man himself) and his
ability only to be able interject with semi-state bodies, Enda over
saw to it that the public cannot hold Irish Water to account through
him or the Ombudsman government department. Being poisoned
by contaminated/dirty/unsafe water? An Enda led party and
government has deliberately never publicised or even informed the
public as to their own full rights, on the matter. Avoided. Blanked.
Silence. Nothing
.

Enda saw to it that his government of FG & Labour previously

quietly dropped families water allowances something once used
in mass promotion, to sell the idea of Irish Water.
On the 14th of January 2014 the Sunday Times (Irish Edition) ran a story as its main
headliner. It read: Kennys ally lets out office to Irish Water.

The headline article went on its front page, in print that you would be blind to just
miss it. It stated in the first sentence; IRISH WATER set-up its Western
headquarters in an office rented from a business part-owned by a
Fine Gael councillor and key ally of Enda Kenny without a public
tendering process.

The article went into great detail describing many things including The Times finding
out that a space similar to that taken by Irish Water would command rent of
25,000-30,000 per year. It also went on to describe how the connections between
the Fine Gael councillor and Enda Kenny was indeed close as they could possible get,
considering they were part of the same local FG meeting group.

That was a Sunday. The next day knowing how some papers like to jump on others
leads (of stories) and run with them adding their own new found additional details
 it would be normally expected such a story would spread and further develop.
More about such matters would then be raised in more Irish based newspapers such
as the Irish Independent, The Irish Times or The Herald, etc. After all, this was still is
a big thing? No. There was not a word. Not a sentence, not even a hint of what The
Times had uncovered. The deafening silence continues to this day. To date, that
story and more, remains across Ireland more unpublished, away from the publics
eyes. Where was Endas truth and transparency to the people of Ireland, as first day
Dail quoted? Buried like the article!

Then there was Enda Kennys decision to claim a mortgage tax perk for
second home despite previously announcing to the Irish people in a pledge
that he would abolish the perk, which lets Cabinet ministers with
constituencies outside Dublin claim for homes in the city, once in power. Once
he got in power though that pledge quickly vanished and then he refused to
give further details. The tax break allows ministers with a second home in
Dublin to write off 100% of their mortgage interest and also claim for utility
bills, repairs, and routine maintenance. They were in the money again and
playing the expenses game to their favour once more. Had Enda decided to
do something about all this, he was going to also undermine his pocket
gaining potential too! All legal, not to be questioned or challenged by those
taking advantage including all in opposition too.

GMC Sierra in Ireland, thanks to Enda and co turning a blind eye, was awarded the
national water meter contract by Phil Hogan even though it didnt legally exist
until 15 days after closing date for actual bids and still they won! Was any of
this questioned? Investigated? Hell no! Enda and FG co went all along with it.
Whatever it took to ram still existing, mega expensive to run, massive top perked,
Irish Water down the throats of a nation through thug bullying tactics, lies and
misdirection. Enda led his FG party to make this happen. It happened while yet
again, each turning a convenient blind eye to matters not legal but as the situation
was to their favour, nothing about the illegality was said either in the Dail or outside
it. Short version: Irish Water has been given a state role under seriously questionable
and rule breaking circumstances and Enda Kenny and FG are allowing it to
continue in possible criminality.
.
But you are not supposed to know all this. They sure wont be
telling you in the future, either

Duck and Cover

There is many, many things that Enda Kenny, his PR team, his enablers and Fine Gael
members, would rather the public not know or not remember. One of these busied
matters is when Enda Kenny suddenly enacted a low-key status for seven days
during his office term. This occurred when Denis OBrien, a friend, was in media and
instigated legal method, out to get Catherine Murphy TD for Dail exposing serious
matters that was stated to the nation in their best interest.

Shortly after Catherine Murphy spoke out, Enda Kenny was little at all to be seen. He
was to many reporters at the time, suddenly far more un-contactable than other
occasions. This itself was remarkable ion the context that Enda Kenny had just weeks
before, been one of many who travelled to Paris to express Je Suis Charlie. Enda
would be even photographed hold a sign stating same. Je suis Charlie overnight
became a slogan and logo created by French art director Joachim Roncin. It was
adopted by supporters of freedom of speech and freedom of the press after the 7th
of January 2015 Paris shooting at a magazine office.

So then we had Enda Kenny off to Paris, making sure to be seen standing up for the
rights of people in free expression and right to be heard. It was great stuff for Enda
directly and for Fine Gael in PR terms. Then Enda returned home and Catherine
Murphy spoke out and was attacked in her own way

It was Irelands own Je Suis Catherine Murphy moment except that this time
(unlike Paris), Enda Kenny and Fine Gael (Labour also) to their shame, were suddenly
not around to defend their own people, their own elected right to express
themselves! The double-standards of Enda and co, kicked in once more.

Non-Denis O Brien media reported far more, about what was going on with the
attempted silencing of Catherine Murphy. They defended her legal right to raise
matters in an Irish Dil. Many in the state expected national leader Enda Kenny to at
least defend Dail rights, to defend the rights of any TD within it to raise matters and
to any extent, defend Catherine Murphy for seeking clarification on major national
matters but his silence was deafening before he then vanished off
public radar!

There would be NO DEFENDING of rights of expression from Enda Kenny and Fine
Gael whatsoever back home. In full accuracy, Fianna Fail and Labour, along with
others too, would be silent also. However, Enda Kenny was the leader of the state
and if anyone was going to, supposed to, stand up and defend the rights of people,
elected or not, such actions would be expected to come the then leader of a
supposed democratic date. But there was none. There was just an immediate
imposed silence and then a disappearing act.
Later would come a tiny quiet token of explanation. Legal matters were being
pursued and as such, nothing could be said by anyone else. This also in truth, is an
understandable position/excuse to use. Again however, it should be pointed out,
there was a very lengthy period where Catherine Murphy was not under any legal
attack. She was just barraged with a pure negative media one (guess where the
negative bulk of it came from and who had ownership shares in same papers?
Nothing funny going on here move along please). Enda Kenny or any person in
government party Fine Gael, could have easily stood up and defended the rights of
people at home in Ireland, to also express themselves and not live in fear of attack.
No, that didnt happen though. Defending rights of expression in Paris was one thing
in Ireland, it would be another non-existent.

The Fine Gael party, the same party and people that had previously taken Denis
OBrien money, the Fine Gael government led by Enda, that was giving Denis OBrien
many state contracts, was suddenly all too quiet when their donating friend attacked
not just a fellow elected person, but a fellow citizen of the Irish state.

After some of the media fracas had died down but still no legal proceedings
instigated yet Enda Kenny would more public re-emerge at an event involving
bottle bank bins. Even there and for a long time afterwards, before OBrien legal
proceedings were instigated, Enda Kenny would maintain a continued silence on the
matter. So much for Je Suis Catherine Murphy
When it comes to things you are not supposed to know or indeed, what Enda Kenny
(and Fine Gael) would rather you forget, here is a few more of those items Enda
Kenny was involved in, allowed happen under his watch or always had more timely
blindness or deafness to.
There was the closure of Roscommon A&E (despite claiming live
on TV that he wouldnt). He then denied ever saying it even when
shown the videotape..
The water recharge fiasco. Outcome: people will still get bills
Irish Water still exists water meter usage continues still not
legal accountable to the national ombudsman and a possible
attempt to put Irish Water into the constitution is likely to be tried
(so it will then be far harder to get rid of by later generations and
what if its privatised later, too!)
.
The Magdalene and Tuam babies scandal. Under two terms of
Enda, no one was held to account and the aforementioned, state
instigated, burying of important information related to such things,
for 75 years by government decree. Indicated by Labour and
rubber stamped by Endas top table.
.
The selling off of our coastal seaweed to foreign companies. One
more (after water, gas, oil, fishing, etc) of our natural resources
allowed to be exploited for elite private profit gain some often
mega companies and corporations not Ireland based in any way,
shape of form (meaning vast profits exported).
.
The scandal of the Corrib Shell case and the many antics of state
employees, including elected, in allowing it all to happen or again,
turning a blind eye like Enda stands accused to also.
.
Corruption of the Garda with no one as yet, even remotely held
legal accountable. Not likely either under any Fine
Gael/Labour/Fianna Fail government. Enda just continued the state
inquiries that would amount to no charges being brought.
The corruption of the Courts. Under Enda and likely with is direct
approval in many cases, one third of all judges appointed would be
Fine Gael connected in some fashion. Add to this the fact that
another one third of all elected Fine Gael members of the Dail and
Seanad, under Endas rule were also landlords, you get a form of
insider trading where elected were making laws for themselves
and then being allowed vote on same to make them legal
legislation. Incredible possible political corruption right under
Endas daily stewardship..

Speaking of insider trading style antics, another dose of similar,

right under Endas nose and eyes, was from his friend Michael
Noonan. He was given the ability to decide, if to burn bondholders
financially or not. The thing was however, he was a bondholder!
From his state position, there was something here that didnt sit
right with many. No matter. Enda let him carry on.

There was Endas Eviction Bill that gave the banks an ability to kick people out of
their homes in two months rather than twelve. This immediately cause a huge wave
of evictions (surprise, surprise) & families involved were deliberate left with far less
time to try get their finances in order so they could save the roof over their heads. To
date, the housing crises continues to worse as house prices again are rocketing as
are rental prices. Dont forget about those 1/3 FG landlords, who voted for the
eviction bill. They too then saw such people kicked out, take up accommodation
within their own properties. Talk about also making a market for ones self? All
allowed and bill promoted by Enda Kenny.
The continuation of the bank bailout. This quietly continuing, will eventually amass to
a possible unfathomable amount in direct payments and additional cost to the
general public through knock on effects. This combines with many terrible austerity
continuations, see that an entire nation is being many times daily, forced to cough
up their money for the mistakes of others. Enda here too, not only allowed this
public financial screwing, through various policies he, himself pursued and backed
(as requested by his EU masters?) such punishing policies.
Endas policies saw to it that there was a reduction of social welfare for the nations
young. They were re-classes in lower status, to an automatic less deserving status
without any actual assessments on individual living condition taking place. If they
were unfortunate to be young, they just got less.

Endas role in the Economic Management Council one that is

argued, to have more power than our own government has to be
questioned. Its actions and closed door dealings have yet to
become anyway decently transparent.
The increased decimation of the health service. Despite two
national elections, words spoke, leaflets printed, posters erected
and PR does out by the bucketful about how Enda was going to
lead the charge in improving things matter got far worse in the
extreme, not better.

The decimation of the Defence Forces and more including essential emergency
services, came again by Endas his own hand and rubber stamped order. It is stated
by Irish media that in part, the later crashing of an emergency helicopter, the
conditions that led to it being there in the first place and the unfortunate loss of
lives, were somewhat down to cuts put in place by Enda Kenny himself while he held
a previous lower elected office role. Its likely that any report into the unfortunate
sad accident that occurred, will have no reference to the cuts made but if by miracle
it does, Endas name will be left out of it. Fine Gael cant be having that on historic
record?
The scandal of continuing fluoride in our water. Despite indications from Fine Gael
they might be willing to see sense under Enda Kenny, the imposed national drugging,
without anyones express permission sought, continued under Enda Kenny. He and
his fellow members even went out of their way, to vote down moves to remove the
much hated, state enforced drugging.
Note: Ireland remains the only backward country in the European Union with a
FG/FF/Labour mandate for water fluoridation. They have ensured their right to do this via
the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act of 1960. Over 4.8 Million Irish people are
still subjected to artificially-fluoridated water. As regards the poison (legal classified as
such), it is hydrofluorosilicic acid. This is corrosive to most metals, it eats
through concrete and even Hazmat suits (impermeable whole-body garments must be
worn to handle it as a gas may be released which damages the lungs. This and other
adverse health effects are listed by NIOSH (US government agency). The poisoning of a
Fine Gael/Fianna Fail government led nation, continues
The scandal of politicians pay and expenses rolls onward from Enda. While
repeatedly denying increases to many state people including remaining essential
service staff that have had to endure many Enda imposed equipment and other cuts,
Enda and his party saw to it that they still are to gain as elected TDs (Senators & local
elected also), a yearly minimum wage bump of 2,500 a year, for the next few of
years. after voting this measure through, to reward themselves further, they still are
insisting there is no money in the state to pay other more ordinary people, or those
that even protect them at times, the Garda some who have to apply for additional
Family Income Supplement just to get through a week in food or afford their still
increasing rents/mortgages.
The national scandal of elderly having to sell their hard-earned homes to pay for
nursing care. This came about under Enda as another elderly financial punishing
policy. Quietly brought in, it immediately put huge pressure on elderly that many felt,
deserved to be able to finally take it easier after paying a lifetime of taxes, levies and
charges in every direction. Enda and Fine Gael would continue to haunt them to their
grave for any way to extract further possible money from them
The Jobsbridge complete mess. Criticised from the very start, some of the jobs
offered as training have been nothing short as farcical. again truthfully, some have
gained from the Jobsbridge experience overall however, the scheme has been
heavy criticised for many reason including that the scheme was yet another way for
Enda and his party to massage unemployment numbers.

exploited and their personal data has been given to this company (as with others) so
that the company can see its eventual way to private profiting while the same
citizen becomes a spreadsheet commodity to be exploited for others financial gain.
All this came about thanks to Enda Kenny and his self/Fine Gael imposed agenda of
further population exploitation.
peaking of personal data, there is also the legal scandal quiet buried within the Irish
Water creation legislation. There is a section, quiet sneaked in by Enda Kennys
government which awards themselves the right to take peoples personal data and
then turns it into a legal defined asset one that a private company can then sell
and pass on to anyone. None of this mandate was ever run by the people. The
population of Ireland got no say or vote on the matter. Thats democracy in action
for you not just under Endas reign but Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour too, who
also remained suspiciously silent on the matter and still do.
Enda in charge of the state and Fine Gael has allowed the continuing rape of our
seas by foreign vessels while home fishing business is made to suffer more. Irish
fishermen have been reportedly faced with naval weapons (to chase them away and
deny them a decent catch) while many, many international super-trawlers rake same
time, vast amount of Ireland fish stock per hour. They are ignored due to a
continued deal allowed by Enda Kenny and Fine Gael, to grab from the state huge
amount of profitable assets that could have made its way back into the Irish
economy if Endas government was willing to do the right thing. For Endas terms, it
wasnt.
Ireland has given over 1 Billion of its natural economic resources to other EU
countries and continues to do so. We do this while still trying to austerity recover
and look for money from foreign banks and investors. In 2012 for example, Irish
vessels fishing for the very valuable demersal species had a mere 4% of the
European quota, for fishing within our own owned water. The rest is taken away by
other EU vessels a good bulk of it later resold back to us through manufactured
products, to again foreign companies could profit while the states people loses out
yet once more.
.
The result has been that through imposed restrictions alone, Irelands fishing
industry has been badly devastated. Where coast communities once thrived and
traditions in Irish families were passed down regarding skills and financial ability to
thrive in the industry, what was gained in poor excessive return was resulting young
people from same communities emigrating in numbers! They no longer allowed with
their family and friends, to fish within their own nations, working waters.
Many see what has happened as an injustice to the economy of Ireland, its entire
people and not just to fishermen and coastal communities that have been directly
affected with devastating effect. Enda Kenny and Fine Gael has done little to reverse
this situation except the equivalent of lip-service, a PR token tiny increase in small
areas and continues to all the super-trawlers to devastate Ireland fish stocks, sea
bed environment and other living creatures in our waters including dolphins. All are
being destroyed as the super trawlers 20+ mile long, dredging nets
create daily havoc 365 days of the year. The people of Ireland are also not supposed
to widely know this too, of course.

Fishing Industry Scandal

There can be no doubt that since Ireland joined the European Union, its fishing
industry has suffered some serious blows directly and indirectly. The Common
Fisheries Policy (CFP) has been time and time again questioned as to who is really
gaining and losing.

Fine Gael TD Simon Coveney in 2012 stated that it is impossible to control

foreign fleets in Irish waters.

So have too many consecutive Ireland governments taken that position and then
decided to do absolute nothing? Not even trying to even re-address any percentage?
It looks that way to many.They have thrown their hands up in the air and made out
Its too hard it seems?

Many involved within the fishing industry (those still around and struggling to stay
there) have been trying to convince Irish departments and representatives to do
something on this for years. If we do not have the resources to fully stem a tide of
unfairness in numbers of foreign fleets physically, then we must also look and push
for better regulatory checks and more fair balances at European level. This applies to
numbers of foreign fleets allowed & fish amounts they are taking away from
Irelands sea regions.

Ireland, England, Denmark & Norway, began talks to join the EEC on 30th June, 1970.
The same day, the original six EEC members introduced Regulation 2141/70. This
included the infamous clause on fisheries Equal access to a common resource
without discrimination and candidates for membership were told they would have
to accept this as a condition of entry to the EEC. This was the foundation of the CFP.
Subsequent regulations and rules after this was additions or in respect to Ireland
often negative imposed changes to the detriment of Irelands fishing community.
Paddy Hillery (Minister for Foreign Affairs) was the person heading Irish negotiations.
His assistant was Brendan OKelly (Chairman of B.I.M). Hillery resisted what was
asked of him. Mr. OKelly was sent home and the next day Hillery capitulated and
signed! (reference: Irish Times article of 30/12/95 by Lorna Siggins). Subsequently
questions have bed asked Did Hillery sign under duress to gain entry to the
EEC? Was this gunpoint diplomacy? Did the EEC come to this with Clean
Hands to the table of eventual agreement documents to be signed?

Previously, during the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea May 1975,
the right of countries including Ireland to declare an exclusive two-hundred-mile
zone around our coast was accepted. This right had also been signed away. Irelands
Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.) and fisheries would thereafter be governed by
Brussels. Irelands E.E.Z. is ten times our land mass.

In 2012 there was a fishingforjustice.eu quote by those involved in Irelands fishing

industry:

We gave away our fish, worth billions of Euros, our E.E.Z., our oil and gas and
now they want us to sell the ESB, Aer Lingus, an Bord Gais etc. At the same time,
they want to ban turf cutting!

How right they were!

A Heavy Cost.

Ireland gives over 1 Billion of its natural economic resources, on a regular basis, to
other EU countries. We do this while still trying to austerity recover and look for
money from foreign banks and investors. As of 2012 Irish vessels fishing for the very
valuable demersal species have a mere 4% of the European quota. The rest is taken
away by other EU vessels.
The result has been that through imposed restrictions alone, Irelands fishing
industry has been badly devastated. Where coast communities once thrived and
traditions in Irish families were passed down regarding skills and financial ability to
thrive in the industry, what was gained in poor excessive return was resulting young
people from same communities emigrating in numbers! They no longer allowed with
their family and friends to fish once own working waters.

Many see what has happened as an injustice to the economy of Ireland, its entire
people and not just to fishermen and coastal communities that have been directly
affected. Some seeking resolutions of the matter suggest withdrawal from the EU.
Others suggest withdrawal from the CFP. Both are connected and influence each
other though. Externally, those that wish Ireland to stay quiet and capitulate, state
any such actions would be disruptive of community solidarity, offensive to our
neighbours and would cause grave irritation. What about at home?

Its been suggested that real regionalisation where each country is responsible for
fish stocks in its own waters is another possible solution. This alone could be worth
billions of Euro and further thousands of jobs in Ireland for its people.

We should be attempting to resolve this matter most urgently but its become on a
slow burner.

Its fine that we continue working in peaceful harmony with our European
neighbours. We should do so under a greater established, fairer CFP system. This,
we should push for and see as a basic starting point regarding future renegotiations.

Irelands elected representatives should stronger stand their ground for its people,
its industries, fishing in this case and say here too Enough is enough! Why not?

Irelands people we believe, do not wish to be default divisive regarding EEC

solidarity, offensive to our neighbours or cause irritation but we must seek greater
fairness regarding matters that would see Ireland economically better off as a whole,
communities better off individually and would see Irelands sons and daughters
being able to greater stay at home amid their family and friends. They all deserve a
greater chance of they being able to carry on Ireland based working traditions while
not only surviving a life in a fishing industry but being less under strain too, just to be
only scraping by. Our elected representatives on all this should be doing far better
for their home voters instead of caving to EU demands and giving little strong
representation.

Frankly, some of our elected travelling across to Europe to represent us, need to
grow a harder backbone, stop being bullied and work for Irelands people first, more
often.

If they are to do better, its not just in Ireland interests they will be acting, they will be
also aiding others in direction too, which is heading towards their own sea fishing
crisis also.
Sea Fishing What Governments Is Not Telling You!
Like animals that criss-cross lands daily on Ireland soil and people
too travelling in their various transports, sometimes areas or
borders are hard to define and quite often dont be seen where
they start and finish. The same notion also applies to the fish off
Irelands shores but not just there alone. Fish come and go at
great speed, sometimes up to 70 Kilometres an hour, across many
official territories without a thought. They dont know any different
so why should they be concerned? The result from all this
travelling though, leads at times for fishermen, to a sometimes
complicated process and race in order to catch their watery prey.
Irelands own fishermen on coastal boats has much suffered from
this it seems, at times!
64% of the world ocean surface is defined as The common
heritage of mankind. The high seas as such, has been defined in
international law. It sounds grand but stark reality is far different
from the legal niceties that many have signed up to in agreement
but at sea, lesser numbers actually stick to! Example: since 2010
the proportion of Tuna and similar like species being exploited, has
over grown from 28% to a larger 36% and growing still with
others too!
Facts: Fishing hauls are worth $16 Billion yearly. Many areas are
deprived the chance to then replenish themselves as almost 90%
are fished to either sustainable full limits or way beyond. Sea
fishing, especially with super trawlers with their lengthy and deep
nets, disturb and often dig up seabeds. Otter boards and other net
parts run hard and deliberate wakes or unsettles resting sea life so
they can be then caught. This in turn either disturbs or destroys not
only the extensive sea life existing there too but the underwater
plant life that is used to feed and shelter many ordinary and exotic
creatures of the sea. Even rocks as much as up to 20+ tonnes are
disturbed. Coral reefs, which have built up over decades or
centuries can be devastated with their plant and fish life, in a single
afternoons reaping by one ship! There are many super-trawlers
from same number of states!
As of 2014 less than 1% of total seas gain a degree of complete
legal protection. A review of 144 studies, The Economist (July 16th
2016) concludes that in order to preserve and more importantly
restore ecosystems, 30% of the oceans should be designated as
MPAs (Marine Protected Areas). The UN has decided to look into
this matter with some urgency.
In 2014, for the first time, more fish were farmed for human eating
than were actually caught in the wild. To quote the Economist
report Farm-fish now outstrips global beef production. Feedstocks
however are often poor and storage facilities inadequate.
Further state research and investment funding therefore is needed
for fish-farming to grow. This in turn can help save and revitalise
sea-stocks too giving them a chance to raise again.
About Housing

pass unmoved through our streets and witness all the wrong
and the suffering, the shame and the degradation wrought
upon the people of Ireland, aye, wrought by Irishmen upon
Irishmen and women (and children), without burning to end it,
is, in my opinion, a fraud and a liar in his heart.
With rents spiralling up faster than the cost of buying a house,
many are being left struggling with the burden and stress of trying
to make ends meet.
This burden is further exacerbated in the cases of families. Having
children is quite expensive. The present state child support is not
enough to feed, clothe and shelter even one child let alone to pay
the exorbitant private rental rates expected by landlords.
 There are now in excess of 7,000 homeless people in all of Ireland
now. 2,500 of those being children. The largest concentration of
homeless people is in the capital city, Dublin.
In budget 2017, the government has announced it is to build
47,000 new social housing units by 2021. Well I submit, they could
be building a lot more than that! Thats only 9,400 units per year.
We could be building 47,000 in per year but more about that
later.
The numbers of homeless families and single people is increasing
month on month. The government needs to act now on this but
they are not.
Tax revenues are increasing. Our Fine Gael government has
collected 50 Billion alone in taxes and payments from banks (who
still owe the state from The Crash). If the government was to
spend 10% of that; i.e. 5 Billion on building social housing they
could build 50,000 housing units with that amount or quite
possibly more with careful allocation of finances and additional
resources.
Given that the costing of building is on average, 100 per square
foot and that the average two bedroom house is 1,000 square foot
the government could be creating jobs and more, providing people
with homes. This costing is inclusive of VAT which the government
is not privy to paying. So the contention is that they could build a
lot more.
Then there is also the fact of 165,000+ homes are being left vacant
in Ireland, at this present moment in time.
There are 200,000 people on the social housing waiting list that
would be delighted to get a home with secure tenure and fixed
rents for the foreseeable.
.
Planning Ahead
In 2015 the government said it was going to spend 434 Million
on buying these empty buildings to refurbish and house people.
There is still no sign of that happening.
The government is shelling out 267 Million per annum on rent
allowance and Housing Assistance Programs. Then added to this
the government is spending a further 224 Million on Emergency
Accommodation. This comes to a total of 491 Million, per
annum, for housing people with private landlords and hotels
respectively. Is Fine Gael is doing its best to look after the landlord
business?
The landlords can put up their rents every two years, which they do
so at will. The owners of the hotels can then whenever they want,
kick families out of their premises onto the street without giving any
reason and then put a new family in without any problems from the
government.
I submit a suggestion to fellow UnitedPeople members and public,
that it would be better to put limits on the landlords profits putting a
cap on how much they can make each year in relation to their
costs. Some thought also should be given to the notion to spend
same amount mentioned (491 Million) which would then build
5,000 houses. Surely this would be equally enough to start
rehousing these families in two bedroom houses?
The question has to be asked!
The government now has said it is going to spend 5.3 Billion
between now and 2021 on building housing as part of their
Rebuilding Ireland stratagem and proposed to spend 1.2 billion
in 2017. But, they had been offered 5 Billion to build social
housing but they failed to take the offer. The Irish League of
Credit Unions offered the Government 5 Billion.
It provides for much-needed social housing, it keeps the
finance off the government books and it is good for our
members, Brian McCrory, President of The Irish League of
Credit Unions told The Irish Times.
If they were to avail of that offer they could build 50,000 social
housing units. Think of that
Then add on the 5.3 Billion the Government is proposing to
spend then you get 100,000 homes. Thats twice the amount
 proposed in their original plan and the 50,000 would be ready to
go. But? Yes, the Credit Union is still waiting for a response from
Fine Gael while elsewhere it rolls from crises to crises and the
homeless are still left without
Why is the government ignoring such an offer? It covers all of their
proposed costs and leaves them with an equal sum to build more
or to spend on other things.
An estimated 25,000 new homes are needed a year in Ireland, this
is a combined figure of social and private housing. 10,000 of these
new homes are required for Dublin. Rebuilding Ireland should be
aiming to build 125,000 homes given these numbers. At height of
Celtic Tiger 75,000 houses built each year.
Rebuilding Ireland sounds good. Is Fine Gael hoping it will be
enough of a vote grabber? In truth when you look realistic at the
facts, it does not go far enough so why has the present
Government ignored the offer from the Credit Union? Their offer of
5 Billion could also compensate their shortfall in spending. What
is the real reason for their stalling on this?
One in five sitting TDs in the Dil at this present time are
landlords. It could be that there are too many landlords in
government and that they and their colleagues (also landlords) are
making massive profits (which they then get tax breaks on for
granting rent allowance) with no regulation on the pricing of rents in
relation to outgoings on mortgages etc.
The benefits of building social housing are immense.
\ Creates jobs.
\ Creates revenue rents collected.
\ Looks good to other countries seeing us putting together a good
structured plan. This feeds into business confidence and social
stability.
\ Which in turn can attract even further foreign production and job
market creation and investment.
\ It saves money on social and mental health problems associated
with homelessness.
So, as we can see, there is options for the FG/FF proxy coalition
but they remarkably are not willing to avail of them. With their
continued foot in government offices and corridors of power, often
with potential conflicting interests (and self-profit in mind), the only
conclusive outcome we can arrive at is, there will always be much
ado about housing and then much more to do after they leave
office.
As someone who works with the homeless on a regular basis I see
the hardships first hand and know the problems that are faced by
the people who are rough sleepers. Coming into the winter
months is a hard time for those people I help.
I want this issue addressed with the utmost urgency as it is the
biggest crisis this country has faced since gaining our
independence. Again, remember what James Connolly said, if you
can
pass unmoved through our streets and witness all the wrong
and the suffering, the shame and the degradation wrought
upon the people of Ireland, aye, wrought by Irishmen upon
Irishmen and women (and children), without burning to end it,
is, in my opinion, a fraud and a liar in his heart.
Well, in my opinion we have a number of frauds and liars in
government who are not acting with the due impetus they should
be moving forward with, to address this matter.
Remember, there are childrens education (being disturbed through
non-stability) and very lives at stake while they have to stress with
their parents, if they have a roof over their heads while just trying to
live from day to day! 2,500 children are homeless now and that
number is increasing month on month.
When is local and national elected, who continue to fail their own
county, city or towns people, finally going to get their act together
and do what is actually right by them?

I suspect James Connolly if alive today, would have a few harsh

words for present elected.
Number of homeless
families in Dublin exceeds
1,000
Figures show a record 6,709 were homeless across the
State last month
Wed, Nov 2, 2016, 21:45
Aine McMahon

Focus Ireland said while it was supporting at least one family to move on from
homelessness every day, inadequate prevention strategies meant more than
one other family became homeless every day

The number of homeless families in Dublin exceeded

1,000 for the first time in September, Department of
Housing figures show.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/number-
of-homeless-families-in-dublin-exceeds-1-000-1.2852616?
mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fsocial-affairs
%2Fnumber-of-homeless-families-in-dublin-exceeds-1-
000-1.2852616
National Bus Strike The Privitisation
24th March 2017

This morning the nation faces a national bus strike. Staff being cut
across the country say that their jobs and services are being
deliberate cut as part of a long term plan by Fine Gael and Co, to
try justify privation of everything in Ireland.
To be fair to them, if we step back from just looking at the bus
services but take into account other areas, they have a point.
.
The Fine Gael Privatisation Agenda.
Without question to the non-willing to be blind, Enda Kenny leading
Fine Gael since 2011, has embarked further along an agenda of
trying to backdoor privatise many essential basic services along
with other additional governmental department services.
Since the start of the century for Ireland, its become more
apparent that there is a quiet agenda by certain political parties to
further break-up state services and bit by bit, quietly, undemocratic
privatise it all. They will deny this of course but the actualy
evidence speaks for itself.
Part of these more public objected to attempts was the proposed
loss of part of the nations forestry, the destruction of state
employment services and the bullied in private company Irish
Water which legal-wise, was deliberate left also unaccountable to
the state Ombudsman department (the public was deliberate also
not told this and the legal omission did not happen by accident).
Hospital services and local council services have gone the same
route. National bus services and transport routes are being also
quiet back-door privatised by sale and break-up. This continued
destruction of what the state is meant to own but is giving away,
has got to stop! There will be far less for future generation
government to have control over, for our children to come. Private
business and corporations will be too much calling the shots.
We have privatisation of state services by the quiet, back door
legislation and a nation of people are not supposed to notice
but many have thankfully.
Council work (plumbing, electrical, plumbing,, carpentry, etc)
contracted out.
Social services work contracted out.
County management services contracted out.
Hospital services (nurses, clerical, cleaning, canteen) all
contracted out.
Housing of homeless contracted out (chain hotels, private
properties, etc far less actual building. Dont forget that 36% of
2017 elected FG is actually landlords).
Maintaining our road networks contracted out (to foreign
companies).
Education services contracted out.
Various department phone answering services contracted
out.
It goes on and on
What Enda Kenny and his Fine Gael party couldnt do openly, they
carried out by a deliberate alternative method. Between 2011 and
2016 Fine Gael gained state control by siding with the Irish Labour
party. One of the Labour elected was Brendan Howlin. In an
interview to author Maev-Ann Wren, in a reply to a question asked,
he let slip out a telling direction the Fine Gael government had
taken.
The question he was asked was about why others in government
had not delivered a working Ireland health service? His reply:
If we did that, there would be no reason for sustaining a
private health system.
He went on to explain that the right-wing want a private health
market. They want, he stated, around 30 percent of Ireland people
to pay for private health products.
In order for that to happen, they really required the public
(health) system to be inferior. Why else, if it was first rate,
would people pay for a private system?
This agenda has not been abandoned. It still continues to this day
by Enda Kenny and his political Mafia in government (including
Fianna Fail).
This path to destroying state services for the benefit of private
profiteers will continue at least till:
(a) enough people kop on to whats really going on and
(b) decide to unite, get up off their backsides and say Enough!
Stop!
Here alone, we can see that a better system of accountability is
much needed (Participatory Democracy). When such a better
system of accountability is re-introduced (we had vestiges of it
before before it was water down that is!) only then can we stop
such current quiet backdoor antics and hold those doing it, far
more accountable.
Only then will bad elected, better fear doing any wrongs while
good elected can get on with the job of putting the people before
private interests.
Enda Kenny and his persistent ambition to carry out the aims of
the TTIP/CETA agreement, privatise everything for maximum
private investor potential, is seeing a lot of once state areas non-
coincidentally become run down so the suggestion later of Lets
privatise it. can be better offered up as a way out.
This includes Irish Water (already set-up as a private company
and deliberate not answerable to the National Ombudsman).
In known political terms, this is a professional trick called
Manufactured Consent.
Enda Kenny and Co wants the public to continue falling for it!

It is Rita well Iarnrod Eireann is I'm sure Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus are too.

An Post confirms staff ignore Eircode in deliveries

Thursday, June 01, 2017
An Post has confirmed that its staff does not use Eircode
when delivering letters and parcels door to door, writes
Joe Leogue of the Irish Examiner.

The clarification comes following criticism from Fianna Fil

Communications Spokesperson Timmy Dooley, who said
he received a complaint from a person who had a
confidential letter delivered incorrectly to his neighbour
despite his correct Eircode being marked on the
envelope.

This person was told by an official customer service

representative of An Post that the company 'does not
make use of Eircode when delivering post', Mr Dooley
said.
How is it that the State has spent 38 million on
developing, rolling out and advertising Eircode that the
States own postal delivery service doesnt bother to use
it? Mr Dooley said.

Despite proponents of the postcode claiming Eircode

would help in situations where neighbouring houses have
non-unique addresses, An Post confirmed that its staff do
not use Eircode at a local level when delivering door-to-
door.

An Posts sorting technology is configured to read

Eircodes at the processing stage when mail is being
sorted, a spokesperson said.

A full postal address is still required at the delivery stage.

A postperson reads the address printed - it was never
intended or planned that delivery staff would decipher
eircodes in order to deliver a letter. They need the full
address, she said.

Mr Dooley said that Communications Minister Denis

Naughten must now clarify the situation.

The mind boggles at the complete lack of joined up

thinking at Minister Naughtens department, Mr Dooley
said.

One of the main purposes of a Government Department,

to my mind anyway, is to ensure that all agencies and
activities under the aegis of the Department work
together, share information and sing off the same hymn
sheet.

There is no point spending nearly 40 million in designing

and advertising a scheme such as Eircode and then not
using it properly. I really hope that this is a case of
miscommunication rather than a failure to implement
government policy, Mr Dooley said.

38 MILLION WASTED
A full postal address is still required at the delivery stage.
A postperson reads the address printed - it was never
intended or planned that delivery staff would decipher
eircodes in order to deliver a letter. They need the full
address, she said"

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/an-post-
confirms-staff-ignore-eircode-in-deliveries-792065.html

Former FBI chief

Comey to testify before
Senate committee
Updated / Thursday, 1 Jun 2017
Former FBI chief James Comey was fired on 9 May
Former FBI director James Comey will testify before
the US Senate Intelligence Committee on 8 June as
part of its probe into alleged Russian meddling in the
US presidential election and possible collusion with
President Donald Trump's campaign.
The committee said Mr Comey would testify in an
open session at 10am (3pm Irish time) followed by a
closed session.
The former FBI chief was fired by Mr Trump on 9
May.
He is expected to testify on conversations he had
with Mr Trump in which the president reportedly
asked him to drop an investigation into former White
House national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Mr Flynn is one of several Trump associates who are
drawing scrutiny in a series of probes about Russia
and last year's election.
Russia has repeatedly denied any effort to interfere in
the election, and Russian President Vladimir Putin
has said some Russians might have acted on their
own without their government's involvement.
Mr Trump has denied any collusion between Russia
and his campaign and has repeatedly questioned the
US intelligence finding that Mr Putin led an operation
that included computer hacking, fake news and
propaganda intended to swing the election in Mr
Trump's favor over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Mr Comey was leading the FBI's probe into the

allegations, and his firing sparked a political uproar.
Facing rising pressure, the Justice Department earlier
this month named another former Federal Bureau of
Investigation chief, Robert Mueller, as a special
counsel to investigate the allegations.
A number of congressional committees, in addition to
the Senate intelligence panel, are also looking into
the matter.
Yesterday, the House of Representatives Intelligence
Committee approved subpoenas for Mr Flynn and Mr
Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, in
connection with its probe.
In addition, the committee's Republican chairman,
Representative Devin Nunes, who had recused
himself from the panel's Russia investigation, also
approved subpoenas to the CIA, FBI and National
Security Agency for information relating to the
"unmasking" of the names of Mr Trump campaign
advisers inadvertently picked up in top-secret foreign
communications intercepts.
Committee aides complained he had acted
unilaterally, and the top Democrat on the panel,
Representative Adam Schiff, said Mr Nunes' actions
amounted to a breach of his recusal decision.
"Commitments to recuse himself have not been fully
honored," Mr Schiff told MSNBC.
Mr Trump has backed Mr Nunes' efforts to investigate
actions by US security and other officials who had
served under previous president Barack Obama.
"The big story is the 'unmasking and surveillance' of
people that took place during the Obama
Administration," Mr Trump said in a tweet.
Follow

Donald J. Trump

The big story is the "unmasking and surveillance" of

people that took place during the Obama Administration.
12:05 PM - 1 Jun 2017
17,495 17,495 Retweets57,389 57,389 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2017/0601/879672-comey/

Class War waged in the Courts.

Seanie Fitzpatrick the Anglo Boss from Golden Circle fame gets an
acquittal from a botched prosecution courtesy of solidarity from his
class. While over in the Central Criminal Court the Jobstown
protesters are undergoing a farcical Show Trial for engaging in a sit
down protest while resisting grinding austerity. A community is under
siege while the Golden Circle conduct business as usual and owning
a home is a pipe dream for ordinary people.The media mafia refer
to legitimate protest as kidnapping. Joan Burton the star
witness in the court case stands responsible for wrecking
countless lives through her austerity policies.
Meanwhile Jack O'Connor heads up Siptu and the Labour
Party, he with other trade union leaders play a critical role in
managing the crisis for capitalism as workers are told
recovery is not for them.
The leadership of Ireland's major trade unions, mainly
because they agree with the capitalist's analysis of how to
deal with the crisis, have no plans to resist. Cuts and
austerity have lasted for almost a decade and the trade
union leadership, as the Bus Eireann debacle perfectly
illustrates, has been instrumental in preventing any
fightback.
Anglo, the bailout and Troika austerity were all facilitated by
spineless union leaders backed up by the industrial relations
machinery of the state with retired union officials playing a
key role in the Labour Court and other state agencies. The
race to the bottom is now being vigorously pursued while
we suffer the insult of the Anglo case. There is no end to the
regime of deregulation/zero hour contracts, privatisation,
savage controls on wages and pensions and the constant
speed up of the workrate.
It's time to organise and stop relying on the union
collaborators.
DEMAND JACK O CONNOR SIPTU GENERAL PRESIDENT AND LABOUR PARTY
CHAIR DISASSOCIATE SIPTU FROM USE OF THE COURTS AGAINST JOBSTOWN
PROTESTORS.

Please copy and email this post to those listed at end of the post.
DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST
This post is calling on all who Defend the Right to Protest to
demand that this democratic right be respected by those
claiming to defend these rights. SIPTU members should
reject the use of the courts against the Jobstown community
protesters. Jack OConnor has dual positions at the top of
Siptu and the Labour Party The founding principles of both
stand for democratic rights for workers in struggle.
Jack O'Connor General President of SIPTU is the new
Chairperson of the Labour Party. He has accepted this
position when individuals from the Jobstown community who
resisted the draconian Troika austerity programme imposed
by the previous Government are facing serious charges
instigated by Labour Party TD Joan Burton in the Central
Criminal Court.
Jack OConnor should reject the criminalisation of legitimate
protest and SIPTU members, Labour Party members and
other workers must demand that he disassociate SIPTU
immediately from the use of the courts against communities
resisting austerity.
If the Jobstown protesters are found guilty, increased
repression will be used against communities by the state in
the same way as the Industrial Relations Act has been used
against workers involved in industrial struggles in order to
stymie,isolate and defeat justified resistance to cuts in their
living standards.
Mr O'Connor is well versed in the founding principles of the
Labour Party which were to protect workers rights and living
standards and to fight for a socialist transformation of
society. As the new Chairperson of the Labour Party he has a
responsibility to defend and implement these principles and
reject the criminalisation of legitimate protest.
E mail the following:
SIPTU at. genpres@siptu.ie
info@siptu.ie
Labour Party: info@labour.ie
Labour Youth: youth@labour.ie
Contact organisations concerned with defending democratic
rights and civil liberties.
Show your solidarity with the Jobstown defendants by
making your Facebook profile picture Jobstown Not Guilty.
They are enduring a farcical show trial.
I listened today in the Central Criminal Court in utter
disbelief to the contradictory evidence of a Garda giving
evidence in the Jobstown trial. Attendance at this farcical
Show Trial of people from a disadvantaged community
protesting against austerity should be mandatory, in
particular for Jack O'Connor joint head of the Labour party
and Siptu. The proud founding principles of the trade
unions, developed by Larkin and Connolly, are being
utterly disgraced by Mr O'Connor's silence. Using the
courts to prosecute communities fighting the misery
imposed by Joan Burton and her Government in their
ruthless implementation of Troika austerity policies is an
outrage. It should be instinctive for unions as a matter of
basic workers solidarity to support the Jobstown case.

30 May 2017
Show your solidarity with the Jobstown defendants by making your
Facebook profile picture Jobstown Not Guilty. They are enduring a
farcical show trial.
I listened today in the Central Criminal Court in utter disbelief to the
contradictory evidence of a Garda giving evidence in the Jobstown
trial. Attendance at this farcical Show Trial of people from a
disadvantaged community protesting against austerity should be
mandatory, in particular for Jack O'Connor joint head of the Labour
party and Siptu. The proud founding principles of the trade unions,
developed by Larkin and Connolly, are being utterly disgraced by Mr
O'Connor's silence. Using the courts to prosecute communities
fighting the misery imposed by Joan Burton and her Government in
their ruthless implementation of Troika austerity policies is an
outrage. It should be instinctive for unions as a matter of basic
workers solidarity to support the Jobstown case.
All our contact details, and those of other collegues on the Big Start campaign team.

As Anne and Annette in Galway noted, we can talk about change, or we can make change
happen. The choice is yours - join SIPTU's Big Start campaign to make the change happen

European Commission ignoring of UN-recognised Polisario Front on EU-Morocco

Agreement raised in Dil
1 June 2017

Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco


JOHN HEDGES
AN PHOBLACHT EDITOR

European Court of Justice annulled the EU-Morocco Agreement only six months ago
because it illegally applied to Western Sahara
A EUROPEAN COMMISSION move to renegotiate its Association Agreement with Morocco
on trade, political co-operation and development issues without involving the people of
Western Sahara and their UN-recognised political representatives, the Polisario Front, has
been raised in the Dil (Irish Parliament) by Sinn Fin TD Sen Crowe with the Irish Foreign
Affairs Minister.
Morocco has occupied much of resource-rich Western Sahara since 1975. Most of the
population has been expelled by force, many to camps in the Algerian desert where 165,000
refugees still live. United Nations resolutions have called for the right to self-determination of
the Saharawi people. The United Nations considers the Polisario Front to be the legitimate
representative of the Sahrawi people. (See more below)

Deputy Sen Crowe (pictured) reminded the Irish Parliament on Tuesday:

In a landmark judgment on 21 December 2016 (Polisario v Council), the European Court of
Justice annulled the EU-Morocco Agreement because it illegally applied to Western Sahara.
He added:
Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco and no state officially recognises Moroccos
claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The ECJ ruling made clear that the European Commission cannot make agreements with
Morocco that relate to Western Sahara without gaining the consent of the people of Western
Sahara.
It now seems that the European Commission is trying to renegotiate the agreement that was
annulled by the ECJ exclusively with Morocco.
This ignores the mandate of the exclusive, legitimate and UN-recognised representative of
the people of Western Sahara, the Polisario Front.

Saharawi Republic President Mohamed Abdelaziz (who died last year) meets Sinn Fin
TDs Gerry Adams, Sen Crowe and David Cullinane during an official visit to Ireland in 2012
Deputy Crowe told An Phoblacht:
I raised this issue with the Foreign Affairs Minister in Dublin today and questioned what
safeguards the Irish Government is demanding from the European Commission to ensure
that the negotiations are in full conformity ECJ ruling.
He said he also called on the Irish Government to block any attempts by the European
Commission to negotiate exclusively with Morocco.
The Irish Government must ensure that the landmark ruling by the ECJ on Western Sahara
is respected and it must oppose any attempts to undermine the fundamental rights of the
Sahrawi people, the Sinn Fin deputy said.
Frente POLISARIO strongly condemns proposal of European Commission for mandate to
negotiate revision of 2000 EU-Morocco Association Agreement
Where is Western Sahara?
WESTERN SAHARA is located on the north-west coast of Africa bordered by Morocco,
Mauritania and Algeria. The colonial administration of Western Sahara by Spain ended in
1976.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia al-Hamra and the Rio del Oro is called
Polisario, based on its Spanish acronym.
Polisario has been the unified voice of the Saharawi movement for independence and
statehood since 1973.
Polisarios armed struggle began in 1975 after Spain ceded its phosphate-, fish- and
possibly oil-rich colony to Morocco in a secretive and illegal deal, says the global justice
magazine New Internationalist.
Polisario declared independence as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in 1976 and is
now recognised by many governments and is a full member of the African Union.
Many Saharawi fled repression by Moroccan occupation forces to seek refuge in camps in
Algeria.
In 1991, the UN brokered a ceasefire, promising to hold an independence referendum. Such
a vote was proposed in the 1970s, when the international community agreed that Morocco
holds no historical right to the territory, but the sides have been unable to agree on a list of
eligible voters.

http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26907

EU intends to ignore Court of Justice judgment on Western Sahara trade

http://curia.europa.eu//document.jsf;jsessionid=9ea7d2dc30
Moroccos exports of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara Fertilizer companies from
across the globe import controversial phosphate rock from Western Sahara, under illegal
Moroccan occupation. This report shows which of them imported in 2016
http://www.wsrw.org//dated/2017/p_for_plunder_2016_web.pdf

EU intends to ignore Court of Justice judgment on Western Sahara trade

frederica_mogherini_mezouar.jpg

The EU Commission is now seeking the EU member states approval to brush aside the
judgement of the Court of Justice of the EU, by negotiating a new agreement with Morocco
for trade with occupied Western Sahara.

Published: 11.05 - 2017 17:18Printer version

Photo above: Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy, and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Salahedine Mezouar.

Does the EU have to abide by EU law? That is in essence the question, as the European
Commission is now requesting EU Member States for a mandate to re-negotiate a
controversial trade deal with Morocco, so as to include goods from the occupied territory of
Western Sahara. In the past, Western Sahara products have implicitly been included in that
trade, but this was found to be unlawful in a ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)
on 21 December 2016.
Now, the Commission wants to try again.

Today, 10 May, the Danish Parliament's EU Affairs Committee and the Danish Government
discussed the EU Commission's request. No arguments were presented by the government
as to why Morocco and the EU have the right to negotiate the conditions of trade with
Western Sahara, which the CJEU had found to be a territory that is 'distinct and separate'
from Morocco. Neither were any arguments given as to what Morocco potentially can
contribute in relation to seeking the consent of the people of the territory that it illegally
occupies.

As the Danish debate with the Minister for International Development heated up, it was
decided to defer to a later date to allow for an exchange of views with the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.

Similar hearings are now taking place across Europe and the Member States will soon vote
on the mandate for the negotiations.

According to sources close to the Commission, the mandate that it wishes to obtain intends
to assimilate Western Sahara products to those from Morocco by bypassing the Saharawi
people's right to consent, and instead opt for a green light from Moroccan institutions.

It is not clear how the Commission would find any legal basis to do so. In hearings in the
Court of Justice last year, the Commission had specifically stated to the Court that it was
never the intention to include Western Sahara in the EU-Moroccan trade, that this was done
unilaterally by Morocco, and that it would be illegal to de jure include Western Sahara, due to
matters of international law.

Now, the Commission makes a u-turn in its approach vis--vis the Member States. Either the
Commission has changed its opinion on international law since it pronounced itself in Court,
or the lawyers of the Commission lied in Court. The act of knowingly including Western
Sahara in the scope of the deal with Morocco is at least diametrically the opposite of what
was stated in Court.

On 21 December 2016, the EU's Supreme Court ruled that no trade or association
agreement with Morocco could be applied to the territory of Western Sahara, since Western
Sahara is not part of Morocco. Accordingly, the Court stated in 106, the people of Western
Sahara ought to be viewed as a third party to the EU's relations with Morocco. And for any
such bilateral arrangement to affect the third territory of Western Sahara, the express consent
of the people of the territory should be obtained.

The Swedish government stated that the court judgement was in line with their historic
position.

In the talks about a new mandate, it is rumoured that the Commission would have altogether
eliminated any reference to the people of the territory - which is the core of the judgement -
and instead refers to 'population'.
"We have serious reasons to fear that the Commissions plan is plainly to circumvent the
ruling of the EU Court of Justice. But, there is no way out of that ruling: the people of
Western Sahara need to give their consent, not the local population mainly composed of
Moroccan settlers", stated Margrete Auken, Danish Member of the European Parliament
(Greens/EFA).

"We cannot take the risk to see the EU once again violate the rights of the Sahrawi people,
damage our collective credibility as a law-abiding regional block and put our European
businesses in limbo. We are keen to hear the Danish government give us the details on the
Commissions proposal and the Danish position in the Council", Auken said.

Leo Varadkar GUSHES over boyfriend Matt in very intimate interview

Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar has opened up about his
relationship with his boyfriend Matt in a rare, intimate interview.

The Fine Gael TD spoke to Barry Egan of the Irish Independent this
week, amid the party leadership battle he is fighting out with Simon
Coveney.

Speaking on a whole host of topics including his childhood, his family

and his politics, the could-be Taoiseach made some lovely comments
about his other half.
Describing his boyfriend of two years to the publication he said: Matt
is just a very special person. Someone who is unconditionally on my
side, which is always great.

He is the kind of person who has made me a better person.

Leo added: Matt is definitely cleverer than me. Which occasionally, I

can find intimidating. He is very, very intelligent. He can read faster
than me. He can do calculations faster than me. He is very bright.

Matt, who is a doctor, seems to have gotten the nod of approval from
the family as well, with Leos mother lauding him as part of the
family.

The former Minister for Health also revealed that the pair have no
plans for marriage just yet, and have not discussed the possibility of
having children either.

They seem pretty happy though!

http://www.msn.com/en-ie/lifestyle/relationships/leo-varadkar-
gushes-over-boyfriend-matt-in-very-intimate-interview/ar-BBBDA3m?
ocid=ob-fb-enie-60#image=1
 corrupt judge Seamus Hughes and penalty point state solicitor Peter Jones after Laura Kelly
s court case in mullingar today driving off together fixing cases and Hughes then gave the
orders to the gardai to take all onlookers phones and camera s off

https://video-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-
2/18904333_1959530360959768_9067505689408045056_n.mp4?
efg=eyJybHIiOjU2OCwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0%3D&rl=568&va
br=316&oh=18ea39d15eecb9b26fa2eadf9a3418a7&oe=59309590

7 days you might not understand

Tracy has two young boys one with severe health complications - to add to the stress of that
she faces homelessness and has been months looking for a home. This is how her week has
been going ....

'Tucked away on the tenth page of the 19-page lease was one sentence that killed all we
looked forward to: Unless the Landlord previously approves in writing, not to keep any pets in
the property. My heart sank. I re-read it.

https://transitioningangels.com//7-days-you-might-not/amp/

Brendan Bjorn has been home from the hospital for 7 days
now. Its only been 2 days, though, that his body has been
able to accept full strength formula at the normal pump
rate. Its also 7 days now that hes been bedridden in an
attempt to get the pressure sore to heal before he can
again sit in his wheelchair. It is healing, albeit slowly.
As for me, Ive been house-bound for 7 days now. I think
many people tend to forget about that part of our journey.
They dont think about what that does to me or my mental
health.
And what about my 9 year old son Declan? All hes seen
the past 7 days is his school and home. I sometimes think,
at least he gets to go out for a bike ride to school and
back.
It isnt enough.It isnt enough for Declan, and it isnt
enough for me.7 days you might not understand.
We did actually get out for an hour a couple of days ago.
We went to look at a rental home. Not just any rental
home, this one was a bungalow with all the bedrooms and
a bathroom on the ground floor. For a family with disability,
this is an amazing find. A new start with a long term 3 year
HAP lease. They even suggested putting in a cement
ramp at the front step for Brendan. I was over the moon.
Declan and I walked around the house our second visit
to the home and decided where his bed would go, where
this and that would go. We walked around the
neighbourhood and saw all the local kids playing who
could become his new friends. We drove home looking
forward to our futurefinally.
Later that evening I took out the lease to look it over and
sign it. Tucked away on the tenth page of the 19-page
lease was one sentence that killed all we looked forward
to: Unless the Landlord previously approves in writing, not
to keep any pets in the property. My heart sank. I re-read
it. Ok, I thought, it sounds like I might just need the written
approval first. I grabbed my mobile and texted the owner
and waited anxiously for the reply. It was a no. A flat out,
unbending, no. I pleaded. I offered more deposit money.
Again, no. And with that, we lost only the second
bungalow rental weve been able to find.
I of course had to have a talk with Declan. The first thing
he asked when I told him the news was why the owner
hated us. I explained it wasnt us, it was just that they dont
want our pets in the house. The next thing he said was
that he wasnt getting rid of his cat, who indeed was lying
there next to him on his bed. He had tears in his eyes. No
baby, youre not getting rid of your cat.
7 days.It has been a very long 7 days stuck inside a
house.You might not understand.
There is a books worth of information that could be written
about the strains on emotional and mental health
that result from all the challenges that come with this
journey of having a child who is severely disabled, very
medically fragile, and palliative with a complex life-limiting
condition. Ive covered some of those issues in previous
blogs: Depression, anxiety, loneliness from social
isolation, and diminished sense of self-worth from having
to leave ones professional career behind to become a full
time carer. These are just some of the main challenges
family carers like me face on a daily basis.
There is plenty that people outside of this journey dont
understand. One of those very important, and seemingly
not understood, aspects is this emotional rollercoaster that
families like mine are on. We are often hurting. We are
often depressed or filled with anxiety. We are often
grieving grieving a life we arent equally free to live and,
for me and Declan, grieving what we know will be the loss
of our most beloved Brendan Bjorn.
You might not understand.
Last week when Brendan Bjorn came home from hospital,
I had a heart-to-heart talk with Declan. I asked him what
his wishes are for when it looks like that day for his
brother comes. Can you imagine having to talk to your
9 year old child about the impending death of his big
brother? Let me tell you, it is gut wrenching. This is the
nature of our relationship, though, me and Declan, and he
took it well and held my hand as we both cried. Yes, he
absolutely wants to be there if he can. Yes, we dont want
it to happen for many years to come. We are a strong little
family, me and my two sons.
This morning before school, Declan randomly went up to
his cat, Magni, who was curled up in a ball asleep on the
couch, and he said, I love you, Magni. Youre not going
anywhere, dont you worry. And with that, it all came
flooding to me: We need these pets. Magni is Declans
rock, his soft place to fall, his friend when no one else is
around. And my dog, Thor, is the exact same for me, as
well as being the guardian of the house who makes us all
feel safe. No, they wont be going anywhere, Declan, dont
you worry. We need them as much as they need us.
Its been 7 days you might not understand.

Tallaght Hospital experiencing

unexpected increase" in numbers
attending A&E department
May 30, 2017

There were 36 patients waiting on trolleys for beds in

Tallaght Hospital today the highest number at any
hospital in the capital.
According to the figures released by the Irish Nurses and
Midwives Organisation, this is an increase of 15 patients
compared to yesterday when 21 people were awaiting
beds, with Tallaght Hospital saying this is down to an
unexpected increase in the number of patients attending
the Accident and Emergency Department in the last few
days.

The hospital also had the highest number of patients

awaiting beds in the Dublin area last Thursday and Friday,
according to the INMO.
In a statement from Tallaght Hospital issued to Echo.ie
today, a spokesperson said: Tallaght Hospital aims to
provide the highest standard of care to patients at all
times.
There has been an unexpected increase in the number of
patients attending the Emergency Department in the last
few days, which is not reflective of anything specific.
Patients are reminded to attend their GP in this first
instance and avoid attending the Emergency Department
unless in the case of emergency.
The Hospital thanks the public for their co-operation
during this busy period.
http://www.echo.ie/show/article/tallaght-hospital-
experiencing-unexpected-increase-in-numbers-attending-
a-e-department

Echo Letters: Hell Fire project could be

good for tourism if commonsense
prevails
April 19, 2017
A Chara,
AS someone who walks the hills, climbs to the Hell Fire
Club with family and friends regularly and rambles through
Massys, I was against this project when I first heard the
rumour.
Since my visit to the open day last week in the stadium,
my discussions with the SDCC personnel, and looking at
the plans, I am changing my mind.

You cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg

so not everyone will be happy but the common good
based on common-sense should prevail.
My concerns are as follows
Traffic Control: Not convinced they have thought it through
maybe a one-way system to cater for the volume without
major road widening.
Sewerage: A written condition that the new pipe run would
not be an opening for housing up the hills.
The general area could do with a face-lift; money spent on
tourism is not wasted as this may be the only money-
spinner Ireland will have to offer in the coming years.
Things we get for nothing we do not respect, so a 5
charge for parking could go towards the maintenance of
the area and help combat fly-tipping and the general
disposal of rubbish that will happen with larger crowds. An
electric gate on the car park opened and closed remotely
earlier / later would be a start.
Is mise le meas.

Leo Oman, Tallaght

The Books of Kells has some

company as Trinity unveils
four priceless manuscripts
The Garland of Howth, the Book of Dimma, the Book of Mulling and the
Codex Usserianius Primus will now be shown for the first time.
June 1, 17

Source: Trinity Library

FOUR PRECIOUS, AND priceless, manuscripts dating back
to the Dark Ages will be unveiled at Trinity College today,
after a three-year project to conserve them.
The Garland of Howth, the Book of Dimma, the Book of
Mulling and the Codex Usserianius Primus have been
repaired, analysed and digitised and are now ready to go on
public display for the first time.
Former President Mary Robinson will unveil the early
Christian manuscripts today at a special ceremony.
The manuscripts themselves date from as early as the fifth
century, and scholars say they reveal the secrets of Irelands
earliest painters.
The Codex, for example, is one of Irelands earliest known
surviving manuscripts. It is an incomplete copy of the four
Gospels on parchment. It is not known how, but it came into
the possession of the Trinity Library in the 17th century.
Source: Trinity Library
Its script suggests that it may have been written in a
monastery on the continent, but there are annotations in
early Irish which show it was in Ireland from an early date.
Restoring the manuscripts to a level that would make them
fit for public viewing was a painstaking process, scholars
said.
They have now been digitised so will be available to view
online, or can be viewed on a rotational basis at the Book of
Kells museum.
Source: Trinity Library
College librarian and archivist, Helen Shenton, said: We
hope it will enable further research of the manuscripts
unique artistry, texts and intriguing histories.
Since their creation the manuscripts have had limited
accessibility and now, almost thirteen centuries later, these
national treasures are finally publicly available for all to
study, scrutinise and simply enjoy.

The restoration was supported by Bank of America Merrill

Lynchs global Art Conservation project.
http://www.thejournal.ie/trinity-manuscripts-restored-3420811-Jun2017/?
utm_source=facebook_short

Ex-Sinn Fin cllr

Jonathan Dowdall
jailed for 12 years
Updated / Thursday, 1 Jun 2017

Jonathan Dowdall and his father admitted falsely imprisoning and

threatening to kill Alexander Hurley
A former Sinn Fin councillor who interrogated,
threatened and waterboarded a man who came to his
house to buy a motorcycle has been sentenced to 12
years in prison.
Jonathan Dowdall, 40, and his 60-year-old father,
who live on the Navan Road, Dublin, admitted at the
Special Criminal Court to falsely imprisoning and
threatening to kill Alexander Hurley in January 2015.
Patrick Dowdall was jailed for eight years in prison for
his role in the attack.
Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy said today that the video
footage depicts a truly terrifying ordeal which no
words could convey.

Mr Hurley went to Jonathan Dowdall's Dublin home

on 15 January 2015 to buy Jonathan's motorcycle.
But Dowdall believed he was a conman who had paid
someone else with a cheque that bounced after
researching him online.
When Mr Hurley arrived at the house on the Navan
Road, he was tied to a chair in the garage.
Jonathan Dowdall, wearing a balaclava, put a tea
towel on Mr Hurley's face and poured buckets of
water over him.
Patrick Dowdall took out a silver pliers and
threatened to pull off Mr Hurley's fingers, starting with
the smallest.
The attack was filmed on a mobile phone and played
in court.
The victim can be heard pleading for his life as
Dowdall threatened to chop him up and feed him to
the Dobermans.
He was tied with white cable ties and told "one more
twist and you're dead".
Mr Hurley said he was tortured to the point of death's
door and that the psychological injuries will never
completely heal.
He said Jonathan Dowdall told him he was a member
of the IRA, that there were people watching
everywhere, and that if he went to the garda he
would be picked up in a number of hours.
Jonathan Dowdall is a former Sinn Fin councillor
and while the Special Criminal Court heard he was a
good friend of Gerry Adams and Mary Lou
McDonald, it said it could not see how this could form
a threat.
Ms Justice Kennedy said the fact that the attack was
recorded by an unknown woman was chilling and the
fact that he told the victim that he would if necessary
upload it on YouTube shows Jonathan Dowdall's
moral compass was skewed.

The court sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to 12 years in

prison and his father Patrick to eight years in prison.
Fiona Ferguson
May 27 2017
A SERIAL offender with 160 previous convictions who claimed to be an
undercover garda before taking part in handcuffing and robbing a man has
avoided a custodial sentence.

Gary Kearney (25) and an accomplice quoted sections of law before

searching the man and removing his belongings on Millennium Bridge,
Dublin in the early hours of the morning. The robbers were aggressive and the
victim feared he would be pushed into the Liffey while handcuffed.

Kearney's previous convictions include assault, animal cruelty, robbery, theft,

burglary, criminal damage and public order offences.

Kearney of Poddle Close, Crumlin, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit

Criminal Court to robbery, false imprisonment and theft in Dublin city centre
on September 11, 2016.

Judge Melanie Greally had originally heard evidence in the case last March.
She said Kearney had an appalling record of offending and that if the cycle
was to be broken he would have to address his addiction issues.

She had adjourned sentencing to allow Kearney attend for residential

treatment at Cuan Mhuire.

Yesterday Judge Greally noted Kearney had successfully addressed his drug
and alcohol addictions since his admission to Cuan Mhuire. She said he had
made a huge effort to address the issues which had dogged him in the past and
caused him to offend.
She imposed a four year sentence which she suspended on strict conditions
including attendance at AA meetings. She ordered two years probation
supervision.

Garda Brian McLoughlin told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that at around
1.30am Kearney and his accomplice approached a man crossing the
Millennium Bridge.

One of the men had a radio and the second had handcuffs. They told the
victim he was under arrest.

This was witnessed by another man who the pair had just previously
approached claiming to be undercover plain clothes garda and quoting a
section of law. This first man had become suspicious that they were not garda
and backed away from them.

Kearney and his accomplice quoted law again to the second man. They put
handcuffs on him and told him he was being taken to Pearse Street Garda
Station.

They held the man up against the bridge and the victim feared he would be
pushed into the Liffey while wearing the handcuffs. They searched him and
took his phone, travel and bank cards.

Gda McLoughlin said due to the aggression of the men the victim began to
suspect they were not gardai and asked for his belongings back. They returned
his travel and bank cards and removed the handcuffs.

They said he would get his phone back at the garda station but when he
continued to ask for it the men began to handcuff him again. The man
defended himself and was assisted by the witness. A woman filmed part of the
incident on her mobile phone.

Gda McLoughlin said he and a colleague arrived at this point and arrested
Kearney. His accomplice fled the scene and has not been charged.

Gda McLoughlin said the handcuffs were quite realistic and the victim
believed they were real. He agreed with defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL that
they were not of the same standard as garda handcuffs.

Mr Rea said Kearney had written a letter of apology to the victim in which he
said he was ashamed of his actions and realised it was entirely inappropriate.

At the original sentence hearing Mr Rea had told Judge Greally that drink and
tablets had been a feature of Kearney's life and there was a place available for
him in a 12 week residential treatment program.

Gda McLoughlin yesterday told the court that the injured party had
graciously accepted Kearney's apology, was happy that Kearney was on a
treatment course and had no desire to see him in custody.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/serial-offender-with-160-
convictions-who-posed-as-garda-and-handcuffed-victim-before-robbing-
him-walks-free-35761383.html

Drug dealer avoided jail

after incomplete garda
evidence - judge
Updated / Monday, 29 May 2017
The judge made his remarks at Mullingar Circuit Court sitting at
Tullamore Courthouse
A Circuit Court Judge has said that a female drug
dealer avoided a "likely" prison sentence as a result
of incomplete evidence given to his court by a garda,
according to court documents seen by RT.
According to the documents, Circuit Court Judge
Keenan Johnson said that Garda Mark Lucas had
given him the "clear impression" at a sentencing
hearing for a drugs offence last June that the 39-
year-old woman had a one-off involvement in the
drugs trade, despite the garda having personally
recorded an admission from the woman three days
earlier that she was making around 2,000 per month
selling drugs.
She made the admission to Garda Lucas after she
was again caught in possession of both heroin and
cocaine for sale or supply.
In a written record of his decision, obtained by RT's
This Week, Judge Johnson said it was of
"considerable concern" to him that the garda had
withheld critical information about the drug dealer
from his court, relating to what the judge described
as "very serious offences".
The judge made his remarks nine days ago at
Mullingar Circuit Court sitting at Tullamore, when
sentencing the woman for possession of 1,600
worth of cocaine and heroin.
The judge also said that his court was told the
woman, who was also a drug user, was drug free on
the date she was being sentenced in June 2016,
when in fact she had disclosed to Garda Lucas that
she even planned on bringing some of the heroin
found in her possession with her to the court to have
as a "supply to smoke" if she got a custodial
sentence.
Judge Keenan Johnson (pictured) said Garda Mark Lucas gave a
'clear impression' that the female drug dealer had a one-off
involvement in the drugs trade
"At the time Garda Lucas gave evidence to the court
[at the 7 June 2016 sentencing hearing] he was
aware the accused had been apprehended" three
days beforehand, the judge said.

He said: "Not alone that, but on 4 June the accused

had given an interview to Garda Lucas and had
made full admissions concerning it.

"It was a source of considerable concern to me when

I was advised that this offence occurred, a mere three
days before the previous offence was dealt with by
this court on 7 June 2016."
"At no stage during these proceedings was I made
aware of the fact that a mere three days before the 7
June the accused had been involved in serious
reoffending. Indeed I am satisfied that I was misled in
relation to this matter," the judge said in his written
record.
He said: "In my view he [Garda Lucas] made a grave
error of judgment in not telling the court the full
background on the date of the sentencing hearing ...
Garda Lucas had an obligation to give the court a full
picture of the situation and not allow the court to
proceed on the basis that there had been no
[re]offending by the accused."
Judge Johnson said the offences were of a serious
nature, given what he described as an "endemic"
consumption of illegal drugs in Co Westmeath.
He said that at least 80% of the cases which come
before his court were now drug related.
Judge Johnson said he accepted that the garda had
made an error and said he also accepted the garda's
explanation that he was motivated by trying to help
the woman.
However, he said that "the court in imposing
sentence has to be in possession of all the facts in
order to secure a sentence that is both fair and
proportionate," adding that had the court been aware
that the accused had re-offended "she would likely
have been given a custodial sentence".
He said that the re-offending had completely
undermined the representations made to court that
she had stayed out of trouble and was

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2017/0528/878488-
court-drug-dealer/

Varadkar's property tax

plan addresses imbalance
1
Mr Varadkar says councils should be allowed vary the tax rate by
more than the 15pc currently allowed. Photo: James Connolly

You wouldn't start from here if drawing up the property tax regime. The
system was set up to allow for cash to be collected fast at a time when the State
was strapped for funds and a broadening of the tax base was needed.

In a welcome development, Fine Gael leadership frontrunner Leo

Varadkar wants to allow councils to keep the property tax collected in their
area.

The Social Protection Minister wants to change how the tax is collected and
distributed, which would significantly benefit councils and homeowners in
Dublin and the commuter belt.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/varadkars-property-tax-
plan-addresses-imbalance-35769211.html
 New Politics'
aspirations are no match
for reality

1Editorial
May 31 2017

'The report of the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of

Healthcare has the hallmarks of a document that will make a fine
dust-gatherer in the Department of Health for the next decade

New politics is great. Come out with a bunch of populist ideas, get every party
to agree, put a ribbon on it and call it "New Politics".

Aspirations shouldn't be mistaken for implementable policies.

The report of the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare has the
hallmarks of a document that will make a fine dust-gatherer in the
Department of Health for the next decade.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/new-politics-aspirations-are-
no-match-for-reality-35773515.html

Kids of just four and five

years of age 'terrorising
neighbours on scrambler
motorbikes' - says TD

1
Dessie Ellis

Four and five year old children are terrorising communities on quad and
scrambler motorbikes, the Dil has heard.

Sinn Fin Dublin North West TD Dessie Ellis said public property is also being
damaged by children driving dirt bikes and scramblers in his constituency.

"In many of our towns and estates you can see quads, dirt bikes and
scramblers which are repeatedly being used by some as young as four or five
to threaten people and cause a lot of other problems for the local
communities," Mr Ellis said.
"Most people are responsible in their use of these vehicles but in some cases
they are used in an anti-social way to torment communities and damage
public property," he added.

He said the issue is constantly being raised by community groups and

councillors in his constituency. He said gardai are struggling to deal with the
issue due to a legislative anomaly.

Sinn Fein tabled a motion seeking to give gardai increased powers to stop
people driving scramblers and quads in public areas.

The bill was accepted by the Dil and went through to second stage.

They already have the powers to seize those bikes. They're a motor propelled vehicle and as
such they fall under current motor vehicle legislation. When I made a complaint about them
to the Garda I was told that they had been instructed by the minister (He didn't specify what
minister) that they were not to pursue them. The minister for justice needs to do her job or get
out.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kids-of-just-four-and-five-years-of-
age-terrorising-neighbours-on-scrambler-motorbikes-says-td-
35778460.html
From 'One to Watch' to
Taoiseach - what will
Varadkar do with power?

1
Leo Varadkar,TD,the Minister for Social Protection at the launch of
his "Taking Fine Gael Forward" party policy paper as part of his
Leadership election campaign held at the Irish Architectural
Archive, 45 Merrion Square East, Dubli yesterday. Pic Tom Burke
24/5/2017

In hindsight, he probably wasn't a precocious snob, he's just innately shy.

My first interaction with Leo Varadkar was in the late 1990s, when we were
both members of Young Fine Gael while in different colleges.

(I put it down to my reckless and misguided days of youth, a bit like Mary-Lou
McDonald's time in Fianna Fil and Joe Higgins's period in Labour. And, to be
honest, I always found the Fianna Fil lads to be better drinkers).

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/from-one-to-watch-to-
taoiseach-what-will-varadkar-do-with-power-35776969.html
Show gardens with a
political, ethical and musical
twist at Bloom festival
Five-day event in Dublins Phoenix Park kicks off on
Thursday with tens of thousands of visitors expected
Wed, May 31, 2017, 19:11

Conor Pope Follow @conor_pope

Cellist Jenny Dowdall playing in the FBD Transition garden designed by

Oliver and Liat Schurmann at Bloom. Photograph: Dara Mac Dnaill / The
Irish Times
A full-sized piano is not a piece of garden furniture in the
classical sense but for one of Blooms competitive
designers, it was just grand.
Ahead of the opening of the 11th Bloom festival in
Dublins Phoenix Park on Thursday morning, the seven-
acre site was a hive of activity with stallholders putting
the last licks of paint on their purpose-built displays
which have sprung up over the last month.
Much of the focus was on a small group of stern-looking
judges who wandered from show garden to show garden
quizzing the 22 design teams about their creations.
The baby grand piano was to be found in the Composers
Retreat, the brainchild of garden designers Kieran
Dunne and Anthony Ryan. Their musical oasis also
featured a steel guitar and other musical instruments
dotted around a lush green landscape and served a dual
purpose of showcasing their skills and promoting Our
Ladys Childrens Hospital in Crumlin.
Most of the show gardens came with a health, ethical or
political twist. Oxfam and Goal had a display which
suggested that knocking rather than building walls was
the way forward. The FBD garden warned of the
cataclysmic consequences of global warming, albeit in a
gentle and soothing way with a platform in the centre of
a pond which ebbed and flowed like the tide.
Teagasc had linked up with Pieta House to create a
mental health garden while the message from the Marie
Keating Foundations garden was aimed at men. It
encouraged them to take their health seriously and not
allow cancers to take hold out of a reluctance to go to
their doctors.
Former rugby player and long-standing sports journalist
Tony Ward was on hand to give the foundation a hand
spreading the word.
Too many men dont get themselves checked out
enough and they dont share their concerns with other
men, he said. I dont know why that is.

Maybe it goes back to when we were hunter gathers and

wanted to portray a strong and fearless demeanour. The
reality is it takes guts to go to the doctor and it is not a
sign of weakness.
Bee-friendly gardening
The Friends of the Earth display will be buzzing over the
course of the five-day event as their garden showcases
the many ways householders can help bees by providing
food, shelter and healthy ecosystems in which
pollinators can thrive.
The garden was designed by permaculture expert and
2015 RT Super Garden finalist, Suzie Cahn, and will be
staffed by more than 50 Friends of the Earth volunteers
throughout the five-day festival, who will provide advice
on bee-friendly gardening.

Doreen Thew, from Maynooth, with her son, Peter, enjoy a walk around
Garden of Hope sponsored by Teagasc at Bloom in the Phoenix Park,
Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dnaill / The Irish Times
While Friends of the Earth were taking care of the insect
kingdom the Dogs Trust will be looking after mans best
friend in the first ever dog-friendly garden at the festival.
Their garden features a host of simple but innovative
ideas designed to provide fun and stimulation for dogs
while maintaining the garden as a safe, relaxing area for
the whole family.
Postcard gardens
In addition to the show gardens, there are also 13
postcard gardens designed and constructed by amateur
gardeners from across the country.
These small but perfectly formed gardens are said to
provide an opportunity for garden clubs and societies to
demonstrate their abilities and to inspire other non-
professional gardeners to experience the joys and
benefits of gardening.
Visitors can also look forward to 50 floral and botanical
art displays and 110 food and drink stands which will
keep the tens of thousands of people who will pour
through the gates sated over the course of their visit.
RT has one of the biggest displays on the site and will
be broadcasting live from its specially constructed
mobile radio and TV studio and live performance area on
site. There will also be live weather reports which will
probably draw the largest crowds as an outdoor festival
like Bloom can live or die depending on the weather.
And what is the forecast? It is set to be quite changeable
over the five days of the festival, according to Met
Eireann, with a mixture of dry bright intervals and
scattered showers.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/show-gardens-with-a-
political-ethical-and-musical-twist-at-bloom-festival-1.3103217
 Record number of people
sleeping rough on Dublin
streets
Inner City Helping Homeless are holding a protest
against the worsening homelessness crisis later
this month
r BY ALANA FEARON
r 1 JUN 2017
The number of people sleeping on the streets of
Dublin has reached a record high
A record high of 193 people were sleeping rough
on the streets of Dublin last night, the Inner City
Helping Homeless volunteer outreach teams
have revealed.
Volunteers recorded a shocking 141 men and 52
women homeless sleeping on the streets, the
highest they've ever recorded.

In a statement today Brian McLoughlin from the

ICHH PR team said: "This increase in the
number of people presenting as sleeping rough
is extremely worrying.
"We are still having issues accessing beds for
those out on the streets that want somewhere
to go for the night. On top of this increase, we
are still having to assist families with small
children in making sure they are properly
accommodated for the night.
The homeless crisis seems to be getting worse by the day
and our resources have been stretched to keep our
 services going. While the leadership battle takes centre
stage, we are seeing adults and children not being
properly supported by homeless agencies.

"We would ask that people come and join us in a show of

solidarity on Saturday June 17 at 1pm as we walk from
Custom House Quay to Dail Eireann. It's time we as a
people say enough is enough and we need immediate
action."

Little girl does

something amazing
for homeless people
with communion
money
Feed Our Homeless Inner City Dublin were overjoyed

BYJOHN PATRICK-KIERANS
16:13, 23 MAY 2017
Katie-Sarah with a worker

A former Bargaintown in Coolock will be used to provide accommodation

for homeless families in Dublin.

The former furniture showroom and warehouse in the Greencastle

Parade industrial estate is one of nine buildings that will be used as
"family hub" centres for emergency accommodation - reports the Irish
Times.

A little girl from Dunboyne was very eager to help the homeless people of
Dublin over the weekend.

Adorable Katie-Sarah Jones, 8, decided to donate 150 of her First Holy

Communion money to buy cake and crisps for the homeless.

Katie-Sarah's mum Sinead told Dublin Live: "I'm just so proud of her.

"This all started when we went on holidays in New York last year, and she
got very upset with the amount of homeless people.
"There was one homeless man in particular who she remembered, and
when I asked her what she wanted to do with her Communion money,
she said she would send him money to buy a house!

"I told her that there were plenty of people needing help here and she
wanted to help them all out.

"So she made her Communion with Dunboyne Junior Primary School on
Saturday and on Sunday we went to Blanchardstown to buy food. She
spent 150 of her own money on food for the homeless. We also brought
them some lasange. I'm just so proud"

Posting on their Facebook page, Feed Our Homeless

Inner City Dublin said: "Last night was a very special night
at the soup kitchen. We received a message from a little
girl's mom to tell us that her daughter had just made her
communion and wanted to buy the homeless some food
from the money she received.
"To us, that's one special little girl. She had wanted to do
this for a while and when asked what she wanted to do
with her communion money, she answered "I want to buy
food for all the homeless"
Jake and Katie-Sarah Jones

The centres will cater for around 380 families and will provide play spaces,
homework club as well as laundry, cooking and dining facilities.

Read more: Phibsborough Cafe warms hearts with kind gesture

towards the homeless

Eight of the buildings have be leased by Dublin City Council for five
years, while he council have bought an Ashling House B&B in Clontarf.
Bargaintown is one of two former industrial/commercial buildings that will
be converted - it will have 40 family rooms when refurbished.

The other is a Prison Service building which is owned by the Office of

Public Works and will house up to 30 families.

So from all of us at Feed Our Homeless Inner City Dublin we would like to
say thank you to Katie Sarah for being such a thoughtful and kind little girl
and for thinking of others, her big brother Jake for his help, and her mom
Sarah Cashell for bringing her in to meet us and for dropping off lasagne,
salad and bags of sweets for our homeless. Your donation was very
thoughtful and the lesson for young children is priceless!!"

The exterior of the completed rapid-build modular homes on

Balbutcher Lane in Ballymun, Dublin

Fears families could

be penalised under
new modular
housing proposals
The rapid-build units, of which just 22 have been built so
far, were supposed to provide families with suitable
accommodation until the council found permanent
residences for them.

Fears have been raised that families may be penalised under the new
modular housing proposals.

Dublin City Council has announced plans to house homeless families in

modular homes - originally intended as a quick-fix for homeless families
living in hotels - on a permanent basis.

The rapid-build units, of which just 22 have been built so far, were
supposed to provide families with suitable accommodation until the
council found permanent residences for them.

Earlier today, it emerged that the modular homes in Ballymun are set to
be offered to families living there as permanent accommodation.

According to claims from local councillor Noeleen Reilly, some residents

have been told that if they don't accept their modular home as permanent
accommodation, it will be noted as a refusal.

Families are only allowed two refusals before their moved down the
priority list.

But Councillor Reilly says residents shouldn't suffer for a change in policy
they didn't agree to.
Councillor Noeleen Reilly

She added: "It comes as no surprise that the modular units will become
permanent units for families. There is no building taking place so nowhere
for families to move too.

"We said this from the very offset. Some residents will want to stay and
some will not. No family should be penalised for not wanting to stay
there.

"These should not go down as a refusal as DCC changed the rules not the
tenant. This was not advised to tenants when they moved in and
therefore should not go against them."

Tenancy Protection Service successfully protects over 3,000

households at risk of losing their tenancy in the Dublin region.
May 23, 2017

MEDIA RELEASE - May 23rd 2017

 Tenancy Protection Service successfully protects over 3,000 households at
risk of losing their tenancy in the Dublin region

The four Dublin Local Authorities and Threshold are today (May 23rd) officially
launching the public awareness campaign for the Tenancy Protection Service
(TPS) which encourages people to contact the service when their tenancy is at
risk. Since the launch of the service in June 2014, a total of 3,160 households
had their tenancy protected. The TPS is operating against the backdrop of a
significant increase in families and individuals contacting local authorities and
homeless services for emergency accommodation, primarily due to the loss of
their homes in the private rented sector.

Preventing homelessness in the first instance and supporting people to retain

their homes is one of the main priorities of central government, statutory
services and state-funded homeless services.

Speaking at the photo-call of the public awareness campaign, Eileen Gleeson,

Director, Dublin Region Homeless Executive said;

We strongly encourage families and individuals who are renting and may be
worried about losing their home to contact the Tenancy Protection Service
on FREEPHONE 1800 454 454. This service has been instrumental in
preventing homelessness in the first instance and supporting people to
remain in their homes.

Families or individuals at risk are assessed immediately on the grounds that

they have received notice of arrears, notice of termination, warning letter,
letter of rent increase, or have been threatened with an illegal eviction.

Since the service was launched in June 2014, over 10,710 households have
contacted TPS. Out of this, 5,078 (47%) were seeking advice to their rights
and 5,632 (52%) households were at risk of tenancy loss.

The breakdown and interventions for households who were at immediate risk
of losing their tenancy were as follows;

A total of 3,160 tenancies that were at risk were protected by

Department of Social Protection (DSP) uplift in payment, advocacy assistance
or were re-housed in the private rented sector,
A total of 1,010 cases were closed (no longer contactable),
 A further 443 cases involved initial intervention and 886 are on-going,
93 cases were referred to the Residential Tenancies Board,
40 households entered homeless services.

The overall number of tenancies contacting Threshold dropped from 4,604 in

2015 to 2,391 in 2016 but the number of tenancies that were deemed to be at
risk of homelessness increased to 60% in 2016 compared with 53% in 2015.
Therefore, people using the service were more likely to need support.

38% of those who contacted Threshold in 2016 had their tenancy protected,
with most receiving the DSP rent uplift (TPS can apply to the Department of
Social Protection for an uplift payment above existing rent caps where a
household is in receipt of rent supplement and are at risk of homelessness
due to a rent increase). While the number of new contacts had decreased in
2016, Threshold continues to work with many of the families who had
contacted them in 2015 and 2014.

Simon Coveney, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local

Government said the following;

The Tenancy Protection Service has prevented thousands of households from

entering homelessness and the more people we can alert to the provision of
the FREEPHONE the better. I would encourage anyone who is concerned about
their current tenancy arrangements to make contact with the service.

The Tenancy Protection Service can be contacted through FREEPHONE 1800

454 454 in Dublin from 9am to 9pm and callers will receive the following
prompt interventions if they are at risk of losing their home:

1. Immediate guidance about rights as tenants and landlord

obligations
2. Negotiation between tenant and landlord to resolve problems and
take further action if needed, including referral to the Residential Tenancies
Board.
3. For rent supplement customers, an application of uplift in
payment can be made to the Department of Social Protection for
families/couples or individuals, who are facing a rent increase and who are at
risk of becoming homeless.

http://www.homelessdublin.ie/tenancy-protection-service-successfully-
protects-over-3000-households-risk-losing-their-tenancy
Homeless Policy and Legislation

Policy and Legislation

Key legislation relating to homelessness in Ireland includes the Health Act, 1953 and
Childcare Act, 1991, the Housing Act 1988 and most recently the Housing
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

Chapter six of the Housing (Misc Provisions) Act 2009 provides a statutory structure to
address the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness. The Act outlines a
statutory obligation to have an action plan in place and the formation of a Homelessness
Consultative Forum and a Statutory Management Group.

The Housing Act, 1988 was introduced following intensive lobbying by a coalition of
voluntary organisations, the National Campaign for the Homeless. The Act provided the
first legal definition of homelessness in Ireland.

The legal definition of homelessness

Section 2 of the Housing Act, 1988 states that a person should be considered to be
homeless if:

(a) there is no accommodation available which, in the opinion of the authority, he,
together with any other person who normally resides with him or who might reasonably
be expected to reside with him, can reasonably occupy or remain in occupation of,

or
(b) he is living a hospital, county home, night shelter or other such institution, and is so
living because he has no accommodation of the kind referred to in paragraph (a), and
(c) he cannot provide accommodation from his own resources.

While the 1988 Act does not impose a duty on housing authorities to provide housing to
people who are homeless, it does clearly give responsibility to the local authorities to
consider their needs and expand their powers to respond to those needs. Specifically
authorities may house homeless people from their own housing stock or through
arrangement with a voluntary body. The Act also enables the local authority to provide a
homeless person with money to source accommodation in the private sector.
 In addition to the provisions relating to direct responses to people presenting as
homeless, Section 10 of the Act enables local authorities to provide funding to voluntary
bodies for the provision of emergency accommodation and long term housing for people
who are homeless.

The 1988 Act requires that local authorities carry out periodic assessments of the number
of people who are homeless in their administrative area, as part of their housing needs
assessment. The first assessment was carried out in 1989 with follow up assessments in
1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008 and most recently 2011 (in partnership with
the CSO).

Other legislation related to homelessness

The other main legislation that deals with homelessness in Ireland includes the Health
Act 1953 and the Child Care Act 1991.In practice, what does the legal definition mean?

In practice, the legal definition translates into four types of homelessness.

The visibly homeless are people who are:

living rough, or
sleeping in designated emergency accommodation such as a hostel

The hidden homeless are people who are:

staying with relatives or friends because there is no alternative

accommodation for them, or
remaining in institutional care because there is no affordable
accommodation for them

People at risk of homelessness have housing but are likely to become homeless through:

economic difficulties, or
 the threat of violence

People rough sleeping are:

not in contact with emergency services, and

not staying in emergency accommodation

Other definitions of homelessness

The European Observatory on Homelessness operating with FEANTSA (the European

Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless) has a more detailed
definition of homelessness.

https://video-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t42.1790-
2/13374616_250918948608873_1905145095_n.mp4?
efg=eyJybHIiOjMwMCwicmxhIjo1MTIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoic3ZlX3NkIn0%3D&rl=300&va
br=98&oh=a42f8e38a6ba8764ab00502baf8cef86&oe=59309E30

Barrister says 'citizens should be terrified' after trial

collapses over accuracy of Garda pulse system
Thursday, June 01, 2017 - 06:10 pm
By David Raleigh

A criminal trial has collapsed after the State said it could

"not vouch for the accuracy" of information recorded on
the Garda pulse system relevant to parties involved in the
case.
A "lengthy" investigation is to be conducted into the
matter, garda told the court.
The prosecution said: "It can't be said (it) is accurate".
Commenting on the seriousness of the matter, the
accused's barrister said that criminals or suspected
criminals were not the only people whose details appeared
on pulse.
Indicating that ordinary law abiding citizens could be open
to similar "errors", the accused's barrister added: "The
ordinary citizens of this country should be terrified in their
beds at this development."
The matter arose after one of the parties involved in the
case disputed the accuracy of personal information
recorded on pulse.
The prosecution said it had emerged that a pulse ID
relating to one of the parties appeared to have been
"merged" with another person.
Garda agreed it appeared an "error" on pulse had been
made.

A garda witness gave evidence that this information

appeared to be for "a different person entirely".
Asked by the prosecution if garda could "vouch for its
accuracy", the witness responded: "No".
The garda agreed during cross examination by the
accused's barrister that the personal details of "civic
minded" members of the public would appear on pulse.
This included valid gun licence holders or eye witnesses
reporting road traffic collisions.
The garda also agreed with the accused's barrister that
"there now appears to be a problem with the accuracy of
the pulse system".
The garda also agreed "ordinary citizens walking the
streets don't know if there's an accurate record on them
on pulse".
The garda acknowledged: "There can be problems with
pulse."
The garda also agreed with the accused's barrister that,
"as a matter of law, if (the pulse information) is not
accurate, it is not worth the paper it is written on"
Commenting on the impending investigation into the
accuracy of the pulse information, the prosecution said
"lengthy enquiries will have to made".
The probe will likely take a number of weeks or months to
"untangle the (pulse) records", the garda said.

This will include contacting court personnel, as well as

sourcing court orders, charge sheets, and contacting
members of the force.

Indicating that ordinary law abiding citizens could be open to similar "errors", the accused's
barrister added: "The ordinary citizens of this country should be terrified in their beds at this
development."
The matter arose after one of the parties involved in the case disputed the accuracy of
personal information recorded on pulse.
The prosecution said it had emerged that a pulse ID relating to one of the parties appeared to
have been "merged" with another person.
Garda agreed it appeared an "error" on pulse had been made.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/barrister-says-
citizens-should-be-terrified-after-trial-collapses-over-accuracy-of-garda-
pulse-system-792068.html

Siptu: Security staff to receive pay increases and

guaranteed minimum working hours
A new agreement has been negotiated for Siptu members
in the security industry.
Thursday, June 01, 2017

The agreement will see members getting pay increases

and guaranteed minimum working hours.

Their pay is set to rise more than 8% over the next three
years.
The new Employment Regulation Order for the sector
came into effect today, with up to 17,000 security officers
set to benefit from it.

It follows negotiations between SIPTU and employer

representatives.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/siptu-security-staff-
to-receive-pay-increases-and-guaranteed-minimum-working-hours-
792083.html

Judge raises issues concerned with US intelligence

agencies collecting data on Facebook users
Thursday, June 01, 2017 -
A High Court judge has raised issues with lawyers for the
US government about the effect of findings of non-
compliance by US intelligence agencies with restrictions
on surveillance, writes Ann O'Loughlin.

Ms Justice Caroline Costello raised the issues when hearing

submissions about the significance for the Data Protection
Commissioner's case concerning the validity of EU-US data
transfers of recently announced restrictions on collection
of a certain category of personal data by the US National
Security Agency.

While the NSA has historically been authorised to acquire

communications to, from, or about a target under
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Security Act
through its Upstream internet surveillance programme, it
will no longer collect communications about a target.

The judge last March reserved judgment on the case but

Eileen Barrington SC, for the US government,
subsequently asked the judge to factor in the new
developments when preparing her judgment.

The judge agreed to receive the information, formally

provided by Facebook Ireland as a party to the case. She
also agreed to allow experts for the sides to provide brief
reports of their views on it and to hear short oral
submissions on Thursday from the sides. She will give her
judgement later on an unspecfied date.

In her proceedings, Commissioner Helen Dixon wants the

judge to ask the Court of Justice of the EU to decide the
validity or otherwise of European Commission decisions
approving data transfer channels known as standard
contractual clauses (SCCs).

Her case is against Facebook Ireland because Facebooks

European headquarters are here - and Austrian lawyer
Max Schrems who for different reasons oppose referral.
The US government is among several parties joined as
amici curiae, assistants to the court on legal issues.
Max Schrems.
The developments raised by the US government are a
decision of the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
(FISC) of April 26th last which addressed the failure of US
agencies to comply with surveillance restrictions imposed
by the FISC and restraining collection of "about" data.

Another development was a decision by the US Court of

Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that Wikimedia, but not
several other plaintiffs, had the necessary legal standing
to challenge the Upstream surveillance programme.

On Thursday, Brian Murray SC, for the Commissioner,

argued the new material was not significant to the core
issues the High Court has to decide. The FISC opinion
mainly relates to US persons while the Wikimedia decision
does not affect the Irish court's analysis, he said.

Eoin McCullough SC, for Mr Schrems, argued the FISC

opinion was essentially about the protection of US persons
and did not alter the position concerning retention of
personal data of non-US persons. The experts who
analysed the decisions considered it did not materially
alter their evidence to the court, he said.

Paul Gallagher SC, for Facebook, disagreed and argued the

FISC opinion is significant. The opinion is binding and
showed a functioning supervision system independent
from the US government, he said. The decisions meant
collection of "about" communication has stopped and
indicated "a sea change" in how information is collected
which does affect content of foreign communications, he
argued.

Colm ODwyer SC, for the Washington-based Electronic

Privacy Information Centre, said the FISC opinion and the
fact the NSA has eliminated "about" searches was
significant but the impact was limited because of the
degree of agency non-compliance and institutional "lack of
candour" referred to by the FISC. The FISC had also not
ruled the NSA could not reintroduce "about" searches.

Eileen Barrington SC, for the US government, said the FISC

opinion is a significant legal development which illustrates
"effective judicial oversight" and also has an impact on EU
citizens. The FISC opinion provided for additional
safeguards and any future introduction of about comms
would require fresh approval from the FISC, she added.

The judge observed the FISC opinion appeared to disclose

a "history of disquiet" concerning how "about"
communications were handled rather than the principle of
collecting "about" communications.

Ms Barrington agreed "about" data collection could be

reintroduced but said FISC would have to be satisfied to
certify that. It was "distorting" to look exclusively at the
issue of formal judicial remedies and the court should
have regard to the totality of the "systemic protections".

Asked by the judge about the position of EU citizens whose

data was collected without authorisation and who are
unaware of that, counsel said it is now unlawful to have
"about" data collected under Upstream and that was a
direct benefit for non-US citizens.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/judge-
raises-issues-concerned-with-us-intelligence-agencies-
collecting-data-on-facebook-users-792073.html

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

AND THE COUNCIL on the Functioning of the Safe Harbour from the
Perspective of EU Citizens and Companies Established in the EU/2013

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:551c0723-784a-11e3-
b889-01aa75ed71a1.0001.01/DOC_1&format=PDF

Safe Harbour from the Perspective of EU Citizens and Companies Established in the
EU

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:551c0723-784a-11e3-
b889-01aa75ed71a1.0001.05/DOC_1&format=PDF

The Court of Justice declares that the

Commissions US Safe Harbour Decision is invalid

https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/applic
ation/pdf/2015-10/cp150117en.pdf

PRIVACY SHIELD IS PROPOSED TO REPLACE

INVALIDATED U.S. EU SAFE HARBOR
AGREEMENT AND KEEP DATA FROM EUROPE
FLOWING Alert_Privacy Shield_Feb 2016
http://www.schnader.com/files/Uploads/Documents/Alert_Privacy
%20Shield_Feb%202016.pdf

Irish High Court hears DPC lawsuit against Facebook & Schrems

against Facebook Ireland Ltd and Mr Schrems over EU-US data transfers ... and
lawyer MaxSchrems and the social network Facebook.

http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/MU_HC.pdf

Irish Data Protection Commissioner to bring EU-US data flows before CJEU again

http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/PA_MCs.pdf

CJEU: First reaction to AGs opinion on NSA PRISM

scandal Facebooks EU-US data transfers under Safe
Harbor not legal

http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/GA_en.pdf

Advocate General: EU-US 'Safe Harbor' deal invalid over US spy scandal

http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/FS_GA_en.pdf

MAXIMILLIAN SCHREMS v. DATA PROTECTION COMMISSIONER AND

DIGITAL RIGHTS IRELAND LIMITED CJEU_boehm

http://www.europe-v-facebook.org/CJEU_boehm.pdf

DATA PROTECTION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

States of the EU. Therefore, as personal data is collected and ... data protection
demanded good data ... movement of data without

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/privacy/docs/guide/guide-
ukingdom_en.pdf
Data Privacy Shield- MEPs alarmed at undermining of privacy safeguards
in the US Plenary sessions [06-04-2017

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdfs/news/expert/infopress/20170329IPR
69067/20170329IPR69067_en.pdf

Blanket data retention is illegal under EU law, court says. ... His original
concern was with the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, ...
Malta EU 2017 EU .

https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2016-
12/cp160145en.pdf

Landmark EU ruling: Legality of UK's

Investigatory Powers Act challenged
court challenge over surveillance act

EU Court Jan 2017 says The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act is illegal

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3245181
/C-203-15-amp-C-698-15-Arre-T-En.pdf

High Court smacks down 'emergency' UK spy

bill as UNLAWFUL
Government has until March 2016 to write new legislation
https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/20150714_whr_2-
15_a_democratic_licence_to_operate.pdf

A QUESTION OF TRUST REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATORY POWERS REVIEW

by DAVID ANDERSON Q.C. Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation

https://regmedia.co.uk/2015/06/11/terror_law_review_uk_surveillance_law
_june_2015.pdf
Liz Howlin needs to pay for the Sean Fitz trial out of her
own salary, she wont be so quick to allow unlawfully
obtained evidence in again in a trial.
Time for all political appointees to be removed from the
dpp's office and the guards
It where corrupt and perverted Judge made an order that children who are perfectly well
looked after would be put into the custody of child abusers TUSLA on a on going bases.
There is a video of one of the children who is autistic screaming to come home with her
mother on line and been blocked by the Gardai at this very moment. After this video was
streamed this corrupt Judge ordered the Gardai to go outside the courthouse and take all the
recording equipment off everyone whether they were using them or not. One man was
knocked to the ground and got a sever kicking by the Gardai before they stole his camera
and another man who has 7 stints in his heart was arrested. Last week this Judge gave
TUSLA staff permittion to acquire passports for these children so the children can be taken to
Portugal where Madeline Mc cann went missing without the permittion of their father OR
mother, these child kidnappers / abusers needs to be stopped NOW before we have another
Tuam baby's case on our hands.

Bilderberg, that infamously secretive annual meeting of some of the most influential people in
global politics and commerce, gets underway today and there will be a trio of Irish
"businessmen" behind the closed doors in Chantilly, Virginia in the United States. The super
wealthy individuals who attend Bilderberg go there to explore more ways of ripping off
workers and adding more millions to their already bulging fat bank accounts.
In previous years, Garret FitzGerald, Michael Noonan, Simon Coveney and Michael
McDowell have SHAMEFULLY attended this meeting of bankers, dictators, murderers and
political scumbags
Dinny is having a bad time. His Digicel mobile phone business had hit a bit of turbulence in
the Caribbean and after failing to raise much needed cash by getting on to the New York
Stock Exchange last year he is now having to shed thousands of jobs there. On the home
front his Newstalk radio station is also badly leaking and after he tried to pull a fast one by
trying to flog it to Independent News & Media (where the tax evader is the biggest
shareholder) he was embarrassed to find his path blocked by Robert Pitt, chief executive of
INM. The Malteser had already tried to breathe some life into his ailing station by introducing
new faces, but many people were sniggering when Top Cop Paul Williams was unveiled to
front the morning programme vacated by Ivan Yates. Williams, who spent years at the
Sunday Worst fighting "scumbags" and crime bosses almost single-handed turned out to be
like a fish out of water on radio and bombed (pardon the pun) just like the previous record
signing Pat Kenny.

Still, if you control a lot of media you can try and suppress the bad news - and the latest
ratings were really bad news at the loss making station. Thank god for The Phoenix
magazine then for shedding a little light on how crap the listener figures are at Dinny's
ViewsTalk. At least the expensive PR heads at FleishmanHillard will be kept busy trying to
deflect the bad news.

Have a read at The Phoenix article and enjoy a good laugh scumbags
The Labour Court?
The judiciary in Ireland has corruption moulded to the finest art. No
justice in Ireland for the common people and never will under fianna
gael.
Class War waged in the Courts.
Seanie Fitzpatrick the Anglo Boss from Golden Circle fame gets an
acquittal from a botched prosecution courtesy of solidarity from his
class. While over in the Central Criminal Court the Jobstown
protesters are undergoing a farcical Show Trial for engaging
in a sit down protest while resisting grinding austerity. A
community is under siege while the Golden Circle conduct
business as usual and owning a home is a pipe dream for
ordinary people.The media mafia refer to legitimate protest
as kidnapping. Joan Burton the star witness in the court case
stands responsible for wrecking countless lives through her
austerity policies.
Meanwhile Jack O'Connor heads up Siptu and the Labour
Party, he with other trade union leaders play a critical role in
managing the crisis for capitalism as workers are told
recovery is not for them.

The leadership of Ireland's major trade unions, mainly

because they agree with the capitalist's analysis of how to
deal with the crisis, have no plans to resist. Cuts and
austerity have lasted for almost a decade and the trade
union leadership, as the Bus Eireann debacle perfectly
illustrates, has been instrumental in preventing any
fightback.

Anglo, the bailout and Troika austerity were all facilitated by

spineless union leaders backed up by the industrial relations
machinery of the state with retired union officials playing a
key role in the Labour Court and other state agencies. The
race to the bottom is now being vigorously pursued while
we suffer the insult of the Anglo case. There is no end to the
regime of deregulation/zero hour contracts, privatisation,
savage controls on wages and pensions and the constant
speed up of the workrate.

It's time to organise and stop relying on the union

collaborators.
IRELAND A STATE OF INJUSTICE.
An in depth study.
Social injustice and inequality has increased dramatically
in several European Union member states, posing an
existential threat to EU stability and integration, a leading
German think-tank has warned. The Bertelsmann Stiftung
called on the EU and member states to balance strict
budget rules and austerity policies with a greater concern
for social justice and efforts to invest in the future.
The study, which has been conducted every three years
since 2008, warned that massive cuts in crisis-battered
states had not been administered in a balanced manner,
falling hardest on the poor, children and the young. It
predicted that the social imbalance between northern and
southern EU states would also place a strain on the
European project.
Social divide
Jrg Drger, a member of the foundations executive
board, said: The growing social divide between member
states and between the generations can lead to tensions
and a considerable loss of trust. Should the social
imbalance last for long or increase even more, the future
of the European integration project will be threatened.
According to the report, social injustice has increased most
dramatically since 2008 in Ireland, followed by Greece,
Spain, Hungary and Italy. Greece was the worst overall
performer, with record high levels of unemployment and
poverty. The Bertelsmann Stiftung said that austerity
measures had led to significant problems in the
countrys health system.
The rise of extremist parties, it said, had left minorities
facing growing levels of discrimination. It also highlighted
the unfairness of younger Greek generations being left to
pay back a huge mountain of debt.
Sweden emerged best from the study, followed by Finland
and Denmark. Poland has made significant improvements
in social justice since 2008, as has, though to a lesser
extent, Germany and Luxembourg. The survey described
how youth in Spain had been particularly hard hit by the
economic crisis, with youth unemployment at 55% and
young people twice as likely as elderly people to live
below the poverty line.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung also sought to dispel the notion
that richer countries were necessarily fairer countries. It
drew a comparison between Sweden, Germany and
Ireland, which all have broadly similar gross domestic
product per capita. Ireland came just 18th overall in the
ranking, with almost 33% of all young at risk of falling
below the poverty line and with the EUs worst levels of
pre-primary education spending. By comparison, the
Czech Republic, where per-capita GDP is about two- thirds
of that in Ireland, came fifth in the overall ranking.
The socio-spatial impacts on inequality and suggestions
for alternative, social-justice based, economic
development. The Irish elite, government, big business
and media are trumpeting that austerity and
neoliberalism have worked. The Irish economy is now
fully in recovery it is claimed, austerity will be eased
with tax breaks again to be given out to the middle
classes, employment is rising and we have a mini property
boom in Dublin to celebrate. Even potential social
partnership agreements are floating in the political air.
However, it is now more than ever that critical political,
economic, and socio-spatial justice analysis of the Irish
economy is required. Rather than cheerleading blindly into
another boom and bust cycle based on inequality and
spatial injustice there is a need for academics and policy
makers to engage in rigorous analysis and reflection on
the crisis and the political economic trajectory for the
coming decades.
Prof Gerry Kearns, of the Maynooth University Department
of Geography draws on President Higgins reflection on the
importance of critical thought in the wake of failed
orthodoxies as the crisis is one of ideas as well as of
policy. Now more than ever, space and time must be
given in the academic and public sphere in Ireland to
identify the causes of the crisis, its impact on inequality,
and alternative (non-capitalist) policies and approaches
based on the common good and social justice rather than
the interests of the minority elite the 1%.
By placing social and spatial justice as an urgent
consideration in all areas of social and economic policy.
Interestingly, Kearns highlights how government
responses to the current crisis go against Articles
contained in the Irish Constitution including commitments
of the state to promoting the welfare of the whole people
by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social
order in which justice and charity shall inform all
institutions of the national life (Article 45.1). Significantly,
this also includes ensuring that the ownership and control
of the material resources may be so distributed amongst
private individuals and the various classes as best to
subserve the common good (Article 45.2.ii).
He covers the origins of the financial crisis, its political and
territorial implications such as the outsourcing of state
power to international credit rating agencies, the links
between crisis, housing and planning, the uneven impacts
of the crisis in different parts of the country and unevenly
within cities such as failed regeneration, impacts on
equality of opportunity, marginalization of migrants, and
sustainability. Within these areas he addresses the
questions of spatial justice and where the pain of crisis
and the opportunities of recovery are distributed,
geographically and socially. It highlights the uneven
development that was at the heart of the Celtic Tiger in
the inequalities that persisted through that period, how
they were worsened by the crash and the forms in which
they continue today.
Professor Danny Dorling, Professor of Geography at the
University of Oxford, on Spatial Justice, Housing and the
Financial crisis makes important links between rising
inequality and housing crises internationally. This chapter
is very interesting for an Irish audience as it highlights
how the current housing crisis in Ireland has similar causes
to other countries and there is much we can learn in
regard to social justice based responses. Dorling argues
that we really need to think of housing again as a way in
which we feel safe about where we are: not as a source of
investment or a pension or something that can be used for
profit, but instead as primarily a source of shelter. He
offers suggestions to address this such as a mansions tax,
rent control, and using second and third homes for
housing for those who need it. He explains that housing is
fundamental. It is what lies at the bottom of this crisis.
Housing is one of the basic things that everybody needs
and that policies can work out a way to guarantee. He
surmises that the reason this is not the case is because
current policy appears to be trying to protect the equity
interest of a small proportion of people who happen to
own quite a lot of very expensive housing.
Spatial justice and housing in Ireland, which I co-authored
with Rob Kitchin and Cian OCallaghan, details the
catastrophic fallout of the property crash and its social and
spatial repercussions for households in Ireland. It analyses
how, during the Celtic Tiger period, housing policy in
Ireland was increasingly neo-liberalised and the
privatization of social housing and the rolling out of PPP
regeneration schemes in many instances served to erode
existing social housing infrastructures. It critiques the
failure to alter the fundamentals of how the Irish housing
market is constituted and works, and the assumption that
future housing will be the preserve of the private market
and the benefit of private interests. The current housing
system is not only inherently unequal, but now
fundamentally unfit for purpose and perpetuates and
entrenches social and spatial injustices, making them
increasingly difficult to dislodge. Through the Celtic Tiger
many communities in our large cities and rural towns were
excluded.
Similarly in the crisis and recovery places are affected
unevenly with significant spatial inequalities remaining.
The danger is that the imbalanced spatial and institutional
landscapes deposited by the crash, left to the whims of
the market, will calcify into a nation increasingly
characterized by geographically uneven development.
Echoing, Dorlings conclusions, the authors highlight the
need for (and indeed right to) decent social housing
cannot be questioned given the housing waiting list
figures and the high dependence on rent supplement.
Providing social housing and regeneration can be a win
win scenario we claim, as delivering it on a large scale
offers the potential for real economic and social stimulus
for local communities and for the wider society and
economy. Finally, it is clear that the ideological
opposition to social housing and obsessive support of the
private rented and property market must be put aside to
develop alternative approaches that place the primary
value of housing as a home and a right, and not a
commodity.
Greening the economy in Ireland, Anna Davies provides
extensive detail and analysis of the challenges and
possibilities for a more just transition to a green, low-
carbon economy through grassroots enterprise responses
such as cleantech clustering. Three core elements pervade
the discourse of just transitions: the need for wide and
inclusive consultation about the economic changes
involved in decarbonization; the requirement for green
and decent jobs; and suitable mechanisms for reskilling
people to work within resource-efficient economies. She
examines whether one novel socio-spatial configuration,
hybrid clustering around cleantech, could function as a
mechanism through which collaborative agendas for just
transitions towards a greener economy might emerge in
an Irish context. she details the case study of Irelands
first cleantech cluster, An tSl Ghlas The Green Way, a
cluster of more than 200 public, private and civil society
enterprises including those with a social and community
focus, such as the Rediscovery Centre. she concludes that
it could be optimistically characterized as a novel socio-
spatial arrangement for radical sustainability
transformations.
Health and spatial justice, Ronan Foley and Adrian
Kavanagh, explore the relations between ill health and
poverty. They explain how they have devised an index that
uses the measure of social description now collected by
the Irish census to describe the healthiness of people in
small areas. This will allow geographers to monitor the
health consequences of the recession and recovery. Foley
and Kavanagh highlight their findings and how
unemployment, poverty and ill-health reinforce each other
and the geography of the crisis is marked by these
interactions.
Since the 1970s geographers internationally have
developed a rich tradition that critically and systemically
analysed capitalism based on social and spatial justice
perspectives. It is significant to see that in the last decade
we are witnessing the emergence of similar progressive
social justice analysis and research by Irish geographers
that are engaging with issues of critical societal
importance. Examples include the National Institute of
Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) at the National
University of Ireland, Maynooth, the Ireland after NAMA
blog and leading work done by Irish geographers on
climate change and associated justice issues.A critical and
radical geographical perspective offers an important lens
to understand the world around us as it focuses on issues
that are often neglected from mainstream economics and
political research and policy.
Geographers have a particular set of perspectives on
social justice and each of the core themes of geography
can be made the focus of a justice perspective; thus we
may speak of spatial justice, environmental justice and
place justice. As Kearns explains geographers have also
tried to understand these inequalities as having a
structural basis so that they can examine the production
of unequal space, particularly as a consequence of
capitalism or of legal orderings of space around ethnic,
racial or class apartheid. Thus geographers highlight the
importance of place and scale in frameworks such as
solidarity, resistance and human rights in regard to the
Right to the City.
These perspectives are important to challenge dominant
narratives about society and politics such as the claim that
the Irish did not protest the crisis and austerity. A
geographical lens reveals that the Irish did not protest like
the Greeks and Spanish but had its own, unique place-
specific socio-political response. This is evident in the new
and (often local) social movements such as the youth
against forced emigration Were Not Leaving, the
Spectacle of Defiance challenging cuts to disadvantaged
communities and the anti-household charge campaign,
along with a rise in support for radical left and
independent politics. This sits alongside the hidden
resistance and solidarities in the on-going local
community struggles such as the anti-incinerator
campaign in Poolbeg and Shell to Sea in Mayo.
But a spatial lens also highlights the necessity for political
resistance strategies to reach across scales in order to be
successful to build solidarity from the local to the
national to the international. The recent Greyhound
dispute which highlighted the importance of workers
struggles connecting beyond the workplace into local
communities is noteworthy in this regard.
The public revolt against water charges is about injustice,
and its justified.
The public revolt against water charges is not, for the
most part, a rebellion against the eminently sensible idea
that a small State should have a single public utility to
develop its water system.
It should be so easy. How much political brilliance does it
take to persuade the population that it is necessary to
change a water supply system that leaves whole cities
(Galway) and almost entire counties (Roscommon) without
drinkable water for long periods? That wastes through
leakage half of all the expensively treated water it
produces? That the State cant do this tells us something
about much more than the debacle of Irish Water. It tells
us about the governability of the State itself. It would be
hysterical to suggest that the State is ungovernable. But it
would be naive to deny that it is heading gradually in that
direction. And heading there for good reasons: a very
significant part of the population has ceased to feel that
the State is theirs, that it tries its best to treat them with
care and dignity.
The public revolt against water charges is not, for the
most part, a rebellion against the eminently sensible idea
that a small State should have a single public utility to
develop its water system. Its an expression of anger
about bigger things: command-and-control politics; trust-
me- Im-an-expert arrogance; rotten, feckless disregard for
the realities of life at the bottom of the heap; the feeling
that nobody gives a curse how you live or what you think.
Its about injustice, and its justified. The recent budget
was the fourth regressive budget in a row. Four times, the
Government has coldly and deliberately decided to hit the
weakest and poorest hardest. This has nothing to do with
austerity. The austerity budgets under Fianna Fil
between 2008 and 2011 were mildly progressive they hit
the better-off harder than the worst-off. But every budget
under Fine Gael and Labour (Labour!) has quietly reversed
this trend. In last months budget, the average combined
impact of the tax and welfare measures and of water
charges on the lowest income households is to reduce
their income by about 1 per cent. For the one-fifth of
households with the highest incomes, there is a gain of
about 0.5 per cent
The Selective Criminal Assets Bureau...
The Criminal Assets Bureau has been a total failure in its
ideals since its inception. It has since its creation used its
powers in deciding who is and who is not criminal enough
to go after in their decisions of where certain assets of
certain individuals have come from. It is a selective
system that decided on who is exempt of the criminal
system and who`s assets may be ceased. We all know the
large cases that the bureau ran against certain criminals
here in Ireland namely John Gilligan and his associates but
we have never once seen or heard of their offices
targeting people within the system such as Bertie Ahern or
Charlie Haughey who have stolen much more then the
whole of Gilligans fortunes combined. The real question is
why?
So as these systems run on a daily basis it would seem
that the white collar criminals within government have
become untouchable. Why is this and who is the real
protectorate of these criminals within the political class
and the system that preaches to abide by the laws on a
day to day basis. Many people have been thrown into
prisons throughout the nation of Ireland for petty crimes
such as not paying for a TV license but the main criminals
who steal billions annually are some how overlooked.
Perhaps if the criminal assets bureau was as straight as it
claims then all criminality within the political system would
cease to exist as they would fear the bureau and the loss
of their assets not to mention the naming and shaming of
the individuals involved.
It would seem to the average person here in Ireland that
the bureau was set up to go after small time crooks while
the large fish go on with their daily lifes of stealing millions
and evading in paying their taxes by overseas accounts. It
is time that these bureaus began taking a closer look at
the criminality within government and their assets and
took action against those who are deemed to have more
then their earnings would allow. A true systematic bureau
who really wants to close down criminality weather it be
street dealers or white collar criminals would see both as
criminals and treat both with the same contempt and force
of investigating powers in bringing them to justice. But
that is not what we see, again and again we see the
normal criminal getting targeted while the main criminals
up in government buildings run their day to day business
unhindered.
This is not the actions of a true criminal assets bureau,
this is the actions of a criminal protecting assets bureau
set up by government to drain the resources from the few
criminals that are outside of the current political class. A
criminal system in itself set up to transfer the wealth from
one set of criminals to another. The criminal assets bureau
should be a public entity run by the people with no
affiliation to any governmental system and no ties to the
Garda or the government structure so no person or
business is exempt from their powers of investigation.
The people of Ireland deserve no less...
A new law stopping vulture funds in their tracks could be tabled by Fianna Fail this week - but
they need to feel the heat. Can you add your name to this petition that's already growing fast

12 homeless families with over

30 children told to present to
Garda stations as there were
no beds for them
There were no beds available for the families on Tuesday night.
May 25th 2017
Image: RollingNews.ie
A TOTAL OF 12 homeless families with over 30 children
were told to present to Garda stations on Tuesday night, as
there was nowhere else for them to stay.
Homeless charity Focus Ireland said that a number of
homeless families presented at its coffee shop on Eustace
Street on Tuesday looking for help in sourcing
accommodation.
Focus said that on average about 25 to 30 self-
accommodating families go to the coffee shop daily for
assistance. These are families who are deemed homeless and
have to try source their own hotel accommodation on a daily
basis, which the council then pays for.
On this occasion, 12 families were unable to source any
accommodation. A number of emergency beds in homeless
hostels were also full.
The only option for these families was that they could go to
a Garda station, said Mike Allen, director of advocacy with
Focus Ireland.
Allen said that before this incident so far there had only
been one night where a single family couldnt source any
accommodation.
Never even in the worst circumstances have we had this
number, he said.
To have to say that to 12 families is absolutely shocking and
unprecedented.

Allen said that of the 11 families, three said they slept in

Fairview Park in north Dublin, another presented at Finglas
Garda Station but werent given shelter and slept in the
offices of homeless community organisation the Inner City
Helping Homeless.
Other families said they had stayed around Mountjoy Square
in Dublin city centre. The other families stayed in various
types of accommodation
Allen said that Focus had reconnected with 11 of the 12
families yesterday and that he believed they had sourced
available accommodation last night.
He said that the laws around who was responsible for
housing children and families in this situation were
too vague and needed to be clearer.
Weve been saying for more than two years that what is
required from local authorities in this circumstance is very
unclear, said Allen.
We need clear guidelines from the Government on this.
In a statement, the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive
which manages homeless services across the Dublin region
said that it was aware that seven families had presented to
Garda stations.
A spokesperson said that there was a protocol in place
whereby if families are unable to source accommodation
they are brought to Garda stations.

The spokesperson said that as of last night Dublin City

Council had doubled the volume of emergency contingency
capacity of beds available to any family presenting out of
hours in need of accommodation.

http://www.thejournal.ie/homeless-families-
children-3407389-May2017/?
utm_source=facebook_short
Mr Snodaigh said he was not making charges but Garda
whistleblowers phones are being tapped up to the present
day and those of journalists, TDs and campaigners are
routinely monitored.
Solidarity People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett
said it was completely scandalous there were more
revelations from a Garda whistleblower that innocent
peoples phones were being tapped.

Wed, May 17, 2017

The examination on an annual basis by a High Court judge of Garda and
Department of Justice records on phone tapping has been sharply
criticised as mere rubber stamping.
A number of TDs condemned the system for monitoring Garda phone
tapping, claiming there was no proper oversight and that widespread
abuse is lawful under current legislation.
The Dil also heard claims that whistle-blowers phones are currently being
tapped while those of journalists, TDs and campaigners are routinely
monitored.
The criticisms came as Tnaiste Frances Fitzgerald defended the system in
place to allow phones to be tapped in cases of serious crime and threats to
State security. She also rejected claims there had been widespread abuse
of the interception system.
Ms Fitzgerald also described as utterly ill-founded the adverse reflection
on the work of the designated judges.
And she insisted current legislation contains strong safeguards to ensure
the system of interceptions is operated properly. Ms Fitzgerald said the
Minister could not initiate a warrant and could only act on applications
made to her.
The Tnaiste said the allegations raised referred to the early 2000s and a
judge examined them and concluded there were no breaches of the
legislation.
Ms Fitzgerald said that in the early 2000s there were people who
described themselves as political activists who were engaged in activities in
support of unlawful organisations.
She added that I have not used the powers available to me to interfere
with the wholly legitimate work of public representatives.
She was speaking as five TDs raised the issue of phone tapping in the Dil.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus Snodaigh said a highly decorated
detective reportedly took a case against An Garda for bullying, alleging
that he was forced to put illegal phone taps and traces on innocent people
and that no authority was given to track their phones.
There were heated exchanges when acting chairman Jim Daly intervened
after Mr Snodaigh said the phone tapping did not only occur in the early
2000s but continued to the present day and that implicates current Garda
Commissioner Noirn OSullivan who was assistant commissioner dealing
with security from 2009 to 2011.
When Mr Snodaigh said Ms Fitzgerald could not ignore Ms OSullivans
role Mr Daly said the TD should not make charges against people not
present to defend themselves.
Mr Snodaigh said he was not making charges but Garda whistleblowers
phones are being tapped up to the present day and those of journalists,
TDs and campaigners are routinely monitored.
Independents4Change TD Clare Daly said current legislation made
widespread abuse lawful.
She said the judge who compiles the report goes in on one day, asks to see
one or two requests out of thousands and then says he or she was given
everything asked for. That is not proper oversight or scrutiny and a radical
overhaul of all the legislation was needed.
Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace said they had raised the issue of
phone tapping 13 times without satisfaction. He said three pieces of
legislation gave State agencies the power to abuse the privacy of Irish
citizens and not just journalists.
He cited reports from a garda who described as a joke the manner in
which the duty of the designated judge was carried out to monitor Garda
records on surveillance. In Britain the report of the annual assessment
runs to 99 pages but it was just two pages here, a rubber stamping job.
He said the designated judge has issued the same identical two-page
report since 2014 with only the year and date changed. That is no reflection
on the judge. This is the system and it leaves a lot to be desired.
Solidarity People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said it was
completely scandalous there were more revelations from a Garda
whistleblower that innocent peoples phones were being tapped.
Green party leader Eamon Ryan warned that it was hugely damaging to
trust in the political system if there was any sense that the Government
side is being used to put surveillance on the other side.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireacht
as/phones-of-whistle-blowers-tds-journalists-
regularly-monitored-dil-told-1.3086868

The dpps offices are trying to make excuses for their

incompetence and waste of millions of tax payers money ,
time to get rid of Liz Howlin and Clare Loftus and employ
people good at their job
Time to email all TD's and demand these political
appointees removal along with Frances Fitzgerald and
Maire Whelan all who are also political appointments and
involved in covering up serious corruption and costing the
tax payer millions, malicious and political prosecutions
Taxpayers set to foot payouts bill over dpp, Garda fiasco,
A large bill for compensating people who were wrongly
brought to court is likely to be footed by taxpayers,
Tnaiste Frances Fitzgerald
Attached all email addresses:
gerry.adams@oireachtas.ie; bobby.aylward@oireachtas.ie;
maria.bailey@oireachtas.ie; sean.barrett@oireachtas.ie;
mick.barry@oireachtas.ie;
richard.boydbarrett@oireachtas.ie;
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; john.brassil@oireachtas.ie;
declan.breathnach@oireachtas.ie;
pat.breen@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie;
tommy.broughan@oireachtas.ie;
james.browne@oireachtas.ie;
richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie;
peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; joan.burton@oireachtas.ie;
mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie;
thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie;
dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; sean.canney@oireachtas.ie;
ciaran.cannon@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie;
pat.casey@oireachtas.ie; shane.cassells@oireachtas.ie;
lisa.chambers@oireachtas.ie;
michael.collins@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie;
joan.collins@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.connolly@oireachtas.ie;
ruth.coppinger@oireachtas.ie;
marcella.corcorankennedy@oireachtas.ie;
simon.coveney@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie;
michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; sean.crowe@oireachtas.ie;
david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; john.curran@oireachtas.ie;
clare.daly@oireachtas.ie; jim.daly@oireachtas.ie;
michael.darcy@oireachtas.ie; john.deasy@oireachtas.ie;
pat.deering@oireachtas.ie; pearse.doherty@oireachtas.ie;
regina.doherty@oireachtas.ie;
stephen.donnelly@oireachtas.ie;
paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie;
timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie; andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie;
bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oireachtas.ie;
damien.english@oireachtas.ie; alan.farrell@oireachtas.ie;
martin.ferris@oireachtas.ie;
frances.fitzgerald@oireachtas.ie;
michael.fitzmaurice@oireachtas.ie;
peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie;
charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie;
sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie;
kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie;
patthecope.gallagher@oireachtas.ie;
noel.grealish@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.griffin@oireachtas.ie;
john.halligan@oireachtas.ie; simon.harris@oireachtas.ie;
michael.harty@oireachtas.ie;
sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie;
seamus.healy@oireachtas.ie; danny.healy-
rae@oireachtas.ie; michael.healy-rae@oireachtas.ie;
martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie;
heather.humphreys@oireachtas.ie;
paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; billy.kelleher@oireachtas.ie;
alan.kelly@oireachtas.ie; enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie;
gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie; sean.kyne@oireachtas.ie;
john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie;
michael.lowry@oireachtas.ie;
marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie;
josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie;
micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie;
charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie;
marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie;
helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie;
michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
mattie.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
finian.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie;
joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; tony.mcloughlin@oireachtas.ie;
denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie;
mary.mitchelloconnor@oireachtas.ie;
kevin.moran@oireachtas.ie;
aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie;
michael.moynihan@oireachtas.ie;
imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie;
eugene.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
paul.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
eoghan.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
dara.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
margaret.murphyomahony@oireachtas.ie;
Denis.Naughten@oireachtas.ie;
hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie;
tom.neville@oireachtas.ie; carol.nolan@oireachtas.ie;
michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie;
caoimhghin.ocaolain@oireachtas.ie;
eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie;
sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie;
donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie;
aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie;
darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie;
jonathan.obrien@oireachtas.ie;
jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie;
kate.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie;
patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie;
fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; kevin.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie;
fiona.oloughlin@oireachtas.ie; louise.oreilly@oireachtas.ie;
frank.orourke@oireachtas.ie; jan.osullivan@oireachtas.ie;
maureen.osullivan@oireachtas.ie;
willie.penrose@oireachtas.ie;
johnpaul.phelan@oireachtas.ie;
thomas.pringle@oireachtas.ie;
maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie;
anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie;
shane.ross@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.ryan@oireachtas.ie;
eamon.scanlon@oireachtas.ie;
sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; roisin.shortall@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; brid.smith@oireachtas.ie;
niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brian.stanley@oireachtas.ie;
david.stanton@oireachtas.ie; peadar.toibin@oireachtas.ie;
robert.troy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie;
mick.wallace@oireachtas.ie;
katherine.zappone@oireachtas.ie
The DPP wants to see corporate watchdog's transcripts of
Sean Fitzpatrick trial, bit late now .

The DPP wants to see corporate watchdog's

transcripts of Sean Fitzpatrick trial
The ODCE has come in for criticism after the collapse of the trial.
THEJOURNAL.IE
May 25th 2017
May 25th 2017

LAWYERS FOR THE Director of Public Prosecutions have sought access for the
Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to transcripts of the Sean
FitzPatrick trial.

The trial collapsed earlier this week after 127 days when Judge John Aylmer
heavily criticised the ODCE investigation and directed an acquittal on all charges.

Mr FitzPatrick (68) of Whitshed Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow had denied

misleading Anglos auditors about multi-million euro loans linked to him and his
family.
This morning at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Dominic McGinn SC told Judge
Aylmer that the ODCE wanted access to transcripts of the trial. ODCE staff were
excluded for much of the extensive legal argument that was a feature of this trial.

The details of coaching of witnesses from Anglos auditors Ernst & Young and
contamination of their statements by lawyers for Ernst & Young and ODCE
investigators only emerged during this legal argument when defence lawyers
cross-examined State witnesses.

Mr McGinn today told Judge Aylmer that the DPP have a copy of the trial
transcripts and can liaise with the ODCE.

Judge Aylmer said he didnt think the court needed to give permission as the
documents are a public record of a trial held in open court. He said in case
permission was needed, the court had no issue with the ODCE getting the
transcripts.

Yesterday the ODCE stated that it would prepare, with the highest priority, a
report into the collapse of the trial and would seek transcripts of the trial to do
this.

FitzPatrick had pleaded not guilty to 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act.
These included 22 charges of making a misleading, false or deceptive statement to
auditors and five charges of furnishing false information in the years 2002 to
2007. The DPP withdrew nine of these charges earlier this month after conceding
there was insufficient evidence for those.

The prosecution came on foot of an investigation by the ODCE that began shortly
after the full size of Mr FitzPatricks personal loans emerged in December 2008.

http://www.thejournal.ie/sean-fitzpatrick-
transcripts-dpp-3408981-May2017/
The political dpps office exposed yet again, time to
remove the political appointed Liz Howlin and Clare Loftus.
Tax payer must pay their barrister friends millions because
of yet again their incompetence , they are maliciously
charging people and not charging the people they should .
We need competent qualified barristers in the dpp's office
now
DPP knew in 2010 of fears about key witness statements
Aspects which it is now contended were headline
instances of coaching were being disclosed to the Office of
the DPP at that time," he said.
The disclosure has raised serious questions about the
DPP's decision not to intervene or raise concerns with the
Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE),
which was leading the probe.
http://www.independent.ie//dpp-knew-in-2010-of-fears-
about

DPP knew in 2010 of fears about

key witness statements
Shane Phelan
May 24 2017
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was made aware
several years ago of the questionable manner in which statements had been
taken from key witnesses in the Sean FitzPatrick loans case.

The disclosure has raised serious questions about the DPP's decision not to
intervene or raise concerns with the Office of the Director of Corporate
Enforcement (ODCE), which was leading the probe.

Defence lawyers questioned why the prosecution of Mr FitzPatrick proceeded

at all, when it was clear the methods used to take statements could give rise to
accusations of witness coaching. The manner in which statements were taken
from two of Anglo Irish Bank's auditors, EY partners Vincent Bergin and
Kieran Kelly, was ruled to be unlawful by trial judge John Aylmer. But he was
initially prepared to allow their evidence go before the jury in line with a
Supreme Court ruling that means illegally obtained evidence can be used in
certain circumstances.

Following a renewed, successful application by Mr FitzPatrick's defence to

stop the trial, Judge Aylmer yesterday ruled the statement-taking process led
to the statements of Mr Bergin and Mr Kelly being "scripted, coached,
contaminated by the views of others, including the ODCE and cross-
contaminated in every significant detail from start to finish".

In evidence given when the jury was not present, ODCE lead investigator
Kevin O'Connell told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court he informed the DPP's
office in 2010 and again in 2012 of the "tripartite" manner in which
statements were taken from two auditors at Ernst & Young. "Aspects which it
is now contended were headline instances of coaching were being disclosed to
the Office of the DPP at that time," he said.

Instead of bringing the auditors to a Garda station to answer questions, as is

the norm in criminal investigations, the ODCE engaged in a lengthy process
with EY and its solicitors A&L Goodbody. Draft statements were initially
drawn up by lawyers and circulated between the auditors, legal staff in EY,
and the ODCE over several months. Changes were made to the statements at
the suggestion of Mr O'Connell and then ODCE director Paul Appleby.

The court heard there were at least 53 different drafts of a statement by Mr

Bergin, and 39 different drafts of Mr Kelly.

In December 2010, around a year after the probe began, Mr O'Connell

submitted a report to the Office of the DPP describing the process used.

In his ruling yesterday, Judge Aylmer said that had the defence cross-
examination in respect of certain matters of Mr Bergin and Mr Kelly been less
skilful, "no amount of warnings by the court to the jury of the dangers arising
from the fact that the evidence of these witnesses had been coached from start
to finish could have compensated for the pernicious effect that that process
had on the testimony of those witnesses".
ThecollapseoftheAngloIrishBanktrialleavesanawfullottobe
desiredandabadtasteinpeople'smouths.Onceagain,Irelandrefusesto
doaccountability.

Asincidentsofcontinuedbotchedpublicmaladministrationabound
hugecourtawardsforclinicalfailuresinhospitals,falsecrimestatistics,
absenteebankingregulation,undetectedfraudandtheinabilityofthe
officeoftheDirectorofCorporateEnforcementtoproperlygathercrucial
evidencetheyallhaveonethingincommon:Nooneeverlosestheir
job.

Instead,somearefacilitatedinnegotiatingtheirownlucrativepension
deals,andareallowedtocontinuetoworkoninaformerrole.
The Untouchables" coming to a bank near you (Seanie will
be back in business before you know it) !
Don't miss the show that is the most expensive court case in
Ireland, that the taxpayer is paying for & where the men that
bought this country to it's knees get off scott free!
Its a fucking joke the system in this country, if me or you or any
ordinary person had done what these bastards did we'd be locked up
for 20 or more years or even longer. They fucked up this country and
got away with it..........Its mind boggling
So very sadly true. All this while they shove extra taxes and charges
on the general populace! How can they so blatantly flout the laws of
this country and the celebrate on main evening news? They know
they're protected from on high. The ship is sinking!
It is a thundering disgrace they lend millions to each other and don't
pay it back. They won't lend a pensioner 3ooo. Because he had too
many top ups all paid back of course. So we are told we own the
banks have had that's a laugh

http://www.independent.ie/irish-
news/courts/dpp-knew-in-2010-of-fears-about-
key-witness-statements-35749349.html
Fintan OToole: Irish banks have got away with major fraud
Garda have yet to investigate how thousands were tricked into switching mortgages.

Fintan OToole: Irish banks

have got away with major
fraud
Garda have yet to investigate how thousands were
tricked into switching mortgages
Tue, Jan 3, 2017, 04:00 Updated: Tue, Jan 3, 2017, 09:56

Fintan O'Toole

The governor of the Central Bank Philip Lane told the Oireachtas Finance
Committee that it must wait and see what enforcement action will be taken
against individuals in the banks. But weve waited at least six years and seen
nothing. Photograph: Eric Luke
June 13th, 2013. Matthew Elderfield, the financial
regulator who was brought in to restore some credibility
to the Irish banking system after the great debacle, is at
the end of his three years in Ireland.
He is making his final appearance before the Public
Accounts Committee, and he wants to issue a warning.
We must, he says, be wary of suffering amnesia when
it comes to the financial crisis.
He signals the onset of the smug belief that the banking
system is now fixed for good.
As a supervisor one is almost always playing catch-up
with the industry, and it is dangerous to think one will
get to a point when one can rest on ones laurels It is
also especially important to be vigilant against
backsliding.
Then, as a very deliberate parting shot, Elderfield talks
about impunity, the way the Irish legal system lets white
collar criminals, including bankers, away with so much.
If the committee would not mind a small digression
about accountability for individuals There is an open
issue about how effective the system is, if I can call it that
that is, ourselves, the Garda and the Office of the
Director of Corporate Enforcement and about being
able to ensure individual accountability through the
enforcement and sanctions process.
We have taken a lot of enforcement cases against firms
we have been very successful in that, I think, in terms
of raising standards there for systems and controls
lapses, for misselling and for overcharging, but it is
much harder to take cases against individuals A
reflection I have is that white-collar crime seems to be an
area in which the system is just not operating well in
terms of being able to tackle that. It is too protracted.
The deterrent value of taking actions against firms is
good, but the deterrent value of taking actions against
individuals is much better.
Fintan OToole: Trumps firing of FBI boss reveals the
method in his madness
Fintan OToole: Church control of hospitals
maintains myth of charity
Fintan OToole: Trumps Syria intervention
is for the wrong reasons
Tracker mortgages
Now fast forward to December 20th, 2016, and a
meeting of the Oireachtas Finance Committee. Philip
Lane, the relatively new governor of the Central Bank, is
giving evidence.
One of the things he is asked about is the appalling
scandal in which the banks deceived at least 15,000 of
their customers into moving from tracker mortgages to
considerably higher interest rates, often at dreadful
personal as well as financial cost.
It is clear that this defrauding of customers was
systematic and deliberate. It operated in 15 banks
essentially the entire Irish system and so far as we
know there is not one case of a mistake favouring the
customer.
It raises in the starkest way exactly what Elderfield was
talking about: individual accountability for misselling
and overcharging.
Interestingly, Lane told the committee that the Central
Bank would take all necessary action to hold regulated
firms and individuals to account for failures in regard to
tracker mortgages failures and individuals being
the interesting words.
In the first place there were no failures: the bankers
succeeded in doing what they set out to do, which was to
deceive their customers and take their money.
As for holding individuals to account, it sounds
promising.
Until we remember that the Central Bank knew about
much of this crookery going all the way back to 2010
when Bank of Ireland admitted fleecing 2,100
customers.
Deception
The Criminal Law (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001
says: A person who dishonestly, with the intention of
making a gain for himself or herself or another, or of
causing loss to another by any deception induces another
to do or refrain from doing an act, is guilty of an
offence.
This offence is punishable by a fine and/or up to five
years in prison. I cant find the clause that says the law
applies to misselling a second-hand car but not a
mortgage.
We know that at least 15,000 people were deceived by
bankers, and that they suffered considerable loss as a
result. About 100 families lost their homes.
Over the lifetime of these mortgages the amount
involved in this attempted bank heist was at least 500
million.
Yet in the six years since the Central Bank discovered
this systematic deception we have no evidence of the
Central Bank calling in the Garda to investigate what
seems, on the face of it, to be multiple and organised
crimes.
Legal consequences
Who devised this system-wide scheme? Lane thinks it a
coincidence that all the banks did the same thing.
I am pretty sure they know that the legal consequences
of cartel-like behaviour would be devastating for them. I
see no evidence of that kind of cartel-like behaviour.
How does he know that when there has been no criminal
investigation?
Who issued the instructions? Who ordered staff to keep
schtum when customers were crying on the phone? And
will any of these people be prosecuted?
Lane told the committee that it must wait and see what
enforcement action will be taken against individuals in
the banks.
But weve waited at least six years and seen nothing.
And there are words we have not read or heard: law,
crime, police. Until we do it is hard to believe that the
culture that led to the crash has not survived its
consequences.

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-
irish-banks-have-got-away-with-major-fraud-
1.2923644#.WSTvUdeHMpQ.facebook

State sector executive

salaries are still way too
high
September 3, 2014

So David Franks, the Irish Rail boss, has returned early

from his holidays in Mauritius to deal with the crippling rail
strike causing misery to tens of thousands of commuters.
This is as we might expect, given that Franks is on a salary
of over 200,000 per annum more than that of the
Taoiseach, himself the third best paid Premier in the EU.
Franks is in good company. Almost 90 staff in the near
bankrupt State travel company, CIE, are on salaries of
over 100,000. The high pay enjoyed by the large
management structure of CIE, and its subsidiary
companies, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Eireann, is
despite the fact that the group had to be bailed out last
year by 36 million of taxpayers money.
It is hard to sympathise with the strikers, given how they
have refused to adapt to a completely changed economic
environment and accept pay cuts, but they do have a
point when they point to the CIE management as not
exactly leading by example, when it comes to reduced
pay.
But it is ever thus in Ireland. Despite all we have been
through in terms of economic crisis, we continue to offer
very high pay for the heads of State bodies, authorities
and quangos much higher than the European average. It
seems to be the pattern here, and it is maddening,
especially when we, the ordinary tax payers, have to pay
for it.
At least we know the salary of the Irish rail boss. Last
week, it was reported that Coillte, the forestry board, was
refusing to divulge the salary of its acting head, Gerry
Britchfield, on the basis that he was not yet formally
appointed. The reality is that Britchfields predecessor,
David Gunning, for example, got an incredible 375,000 in
2012 from our forestry authority, and more in previous
years. After the Government moved to impose mandatory
salary caps across the semi state sector in 2011, then
Coillte Chairman Brendan McKenna expressed concern
that Coillte would not be able to attract high calibre
candidates in the future.
Such high salaries abound in the semi state sector. The
current CEO of the ESB is on 318,000. It is, mind you, a
good deal less than the 750,000 that his predecessor
Padraig MacManus made, with bonuses, in 2009! And you
wonder why the country went broke? Always remember:
the high salaries at ESB, from the CEO right down to the
average ESB worker, is one of the reasons why we, as
customers, have had to pay so much for our electricity
bills. And yet we tolerate this.
Just as we seem to accept paying these whopping State
salaries. For example, John Corrigan, the head of NTMA,
earned 416,000 in 2012 and 2013 (490,000 in 2011) while
his equivalent in Germany is reportedly paid about
250,000. No wonder they are not broke: we could learn a
lot from the Germans. Meantime, despite the protests
from our judiciary at what cutbacks there have been, the
reality is that our judges are still among the best paid in
Europe, especially at a senior level (such as the Chief
Justice). It is the same with the executive salaries for
almost all of our commercial state companies, such as
Electric Ireland, Bord Na Mona, Bord Gais etc. And now
Irish Water is apparently to be the same. Nothing has been
learned.
The CEO of the FAI, John Delaney, used to be on a salary
which was 100,000 more than the combined salaries of his
counterparts at the Spanish and Italian football
associations. It is now come down, to a mere 360,000,
which is pretty amazing sum really given the FAIs
substantial debts. But at least Delaney has told us his
salary. The forestry authority, Coillte, declines to do so for
its acting chief executive and he is being paid directly by
the State!
But it is not just at CEO level that salaries are so generous.
Average salaries at most commercial State companies are
in excess of almost all other European countries 77,000
at Eirgrid, for example, and 76,000 at the Railway
Procurement Agency. Even though no new rail projects are
being procured! And, as for RTE, despite all its cutbacks, it
was still employing over 80 people on over 100,000 last
year. Better the RTE brass cut the services that we pay a
licence for, it seems, than that they bring down their own
high salaries.

So, despite all the cutbacks and austerity, it seems that

those at the top of our State authorities (and many of
those in the middle) are still doing very much alright.
Meanwhile, the rest of us suffer the injustice of having to
pay higher taxes to pay for all this. And theres damn all
that this Government can do about it.

https://eamondelaney.wordpress.com/tag/rte/
funding allocated to CIE group
companies. ... contracts were signed in
December 2009 and are for a period of
five years in the case of bus ...
significant fraud)
https://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/com
mittees/pac/correspondence/2013meetings/2013-
meeting691701/%5bPAC-R-788%5d-
Correspondence-3A.2.pdf

Why we should support the Bus Eireann Workers.;

The Bus Eireann strike has huge implications for all CIE and
transport workers, especially in Dublin bus.
Bus Eireann management want to dramatically cut drivers
earnings. The result would mean cuts in take home pay of
up to 30%. Drivers basic pay is only 32,000; it is other
payments and overtime that have brought up the low basic.
The plan would reduce the levels of pay and general
conditions to those in the private non-union sector.
THE FACTS;
The Government have cut the subsidy every year
from 2009 to 2015, falling from 49 million to 33
million. (It rose last year for the first time in seven
years)
Compared to other countries?
Bus Eireann gets around 12% of a state subsidy (as
a % of their total revenue). In comparison, here are
some figures for other countrys national bus
carriers;
Belgium 78%
Switzerland 51%
Holland 49%.
While private operators receive 70% of the cash
fare when they carry passengers using the free
travel scheme, Bus Eireann only receives 40% of the
cash fare. If the full cost of the scheme was paid, the
Government would have to give the company
another 17 million euro!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
The NTA have issued licences to private non-union
operators, flooding the busy intercity routes and
increasing set capacity by over 100% on some
routes.
While many private routes can operate direct, Bus
Eireann routes are expected to service smaller
towns and villages. The result is private operators
can for example run a service from Limerick to
Dublin that is 3 euro cheaper and I hour faster than
the Bus Eireann service. Not surprisingly, Bus
Eireann has lost large numbers of passengers on
these routes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
The policy of Government and the NTA is to drive
wages down in Bus Eireann. Its a race to the bottom
and it wont stop there. The NTA wants to tender out
10% of Dublin Bus routes and some rail routes. Its
ultimate goal is to tender out ALL public service
routes so that non-union, cheaper labour can drive
down conditions and wages to the levels of the non-
union sector. The only competition they want is in
workers pay and conditions. Your pension, sick
scheme, everything we fought for over the years is
at risk, maybe not today, but if they defeat Bus
Eireann the policy will spread. That is why we must
stand with the workers of Bus Eireann .
All CIE workers must fight this attack together, we
should march, protest and strike together to defend
jobs, services and conditions and send the
Government and NTA a clear signal that we wont be
defeated one by one

To highlight the inactivity and hostility of the

minister responsible for transport (Shane Ross), a
number of TDs will hold a protest outside his office
today at 2pm. Any drivers around it would be great
if you could get down and support this and get the
spotlight on Ross and his subsidy cutting
department!! The TD s include Gino Kenny, Paul
Murphy and Brid Smith;The department is now on
Lesson Lane just off Lesson street near Stephens
green.

Starving Public Transport in Dublin

Workers at Dublin Bus are on strike. They certainly have had a difficult time
of it since the recession started: no wage increase since 2008, have not
been paid a 6 percent increase owed to them since that time, suffered job
losses and service cuts, reductions in over-time pay and increased hours
(e.g. a 13-hour working day), and now working under the threat of creeping
privatisation all this while Dublin Bus has experienced profits (surplus) in
the last two years. A good summary can be found here where Dan MacGuill
the Journal.ie Fact Checker - analyses a leaflet distributed by the NBRU.
Dan finds that all the claims made on behalf of the striking workers are
pretty much true (and anyone who follows Dans column knows that this is a
high benchmark).
Here I just want to focus on the levels of subvention to the Dublin Bus; that
 is, the amount of subsidy the Government pays for public transport. Public
transport is not a for-profit operation (any more than a hospital or a
school). It is a public service and this is recognised throughout Europe. So
how does the public transport subvention in Dublin compare to other
European cities.
I discussed this last year at the time the National Transport Authority
decided, with little evidence, to privatise up to 10 percent of Dublin bus
routes. Here is what the data tells which is a bit patch-work
(unfortunately, there is no unified database on public transport subsidies).
This comes from here and here and relates to 2009 / 2010.

This data measures the public subsidy as a percentage of total revenue to

public transport (the other main source would be fares). This is a bit dated
so there is a reasonable chance that Ireland has fallen even further down
the table. Te Dublin Bus Annual Reports, as reported by Dan, shows that the
public subvention has fallen to 20 percent of total revenue. The nominal
subvention fell from 86 million in 2008 to 58 million in 2015 a cut of
nearly a third.
If the subvention were increased to the average of the other cities,
Dublin Bus could be receiving over 200 million more per year from
the state.
@ If the subsidy increased to the London level, Dublin Bus could be receiving
an additional 90 million.
These are approximate figures and, so, should be treated indicatively (we
dont know whats happened in other cities since 2010) but it shows how low
public transport support is in Dublin.
Its not just the impact on wages and services; it also affects fares.
According to the Irish Mirror, Dublin commuters are paying the highest bus
fares among 16 EU countries while Dublin is the fourth most expensive EU
city to buy a monthly ticket covering bus, train and tram travel.
An average EU subvention could transform bus services in the Dublin area
substantial expansion in services combined with fare reductions. In
addition, given that bus transport is highly labour intensive, an expansion of
services would return a considerable amount of that subvention to the
Exchequer through additional tax revenue.
To the extent that a portion of the subvention goes to providing wage
increases, the state recoups a large portion of this. It would recoup nearly
30 percent of pay increases to those on the standard rate and nearly 50
percent for those on the higher rate and this doesnt count the revenue
from increased consumer spending.
Investment in public transport is key to a prosperous city moderating
consumer costs, increasing mobility, reducing congestion and environmental
damage. However, Minister Shane Rosss response to this is curious to say
the least. He claims the Government wont be a soft touch to both
employers and employees. Im not sure what this means but it would
appear to miss the point entirely. Public transport supports are incredibly
low, services have been cut, fares are incredibly high and wages and
working conditions in Dublin bus are on the floor.
What we need is a ministerial vision of public transport in Dublin, not
ministerial sound-bites or tweets. Its not a matter of pulling out a cheque-
book as the Minister puts it its about creating an accessible and
sustainable city for all.
That, ultimately, is what the Dublin Bus workers are striking for. If we want
to succeed, they need to succeed.

Missing; transport minister goes AWOL.

Day four of our strike for pay justice and still no sight of the alleged
minister for transport Mr Ross. It seems that as Dublin is not as
exotic as Rio, Ross's only intervention will be to refuse to "take out
the govt chequebook to solve the dispute", that apparently is
reserved for Apple and other multi nationals. If Ross, Kenny and the
rest committed to fund transport to average European levels this
dispute would be over and fares could fall dramatically. Instead they
play tough with workers. We can do the same , and as in 2000 we
can seek and argue for the support of our brothers and sisters in
other CIE companies. The Govt will not break our determination.
Minister for Transport Shane Ross has warned that
the Government will not be a soft touch for either
Dublin Bus management and unions as hopes of a
last-minute resolution to avert a 48-hour strike look
unlikely.
Mr Ross said the current dispute is between the
management and the unions and it would be
absolutely wrong for him to give any impression that
the State would use its cheque book to sort out this
problem.
Unions have argued that the State subvention for
Dublin Bus has fallen by 24% over six years and that
it needs to be increased.
Mr Ross has appealed to both sides to resume talks.
The dispute arose after Dublin Bus unions rejected a
Labour Court recommendation of a general 8.25%
pay award for all its 3,364 employees over three
years (or 2.75% per year) without productivity
changes.
Dublin Bus stopped its services at 9pm - three hours
before the strike was due to begin.
Follow

RT News

Dublin Bus services have stopped for the night, 3 hours

before two day strike over pay latest from
9:11 PM - 7 Sep 2016
6 6 Retweets5 5 likes
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the National Bus
and Rail Union Dermot O'Leary has said that Minister
Ross has a role to play in the dispute.
Speaking on RT's Drivetime, Mr O'Leary said: "He
can't act Pontius Pilate and talk about him being a
soft touch or his Government being a soft touch; not
getting out cheque books, as if he had no role to play
here.
"That's untrue and it won't wash with our members
because it is essential that Dublin Bus is funded
properly - there's been 27m in State funding
stripped out for the last eight years."
Mr O'Leary said he does not want the minister to
intervene directly, but "what I want Minister Ross to
do is to allow Dublin Bus to have the ability to come
back to the table. He says, we should be at it in the
first place. There is no point in him using words that
ring hallow to us within the industry."
He said it is a crying shame the minister does not act
upon his own words.
Mr OLeary said that he represents the demands of
transport workers, workers who have gone eight
years without a pay rise.
He said: "Something needs to give here. Me and the
minister exchanging words across the airwaves - it
won't resolve this dispute. But I would appeal to him,
yet again, to put some meat on the bones of his
words.
"There's a way of solving this dispute around the
table."
Earlier, speaking on RTs Morning Ireland,
SIPTU organiser John Murphy said: "I cant see this
being averted today.
"Our members made this decision nearly six weeks
ago at this stage to reject the Labour Court
recommendation.
"Within that six weeks we have had a one-hour
meeting with the employer.
"At this stage the members are frustrated, angry, the
members are looking at what is happening in the
economy, passenger numbers are growing but their
pay has stagnated."
Mr Murphy rejected suggestions that the dispute is
about SIPTU and other union members wanting
what Luas workers were awarded in their pay dispute
settlement earlier this year.
Luas staff secured pay rises of 3.8% a year until
2020.
"I know the Luas is a headline figure but it is a
different operation. It is simply a frustration over the
last eight years in cuts that have been suffered by the
employees."
Dublin Bus has said it is still willing to make the
8.25% pay increase recommended by the Labour
Court and possibly more, but on certain terms.
Dublin Bus spokesperson Clodhna N Fhtharta said
any increase on the offer would be productivity
related.
"That offer of 8.25% is still on the table. The trade
unions unfortunately have taken to reject that
offer," she said.
"We have said to them we simply don't have the
financial means to pay anything above and beyond
that.
"What we are willing to do is pay that and sit down
and look at paying something above and over what
the Labour Court recommended.
"But that must be based on productivity as we dont
have the financial means."
Mr Murphy, meanwhile, added there was no need for
Dublin Bus to halt bus services early before the
union's industrial action is due to begin.
The company wanted to ensure the fleet was
returned to all depots before midnight for health and
safety reasons.
"We have a fleet of over 1,000 buses and we have to
ensure that each of those buses are returned safely
and securely," said Ms N Fhtharta.
However, SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union
have described the move as unnecessary.
As well as striking tomorrow and Friday, four further
strike days are scheduled on 15, 16, 23 and 24
September.
Elsewhere, CEO of Dublin Town Richard Guiney has
said the two-day bus strike will have a big impact on
trade in the city and that 40% of people who come
into Dublin city centre to spend money take the bus.
He said when a strike occurs the numbers drop
significantly.
"Roughly half will find alternative mode of transport
and half won't come in. We expect trade to be down
somewhere between 15% and 20%, so that will work
out around 2.5m each day that wont go into the till,
so that is an obvious concern for our members."
Director of the Small Firms Association Patricia
Callan said they have tried to minimise disruption
ahead of the strike and asked people "to talk to
employees and to put a plan in place to implement
flexibility with start times and facilitate those working
from home or encourage those to carpool."
She said she believes there is going to be huge
disruption with six-days of planned strike action this
month.
"This is hugely detrimental and if you add up all the
costs of those lates, those absences, people simply
not getting their products and services out, it is more
devastating than just the trade in the city centre being
affected."
Yesterday, the National Transport Authority confirmed
that Dublin Bus will face fines of 200,000 a day over
the strike period.
Dublin Bus has estimated that apart from the fines,
the strike will cost it around 600,000 a day, even
after factoring in that it will not be paying staff.
Bus lanes will operate as normal
Garda have said bus lanes will operate as normal
during the industrial action.
"Although Dublin Bus services will not be operating
during this time, bus lanes will continue to be used by
other public service vehicles, emergency service
vehicles and cyclists."

In a statement, garda also urged the public to plan

ahead as traffic is expected to be "extremely heavy
on commuter routes, especially during morning and
evening peaks."

Defend Bus Eireann;

Hatchet man Hernan appointed by Fine Gael to
butcher jobs, services and wages.

The attack on Bus Eireann workers and services is a

threat to all CIE workers. Behind the talk of a crisis at
the company is a deliberate Government policy. After
years of underfunding (subsidies fell between 2009
and 2015 by 35%) and licencing private non unions
operators on busy intercity routes, the company and
Government are pretending the only solution is to
savage workers pay and cut services.

Bus Eireann workers are right to resist this attack.

After eight years of pay freezes, cut backs and cuts
in services, workers are now told they must accept
pay cuts of 30% because the Government wont
invest in public transport. Ireland continues to be one
of the lowest subsidised public transport networks in
Europe.
If Bus Eireann management get away with their plan,
it will be a blue print for Dublin Bus and Irish Rail in
the future. The NTA wants to licence private
operators on Dublin Bus routes as well. All workers
need to support the fight in Bus Eireann and insure
they dont stand alone.

CEO Hernan (wages circa 200,00 euro basic)

learned his anti worker trade in the past when he
worked at Ryan Air and Arnotts . He has been given
this job to lead an attack on unions pay and
conditions and set a marker for the whole transport
sector. He must be resisted.Support Bus Eireann
drivers,
Labour Court offer an
insult to all bus
workers - VOTE NO to
this offer and demand
a decent rise after 8
years of sacrifices
BUSWORKERS ACTION GROUPTUESDAY, 26 JULY 2016
From CIE annual accounts 2015, This is the total figure including
PSO and capital investment.
Over 15 months since our unions first lodged a pay
claim, the Labour Court has finally announced its
verdict. The court offered 2.75% annually over three
years; a total of 8.25% by 2018. Bus workers have not
seen a pay rise since 2008 with a 6% pay rise that was
due under the last Partnership deal (Toward 2016)
never paid. Instead since 2008, bus workers have
agreed two major cost cutting deals that saved the
company tens of millions of euro. In 2013 this saw cuts
to overtime, bank holiday rates and other payments
that saved the company 6 million euro. Thats Six
million taken directly from the pay packets of bus
workers. No sooner was that deal accepted after five
ballots in which we were told by all sides that the
company could collapse if we refused, than the
company posted profits for the end of the year. They
have posted profits each year since. Last year Dublin
Bus made 10.2 million euro in profits, the previous
year it was 11.6 million. In the last three years they
have posted profits of over 23 million euro. This has
come on the back of sacrifices made by all its workers
and at a time when Government subsidies have fallen
dramatically. In fact the NTA took back 2 million in
funding last year because the company had done too
well! The same agency is still planning, with full Govt
support to tender out (privatise) 10% of routes we
currently operate. The scale of the cuts in funding for
public transport since the recession is staggering. The
amount of funding from both Govt and EU for all CIE
transport (Dublin Bus, Rail, Dart and Bus Eireann )has
been slashed from 922 million euro in 2008 to just
447 million last year. Workers and the travelling public
have paid for those cuts. Both bus workers and the
travelling public have had to make good the cuts in
funding with dramatic fare increases, route
amalgamations and heavier loadings. While this and
past Governments were busy paying back bondholders
and bankers, they cut essential public services and
targeted workers earnings. Its time bus workers stood
up and demanded a decent pay rise for the years of cuts
and stealth taxes. All the talk of recovery means little if
its just measured in GDP or profits. Bus workers
should reject the Labour Court offer, we are owed 6%
from 2008 and we should at the very least look for
parity with the Luas drivers pay claim of 18 % on top of
that.

https://www.facebook.com/BusworkersActionGrou
p
These three (Gerry Madden of Transdev, FG Minister
Donohoe, Anne Graham of the NTA )have decided that the
best way to commemorate the spirit of 1916 is to orgnise
a massive scabbing operation to try to break a official
picket and send a message to any other group of workers
looking for a decent pay rise. Transdev's scabbing
operation for this Thursday must be opposed by all trade
unionists.

These three (Gerry Madden of Transdev, FG Minister

Donohoe, Anne Graham of the NTA )have decided that the
best way to commemorate the spirit of 1916 is to orgnise
a massive scabbing operation to try to break a official
picket and send a message to any other group of workers
looking for a decent pay rise. Transdev's scabbing
operation for this Thursday must be opposed by all trade
unionists.
The privatisation of the states remaining shares in Aer Lingus is a disaster for workers and
country alike. It appears that union officials are again talking up guarantees on employment
rights and the possibility of a registered employment agreement (REA), as they did with
Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann. Again it is essential that workers understand that such
agreements are no real guarantee of their rights and conditions into the future, they remain
dependent on new legislation which may be challenged again by employers legally,
but even if they dont succeed legally, such agreements are no bar to a employer
seeking alterations on the basis of remaining "competitive" or who faces or
claims to face a financial "crisis".
We are attaching a link to a fuller article written by a SIPTU member on the Aer
Lingus sell off that we urge people to read. As that article points out;
*When IAG took over Iberia airlines they got rid of 4,500 jobs.
*When Willie Walsh (IAG head) was previously CEO of Aer Lingus,he got rid of
2,000 job. His major strategy was to push for continual outsourcing of services.
*When he was running British Airways he was also involved in major
confrontations with the unions
.
*IAG have offered no guarantees there will not be compulsory redundancies.
Instead they use vague language like they do not foresee or it is not
envisaged'.
*IAG have offered no guarantees that they will not import scab labour from
Britain to intervene in any dispute even though the union, IMPACT requested
this.
*They have offered no firm guarantees that there will be no outsourcing of cabin
crew.
Finally, the airlines cash reserves and its Heathrow slots are likely to be used only
to boost the profitability of IAG, not to insure the key needs of the country or its
workforce.It should be opposed by all trade unionists

A deal to allow privatisation?

17 May 2015 at 22:50

The LRC terms of settlement are aimed at insuring there

are no further strikes against the Government/NTA agenda
to privatise 10% of our routes in the next year and to keep
the door open to the potential tendering out of more routes
in 2019. It does nothing to address the core issue of the NTA
handing routes and buses over to private, non-union
operators, or to challenge their claims that this will save
taxpayers money and insure a more efficient service.

The deal will allow the NTA proceed with tendering out the
10% of routes in Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, and calls for a
raft of meetings and consultations to take place over the
next months, none of which will address the issue of the
privatisation of those routes.
Instead, the key breakthrough is meant to be the
commitment that no driver will be forced to move with a
tendered route; something that could never have been
countenanced by any trade unionist and would have faced
huge legal hurdles. To assure us that our futures will not be
undercut by this process, the deal offers two proposed
mechanisms: Registered Employment Agreement (REA) and
a Sectorial Employment Order (SEO).

REA: This amounts to both unions and companies

registering current conditions and agreements with the LRC
with some formulation of words that states tendering will
not directly impact on these conditions/pay. This is however
largely meaningless. It cant happen until new legislation is
introduced as employers organisations took legal action
against the old legislation and a High court decision found
them illegal. The new legislation is almost certain to be
challenged as well; meaning the entire process could take
years. In any case such an REA would not stop either
company from seeking changes to our pay or conditions on
the basis that they need to be competitive. Guarantees
from the current minister that no driver would be forced to
move relate only to the current situation; they cannot be a
guarantee of what happens if the NTA decide to tender in
the public interests more routes involving larger numbers
of drivers in 2019. Unions tried using REAs during the boom
to force non-union firms into accepting better rates of pay
and conditions with limited success. The measure didnt
stop overall declining numbers of union members, and
didnt impact on the MNC sector which remained largely
non-unionised. The point of such a REA now in the CIE
group, would be largely symbolic and akin to a letter of
comfort; i.e. of no real use in stopping future attacks on
pay or conditions.

SEO: Again this is of limited use in stopping any future

attack on our pay or conditions. Such an order might lay
down minimum conditions for the bus transport sector, but
these would likely be so low as to just reflect what is already
available in non-union companies like Aircoach or
Kavanaghs. It would not force private companies tendering
for our routes to raise their pay or conditions to our levels
and any interpretation that it would is mistaken. Moreover it
will not force the NTA to insure drivers in these companies
have the same rates or conditions as us; the NTA will simple
consider a firms labour costs as one item among many; its
ultimate criteria will be whichever tender is the cheapest.

In effect this deal is about allowing the NTA to proceed to

put in place a framework that allows tendering of our
routes : 10% of routes to start with and with no real
guarantee that it will stop there. The NTA can claim this is
not privatisation, the LRC and Government can play the
same semantic game. In reality it is, and the process allows
for more routes to be tendered in the future. The only
significant saving a private company can offer the NTA is on
their labour costs i.e the rates paid to drivers and
maintenance workers. This is what tendering is all about,
and this deal ultimately will come back to haunt us if it
succeeds in stopping us from fighting the tendering process
and the logic that underlines it.

Our unions should instead launch a joint public campaign

against these measures and force a real debate on what this
privatisation by stealth will mean for public transport. Any
deal should also go back to drivers to vote on.

WHO ARE THE NTA?

The NTA is the regulator for all of Irelands public transport;

rail, bus and taxi. They are presented as an independent,
neutral body. In fact they are staffed with Fine Gael and
 Fianna Fail hacks that are handpicked for their ideological
commitment to competition and free markets. Their goal is
to let rip against workers rights and conditions in currently
unionised public or semi-state firms. The NTA regurgitates
pro market and pro privatisation dogma as if they are
uncontested facts. The recent controversy over one board
member, Valerie OReilly shows the reality. OReilly was a
part of the corrupt ex Fine Gael minister Michael Lowerys
constituency team. Lowery used his influence to get her
appointed to the last NTA board where she has pocketed
over 55,000 euro for showing up to a few meetings and
supporting the privatisation agenda pushed by the board.

Its chair is John Fitzgerald, the former Dublin City manager

who has bounced around various semi state boards trying to
push privatisations and pro market policies. As Dublin city
manager he oversaw urban renewal policies that gave
private developers free reign and huge tax breaks while
riding roughshod over local working class communities. The
ten years of his tenure in the city saw whole communities
gentrified and developers make millions while the city
continued to choke with traffic and the councils services
where cut back or contracted out to private companies. He
was the manager who pushed bin charges and his reward as
a leading member of Irelands golden circle has been various
board memberships like An Post and the HSE.

LIES ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The NTA and Government campaign to privatise bus routes

are based on outright likes about public transport.

LIE 1; State companies get too much funding, their wasteful

and inefficient.

IN FACT; Dublin Bus gets a lower subsidy than most

other comparable European cities, even some who are
already privatised. The NTAs own report on Dublin Bus and
Bus Eireann had to admit that both companies reached and
 exceeded ALL performance targets they were set by the
NTA!! Even on the routes they now want to hand over to
private companies. Other reports by international transport
agencies have found the state companies preform as well
and better than privatised companies. The problem is that
state funding has declined drastically since 2008. While
busy bailing out the banks, the state funding for public
transport was savaged with services and jobs cut and fares
rose dramatically over the last three years. Having created
this crisis by underfunding, the Government and the NTA
want to pretend its caused by lack of competition and
inefficient public sector workers. If the subvention were
increased to the average of the other cities, Dublin Bus
could be receiving an additional 175 million.

If the subsidy increased to the London level, Dublin

Bus could be receiving an additional 53 million

LIE 2; The Luas is run by a private company, it gets no state

funding and runs a profit; this shows how much more
efficient private run companies are.

IN FACT; Luas did not build its own rail system and
is not expected to maintain their tracks and infrastructure,
taxpayers paid for these. In reality for every one euro paid
in fares, Luas passengers get a subsidy of 2.88 for every
euro paid to Bus ireann by comparison, there is a state
subsidy of just 0.13. This means that the average LUAS
fare covers less than 30% of the effective costs of each
journey, while bus passengers are expected to pay for 90%
plus for their trips. This is not an argument against state
funding of Luas but shows how the Government will misuse
information to push their ideological agenda.

THE BUSWORKERS ACTION GROUP IS A GROUP OF DUBLIN

BUS DRIVERS, WE WILL BE CAMPAIGNING AGAINST
PRIVATISATION IN THE COMING MONTHS, IF YOU WANT TO
GET INVOLVED OR SUBMIT AN ARTICLE CONTACT OUR E
MAIL ADDRESS busworkersactiongroup@gmail.com
Every right minded working man should support the Luas workers because if this sort of behaviour is allowed
to continue it will become the norm with all employers so all Unions beware and do the right thing by your
members and stop this strike breaking by Luas employers u have the strength do it and teach these leeches a
lesson.
SUPPORT THE LUAS WORKERS.
Attempt by Transdev to operate scab buses must be resisted.
The strike by Luas workers for a decent pay rise is now entering a crucial phase. Despite
almost two months of media hysteria and misinformation directed at the drivers, the truth is
that their wage demands are justified. In last six years alone, Luas revenues increased by 30
% while passenger number have grown by over
5 million. Routes have been extended with impacts on already stressful and long work
rosters.in 2014 profits were 1.39m while Transdev also paid a dividend to their
French parent company of over 2.8 million between 2013/14.
During the boom ,Luas bosses relied on a high turn over of workers to dampen
down any demands for improvements in wages or conditions. Now workers have
finally had enough and are seeking that their company negotiate a decent wage
rise to acknowledge the near decade of austerity cuts , tax rises and stealth
taxes that have hit their take home pay.
Since strike action began, the media reaction has been predictable enough.
Unfortunately some trade unionists who should know better have been slow to
defend the workers. The recent announcement that Transdev intend to operate a
scab bus service to break their strike means all trade unionists must get behind
the Luas drivers.
For Dublin Bus and other CIE workers this is crucial; the scabbing operation is
clearly supported by the NTA and the dept of Transport. If successful , we can be
sure it will embolden the NTA to try and use scabs again should we strike in
pursuit of our pay claim or indeed if we strike on any issue.
The Busworker's Action Group will be supporting the Luas drivers picket this
Thursday and we urge all workers to show up and support the right to strike and
to stop the attempt to use St Patricks Day or the Easter anniversary as a excuse
to justify scabbing.
AN COMHCHOISTE UM IOMPAR AGUS CUMARSID JOINT COMMITTEE ... I was
privileged to be appointed a director of Bus ireann in April 2013 ... CIE chairman
and the Bus

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates
%20Authoring/WebAttachments.nsf/
($vLookupByConstructedKey)/committees~201407
09~TRJ/$File/Daily%20Book%20Unrevised.pdf?
openelement
Bank thought fraud accused was 'a valuable connection',
court hears

23/10/2013

Bank of Scotland Ireland viewed Thomas Byrne as an astute and prudent

operator when lending him more than 13m, the former solicitors trial has heard.
The bank regarded Mr Byrne as a highly regarded and experience broker with an
excellent track record.
Documents presented to the court show that they saw the accused as a valuable
connection who was responsible for introducing several high net worth
individuals to Bank of Scotland Ireland (BOSI).
The jury also heard evidence that Mr Byrne was recruited by the bank to be on
their legal panel and carry out work as a solicitor for them.
Mr Byrne (aged 47) of Walkinstown Road, Crumlin is accused of theft and fraud
offences totalling 51.8m.
The charges allege he transferred clients homes into his name and then used
them as collateral for property loans.
He has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 51 counts of theft,
forgery, using forged documents and deception between 2004 and 2007.
The former head of credit risk with BOSI, Henry Roach, told the court that Mr
Byrne was granted three loans by the bank for the purposes of property
development and trading.
The first of these loans was for 4m secured against 16 properties. The witness
said the bank was happy to grant this loan despite Mr Byrne being a first time
customer.
Documents state that this was because Mr Byrne was well known (to the bank)
and is regarded as a valuable connection. The bank documents also note that Mr
Byrne had a rental income of 498,000 a year and a directors income of
500,000 a year. It states his net worth was 6m.
The second loan was for 900,000 which the accused sought to buy to
penthouse apartments in Skerries.
The final loan was for 8.7m. Mr Byrne applied for this in partnership with
developers John Kelly and Mary OConnor. Mr Roach told prosecuting counsel
Remy Farrell SC that its purpose was to assist in the financing of the purchase of
10 neighbouring houses in Walkinstown.
It was intended that the site be used to build an apartment complex.
This loan was to be repaid over 24 months and all three partners were equally
liable.
The court heard Mr Kelly was well-known to the bank as a property developer
with 12m worth of holdings.
Ms OConnor was described in documents as a radiologist who had been very
successful on the property market and had a net worth of 5m.
Mr Roach said subsequent investigations showed that Mr Byrne was not the
registered owner of several of the properties which were being used as collateral
for the loans.
He said other properties were already promised to other banks as collateral.
Other terms used by the bank to describe Mr Byrne were experienced and
shrewd.
The jury were told he was a highly regarded member of BOSIs legal panel and
had operated a successful practice for 20 years as of 2004.
Defence counsel Damien Colgan SC said there were several errors in the banks
documents. He pointed out that Mr Byrne had only operated his own practice for
10 years at that point, not 20. He said Mr Byrne also denied ever being on BOSIs
legal panel.
One of the BOSI documents from 2004 states Mr Byrne was responsible for
introducing Mr Kelly and his business to the bank. Mr Colgan said it was in fact
Mr Kelly who introduced Mr Byrne to BOSI.
Mr Colgan also drew attention to the signature of Tony Wynne on several of the
documents associated with Mr Byrnes loans. Mr Roach confirmed that Mr Wynne
was a lending manager with BOSI before resigning.
The witness agreed that allegations were made against Mr Wynne that he
engaged in secret dealings with a customer and that the bank carried out an
enquiry into this.
The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of seven men and
five women.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/bank-
thought-fraud-accused-was-a-valuable-connection-
court-hears-611071.html

Credit union chiefs and wives spend 250k on exotic

and lavish junkets

29 June 2014.
CREDIT Union chiefs spent 250,000 sending
executives and their wives to lavish conferences in
exotic locations such as Las Vegas and Hong Kong.
And the massive foreign travel bill incurred
between 2008 and this year continues to rise as
10 voluntary board members of the Irish League of
Credit Unions and two of its staff prepare for a
50,000 trip to Australias Gold Coast next month.
The Irish League of Credit Unions is an umbrella
group which represents 500 independent credit
unions nationally.
During the years of the lavish foreign travel, credit
unions faced a series of challenges, culminating in
a Central Bank report last month which criticised
many league members for lax lending rules and
poor governance.
For example, in June 2010, as six ILCU board
members prepared for a 20,000 trip to Las Vegas,
the then registrar of credit unions, James OBrien,
told the Central Bank that the sector had significant
stresses from loan arrears.

Con OBrien and Mark Bailey relax with Marilyn

Monroe
The following month, while attending the World
Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) conference in
Las Vegas, executives were photographed letting
their hair down.
In the photos then ILCU president Mark Bailey, now
manager of Celbridge Credit Union, clutches a half-
empty bottle of beer as he and fellow board
member Con OBrien sandwich a Marilyn Monroe
impersonator between them, planting kisses on her
cheeks.
Credit Union debt registered against Matt Heffernan
In other photos from the Las Vegas event, Pat Fay
who is still a ILCU board member poses before
an impressive seafood buffet and former ILCU
president Gerry Foley, secretary of Rush Credit
Union, is seen dancing energetically in a replica of
the infamous Studio 54 nightclub.
Speaking to the MoS, Mr Bailey said the WOCCU
events were educational. They were training-type
things. They were for a week. Thered be three or
four days of a conference and Id take one or two
days at my own cost afterwards.
Theres various seminars held on various subjects
and youd pick on the day whats most appropriate
for your function.
So whilst they may seem whatever word you
want to put on it the vast majority of the time there
was training-type seminars. The other board
members photographed in Las Vegas did not
respond to messages left at their individual credit
unions on Friday but the ILCU confirmed they were
present at the event.
Mr Bailey said he had developed relationships at
foreign conferences which were useful to him and
the credit union movement.
Whilst the perception may be somewhat different,
the reality was it was a working week and that was
it. There was a bit of socialising we all have a bit
of socialising at night but certainly the days
started early at nine oclock in the morning and went
on to half-four or five so seminarwise you were
there for the day.
Asked if there were occasions when his wifes travel
to WOCCU events was paid by the ILCU, Mr Bailey
said: There was, with the voluntary basis once a
year thats what was available.

ILCU Board member Pat Fay samples the sea food

on offer
Some people would travel on their own and some
people would take a spouse or partner, whatever
that may be. On occasion I paid for her out of my
own funds. There was one or two occasions when I
paid for her from my own funds rather than claiming
off main funds.
The Las Vegas trip was preceded in 2009 by a
WOCCU conference in Barcelona, which was
attended by 12 delegates and five spouses at a cost
of 25,000. Separately another 68 Irish delegates
from 48 different credit unions attended bringing the
Irish delegation in Spain to 80 the third highest of
the 50 countries present.
Among those in Barcelona were six officials from
Newbridge Credit Union, taken over by State-owned
Permanent TSB last year because of financial
difficulties.
In 2008 a dozen current ILCU representatives
including Con OBrien and Mark Bailey flew to the
Hong Kong conference at a cost of 45,000. The
event included numerous social events and tours of
the citys Kowloon Peninsula.
A 2011 conference in Glasgow attended by 19 ILCU
executives at a cost of 24,000 took place amid
revelations that the Central Bank had placed 100
credit unions under close supervision because of
fears about rising loan arrears.
The 2012 event in Gdansk, Poland saw 19 ILCU
delegates attend, costing another 24,000. It
included an option to play a round of golf at the
Sierra Golf Club in Petkowice.
Last years conference in Ottowa was attended by
19 ILCU representatives at a cost of 48,000.

Gerry Foley of Rush Credit Union boogies the night

away in Vegas
Those present included CEO Kieron Brennan and
board member Pat Fay. The schedule for this event
included options such as lunch in a Native American
wigwam, a visit to Niagara Falls as well as a golf
classic in an exclusive country club. Aside from the
ILCU delegates another 36 from various Irish credit
unions attended.
Four months later the Central Bank went to the High
Court to pave the way for Newbridge Credit Union
to be taken over.
In addition to the annual WOCCU conference, ILCU
executives travel to numerous other international
meetings frequently held in locations such as
Florida.
ILCU accounts reveal that with these trips and
international membership dues included, the cost of
its international involvement came to 750,000
between 2008 and 2013.
Last night in a statement the ILCU said executives
paid for many social events themselves.
The statement then went on to repeat word for
word statements already made by the ILCU each
year since 2010 each time the cost of foreign trips is
raised.
We acknowledge these are very difficult times for
many of our members and we do not wish to appear
insensitive to their circumstances.
We also feel that it is important that we continue to
keep in touch with the progress and difficulties
faced by the credit union movement internationally,
so that we might learn from the opportunities and
potential difficulties which lie ahead, the statement
reads.
Con OBrien and Mark Bailey relax with Marilyn
Monroe
It also said that ILCU Board of Directors are not
remunerated for their work and are motivated by
beliefs not bonuses and take holidays from their
day-to-day jobs to attend conferences.
Socialist Party TD and member of the banking
inquiry Joe Higgins said there was a need for
international representation but criticised the
number of credit union executives who travelled
abroad.
An organisation that represents institutions where
ordinary working class people save should be even
more conscious of costs particularly at a time when
their membership are suffering the rigours of
austerity, he said.
http://www.newsscoops.org/?p=1606
Cork CU Sued Inspector MOS Expose
Three men convicted
over NCT scam
exposed on Prime Time
Updated / Monday, 6 Mar 2017

The men were arrested after a RT expose in 2011

Three men have been convicted for their involvement
in an NCT scam first exposed on RT's Prime
Time in 2011.
In the scam, cars previously deemed unroadworthy
were passed.
Stephen Rooney, 37, Alan Richardson, 28, and
Vincent Brunton, 34, were arrested and charged
following a garda investigation in the wake of the RT
programme.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Gerard Griffin
imposed sentences of three years with two-and-a-half
years suspended on Rooney and Richardson.
He suspended the entirety of a three-year term for
Brunton, who he said was on the bottom rung of the
ladder in the scam.
The court heard previously that Richardson, who was
working as an NCT inspector, was contacted by his
neighbour, Rooney, and asked to pass two Toyota
Carinas.
Both vehicles had previously failed the test and were
scheduled for a re-test.
The men were to get 100 between them for their
role although no money was ever exchanged.
Richardson then asked NCT tester Brunton to pass
one of the vehicles as roadworthy.
A fourth man, Darren Meehan, 40, of Delemere,
Enfield, Co Meath, was approached to pass the
second vehicle.
He received a two-and-a-half year suspended
sentence last month for his role after he pleaded
guilty to producing a false NCT certificate.
Rooney, of The Paddocks Grove, Adamstown, Lucan,
Co Dublin pleaded guilty to one charge of forgery of
an NCT certificate and one charge of corruption in
that he accepted or obtained 100 as an inducement
or reward for securing an NCT certificate on 20 April
2011.
He has minor previous convictions dating back to
2000.
Richardson also of The Paddocks Grove, pleaded
guilty to the same forgery charge and a charge of
corruption in that he accepted a gift of cash from
Stephen Rooney as an inducement or reward for an
NCT certificate.
Brunton, of Priory Square, St Raphael's Manor,
Celbridge, Co Kildare pleaded guilty to one charge of
forgery, making a false NCT certificate on 20 April
2011.
Neither Richardson nor Brunton have previous
convictions and it was accepted that each of the three
men fully co-operated with the garda investigation
and were genuinely remorseful for their involvement.
Judge Gerard Griffin adjourned the case last week
after hearing the evidence.
He said that the men's actions set at nought the
intention of legislation to improve road safety.
He said the cars passed were evidently unroadworthy
and unsafe to drive.
He said this was a breach of trust and that the public
was entitled to rely on the system to take
unroadworthy cars off the road.
Detective Garda Sean O' Riordan told Maurice Coffey
BL, prosecuting, that the Prime Time programme
makers bought a 1996 Toyota Carina and 1993
Toyota Carina and had them examined by two
independent mechanics who confirmed they should
not pass the NCT.
In May 2011, the cars were sent in for inspection and
failed. A re-test was booked and in the meantime the
programme makers paid 100 to a contact so that the
car would pass the re-test.
The faults identified in the first test were never
rectified and in some case further damage was
caused. The vehicles were presented again. Meehan
and Brunton were the examiners on the re-test and
passed the cars.
The cars were examined again by another mechanic
following the re-test and still deemed un-roadworthy.
They were crushed later that same month.
Det Gda O'Riordan agreed with Mr Coffey that it was
accepted in Meehan's case that the faults on the
vehicle were considered "a performance issue" and
were "not significant safety issues".
He accepted the same principal could be applied to
the second vehicle.
However Judge Griffin said he was not entirely
satisfied with that conclusion having read the
engineer reports on the cars.
Det Gda O'Riordan said the cars were destroyed
before even the State could ascertain the level of
danger they could have posed to other road users but
the State's evidence was that the faults were not
significant safety issues.
Det Gda O'Riordan said Applus Ltd, the company
who have the State contract to carry out NCT testing,
suffered a loss to their reputation as a result of the
programme.
He said garda were satisfied that it wasn't systemic
national bad practice within the company.

They launched their own internal investigation and

reviewed their existing systems which was a costly
exercise.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0306/857624-nct-
court-trial/
A must read and copy, the truth before its removed again.
Web pages exposing the intimidation , abuse and
harassment of people and whistleblowers by senior gardai
and the dpp's office are being removed daily by NBCI and
the dpp's office, this is how corrupt they are still removed
the truth, just like they do in court cases.
Gardai who whistle blow on corruption, sexual assaults
involving senior gardai and the justice department are
being intimidated , harassed, bullied, falsely arrested,
falsely accused of trumped up charges by High Ranking
Officers, so as to ruin their reputation and make people
believe they are criminals, when in fact its the high
ranking officers that are corrupt. Hundreds of gardai are
suffering appalling intimidation at the hands of these high
ranking political appointed bullies. These whistle blowers
are being forced to retire, resign, take a care break etc
Senior gardai get NBCI to investigate and stitch up the
members who are whistle blowing so as to drive them
over the edge and drop their complaints of corruption.
More then 20 gardai/sergeants have reported corruption
and have been bullied and intimidated so badly, some
even contemplated suicide.
Below bullying cases all of them covered up by the justice
departments
N.B.C.I is being run by Noirin O Sullivans husband Jim Mc
Gowan
A webpage in Germany called pressnet.com run by an
accountant called Machelvich, John Clake, exposing all this
corruption by the gardai in NBCI and the dpps office has
been brought down by NBCI and the dpps office but we
have a copy of it all.
Malicious senior garda management exposed , Gardai in
NBCI are tasked with framing innocent people and
whistleblowers, all exposed now. People like Ian Bailey ,
Joe Doocey, water protestors are all being set up the same
way by this section, its not just whistleblowers they frame
like this, leaking false stories to the media, getting people
to make false vindictive statements, destroying evidence
proving your innocence, planting evidence etc is what this
section does.
"Two senior garda have made statements under
whistleblower legislation alleging that senior garda
management conducted a major campaign to destroy a
whistleblower within the force.
The protected disclosures of the two officers reference a
campaign that included spreading false, scandalous, and
damaging allegations against the whistleblower in
question.
These include:
Generating hundreds of text messages which were
disseminated among a large group of officers with the
instructions to attack the whistleblowers character;
The creation of an intelligence file on the whistleblower;
The deployment of an officer to monitor the activity of
the whistleblower on Pulse, the Garda computer system;
The briefing of elements of the media about the
whistleblower, laying emphasis on entirely false
allegations about the whistleblowers character;
The briefing of selected politicians in a similar vein."
Gardai in N.B.C.I Harcourt street, Dublin 2 keep changing
their section name? they are now calling themselves
O.C.B. organised crime bureau. It was called:
OCU: Organised Crime Unit
O.C.B. organised crime bureau
SCRT: Serious crime review team
SCB: Serious Crime Bureau
SCS: Serious Crime squad
Murder squad
CCU:Cold case unit
Serious crime squad
GNPSB: Garda National Protection Services Bureau
Trace Unit
DVSA: Domestic Violence Section
WACU: Women and child Unit
Paedophile Unit.
NBCI are combined now with GNDU, Garda National Drugs
Unit.
The same section committing fraud and it was all covered
up because they investigated themselves
http://www.breakingnews.ie//garda-was-following-orders-
whe
Nirn O'Sullivan talked yesterday of a campaign of false
accusations against her. Is she saying that Maurice
McCabe was lying? Is she saying that David Taylor, Keith
Harrison, Nick Keogh, Sinad Killian, Eve Doherty, Dermot
O'Connell and others are all liars?
If she genuinely did not know how whistleblowers were
treated, she is not fit for the job
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_x9D91CJY
Garda Whistle blower who reported a murder abused while
senior gardai cover it up
http://www.breakingnews.ie//daly-tells-dail-of-garda-
order
If a sustained campaign against a whistleblower was, as
alleged, perpetrated by senior management, then the
extent of whistleblower reprisal is much worse than ever
imagined.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//claims-suggest-worse-
than-im
http://www.fairsociety.ie/gardai-who-whistle-blow-being-
in/
http://www.independent.ie//gardai-covered-up-murder-
of-civ
https://www.sundayworld.com//gardai-covered-up-
murder-of-c
Anyone who exposes the corrupt people in justice gets
their character assassinated and ruined, no matter who
they are.
Nirn OSullivan is understood to have accepted she got
texts from Dave Taylor, a former garda press officer who is
suspended
http://www.thetimes.co.uk//osullivan-texts-examined-by-
mcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bEWW1gALQZA&feature=share
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/05/28/disgusting/
http://www.breakingnews.ie//whistleblower-maurice-
mccabe-n
Whistle blower assaulted and falsely imprisoned by Ass
Comm Derek Byrne
http://www.rabble.ie///silencing-the-garda-
whistleblowers/
Gardai have no where to turn to, to report sexual assaults,
harassment by corrupt senior gardai, their last resort is to
send letters and emails around.
A witch hunt was set up by NBCI and senior gardai to
catch the gardai who were reporting the true corruption
being committed by commissioner Fintan Fanning , Derek
Byrne and John O Mahoney.
http://www.sundayworld.com//poison-pen-letter-rocks-
garda-
A number of gardai have committed suicide as a result of
senior garda bullying and it is not getting any better for
garda whistle blowers. The continued abuse of garda
whistle blowers has to stop by corrupt political appointed
senior gardai.
Garda whistle blower John Wilson
http://www.rte.ie//647599-documentary-podcast-garda-
limpe/
http://www.irishexaminer.com//gardai-took-action-
against-u
http://www.northernsound.ie//claims-that-judge-
pressured-/
https://soundcloud.com//i-have-no-regrets-garda-
whistleblo
Every garda and sergeant that reported senior garda
corruption to Oliver Connelly was warned off or ignored
and then isolated and bullied/intimidated/harassed on the
orders of senior garda management.
"John Wilson said he made a formal complaint on April 4th,
2012 to the then confidential recipient, Oliver Connolly,
but he received no response" ignored just like a numerous
other gardai.
http://www.irishtimes.com//john-wilson-found-high-
number-o
http://www.irishmirror.ie//whistleblower-john-wilson-
revea
http://www.thejournal.ie/garda-whisteblower-john-wilson-
al/
http://www.herald.ie//gardai-got-rid-of-100k-penalty-
point
http://www.breakingnews.ie//some-whistleblowers-
claims-not
Dont forget my proximity to the minister, and dont think
I didnt have a word in his ear.
He said Mr Connolly told her to play the political game
and she might get preferential treatment elsewhere.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//garda-warned-to-drop-
her-sex
Whistle blower Garda Keith Harrison
His allegations are serious, including a cover up of an
original file which was stolen, with the original incident
being removed from the PULSE system; the creation of
new statements and appearance of new original
information; non-compliance by the Garda with the court
order for disclosure and at least one of the accused being
threatened by a garda to plead guilty on the day of the
court case, Flanagan told the Dil in May 2014 regarding
Keogh.
Trying to frame him, this is what NBCI do
Those claims include: the suggestion that people Harrison
had arrested previously had been asked whether or not
they wished to make complaints about him, Garda
surveillance being placed on him with minimal
justification, and information regarding a Garda inquiry
into him being deliberately leaked."
http://www.thejournal.ie/garda-whistleblowers-2-2783879-
Ma/
http://www.irishtimes.com//garda-whistleblower-claims-
disc
http://www.independent.ie//new-garda-whistleblower-
claims-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rtBuKzDtmM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUUNX9wIC0k
https://www.irishtimes.com//garda-inquiries-were-an-
insult
https://www.rte.ie//20/0830/724497-garda-internal-
inquiry/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drv5ZDtyN-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlwbCq51LfY
http://www.irishexaminer.com//garda-sexual-
harassment-clai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApCNE0puIG0
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/
/irela/article1644634.ece
http://www.irishmirror.ie//garda-whistleblower-keith-
harri
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/
/ireland/article1641711.ece
refusing to co-operate and would not supply documents
he was looking for, or comply with his requests.
http://www.irishmirror.ie//whistleblower-followed-
unmarked
Trying to shut him up and hide corruption
http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0410/780791-gsco-
whistleblower/
Management needs reform
http://www.breakingnews.ie//recommendations-to-be-
made-reg
Whistle blower Garda Nicky Keogh
http://www.irishexaminer.com//flanagan-claims-
whistleblowe
http://www.irishmirror.ie//mick-wallace-garda-
whistleblowe
http://www.irishmirror.ie//pat-flanagan-whistleblower-
scan
Sergeant whistle blower Michael Buckley
http://www.independent.ie//gardai-face-probe-over-
allowanc
http://www.irishexaminer.com//probe-into-fraudulent-
pay-cl
http://www.thejournal.ie/gardai-overtime-1211823-
Dec2013/
http://www.independent.ie//cold-case-unit-garda-gets-
injun
https://www.irishtimes.com//woman-admits-sending-
valentine
http://www.independent.ie//retired-garda-found-guilty-of-
l
Sergeant whistle blower Christopher Power
http://www.independent.ie//garda-i-was-bullied-after-
expos
Sergeant whistle blower Maurice Mc Cabe
http://www.irishexaminer.com//maurice-mccabes-noble-
attemp
http://www.irishexaminer.com//whistle-blower-harassed-
by-f
http://www.irishexaminer.com//mccabe-gardai-falsified-
hund
http://www.irishmirror.ie//garda-whistleblower-maurice-
mcc
http://www.independent.ie//garda-whistleblower-
destroyed-2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SED9UH9j5BM
"The treatment of Sergeant Maurice McCabe shows us that
the Ireland of 2016 remains a cold house for
whistleblowers and truth-telling." Character assassination.
http://www.thejournal.ie//tom-clonan-whistleblower-
report/
http://www.breakingnews.ie//gardai-are-allegedly-
illegally
Garda whistle blowers who reported more illegal phone
Taps
http://www.irishexaminer.com//ex-gardaiacute-claim-
they-sa
http://www.independent.ie//garda-commissioner-noirin-
osull
http://www.thejournal.ie/state-surveillance-ireland-
gardai/
http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-state-surveillance-
wireta/
GSOC Bugged by senior gardai
http://www.irishexaminer.com//gsoc-controversy-
highlights-
http://www.breakingnews.ie//ombudsman-investigates-
claim-t
Garda whistle blower John Kelly
http://www.irishexaminer.com//supreme-court-overturns-
gard
Garda whistle blower William Browne
http://www.independent.ie//leading-garda-awarded-
85000-dam
Garda whistle blower Jack Doyle
http://www.irishexaminer.com//whistleblower-senior-
garda-b
http://www.missingpersons-ireland.freepress-
freespeech.com/
http://www.rabble.ie/2014/05/16/serpico/
Garda whistle blower Andrea Fitzharris
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-288575327.html
Garda Whistle blower Christine Kehoe
http://www.wexfordpeople.ie//former-wexford-garda-
brings-b
Garda whistle blower Kieran Jackson
http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie//former-garda-claims-
dismiss
http://www.derryjournal.com//garda-claims-bullied-and-
hara
Garda whistle blowers reported embezzlement
http://www.irishmirror.ie//two-gardai-embezzled-
hundreds-t
http://www.irishtimes.com//clare-daly-alleges-garda-
embezz
A number of female Gardai/sergeants whistle blowers e.g
Mary T O Connor, reported false arrests, corruption, sexual
assaults,perjury, forgeries, fraud,destruction of evidence,
theft, perverting the course of justice and conspiracy
within the justice departments, all by senior garda officers
and DPP officials.
http://www.irishmirror.ie//garda-whistle-blower-claims-
suf
Sergeant whistle blower Eve Doherty
She wrote to the confidential recipient and TD s reporting
serious garda corruption and fraud by senior garda
management and instead of investigating them they
raided her house. This witch hunt against her as with all
garda whistle blowers, by Top senior management has
been going for years. While falsely accusing her of
harassment .
Dublin Garda Roisin Farrell
Reported bullying, harassment and intimidation, she had a
number of miscarriages as a result of it, she
was paid off by senior garda management and resigned on
medical grounds.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//whistleblowers-garda-
warned-
http://www.irishmirror.ie//dail-hears-female-cop-told-
3187
http://wellbeingfoundation.com/bgarda.html
Garda whistle blower Maire O Reilly
https://thepeninsulairelandblog.wordpress.com/
/behaviour-/
http://www.breakingnews.ie//garda-quits-force-because-
of-b
http://article.wn.com//
/05/14/Garda_claims_he_was_bullied/
Garda whistle blowers in Athlone
http://www.irishtimes.com//serious-garda-malpractice-in-
at
Garda whistle blower
http://www.breakingnews.ie//mick-wallace-claims-fg-
backben
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/05/23/shoulder-to-
shoulder-4/
This is what corrupt senior gardai cause and get away with
it
http://www.independent.ie//ombudsman-probes-suicide-
of-you ;
"Garda Brian Canavan, stationed at Pearse Street in
Dublin, was suspended from duty on May 23, 2014, for
allegedly failing to prosecute cases in 2012 and 2013, two
days after he had informed a Garda Inspector he wished
initiate a grievance procedure against two other superior
officers."
http://www.independent.ie//garda-under-investigation-
suspe
Another whistleblower Framed
"The garda also faces disciplinary action - which could lead
to dismissal - for failing to have informed senior
management before searching the field where the bomb
was located.
The whistleblower claims gardai received complaints
about the same suspect being in possession of a firearm
but the allegations were never followed up.
It is also alleged the individual was twice caught in
possession of drugs while awaiting trial."
http://www.independent.ie//garda-whistleblower-is-
discipli
http://www.irishtimes.com//rogue-garda%C3%AD-using-
crimina
Joe Doocey, Paddy Rochford, Clare Daly. Mick Wallace and
others like Ian Bailey,Pascal Dolan, Stephen Manning, Mc
Brearties, colm granahan, gerry molloy, Stephen Kerr,
Cathriona Barker, steven bennett, Carol Watson, Derek
byrne, John McDonald intimidated , harassed, bullied,
falsely arrested, falsely imprisoned by corrupt detectives
from NBCI Harcourt square for exposing corruption in the
justice departments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVGEFsBlbEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ELHruY7hg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVH678HEQTc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p848CPN0VWs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GJdxegjtM8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=cLecGywCcpU&spfreload=10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntdyh3CL25o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPM7eT16-wM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOrKZSEIgIk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVC6OSi2VW0
http://www.thejournal.ie/teenager-whipped-1464799-
May2014/
http://www.liveleak.com/view?
i=425_1434573501&comments=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXZttLqEehI
www.irishinjustice.com
http://www.independent.ie//11m-in-payouts-for-55-
victims-o
http://thepressnet.com//allegations-of-police-brutality-
m/ ;
"Ian Bailey considered suicide after arrest over murder"
"High Court hears claim death threat made to journalist by
Garda as he was driven to station"
http://www.irishtimes.com//ian-bailey-considered-
suicide-a
http://www.irishtimes.com//farrell-says-garda-asked-her-
to
http://www.irishtimes.com//marie-farrell-family-left-
schul
http://www.irishtimes.com//wallace-in-new-claims-of-
garda-
http://www.irishtimes.com//farrell-says-garda-asked-her-
to
http://irishinjustice.com/index.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB5wCjL-Sl8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sizTnK4MGig
http://www.irishtimes.com//mick-wallace-claims-garda
%C3%AD
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/104668
http://www.swp.ie//new-garda-allegations-expose-rotten-
sys
https://foolscrow.wordpress.com//cops-charge-irish-
govern/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=58&v=B5ItE4B5rWQ
Hundreds of people assaulted, raped and abused while in
Garda custody even a young disabled boy
http://www.thejournal.ie/teenager-whipped-1464799-
May2014/
http://www.irishmirror.ie//outrage-politicians-hear-
specia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3K1ZTnszNY
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/104668
http://www.swp.ie//new-garda-allegations-expose-rotten-
sys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ4_TZQTj3Y
http://www.irishexaminer.com//brendan-smyth-victims-
to-tak
http://www.thejournal.ie/gsoc-garda-rape-2212171-
Jul2015/
Senior gardai Commissioner Derek Byrne, John O Mahony
and Fintan Fanning try to shut gardai up, with assaults,
intimidation, harassment, bullying and ruining their
character by reporting a false allegation to their drinking
buddy journalist Paul Williams to publish.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//end-leaks-to-media-
judge-tel
http://www.irishexaminer.com//graham-dwyer-trail-
informati
http://www.breakingnews.ie//dwyer-defence-claims-
gardai-we
http://www.irishexaminer.com//bailey-asks-for-garda-
malice
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie//
/act/pub/0020/sec0062.html
http://www.independent.ie//judge-received-garda-leaks-
on-p
Nothing has changed in 10 years for whistle blowers
http://www.breakingnews.ie//garda-corruption-laws-
useless-
Corruption at the Top being ignored because they are all
political appointments
http://www.anarkismo.net/article/1006
http://www.irishexaminer.com//strange-tale-of-shatter-
and-
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75873
http://article.wn.com//
/05/14/Garda_claims_he_was_bullied/
http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0410/780791-gsco-
whistleblower/
Gardai have no where to turn to, to report corrupt senior
gardai, their last resort is to send letters and emails
around.
A witch hunt was set up by NBCI and senior gardai to
catch the gardai who were reporting the true corruption
being committed by commissioner Fintan Fanning , Derek
Byrne and John O Mahoney.
http://www.breakingnews.ie//garda-quits-force-because-
of-b
How whistle blowers are treated by this corrupt justice
system
http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/276/90644/1/Specials
http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0410/780791-gsco-
whistleblower/
The area of procurement corruption in AGS is so rotten
with cronyism, its unbelievable, this is just one there are
hundreds
of cases like this in the same situation.
http://www.independent.ie//translation-service-brings-
lega
The People of Ireland and whistle blowers need a public
inquiry into corruption .
Every serving, retired,gardai on career breaks, resigned
and suspended Garda member needs to be asked to talk
about the corruption that is epidemic in the force, but it
needs to be totally independent of senior gardai.
https://justiceforpanelreviewvictims.wordpress.com//a-
num/
No reform for senior gardai who are corrupt they are just
moved to another area, just like the priests that were
moved. Corruption continues in the top ranks of the garda
force.
http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php//04/get-on-
with-it/
How many more suicides does this justice system want on
its hands?
http://awaken-longford.com//i-believe-the-irish-public-
ha/
"Six people in the garda have died by suicide in the past
12 months alone."
https://www.thejournal.ie/gardai-pay-and-conditions-
254755/
Stephen O'Sullivan, from Co Clare, is the fourth garda to
die using an officially-issued weapon in just over two
years.
In July last year, 53-year-old retired detective garda Peter
O'Donnell took an Uzi sub-machine gun from a locker in
Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station and shot himself
In April 2008, a 48-year-old detective garda, Paul Gilton,
shot himself in an office in the Dublin Metropolitan
Headquarters at Harcourt Square.
Garda Joseph O'Keeffe, 48, shot himself in the public office
of Enniscorthy Garda Station, Co Wexford, in July 2008.
http://www.independent.ie//ombudsman-probes-suicide-
of-you
"Gardai doctor their electronic records in a bid to hide
their failure to prosecute people suspected to have
committed offences and this is not corruption "
"The reason for this Garda harassment is most likely
Deputies Daly and Wallace highlighting the case of
whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe and the efforts by the
force to discredit him."
"Most of the shocking incidents highlighted by Sgt McCabe
took place within the Cavan/Monaghan division what
would emerge if the other 27 Garda divisions were
investigated?" This is what whistelblowers and the people
of Ireland want.
http://www.irishmirror.ie//pat-flanagan-whistleblower-
scan
http://www.irishexaminer.com//protection-of-institution-
tr
https://www.thejournal.ie//tom-clonan-whistleblower-
repor/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bEWW1gALQZA&feature=share
http://www.irishmirror.ie//td-mick-wallace-claims-
whistleb
https://web.archive.org/
/htt//goodpointsite.wordpress.com/
https://goodpointsite.wordpress.com/articles/d-ring-block/
web page goodpointsite removed because it exposed
corruption, web archive above it.
http://www.broadsheet.ie//word-came-down-from-the-
top-tha/
http://www.thetimes.co.uk//angry-garda-sent-threat-to-
coll
http://www.irishexaminer.com//when-speaking-out-is-
near-im
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/
/Irish_/article1407115.ece
http://www.irishexaminer.com//court-order-for-gsoc-to-
see-
There are concerns that a judge-led inquiry into
allegations of bullying and intimidation within the Garda
will not go far enough.
Two senior officers claim they were directly involved in the
smearing of a whistleblower.
Fianna Fil TD and former chairman of the Public Accounts
Committee John McGuinness says he has reservations
about the scope of the review.
"In order to deal with this comprehensively, you need
somebody from outside the State," he said, "who will not
be afraid of any vested interest and will tell it as it is,
disclose everything warts and all so that we can five a
solution to these problems once and for all."
http://www.irishexaminer.com//mcguinness-we-need-
someone-f
http://www.breakingnews.ie//gsocs-maurice-mccabe-
inquiry-h
http://www.independent.ie//garda-commissioners-14000-
spend
http://www.irishtimes.com//what-is-really-wrong-with-
garda
http://www.irishexaminer.com//just-7-of-foi-requests-to-
an
http://www.irishtimes.com//almost-one-fifth-of-people-
rate
The gardai should take a cold hard look at this ruling in
Britain
https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/7882817909014159
36
http://www.irishmirror.ie//mick-wallace-garda-
whistleblowe
https://www.businesspost.ie//garda-inquiry-branded-
myopic-
One of the garda whistleblowers alleging unfair treatment
by the force claimed that he was followed by an unmarked
garda car after leaving a confidential meeting earlier this
year.
It adds Gda Harrison has been subjected to unwarranted
and prolonged covert surveillance by gardai, victimisation,
bullying, intimidation and harassment which is levelled at
him and his family. It is understood a member of the
media has come forward and told Gda Harrison they were
given malicious intel in a bid to blacken his name.
http://www.irishmirror.ie//whistleblower-followed-
unmarked
http://www.thetimes.co.uk//garda-whistleblower-
monitored-b
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyte7w1wYno
https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/7874107999543910
40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UqdRx07ialo&feature=youtu.be
https://www.rte.ie/ne/2016/1016/824479-garda-
whistleblower/
http://www.broadsheet.ie//word-came-down-from-the-
top-tha/
http://www.irishtimes.com//the-garda-whisteblowers-
who-are
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=301227400256266&set=a.155181611527513.10737
41832.100011070254271&type=3&theater
http://www.irishtimes.com//high-ranking-garda-to-
demand-in
http://www.irishexaminer.com//senior-garda-bid-to-
destroy-
http://www.independent.ie//alleged-targeting-of-
informant-
Weve been aware for some time now people making
protected disclosures have been subjected to bullying and
harassment.
http://www.irishmirror.ie//garda-whistleblowers-wont-co-
op
The only communication they are getting is bullying and
intimidation. I am not saying it is the Ministers fault. I am
saying the system is not working. I am sorry but it appears
to me that the Minister is not being kept accurately
informed by An Garda Sochna. These people are in a bad
place, and they need help and protection, he said.
http://www.irishtimes.com//miriam-lord-champions-of-
garda-
http://www.independent.ie//garda-chief-personally-told-
of-
http://www.irishexaminer.com//call-for-political-
appointme#!
http://www.thejournal.ie/gardai-in-crisis-3012986-Oct2016/
He has been named as the man who has made allegations
that there was an organised campaign in senior Garda
management to destroy the reputation of another
whistleblower within the force. Significantly, Supt Taylor is
admitting his own role in the campaign, but also
implicating other senior managers, including the current
commissioner, Nirn OSullivan.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//blowing-the-whistle-on-
garda
http://www.irishtimes.com//judge-to-run-rule-over-garda-
wh
http://www.thetimes.co.uk//dpp-pulled-drugs-charges-
amid-f
http://www.thetimes.co.uk//bullied-garda-calls-for-
review-
http://www.businesspost.ie/whistleblower-probe-to-be-
cripp/
He said the phones contained chains of text messages
outlining the plot to target McCabe by spreading vicious
lies about the whistleblower and his family.
The texts were sent to senior gardai, members of the
media, and prominent politicians.
The allegations could never be printed due to the
defamatory nature of the claims, but they spread like
wildfire in political and garda circles.
He claimed an intelligence file was created on McCabe in
Garda Headquarters under the name Oisin and details of
the gardas private and professional life were collated.
http://www.independent.ie//im-going-to-hit-this-guy-
tense-
Garda whistleblower Keith Harrison's solicitor has said his
client has had to endure a campaign to undermine his
credibility that he believes was orchestrated by senior
members of An Garda Sochna since he made a protected
disclosure over two years ago.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1010/822785-garda-
whistleblower/
http://www.irishtimes.com//martin-callinan-s-sim-card-
shou
My questioning of Commissioner O'Sullivan this morning in
the Justice Ctte on Whistleblowers and their intimidation
https://twitter.com/JOBrien_SF/status/78617574286229504
0
https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/7863183865863290
88
http://www.irishexaminer.com//whistleblower-problem-
lies-w
http://www.independent.ie//highranking-garda-to-make-
prote
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/idm-
6.jpg
http://www.irishexaminer.com//judge-and-wife-granted-
injun
"Myself and Deputy (Mick) Wallace have met with a further
six serving members of An Garda Sochna who have all
either made protected disclosures or are on the verge of
doing so," she said.
She added others who had made protected disclosures,
including but not limited to names in the public domain
had experienced a "horrendous nightmare" since speaking
up.
That view has been strengthened when we find, with a
week to go to the issuing of his report, the former judge
has not requested any material from either of the two
whistleblowers, she added.
http://www.irishtimes.com//garda-whistleblowers-not-
contac
Attempts made by other whistleblowers to have their
cases also heard, as they too are the victims of bullying
and harassment since making protected disclosures, were
ignored. Despite the fact that their testimony and their
experiences are current, they get to the very heart of the
systemic problems inside An Garda Siochana, that whats
said in public and done privately are two entirely different
things.
weve had the Garda Commissioner appear at the justice
committee, with senior officers who are at the heart of
many of the protected disclosure complaints.
http://www.broadsheet.ie//11/10/six-new-garda-
whistleblow/
Taylor said three phones, which are currently in garda
custody as part of the investigation into leaks, held the
evidence to back up his claims.
He said the phones contained chains of text messages
outlining the plot to target McCabe by spreading vicious
lies about the whistleblower and his family.
The texts were sent to senior gardai, members of the
media, and prominent politicians.
The allegations could never be printed due to the
defamatory nature of the claims, but they spread like
wildfire in political and garda circles.
http://www.broadsheet.ie//a-flawed-inquiry-from-the-
very-/
Mr Wallace had asked in the Dil if she had examined the
full transcripts and questioned how she could leave Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan in place when serious
questions remained unanswered.
When the whistleblower s legal team asked the
Commissioners legal team to check if the Commissioner
wanted to stick with that story, the response was right
the way through.
When Sgt McCabe produced a recording of the encounter
the whole thing was dropped.
http://www.irishtimes.com//fitzgerald-refuses-to-be-
drawn-
The senior garda who contacted Mr Brett about the
speaking on his phone at that time did so unsolicited and
in what is believed to have been an attempt to warn him
about the risks, and how intensely senior garda
management was dealing with the leaking of certain
information into the public domain.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1113/831360-rsa/
And as senior manager I certainly looked for a local
inquiry to be carried out.
https://www.irishexaminer.com//probe-into-alleged-gift-
off
A large-scale internal investigation is under way at
Killarney Garda Station following an allegation of alleged
corruption.
He has complained that a colleague or colleagues were
being offered gifts which could be seen as bribes by the
owner of a licensed premises.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//corruption-alleged-in-
kerry-
He said before the complainants came to him, they went
to the Garda Commissioner at the time and the then-
minister for justice Alan Shatter but nothing was looked
into.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1114/831487-garda/
http://www.irishtimes.com//garda-whistleblowers-not-
encour
That view has been strengthened when we find, with a
week to go to the issuing of his report, the former judge
has not requested any material from either of the two
whistleblowers, she added.
http://www.irishtimes.com//garda-whistleblowers-not-
contac
http://www.digplanet.com/wiki/Garda_whistleblower_scand
al
SPEAKING truth to power is a challenge. It is a civic duty
not without consequences or personal costs.
http://www.irishexaminer.com//gardai-attacking-in-full-
for
http://www.fairsociety.ie/gardai-who-whistle-blow-being-
in/

Kerrys most senior garda has ordered an internal inquiry

into possible corruption in Killarney after something was
brought to his attention, he told a meeting of the countys
joint policing committee in Tralee.
Chief Supt Con Cadogan made the comment when the
question of garda on the take in Killarney was raised by
local senator Paul Coghlan (FG), who asked that the story
be killed off in the interests of garda morale.
The inquiry centres on an alleged offer of a voucher or gift
to garda by a local businessman.
More than 50 garda are being interviewed and asked if
they have been offered a voucher or know of any such
incident.
The offer, which it was feared might be seen as a bribe,
was brought to the attention of local management by a
serving garda in relation to an alleged incident during the
summer.
The garda raised concerns after he said he had been
offered a gift by the owner of a retailer, which he declined.
A Garda inspector, who is based outside the Killarney
station, is conducting the probe. The inquiry is ongoing in
Killarney Garda Station on New Road.
Nothing untoward has been found so far, a meeting of the
joint policing committee, which meets quarterly, was told
in Tralee. The committee consists of senior garda
responding to questions from politicians and community
and voluntary representatives in relation to policing in
Kerry.
The question of garda on the take in Killarney was
raised by Mr Coghlan, who asked that the yarn, which he
believed to be untrue, be killed off in the interests of
garda morale in the tourist town.
Chief Supt Cadogan said that in relation to the issue of
garda on the take, something was brought to my
attention.
And as senior manager I certainly looked for a local
inquiry to be carried out.
Chief Supt Cadogan had now received an interim report on
the matter.
Thankfully, it doesnt indicate what we are thinking. But
obviously I am waiting for a final report, he said.
I dont want to go any further other than to say it is being
dealt with.
Supt Flor Murphy of Killarney Garda Station said yesterday
that the matter was highlighted to management in
Killarney by a serving member.
The specific incident concerned an offer of a single gift.
The gift was declined, Supt Murphy stressed.
The reason so many garda were being interviewed was to
ensure adherence to professional standards.
This inquiry was initiated in the interests of transparency
and to ensure adherence to the highest professional
standards, said Supt Murphy.

Separately, garda have confirmed that the Killarney

businessman at the centre of the allegation is to be
interviewed as part of the inquiry into what is being
dubbed vouchergate.

A large-scale internal investigation is under way at

Killarney Garda Station following an allegation of alleged
corruption.
The complaint is about alleged approaches to local garda
by a man who operates a business in the town.
The suggestion has been made by a serving garda who is
being referred to as a whistleblower by some colleagues
at the busy station in New Road .
He has complained that a colleague or colleagues were
being offered gifts which could be seen as bribes by the
owner of a licensed premises.
The allegation is being treated seriously by Garda
management at the station. A garda inspector, who is not
based in Killarney, has been appointed to look into
matters.
Between 50 and 60 garda in Killarney across all ranks,
from garda to sergeant, are being interviewed at the
station.
One of the questions put to them is have you been
offered a voucher?
As with other stations, Killarney has experienced a large
number of retirements across all ranks in recent years.
However, retired garda may also be called in for interview
and asked if they have any information about any such
incident in the past.
It is understood that the allegation, which relates to
specified incident or incidents during the past summer,
was made by a garda about colleagues in a unit to which
he was attached on the occasions.
The inquiry, however, is being extended to all units.
The garda press office said it does not comment on
internal investigations.

In recent years, alone, Killarney garda have headed up or

been involved in a number of high profile and very serious
criminal investigations prosecuted successfully in the
Central Criminal Court.

SPEAKING truth to power is a challenge. It is a civic duty

not without consequences or personal costs.

If that power, in this instance An Garda Sochna,

repeatedly shows it regards uncomfortable truths as an
unwelcome intrusion into a well-ordered world, where self-
serving tradition and hierarchy prevail, then who would be
a garda whistle-blower? Who would be the next Sgt
Maurice McCabe? Who would act for the victims of crime,
when the authorities let them down?
What wrongs or scandals does this facilitate? How can the
force protect its integrity, or properly discharge its duty, if
its leadership repeatedly shows a threatening disdain for
those who point to the warts so obvious in the mirror?
The latest instance, in which both the credibility of the
forces most senior officer, Commissioner Nirn
OSullivan, and the efficacy of the requisite political
oversight, are severely challenged, is the last in a long-
established and regrettable pattern.
In 2014, former commissioner, Martin Callinan, let the
mask slip, and showed the Garda leaderships real attitude
to internal criticism, when he described as quite
disgusting allegations of malpractice made by
whistleblowers.
Commissioner OSullivan continues that theme, by publicly
supporting Sgt McCabe, but, in the privacy of the
OHiggins Inquiry hearings, her senior counsel, acting on
her instruction, indicated that he would attack McCabes
motivation and character right the way through.
The Garda Commissioners counsel later told the OHiggins
Commission of Investigation that it was an error on his
part when he said his instructions were to question the
integrity of Sgt McCabe, but that he would be challenging
McCabes motivation and credibility in relation to
allegations of garda criminality and corruption.
Questioning credibility is fair enough. After all, while the
majority of Sgt McCabes claims were upheld, there were
some areas where the commission found he was incorrect.
But it is hard to imagine why his motivation should be of
concern to Commissioner OSullivan, unless it indicated
mala fides. We still await a full explanation from the
Commissioner. On Monday, under pressure to clarify
matters, she said she did not, and had never, regarded Sgt
McCabe as malicious and said that his contribution was
valued. This was welcome, but it utterly failed to clarify
her position at the Commission.
This is a matter of extraordinary public importance. It
must not be allowed to go unanswered, or be wished away
by government.
Nirn OSullivan has said she is legally prevented from
commenting on the proceedings of the commission, and
yesterday Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald echoed that
view, when she told the Dil that she was also legally
constrained in what she could say. It is difficult to
understand that approach, particularly in view of the fact
that neither the minister nor the commissioner have
specified exactly what prevents them from commenting.
Under the 2004 Commissions of Investigations Act, it is
illegal for anyone to disclose evidence, but what has been
revealed by the Irish Examiner and later by other media
is not evidence, but exchanges between counsel acting
for An Garda Sochna and Sgt McCabe and the
commissions chair, Mr Justice OHiggins.
Minister Fitzgerald has repeatedly described the
publication of these exchanges as illegal, but she is
entirely wrong on that. As Michael McDowell, SC, pointed
out to the commission, the 2004 Act only criminalises
disclosure of evidence. He should know. As Minister for
Justice at the time, he was one of the chief architects of
the legislation.
In any event, disclosing what the Government would
rather had remained private, in order to prevent a greater
injustice, is what good journalism is all about. Keeping
matters hidden also has its dangers, as Sgt McCabe was
all too well aware. The behind-closed-doors attempted
character assassination of him only ended when he
produced a recording that showed he was not driven by
malice, as orginally claimed by counsel for the
Commissioner.

While Judge OHiggins backed Sgt McCabe after hearing

the recording, it is unfortunate that his report contained
no mention of the Commissioners attempted attack on
Sgt McCabe during the hearings, which was in stark
contrast to her public support for him. That a man who has
spent many years challenging garda authorities felt it
prudent to tape the proceedings of a meeting with senior
officers points to uncomfortable truths about a minority of
those entrusted with protecting our society. If Sgt McCabe
had not recorded that meeting, would the attempt at
character-assassination have succeeded? How might he,
and his now vindicated allegations, be regarded today?
That is an appalling vista.
A picture paints a thousand words !!
RELATED EMAIL DATED FRIDAY, MAY 12th 2017

A closely related "REPORTING GOVERNMENT CRIME" type of email

was sent on May 12th 2017 to, among several other people, the
following five SENIOR Republic of Ireland PUBLIC OFFICIALS:

1) Chief Police Commissioner Nirn O'Sullivan,

2) Prime Minister Leader Enda Kenny TD,
3) Justice & Equality Minister Frances Fitzgerald TD,
4) President and Principal Guardian of Constitution Dr Michael D
Higgins,
and
5) Republic of Ireland Chief Justice Susan Denham.
A slightly edited version of the above-mentioned May 12th
2017email can be viewed at:

An unedited "Gmail PDF" copy of the email is also available for

viewing at:

===

"PUBLIC OFFICIALS" - WHAT ARE THEY?

"A public official is anyone in a position of official authority that is

conferred by a state, i.e. someone who holds a legislative,
administrative, or judicial position of any kind, whether appointed or
elected."

More information on this subject can be found at:

===

Human Rights Ireland dot com:

===

Republic of Ireland Chief Justice Susan Denham

Whistleblowers are coming out more now and standing up to this Corruption . Well done for
standing up Fair play Leona and all
Liz Howlin in the dpps office is also claiming her phone
has gone missing/destroyed in recent months covering up
corruption and the truth yet again by the corrupt dpps
office
Very corrupt senior people in Justice, on extremely high
salaries phones are destroyed, it seems by senior gardai in
N.B.C.I , the section Noirin O Sullivans husband Jim
McGowan is running, these corrupt senior gardai should be
sacked and prosecuted , but how can this happen when
the dpp's office is colluding with them and protecting them
?
Francesca Comyn, in the Sunday Business Post, reported
that the High Court has ordered Garda Commissioner
Nirn OSullivan to release the suspected surveillance
profile on Garda Harrison following further discovery
sought by Garda Harrisons solicitor Trevor Collins.
Ms Comyn reported:
The court order is in itself unusual in that it requires an
affidavit of compliance to be personally sworn by Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan, rather than another
member of the force. OSullivan has been given ten weeks
to comply with the ruling, which seeks a number of further
records.
A phone used at the time by Martin Callinan, the former
commissioner, has also gone missing as have mobile
handsets used by other garda witnesses.
The Mounties in the Rockies are calling Nirn OSullivan to
Canada, Im told. Word is the embattled Garda
Commissioner may be taking up a position there; both
academia and security have been mentioned.

We have a seriously corrupt justice system that is

colluding in faming people and the judges are finally
seeing through them
The gardai and dpps office are failing to provide full
disclosure to people every day in the courts, this week a
judge ordered that Noirin O Sullivan sign an affidavit that
full disclosure is provided about everything.
This needs to happen in every court case involving corrupt
gardai and the dpp's office.
The discovery order was granted last week as part of
personal injury proceedings brought by Garda
whistleblower Keith Harrison

Fianna Fil TD John McGuinness accused Garda

management of showing "contempt" to the inquiry.
Jail Martin Callinan and all top gardai that destroyed
evidence
"We now need an FBI-style investigation into the actions of
Garda management," Mr McGuinness said.
Sources confirmed that Ms O'Sullivan has been unable to
furnish Mr Justice Peter Charleton with a smartphone she
used since her appointment. A mobile phone device
belonging to former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan is
also missing.
During his arrest, Supt Taylor had his phone seized on the
orders of Commissioner O'Sullivan's husband, Detective
Chief Supt Jim MacGowan of NBCI . These include retired
assistant commissioner Mick O'Sullivan and former chief
superintendent Brendan Mangan. The unit is headed up by
Detective Supt Tony Howard, who was involved in
investigating Supt Taylor over an unrelated issue.
NBCI is the main section involved in the smear campaign
against people, The section is headed by Noirin O
Sullivans husband Jim Mc Gowan who she appointed there.
This Garda section that is called National Bureau of
Criminal Investigation (N.B.C.I) Harcourt Square keeps
changing its name like other criminal
organisations/institutions in Ireland.
The same section (N.B.C.I) is also called by the following
names to cover up their corruption:
DOCB: THEIR NEW NAME
OCU: Organised Crime Unit
SCRT: Serious crime review team
SCB: Serious Crime Bureau
SCS: Serious Crime squad
Murder squad
CCU:Cold case unit
Serious crime squad
GNPSB: Garda National Protection Services Bureau
Trace Unit
DVSA: Domestic Violence Section
WACU: Women and child Unit
Paedophile Unit.
NBCI are combined now with GNDU, Garda National Drugs
Unit.
NBCI is well known for framing innocent people and
whistleblowers .
They destroy evidence all the time to frame people and
they get help from the dpp's office to hide the truth as we
have seen from the Sean Fitz trial, finally the truth is
coming out about how corrupt both offices are.
Corrupt senior gardai Martin Callinan , Noirin O Sullivan ,
Derek Byrne, Fintan Fanning John O Mahony etc. have
destroyed vital evidence. They should be prosecuted for
1. False reporting
2. Criminal damage
3. Perverting the course of justice
4. Failing in their duty while in Public office
5. Intimidation, harassment and bullying
http://www.independent.ie//commissioners-missing-
phone-und
Email all TD's and demand that these corrupt senior gardai
be charged . Attached all email addresses:
gerry.adams@oireachtas.ie; bobby.aylward@oireachtas.ie;
maria.bailey@oireachtas.ie; sean.barrett@oireachtas.ie;
mick.barry@oireachtas.ie;
richard.boydbarrett@oireachtas.ie;
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; john.brassil@oireachtas.ie;
declan.breathnach@oireachtas.ie;
pat.breen@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie;
tommy.broughan@oireachtas.ie;
james.browne@oireachtas.ie;
richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie;
peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; joan.burton@oireachtas.ie;
mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie;
thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie;
dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; sean.canney@oireachtas.ie;
ciaran.cannon@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie;
pat.casey@oireachtas.ie; shane.cassells@oireachtas.ie;
lisa.chambers@oireachtas.ie;
michael.collins@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie;
joan.collins@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.connolly@oireachtas.ie;
ruth.coppinger@oireachtas.ie;
marcella.corcorankennedy@oireachtas.ie;
simon.coveney@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie;
michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; sean.crowe@oireachtas.ie;
david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; john.curran@oireachtas.ie;
clare.daly@oireachtas.ie; jim.daly@oireachtas.ie;
michael.darcy@oireachtas.ie; john.deasy@oireachtas.ie;
pat.deering@oireachtas.ie; pearse.doherty@oireachtas.ie;
regina.doherty@oireachtas.ie;
stephen.donnelly@oireachtas.ie;
paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie;
timmy.dooley@oireachtas.ie; andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie;
bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oireachtas.ie;
damien.english@oireachtas.ie; alan.farrell@oireachtas.ie;
martin.ferris@oireachtas.ie;
frances.fitzgerald@oireachtas.ie;
michael.fitzmaurice@oireachtas.ie;
peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie;
charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie;
sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie;
kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie;
patthecope.gallagher@oireachtas.ie;
noel.grealish@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.griffin@oireachtas.ie;
john.halligan@oireachtas.ie; simon.harris@oireachtas.ie;
michael.harty@oireachtas.ie;
sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie;
seamus.healy@oireachtas.ie; danny.healy-
rae@oireachtas.ie; michael.healy-rae@oireachtas.ie;
martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie;
heather.humphreys@oireachtas.ie;
paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; billy.kelleher@oireachtas.ie;
alan.kelly@oireachtas.ie; enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie;
gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie; sean.kyne@oireachtas.ie;
john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie;
michael.lowry@oireachtas.ie;
marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie;
josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie;
micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie;
charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie;
marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie;
helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie;
michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
mattie.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
finian.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie;
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie;
joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; tony.mcloughlin@oireachtas.ie;
denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie;
mary.mitchelloconnor@oireachtas.ie;
kevin.moran@oireachtas.ie;
aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie;
michael.moynihan@oireachtas.ie;
imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie;
eugene.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
paul.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
eoghan.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
dara.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
catherine.murphy@oireachtas.ie;
margaret.murphyomahony@oireachtas.ie;
Denis.Naughten@oireachtas.ie;
hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie;
tom.neville@oireachtas.ie; carol.nolan@oireachtas.ie;
michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie;
caoimhghin.ocaolain@oireachtas.ie;
eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie;
sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie;
donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie;
aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie;
darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie;
jonathan.obrien@oireachtas.ie;
jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie;
kate.oconnell@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie;
patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie;
fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; kevin.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie;
fiona.oloughlin@oireachtas.ie; louise.oreilly@oireachtas.ie;
frank.orourke@oireachtas.ie; jan.osullivan@oireachtas.ie;
maureen.osullivan@oireachtas.ie;
willie.penrose@oireachtas.ie;
johnpaul.phelan@oireachtas.ie;
thomas.pringle@oireachtas.ie;
maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie;
anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie;
shane.ross@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.ryan@oireachtas.ie;
eamon.scanlon@oireachtas.ie;
sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; roisin.shortall@oireachtas.ie;
brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; brid.smith@oireachtas.ie;
niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brian.stanley@oireachtas.ie;
david.stanton@oireachtas.ie; peadar.toibin@oireachtas.ie;
robert.troy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie;
mick.wallace@oireachtas.ie;
katherine.zappone@oireachtas.ie
http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/st-
3.jpg
https://www.thetimes.co.uk//garda-chiefs-phone-missing-
in-
A mobile phone used by garda commissioner Nirn
OSullivan at the time of the alleged smear campaign
against whistleblower Maurice McCabe has gone missing.
It was one of a number of smartphones sought by Peter
Charleton, the Supreme Court judge who is investigating
whether there was a conspiracy among senior gardai to
smear McCabe after he exposed abuse of the penalty-
points system and raised concerns about policing in
Cavan/Monaghan. A phone used at the time by Martin
Callinan, the former commissioner, has also gone missing
as have mobile handsets used by other garda witnesses.
Charleton sought possession of the phones in an order his
tribunal served on Garda headquarters. The judge also
sought possession of Sim cards, copies of call logs and
data, text messages

Damaging revelations
against University of
Limerick in tonight's
RTE Investigates
UL PAID ALMOST $100,000 FOR
DOCTORATES OF TWO SENIOR MANAGERS

Anne Sheridan
25 May 2017
FURTHER damaging revelations against the University of Limerick
will be broadcast this Thursday night in a special RTE Investigates
documentary.
Following months of probing financial accounts in a number of third
level institutions, the RTE Investigations Unit has discovered
several payments by UL which will be subject to further scrutiny at
the Public Accounts Committee.
Members of the PAC who have seen the broadcast in advance
said they have been shocked by the revelations, after
questioning former UL president Don Barry and ULs director of
finance John Field at a hearing in March.
The PAC is now taking legal advice on representations made to
them, and will be calling representatives of UL to a further hearing.

Members of the PAC said that they are also disturbed by the fact
that UL issued legal proceedings against the Limerick Leader
newspaper and its former editor Alan English, following its original
report in September 2015 which focused on the suspension of two
whistleblowers in ULs finance department.
The women were offered nearly 60,000 each in confidential
severance packages, which they refused to accept. They remain
suspended on full pay.
The programme reveals that ULs director of finance, John Field,
has a small shareholding in his brothers company, Maverick
Communications International Ltd, which in the past seven yeas
competed for tenders and sold more than 200,000 worth of
business to UL.
RT Investigates | Universities UnChallenged | RT One
May 21, 2017
In a special report RT Investigates reveals how tens of millions of euro of taxpayers money
is wasted every year by Irelands universities and colleges.
Watch 9.35pm, Tuesday 23 May 2017, RTE One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8dupzl9gYY

In an email to a UL staff member, Mavericks owner did disclose

his connection during the procurement process.
However, Mr Field himself did not declare his interest, even though
it was he who was bound to do so under various different laws and
codes that govern this type of conflict.
The tenders were approved by Mr Fields department, but UL said
he was not directly involved in the contract and members are not
obliged to declare a interest that would not materially influence
them.
The programme will also focus on Tadhg Kearneys Jewellers on
Thomas Street in Limerick city.
Mr Kearney is himself a long-time member of ULs Governing
Authority, its highest decision making body.
In 2012 the board decided to bring in a new long-service awards
policy, but no tender was advertised.
Tommy Foy, the director of human resources at UL, contacted
three shops to get quotes for 300 engraved Cross pens and 130
engraved Bulova watches.
The lowest price quoted was 69,800.
And a couple of months later Mr Foy went back to the same shop,
on behalf of UL, to buy customised silver medallions for retirees to
the value of 42,000, in total spending more than 110,000
in Tadgh Kearney Jewellers.
Mr Kearney had not made any declaration of interest.
He said he was he was not at the Governing Authority meeting that
decided on the new awards policy and when he asked UL
afterwards he was told he did not need to declare.
In a statement he said: I was advised that no such obligation
existed, as I had taken no hand, act or part in any decision of the
University in respect of this contract and, as a result, could not
possibly have been materially influenced in the performance of my
functions.
UL said given time constraints of a one-off purchase, procurement
was limited.
The programme also reveals that UL paid almost $100,000 for
the online doctorates of two senior managers of its human
resources department from a private college in Amercia.
The two recipients were Tommy Foy, director of HR and Pat
Rockett.
UL also paid for their flights and hotels to attended a hooding
ceremony in Florida.
In Mr Foys case documents were also uncovered approving UL
spend on his tuition fees the documents were approved by
himself.
In recent weeks, the new president of UL, Dr Des Fitzgerald,
reversed the institutions position in calling for a new independent
review into a series of allegations regarding finances, governance,
HR issues, and the payment of severance packages to employees
many without authorisation from the Department of Education &
Skills.
The shift in ULs position came just days after the RTE
Investigations Unit sent its Governing Authority detailed
correspondence setting out what they had uncovered

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/251706/damaging-
revelations-against-university-of-limerick-in-tonight-s-prime-
time.html#.WSdhVIEocok.facebook
Well done leona and all whistleblowers, time for trinity and UCD to be exposed
Lets joint all the dots
Liz Howlin and Clare Loftus in the dpp's office should be
removed now
The same people had penalty points wiped by corrupt
senior guards and it was all covered up by the dpp's office
January 4 2014
RUGBY players, RTE stars, musicians, judges and some of the country's senior
legal professionals were among the people placed on a list of "sensitive"
borrowers compiled by the former Anglo Irish Bank.

The Irish Independent has learnt that the High Profile Persons (HPP) review,
presented to the board of Anglo on a quarterly basis after it was nationalised
in 2009, also includes an outspoken TD, accountants, stockbrokers,
developers and more than 60 prominent businessmen.

The almost exclusively male high-profile borrowers review -- also known as a

"politically exposed persons" or PEP list -- includes up to 20 former Anglo
staff members who had borrowed money from the bank.

One former rugby player had more than 50m in borrowings; and a senior
counsel owed at least 30m to Anglo (now known as IBRC) before it was
liquidated last year.

A number of senior UK businessmen owed almost 1bn to Anglo.

The review of sensitive or "politically exposed" borrowers was carried out by a

dedicated team of directors and senior managers following a review of loan
portfolios by a credit committee.

Many of the loans were performing -- where interest or capital was being
repaid -- at the time the bank was liquidated.

But other loans were impaired and some debtors could not agree a repayment
strategy with the lender.
The list of names included a series of property syndicates which included
judges, barristers, solicitors, surgeons and other professionals.

Several members of staff from Arthur Cox -- the magic-circle law firm that
advised the State and key agencies on the bank guarantee, the nationalisation
of Anglo and recapitalisations and restructuring plans -- were classified as
HPPs by Anglo.

Arthur Cox was appointed by the Fianna Fail-led government to advise on the
banking crisis, without a competitive tender, in late 2008.
Other solicitor/borrowers were placed on the HPP list because they acted for
the bank in some legal proceedings as well as borrowing from it.

A separate review of politically sensitive investors was also carried out by

Anglo.

Investors, many of whom had borrowed from the bank in order to invest in
Anglo-promoted products, had investments valued at more than 250m
according to the investor review.

Investors who may have lost out when the bank was nationalised included
members of the judiciary, journalists, entertainers and several pension
schemes. Anglo staff also lost out.

The government, which nationalised Anglo in 2009, liquidated the lender in

February 2013 following an all-night sitting of the Oireachtas dubbed "prom
night".

Some of the high-profile borrowers' details were provided by the IBRC to the
State under a dedicated Relationship Framework document regulating
dealings between the Minister for Finance and the bank after it was taken into
state ownership.

The details of some -- but not all -- high-profile borrowers were given to the
State, but only if the borrower's exposure had a significant public-interest
dimension in terms of litigation or reputational issues that may have affected
the bank or the State.

This included the State's handling of so-called legacy-debt issues arising from
the bank bailout.

Dearbhail McDonald and Thomas Molloy

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rte-stars-judges-and-rugby-
elite-who-owe-anglo-millions-29887499.html

Lets joint all the dots

Liz Howlin and Clare Loftus in the dpp's office should be
removed now
The same people had penalty points wiped by corrupt
senior guards and it was all covered up by the dpp's office

Garda whistleblowers not

contacted in McCabe
inquiry, TD claims
Clare Daly rebuked by Minister for saying Garda
Commissioner misled Oireachtas
Thu, Nov 10, 2016, 14:19
Michael O'Regan
Clare Daly said people would be forgiven for thinking the review was put
together as a fig leaf for Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald to take cover
for her lack of action on the issue. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
A retired High Court judge has failed to request material
from Garda whistleblowers in his review of the treatment
of Sgt Maurice McCabe, the Dil has been told.
The claim was made on Thursday by Independent TD
Clare Daly, who said people would be forgiven for
thinking the review was put together as a fig leaf for
Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald to take cover for
her lack of action on the issue.
That view has been strengthened when we find, with a
week to go to the issuing of his report, the former judge
has not requested any material from either of the two
whistleblowers, she added.
He has not met either man he has not even spoken to
either man.
Last month, the Government appointed Mr Justice
Iarfhlaith ONeill to review four reports from within the
Garda on the treatment of whistleblower Sgt McCabe.
He is due to report next week.
The claims were made in protected disclosures to the
Minister by two Garda whistleblowers and relate to an
alleged smear campaign against Sgt McCabe.
Ms Daly said the only interaction was a request two
weeks ago to the whistleblowers legal teams to pass on
the protective disclosure to Garda Commissioner Noirin
OSullivan.
You couldnt make this up, Ms Daly added. What sort
of an inquiry do you honestly expect us to believe this
is ?
She said Mr Justice ONeill was given no powers of
compellability, no terms of reference, while attempts
made by other whistleblowers to have their cases also
heard were ignored.
Ms Daly also claimed Ms OSullivan had misled an
Oireachtas committee when she stated she was not privy
to information about a campaign of harassment against
any member of the force.
The commissioner, said Ms Daly, had been in direct
receipt of 14 occurrences and letters outlining precisely
that situation.
Ms Fitzgerald said the good name and reputation of all
individuals deserved respect and fair procedures.
She said Ms Daly was putting on the record various
points about a report which a judge was currently
conducting and due to submit next week.
You have said you have access to details of that, Ms
Fitzgerald added. I dont This is an independent
report by a judge.
She said she had no doubt the retired judge would make
clear any concerns about a lack of co-operation.
Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail said TDs had
absolute privilege and had to be careful on how it was
used. It had been a longstanding precedent that
allegations would not be made about people outside the
House.
It was inappropriate to make allegations about an
Oireachtas committee being misled, he added.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireacht
as/garda-whistleblowers-not-contacted-in-mccabe-
inquiry-td-claims-1.2862788
OUR LITTLE GREEN LAND
HAS BEEN PLUNDERED BY
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
-
Feb 15, 201

We are Irish and as Irish we are proud of our beautiful luscious green
island off the west coast of Europe. A land famous for its forty shades
of Green and its bountiful rivers and lakes, all provided by the
abundant clouds above.

We are Irish, and as such we are famous for our friendliness and our
welcome, we are famous for our love of family and our traditions. We
are famous for our love of music and song, and our poetry. And the
black stuff. We are famous for having helped build many other nations,
As Irish we are scattered to the 4 corners of the world, and our patron
saint is commemorated in many countries.
We Irish work hard, look after our families young and old and care for
others. We are the island of 100,000 welcomes and we always have
the kettle on the boil. Sure you will, you will, you will have a cup of
tea.

We love to chat, sing, and laugh, surrounded by friends and family,

and there is never a stranger, just a new friend yet to be met.

And to allow us to work, rest and play, we employ a team of workers to

manage our little land. A team who we pay, each of us according to our
means, with a percentage of our income. This management team are
also known as the Government.. I think many countries employ
the same system. But I will give you this bit of advice
WATCH YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Our little country has just been plundered by a Management Team who
were double jobbing and working behind our backs for others.

We took our eye off the ball and let the team full reign to manage. The
team went off partying with their pals the Bankers and Developers
while they should have been watching our back. They were nibbling
away at the money we gave them, funding junkets here there and
everywhere. They were having a ball, not on their own money, but the
money from housekeeping.

The Team has been changed over the years, but this has been the
worst. They dont care if we sack them, because we made a mistake at
the very start, somehow we had agreed that if and when they left we
would still pay them as a thank you for their service. We are a trustin
generous race. So even when we sacked and replaced any of them we
still had to pay them for life (pension).

Then the day came when the Bankers and their friends had the carpet
pulled out from under them and crashed to the ground. They had all
been on a gambling spree, and lost.
Soon things start to unravel for us...we discover that our Team
have given over our monies to bail out their pals. Then we discover
that they have even borrowed money in our name to help their pals
clear their debt, using us and our little green haven as collateral.

They said the bankers were their friends, they reckon we just used
them to manage, while the bankers scratched their backs and partied
with them and even gave them presents, through their friends the
developers, all nicely wrapped in brown paper.

When we told them we had no intention of paying off the loans of their
reckless gambling friends, we discovered too late, that they had
already borrowed billions in our name to help them.

Even worse, the lenders they used now want their monies back, with
colossal interest. We said no but no one was listening to us.

Its amazing. Imagine employing someone to manage your household

fulltime. Then you discover they are working for others, partying with
their friends, and not looking after your house. And even if you sack
them you still have to pay them. They have taken the housekeeping
money and given it to their friends, borrowed money in your name and
now the money lenders are chasing you.

Oh wait, their friends have a solution. Our lovely green land has an
abundance of water falling from its skies, water which we have
nurtured, and spent our money on, ensuring all our citizens have a
water supply. We even gave more money from 1997 raising our VAT by
2% and Road tax by 5% with this money to be given to the
management team, just to maintain our water. We are still giving this
extra amount, we know how important clean fresh water is to all our
citizens.
Now in this lovely green land watered by the skies, they want to take
the pipes we put in and paid for and continue to pay for, and sell them
off to the highest bidder to pay off a bit of their friends loan.

Have they gone mad, or do they think we have gone mad. Either way
they are now kidnapping our water pipes and demanding a ransom to
allow us to have them back.
The Management Company has gone rogue. They are now dragging
people from their homes and having them threatened for saying NO
and standing up and saying enough is enough.

OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS GONE BERSERK

If anyone out there has had an experience similar, and managed to

escape the tyranny of an out of control management team, please
contact us. We need all the help we can get. We hear a country called
Greece is having similar problems. We wish them success and hope
help will come their way, and our way, really soon.

In the meantime, do feel free to drop if for a visit as we are still the
welcoming little island we always were. We still sing and dance, we
work hard and we hate injustice. We love our families, communities
and our friends. We love meeting new people and having visitors. We
just got hoodwinked into putting a system in place where our
Management Team could steal and bully us.

If you hear any rumours of dissidents, terrorists, jihadists, mobs,

fringe fractions or other labels just have yourself a laugh, this is just
management team speak for
Weve been caught
Journalists Back HPV
Vaccine, Is Science the New
Religion?
-
May 4, 2017
Cervical cancer: If you want to give medical advice on vaccinations,
become a doctor
Tuesday, May 02, 2017, Irish times Jessica Casey)

I have republished the words from the article responding to

each sentencesorry for the length..
Original in italics with brackets.
Response in bold

By Pat Greene

the author is part of a belief system similar to a religion, do not

question the scientistsdo not question the bishop

(Eight years ago Mary Harney was being lambasted for not
introducing the cervical cancer vaccination into Ireland, says Matt
Hewitt, consultant obstetrician and gynecologist at Cork University
Maternity Hospital (CUMH).)
Now we have it for free and its been shown to be safe, its been
shown to be effective and people are listening to false stories, false
rumors, unsubstantiated claims of harm, and not receiving the vaccine
which is just frightening. Its a massive concern.)

What company or person is paying for all our free shots?

Safe,..for whom? Prove that they are false, you may say that
the claims are anecdotal but for a scientist to dismiss them as
false shows the arrogance of a deeply held beliefsimilar to a
religion! The use of emotive language, frightening and concern,
from the scientist is not scientific.

(We have this amazing piece of science thats gone on since the 30s
where the papanicolaou [pap screen] [named after George
Papanicolaou, a Greek pioneer in cytopathology and early cancer
detection] realised we could take a smear to detect precancerous cells
of the cervix.)
Fine with PAP smearsI have some reservations but its ok

(Now were at a stage where we can actually prevent people getting

cancer of the cervix by getting a vaccination. That is an unbelievable
scientific progress.)

Prevention is NOT provenonly the absence of a virus is

believed to be proven and beneficial, and is it progress

(So where has the concern about the vaccination come from?)

Ans. The parents and children inflicted with the aftermath of

using the shot.

(Speaking at the recent Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) annual

conference, Health Minister Simon Harris blamed random social media
accounts for spreading unsubstantiated safety concerns about the
vaccination.)

Arrogance what arrogance, speaking to too many bishops

sorry medics.. me thinks.

(We have vaccines in this country that can prevent death, said Mr
Harris. We have a vaccine that can prevent girls from dying of cancer.
And yet we have uninformed nonsense interfering with medical efforts
to save lives. Shame on them.)

Shame on him for NOT serving (minister means serving) the

people as he is contracted to it does not say he is to serve some
of the peopleit is ALL the people. This is a clear example of an
emotional outburst; emotions are triggered by belief not logic.

(If you want to give medical advice on vaccinations, become a doctor.

If not, get out of the way and stay away from our public health
policy.)
What a disgusting attitude from an upstart who must believe
that he is a ruler not a servantWE PAY HIS WAGES.HE DOES
NOT PAY OURS!!

(But whatever the foundations, concerns persist and are growing.)

Because they are real.

(A support group set up by parents of Irish teenage girls who believes

their daughters developed serious health problems after entering
secondary school posted a Facebook video entitled HPV vaccination
for 12-year-old girls Make up your own mind.)

Funny how the word believes is used when talking about

those who see, feel, hear, touch, smell, and live with the results
of the jab.

(At the time of writing, this video had amassed 1,328,562 views and
more than 3,000 comments. The video has been shared almost 30,000
times across the social media platform.)

Does this not inform our servant that he is backing the wrong
horsewho voted for this plebeian?..oops emotions getting the
better of me.

(Viewers are encouraged to share and spread the word to ensure that
parents are fully informed, before they make their minds up on behalf
of their daughters.)

Yes because they are/were only receiving the information from

those who believe in their actions as medics. One sided
information.

(The vaccine needs to be banned and discontinued forever! one

public comment on the video reads).
Is there a ban on free speechthis is an irrelevant loaded
quote with no reason to be printed here other than to discredit
the organisation it might be relevant if the organisation said
it.

(Other comments express concern one wrote: My daughter is due

to get the HPV vaccine tomorrow in school and after seeing this and
reading some of the comments Im not sure she should get it.)

So a parent decided to question the cardinal/bishop ..sorry,

medical evidence and what is the point in including this
families opinion people are entitled to express their opinions
AND QUESTION MEDICAL BELIEFS.

(As with all health campaigns, especially one that can potentially save
lives, getting the right information out to the public is essential, says
consultant in infectious diseases at Cork University Hospital and
president-elect of the RCPI, Professor Mary Horgan.)

Never a truer word spokenbut why did the HSE instruct its
staff to remove the public information leaflets from the vaccine
boxes, leaflets pharmacies and drug suppliers must include in
the box by law!

(Whats important from a doctors point of view, or a healthcare

professional, is ensuring that the public get the best information thats
based on science, on research, on publications and on experience,
says Prof Horgan)

I repeat comment.

Never a truer word spokenbut why did the HSE instruct its
staff to remove the public information leaflets from the vaccine
boxes, leaflets pharmacies and drug suppliers must include in
the box by law!
(The dropped uptake for the vaccination is very concerning, Prof
Horgan says, especially from her position as a specialist in infectious
disease.)

Emotions again..logic please!

(Parents need to base their decisions about the vaccination on

scientific evidence and not on advice from social media, she advises.)

Public information sheetwhy was it removed?

(Individuals impart information that may not be based on scientific

background. I think thats in the context of knowing that many
diseases are drastically reduced or even eradicated because of
vaccines.)

Said the bishop..

(People dont remember the 1950s when there were outbreaks of

polio that impacted on patients people died from it, people were
disabled from it. The onset of vaccines for polio prevented that and we
dont see it anymore.)

There are many other correlations between disease reduction

and the causes of disease reduction

(However, the Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme

Trauma (Regret) support group, set up by parents of Irish teenage
girls who developed serious health problems after entering secondary
school, says concerns are not being addressed.)

If they were, this article would be very different.

(These parents are certain that the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) is the
cause of their daughters otherwise unexplained illness, the groups
website reads.)

The web site cant speak but a phone call would allow you to
speak to a rep. from the group.

(The group maintains there are hundreds of Irish school girls who have
developed serious, inexplicable health issues after receiving the
vaccination.)

the group..read ..the parents of children.

(Sean Wynne, a teacher from Leitrim, became involved with the

Regret support group after his daughter became ill. Today he is the
secretary of a separate organisation called the Gardasil Awareness
Group.)

(He believes there is a complex political manoeuvre by official

Ireland to ostracise anyone with reservations about Garadsil.)

Agreed

(If you are calling for an investigation, that there should be a review,
they say the science is there to say its 100% safe.)

Default positionrefer to the bishops findings.

(But I contend that it is not 100% safe having had a daughter wander
around for four years in the medical wilderness.)

The bishops of the church of the HSE system will protect the
system at all costsisnt that what churches do.
(Mr Wynne claims his daughter became ill after receiving the HPV
vaccination in secondary school, developing symptoms such as food
intolerances, continued tiredness, constant head pain, buzzing in the
ears, brain-fog, and lack of concentration, sensitivity to light and
unexplained rashes post-vaccination.)

Common to all children inflicted with the outcome of the jab.

(Doctors could not offer Mr Wynne or his family an explanation as to

what was causing her symptoms.)

(I would be 100% for vaccinations, he said. My wife and I wouldnt

have put our daughter through this if we thought there was a risk. To
come along and ostracise and almost refute the existence of these girls
is a terrible silent injustice.)

This is the experience of hundreds of inflected children and

their familiesremember, a red sea pole about a political
partys statement will canvases approx. 1200 people and the
journalists put so much faith in them yet this group is growing
weekly..

(Last year, a review by the European Medicines Agency found no

evidence that HPV vaccines cause chronic fatigue-like conditions,
complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), or postural orthostatic
tachycardia syndrome (POTS).)

Evidence?, if you and you colleagues read from the same books
and adhere by the same rules the same outcome will be arrived
at each and every time

(The study found no evidence that the overall occurrence of these

syndromes in girls who received the HPV vaccine is different to those
who had not, even taking into account possible under-reporting.)
Same books same rules.

(Mr Wynne disputes this study. The HSE expects that 300 parents and
their families and all their connections to accept that its this chronic
fatigue syndrome.
That these girls would have all these conditions, that my daughter
would have these conditions even if they had never got the vaccine.
the EMA study. However, Prof Horgan says parents must base their
decision on scientific evidence such as)

EMA study= they studied their existing books and systems

and do not want to change them in the light of new reports and
evidencethe bishops are circling the wagons.

(I respect people coming from different areas, Prof Horgan says.

But all we can do, and all you can do, is base it on the scientific
evidence that is out there.)

A bishop speaking about his system and that he is protecting it.

(When you do see people coming in with vaccine-preventable diseases

you are left saying Oh my god, I wish this person had been
vaccinated. We see the bad outcomes of vaccine preventable
disease.)

Emotional attachment that disregards the human costso long

as his family is not inflected.

(In her professional opinion, is there anything in the argument that

this vaccination causes extreme adverse effects?)

professional opiniondoctors differ patients die. An opinion!

The parents opinion, or should I say the Families opinion is
above all positive law..see our 1937 constitution.
(There isnt, I mean because the function of drug regulatory
programmes, we have the Health Product Regulatory Agency here or
in Europe we have the European Medicines Agency, is to monitor
adverse reactions to drugs, and vaccines and devices and there has
been no signal with HPV vaccines.)

A badly constructed reporting system will always report badly

the belief in the infallibility of the system is palpable at this
point.

(If you look at the side effects of everything we take thats medicinal,
there has to be a huge array of side effects put on because potentially
they could happen. But the thing with vaccines is that there is a huge
amount of monitoring. If side effects are reported they are looked at,
Professor Horgan explains.)

If there is a huge amount of monitoring why is this pattern of

complaint, same pains, same organ failures, same time frames,
and same order of symptoms etc. repeating itself all around the
worldthis is not confined to Irelandbishop protecting his
church.

(What happens is there is a huge database, not just a report here and
there, its everything thats looked at together to see if there is a
signal, in other words what side effects seem to be more common,
anything that would alert us or give us concerns about it.)

It must be set up to fail or it is just badly designed!

(The Health Protection Regulatory Body (HPRA) received 245

complaints of adverse reactions associated with the use of the HPV
vaccine over the last two years.
The majority of reports are consistent with reactions described in the
vaccinations product information such as fainting, gastrointestinal
symptoms, malaise, headache, dizziness and injection site reactions,
although there have been some reports describing persisting or chronic
fatigue, the HPRA added).

HPRAhow independent is an organisation that is heavily

funded by the pharmaceutical companiesHimm .. for justice to
be done justice must be seen to be done.

(At their annual conference last month, the Teachers Union of Ireland
called for a review of the HPV vaccine programme in schools.
But according to the health minister, there is no need for a review. The
vaccine is safe, and doctors must do all they can to get that message
out.)

Mr. Upstart at it again..Arrogance.

(Doctors have an extremely important role in reassuring parents by

providing clear and accurate information on the benefits of
vaccination.)

And what about the adverse reactions the non benefit side
talking up any product is negating his responsibilities to the
families of our nation.

(Lets tell people in no uncertain terms that it is you, the

doctors, who are the experts, and the people who are most trusted to
know what is best for our peoples health and well-being, young and
old.)

If you believe and trust doctors implicitly that is your

prerogative. But when I or my family have a problem it is you
obligation under our agreement, AKA the 1937 constitution, to
address my concerns in the way I see fit.

In a republic who gives you the right to deny me access to my

hospitals, my testing labs and equipment, my staff?
Tell me his or her name so that I can bring them to court

who gave the medical industry sole access to my health

system?

WHO?

Keep your medical religion, your belief to you self and your
family, stop denying my familys right to health and by forcing
your beliefs on me and my family!!

The arrogance of the medical profession equals that of the

hierarchy of the churchesand nears the arrogance of
warmongers!

In answer to my question at the top of the article.among all

the parties quoted in this article..
The only people giving medical advice is the doctorsthe
bishops of the medical system!
Child protection failings: Its going to shock you
beyond belief
Prof Shannons report details barbaric abuse of children by parents,
writes Cormac OKeeffe
Dr Geoffrey Shannon at the launch of his report in Garda
HQ in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

CHILDREN treated like human trash. Children subjected

to barbaric treatment and staggering levels of trauma.
Lives that have been left shattered.
Its a story that has been told in this country before, many
times. But this is not times past; this is now.
And its not at the hands of the Catholic Church - its at the
hands of parents.
Professor Geoffrey Shannon said this was an unpalatable
truth, one that politicians and the media, in particular,
appeared to be reluctant to name.
He was speaking at the launch of his report on the use of
Garda emergency child protection powers, a report
commissioned for An Garda Sochna.
In an unscripted and impassioned 40-minute address, he
said every parent in the country should read chapter 3
of his 346-page report. Its going to shock you, shock you
beyond belief, he said.
He said he and his team were genuinely shocked that this
was the Ireland of 2015/2016 and 2017.
He said: The trauma inflicted on children by their parents
is just staggering.
Prof Shannon said it was easy to blame state agencies, but
stressed that parents had the first responsibility to care for
their own children.
Children are treated like human trash in some of these
cases. I dont use those words lightly. The 91 narratives do
no sugarcoat the barbaric treatment some children suffer.
He said these cases raised wider issues, and that his
report was as much to do about Irish society as it was
about the workings or failures of the Child and Family
Agency (Tusla) and An Garda Sochna.
He said the prevalence of domestic violence, not
necessarily physical in nature, had not abated and that
this should concern us.
But he spoke at length about the role of alcohol in his 91
cases.
One of the biggest issues facing society is the adverse
consequences for the welfare of many children posed by
alcohol abuse.
He said there was a persistent ambivalence of
governments in this area.
The failure on the part of society to comprehensively
address the alcohol problem as a fundamental threat to
the proper functioning of individuals and communities
leaves the child protection system dealing with
insurmountable problems.
Theres a clear message for government: the government
needs to step up to the plate in terms of taking on vested
interests and saying enough is enough.
Prof Shannon then turned his focus to what those agencies
responsible for this area were doing. But he said he felt
compelled firstly to respond to a statement issued by
Tusla before his report was launched.
It made a point to say that this was a report for the garda,
that Tusla was not involved in its production and that its
staff were not interviewed for it.
Prof Shannon said this had caused him much distress
and said he had extensive contact with Tusla. Tusla later
clarified their position and apologised to Prof Shannon.
He said the point of the report was to examine how garda
were utilising emergency powers under Section 12 of the
1991 Child Care Act.
On the whole, he gave high praise to garda on the
frontline. He said the overwhelming finding was that
members committed great efforts to treating children
sensitively and compassionately.
He said many members worked long beyond their rostered
hours to organise care for a child. He said they
demonstrated on the whole a significant degree of critical
sophistication in exercising their power.
In all cases examined garda demonstrated a restrained
use of section 12 powers, he said.
He added that he found no evidence of racial profiling,
but qualified this to say that the Garda Pulse computer
system did not routinely record ethnic data.
His finding stands starkly against that of former Childrens
Ombudsman Emily Logan who examined gardas use of
powers in the so-called Roma cases, concluding that they
had used racial profiling.
He added. In my view, and I say this without qualification,
hundreds of children would go unprotected without the
work of rank and file members of An Garda Sochna. Its
very important to say this.
Not that he did not have criticisms for the force, including
the lack of training provided to garda.
He said the overwhelming majority of current members
had not received training on child protection.
There is a deep-seated culture in An Garda Sochna
privileging on-the-job training over, and often to the
detriment of, formal core training.
He also criticised Pulse, saying it did not provide
consistent and accurate data on this area.
Moreover, he said that while the rhetoric of the force was
the need for interagency work with Tusla, the reality fell
far short.
He welcomed the establishment of the Garda National
Protective Services Bureau, which will have Tusla staff
seconded to it. He also welcomed divisional units, three of
which will start in the next fortnight.
This area was where the bulk of his concerns lay the lack
of interagency work with Tusla along with Tuslas out of
hours services and concerns he had regarding private
foster care services. Very clearly, interagency
cooperation at the moment is overwhelmingly inadequate
in this area. There is a problem with agencies operating in
silos. That needs to be tackled.
He said it was essential that the services share
information and said that a cultural shift needs to
happen and suggesting co- located services, like he had
seen in the UK and New York. He said there was
considerable criticism from garda regarding Tuslas
emergency out of hours service.
He welcomed Tuslas establishment in November 2015 of
out of hours services for parts of the country but said he
still had concerns.
He said vulnerable children using the out of hours service
should not have an inferior service or punished on the
basis of geography, in some cases having to travel
hundreds of miles for an emergency foster care.
He said Tusla was heavily reliant on private foster care
services. He said there was a pattern of private foster care
services refusing to take children with challenging
behaviour.
I found this absolutely scandalous, he said.
He said Tusla should not be so reliant on private services
and called for changes to legislation removing any
ambiguity regarding the requirement to take such
children.
He said his report was a wake-up call for society.

These children do not need our sympathy they need our

action.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/child-protection-
failings-its-going-to-shock-you-beyond-belief-451227.html

If we want the best

childcare, we have to pay
those who deliver it
Minister Katherine Zappone

June 1 2017

As a parent of three children under 15 and an unpaid board

member of a local childcare service in Beaumont, Dublin, I'm
amazed, and I don't mean in a good way, at how Minister
Katherine Zappone can announce this new 'Affordable Childcare'
subsidy from September. She has done so without any detail in
advance of Budget 2018 regarding who exactly qualifies and
without a clear picture at this point of what fee - if any - will be
paid to childcare professionals for the humongous amount of
administration time required to get this show on the road by
September.

How can our ministers and Government departments expect early

years educators to work for free? And this vague promise, as per
the article yesterday, that 'Minister Katherine Zappone will push
for extra funding for crches delivering the affordable childcare
scheme as part of her negotiations for Budget 2018', does not pay
the bills. I commend Ms Zappone for bringing in these new
schemes, but we will never have the best childcare service in the
world if we don't pay the people who deliver it properly.

Remember, many childcare staff have to go on the dole over the

summer months. Ms Zappone can't announce a service that she's
not willing to pay for.

Where did Michael Noonan stand on the Government

incompetence as regards Irish Water - massive waste of money,
almost on par with the 50% leakage, where did he stand on
allowing NAMA to sell off Irish mortgages to vulture funds and
then allow them to evict Irish citizens onto the public purse, where
did Michael Noonan stand on raiding the pension funds of prudent
savers, where did Michael Noon stand when he return from Europe
and told us that Europe was going to recognise the fact that we
bailed out banks across the continent and that Europe would look
after us ? He was not the finest or near finest Minister of Finance -
people need to get real !
hey don't "choose to do it for free". They do it from a sense of
obligation to support their children who are on low wages, insecure
employment and face exorbitant childcare costs. They do it even
though it drains them physically and financially.
Businesses and the State have been driving down employee wages,
benefits and entitlements for the past decade and pocketing the
savings.
Grandparents pick up a large part of the burden, both in providing
free childcare and in providing financial support to their embattled
children. An increasingly-large part of the workforce could not
continue in their jobs if grandparents withdrew their time and
their money.
Maybe it is what we should do, a grey revolution that would finally
force a sea-change in how our society is arranged and end the
obscene imbalance in who benefits from it.
Great the way society is changing that family doesn't matter but
money does.
Families want the state to look after everyone so other families
members can have a good life.
I have no problem with people getting respite care to give them a
break from giving 24/7 care to a family member. But I do have a
problem with those who wont and think its the states job.

You hear it when it comes to the what's known as the family home.
Children do not want to sell the their parents house to pay for their
care, and go on about how they'd love to see their parents back at
home. When they know full well that they can no longer be
independent. All they want is the inheritance from the sale of the
home. Rather than selling the home and using those funds to take
care of their parents.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/if-we-want-the-best-childcare-
we-have-to-pay-those-who-deliver-it-35776750.html

The Maternity Hospital & Fine Gael Madness

21st April 2017

Leaving aside (for a minute) the religious issue of org refusing to pay their victims,
the handing over of the new national maternity hospital is still mass public,
considered madness by the latest crazy actions of Fine Gael.

The handing over of the 300+ Million brand new hospital to an religious
organisation appears to be excused because the land it was built on, was owned by
the Sisters of Charity. In fact, the Fine Gael government had it any brains or balls,
could have issued a compulsory purchase order for the land, in the national interest.
This is something it could do under the rules laid out in Ireland national constitution.

Compulsory purchase orders have been many times issued over many decades
without any politician breaking into a sweat about it but it still appears that when it
comes to the religious orgs in Ireland, they once again get higher special treatment.
They not only get a pass on a compulsory purchase order issued to them but they
are then gifted a massive modern financial asset, to add insult to injury. The further
injury being that its is public money that has paid for this hospital and then Fine Gael
gave it away.

Injury created through a hospital care of Fine Gael. There is depressing and crazy
irony in there!

The latest crazy costly action by Fine Gael exposes yet again how their Dail
spoken words of accountability and doing what is right, are complete utter
rubbish. Once again they have put the publics money and concerns down in
preference over a religious organisation.
Once again, Fine Gael has kow-towed to a religious organisation and shown that its
far from willing to separate church from state.

It is very important to note Fine Gael is currently PR spinning the matter as just
something to do with input into the running of the hospital but the matter is far,
far more about others aspects however, Fine Gael are hoping the general public
wont notice this.

The question also has to be asked Why give an expensive modern building to a org
that frankly has NO modern day qualifications in any medical field? The Sisters of
Charity are not a medical organisation as much as your nearest boy or girl scout
troop. If it wasnt for the Fine Gael land excuse, your local fishing group would be just
as qualified to gain a 300 Million asset as a bunch of nuns. In fact, the fishing group
might have more skills on a technical level? This didnt matter a damn to Fine Gael as
it once exposed Ireland again, to be seen as stepping backward in step as it kow-
towed to a religious organisation.

The nation has built a possible new shining medical beacon for the world and what
does Fine Gael do? Hand the massive financial asset over to an org one that is
currently giving two fingers in hate, to abuse victims it created.
.
.
The Victims of Abuse

Yes, lets now bring up that abuse matter. Between the Sisters of Charity and other
religious organisations, they owe the state 700 Million Euro. In full truth, they owe
1.4 Billion. A previous government however agreed with them in a contract made,
that they would only have to pay half the amount, gain legal indemnity from being
further sued, if they paid 50% of what is owed.

As we now know, the religious orgs are refusing even to pay that 50%. They are
refusing to compensate their victims. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Labour and the Green
Party, ALL is letting them away with this.

There was previous PR words spoken that if they didnt pay up, assets would be
seized but as we know now, this was more blatant lies spoken. They probably knew
they were lies even as they said them.

The religious orgs are refusing to pay what they owe so in fact THEY HAVE
BROKE THEIR PART OF THE AGREED STATE DEAL. As they have done this,
in legal terms, they leave themselves open again, to prosecution. Fine Gael however
in kow-towing to them, once again doesnt have the balls to do this. Surprise-
surprise?

The state government if it had balls and brains, if it was willing to show Ireland as
progressive, separating church from state, would therefore go after those breaking
their end of an agreed deal but no Instead of progressing Ireland further, Fine
Gael once again has exposed Ireland as going backward and even worse, to the
cost of the Ireland citizen, rewarding an religious org that has broken their part of a
national deal, with a whopping 300 Million public funded asset.

Just how f**king crazy is this!

Fine Gael to sum up, has no balls, traitors to the people of Ireland, completely
untrustworthy and completely stupid. They have done some treacherous things
before and they will likely do so again before they are kicked out of office but their
latest action over a national maternity hospital will go down in Ireland history as one
of their biggest ever crazy f**k-ups.

All at the expense of the Irish public!

.
========================
.
What Would UnitedPeople Do?

Firstly, UnitedPeople would insist that the religious orgs current not
even paying what they agreed to pay, and thus having rescinded their
part of an agreed deal, would be prosecuted.
Secondly, compulsory purchase orders would be issued.
Thirdly, assets already belonging to the non-payers would be seized.
Fourthly, if the handover of the national maternity hospital goes ahead
as long planned by treacherous Fine Gael, UnitedPeople using the
powers within the Irish constitution, would seize it back. If those powers
were not enough, we would hold a referendum to further legislate so
that the constitution could be enhanced to give back to the public, what
they deserve.
The Labour party once again is trying to claw its way in to the
hearts and minds of Ireland people. Their latest announcement
(see HERE) that they would be willing to go into coalition with
Fianna fail or Sinn Fein, once again exposes how desperate they
are to try regain government office too.
This is the party that joined Fine Gael and for five years formulated
their own right-wing policies while backed up Fine Gael with many
fo their own. This is the party that repeatedly cut the wages of
workers nurses, careers, civil service staff including bus drivers,
fire services and the army (who wives and partners even
yesterday, were out Dublin protesting of the dire economic situation
they are currently still in). This is the Labour party that repeat cut
the money of parents while upping their own.
This is the Labour Party that wants to see the right-wing
privatisation agenda of the international TTIP/CETA agreements,
followed through undermining every state department including
our health service and air emergency services which Labour
allowed then Enda Kenny, in lower office, to cut in funding,
reducing it to far poorer funded service that it is today.
This is the Labour party that joined with Fine Gael in signing up Ireland to an new EU
army (see HERE) further decreasing Ireland neutrality and still allowed US military
aircraft to land in Ireland including during the rendition (kidnapping) periods of US
agencies activity.
This is the Labour party that not only stood by as further nepotism and cronyism
took place but were perceived by many including media reports, to be up to their
necks in such activity themselves!

Then there is the bin charges, the previous attempt at an internet tax (still coming
from Fine Gael), the continuation of the VRT imposition, for which Labour and Fine
Gael paid in EU fines (and still are) for its continuation then there was 40+ further
tax changes in fact the continuing bank bailouts and non-required payments to
bondholders (after Labour promising NOT to pay them) and a lot more The
election stated, red line issue they said they would not cross anyone remember
that one which they then soon after, crossed!
When all the above and far more was exposed, Labour joined Fine
Gael in passing a Dail bill (in the last days of the previous Dail) to
try stop public and media from gaining detailed access to their
activities and private expenditure madness, by further limiting what
could be disclosed under Irelands freedom of Information Act. All
this is on record.
Many in Ireland now consider Labour to be champaign socialists of
the worst kind, in modern Irish era.

This is the Labour that rammed down the throats of Louth people,
Ged Nash, after they election fired him. Labour then insulting and
bullying, shoved him into the Seanad and this is incredibly after
he previous campaigned to get rid of it! Mr Ged Nash however, was
quick to do a u-turn and accept the big wages from that though. As
was he also willing to accept the massive leaving bonus payments
and perks gained from being sacked as TD.
For the very few weeks that he was unemployed, he in fact, gained
far more money than an unemployed person would earn in a whole
year! His current habit of Facebook banning anyone that posts
solid criticism of him, has become well known to his home town
population. This is the same population of 38,000+ that were
informed of a meeting he previously held in a Drogheda town
center. Such was the level of disinterest in him, only ten turned up
in total including in that number one Garda and a member of his
own local party. Two women that attended, were deliberately there
to open criticise him.
And Labour not giving a crap what the people of Louth wanted,
forced this person upon them again, by sticking him into the
Seanad, much to the disgust of many in Louth. Mr Nash in reality,
is just one example of how Labour dont care really what the public
want but in ignoring the publics previous express feelings,
override them once again to suit party agenda first!

Labour while in government office, raking in their self-bumped up wages, like Fianna
Fail, did their own massive u-turns. It was and still is commented that Larkin and
Connelly, founder of the Labour movement, continue to roll in their graves at how
far the Labour Party and its members has betrayed the trust of Ireland people and
its founders.

Labour in Ireland have a major battle ahead of them. They are hoping that the
people of Ireland once again suffer from memory loss as time has moved on. They
hope to take advantage of time passing as they try to PR themselves into gaining
more votes.

They know they have a major battle ahead but perhaps they dont realise just how
hard others is willing to fight against them alone, for their previous many, many thug
bullying actions and betrayals including also, the water recharges which they too
with Fine Gael, tried to ram down the throats of a nation.

If Ged Nash and Labour think they are going to have it easy in any way, to gain more
seats again in the Dail, they once again could be in for a rude awakening
The Role of the Public
Prosecutor in Court
-
Mar 12, 2015

Author By Rita Cahill

The Role of the Public Prosecutor in Court

The DPP is a dominus litis. However, it would be very rare for either he
or any of his officers to prosecute a case in court in person. His role is
normally confined to determining matters such as: whether a
prosecution should be initiated and/or maintained, what charges
should be preferred, whether the case should be tried summarily or on
indictment, whether it should be tried in the ordinary courts or in the
Special Criminal Court, what proofs and other materials should be
tendered to the court as part of the prosecution case, what materials
should be disclosed to the defense and determining the prosecutions
position on any points of law or issues of public policy which may arise
in the course of the case. His decisions on such matters are conveyed
to and implemented by those responsible for preparing a case for and
presenting the case in court.

The prosecution case is presented in court by independent counsel in

private practice appointed on a case by case basis by the DPP. The DPP
is under a statutory obligation to ensure a fair and equitable
distribution of cases among barristers who have declared a willingness
to act for the DPP in prosecutions (Sect. 7 subs. 2 Prosecution of
Offences Act, 1974). In Ireland the legal profession is divided into
barristers (counsel) and solicitors. Generally, a solicitor works closely
with the client, prepares the paperwork, and gives instructions to and
provides back up for the barrister. The barrister conducts the oral
proceedings in court by examining witnesses for his client, cross-
examining witnesses called by the other side, presenting other
evidence for his client, making oral submissions on the law for the
benefit of his client and addressing the jury for his client. In
prosecutions the DPP stands in the position of the client. In the Dublin
Metropolitan Area he is represented by a solicitor from the office of
chief prosecution solicitor (a unit within the Office of DPP). Outside
Dublin he is represented by the local state solicitor acting on a contract
basis to (currently) the Attorney General. Whether inside or outside
Dublin the solicitor will act in support of the barrister in private practice
who will have been appointed to the case by the DPP.

As noted earlier the decision on what charges to prefer is a matter for

the DPP. It will often happen that charges will already have been
preferred against the accused by the Garda Siochana before the case is
sent on to the DPPs office. The DPP can maintain these charges or he
may change them. Although he is under no obligation to charge the
most serious offences that the evidence will bear, it is normal practice
to do so. Equally, it is normal practice for the indictment to include
lesser offences as a fallback position. The need for this practice has
declined in recent years as a result of developments in the law which
permit a jury to bring in a verdict of guilty to a lesser offence which is
not specified on the indictment but which is supported by the
allegations contained in the indictment.

The trial judge enjoys a broad power to remedy any defects in the
indictment at any stage of the trial so long as he is satisfied that any
such amendment would not cause injustice to the accused (Sect. 6
subs. 1 Criminal Justice (Administration) Act, 1924). This power is
normally used to cure technical defects in the indictment. It might also
be used to add a new charge to the indictment or to substitute an
existing charge on the indictment. Such changes will be triggered by
an application from the DPP and will only be accepted by the judge if
he is satisfied that they will not cause prejudice to the accused. In the
Irish adversarial trial system it is highly unlikely that the judge would
move on his own initiative to make such a substantial change on the
indictment. Moreover, it is virtually impossible to foresee a situation in
which he would add or substitute a more serious charge than any
already included in the indictment.

The examination and cross-examination of witnesses are conducted on

an adversarial basis. Counsel for the prosecution will open the trial
with an oral statement giving a summary of the facts that he intends
to prove against the accused. He will follow this by calling and
examining his witnesses one by one. At the end of each examination
the witness in question can be cross-examined by counsel for the
accused. At the close of the prosecution case the defense may make a
claim of no case to answer. In effect this means that the prosecution
has failed to present sufficient evidence upon which a jury could find
the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of any of the charges on
the indictment. If this fails the defense will have to decide whether to
call evidence or to let the case go to the jury for a decision. If the
defense decides to call evidence the defense counsel will call witnesses
in the same manner as the prosecution. Defense counsel will examine
these witnesses and they can be cross-examined by the prosecution.
The defense does not have to call the accused as a witness but if they
do he will be examined and cross-examined in the same manner as
any other defense witness. The judge may intervene at any stage to
put a question to a witness for the purpose of clarification. However, he
will keep this to a minimum. The judge does not normally seek to have
someone called as a witness where that person has not been called
either by the prosecution or the defense.

Both prosecution and defense counsel will make closing addresses to

the jury. The purpose of these addresses is to summarise their
respective cases in the light of the evidence and arguments adduced at
the trial. The actually summing up of the evidence for both sides is
done by the judge when counsel for the prosecution and defense have
completed their addresses.

Since the jury does not have any function in the matter of sentence,
the issue of what sentence should or should not be applied would not
normally arise in the course of the prosecutions address to the jury.
The issue of what sentence to impose upon conviction is a matter
solely for the judge. Before imposing sentence the judge will listen to
representations from defense counsel in favour of leniency. As a result
of a recent change in the law, the judge is also bound to receive
evidence from the victim about the impact that the offence has had on
his life if the victim requests to give such evidence (Sect. 5 subs. 1
Criminal Justice Act, 1993). (People (DPP) v MC, Court of Criminal
Appeal, June 16, 1995). There has never been a practice in Ireland of
the prosecution making representations to the court in favour of a
heavy sentence, or any particular type of sentence (People (DPP) v
Sheedy, Court of Criminal Appeal, October 15, 1999). Their role is
normally confined to giving a summary of the facts surrounding the
commission of the offence (in a case where the accused has pleaded
guilty) and a statement of the accuseds criminal record. As will be
seen below, however, the prosecution now has the power to seek a
review of the sentence imposed by the judge if they consider that it is
too lenient.
The Relation between the
Public Prosecutor and the
Police
-
Mar 12, 2015

by Rita Cahill
In Ireland no single body has a statutory monopoly over the
investigation or control of a criminal investigation. At common law any
person is free to pursue a criminal investigation and even to initiate
the criminal process by laying formal criminal charges against a
suspect. In doing so they are subject only to the law. A large number
of regulatory bodies are given specific powers to pursue investigations
and to pursue criminal complaints through the courts. The competence
of any such body in these matters is confined to minor criminal
offences arising within the scope of its administrative responsibility
(e.g. protection of the environment, consumer protection, health and
safety at work etc). As is the case with the ordinary citizen their
performance in these matters is not subject to control or oversight by
the general public prosecutor.

Most criminal investigations are carried out by the national police

force, the Garda Siochana. The legislation establishing the force does
not give it a statutory monopoly over any class of criminal
investigation, nor does it specifically define the function of the Garda
Siochana to include the investigation and detection of crime. However,
each individual member is entrusted directly by law with the full body
of common law and statutory police powers. This, together with the
fact that the force is established, organised, managed and resourced to
combat crime, ensures that in practice it is by far the primary body
with responsibility for the investigation and detection of crime. In
practice victims of a crime will report it directly to the Garda who will
commence an investigation on their own initiative. Equally, the Garda
perform a proactive role in the investigation of serious victimless
crimes. The public prosecutor never commences a criminal
investigation. In the exceptional cases where a criminal complaint
comes directly to the prosecutor he will refer it to the Garda Siochana
and will not retain a supervisory role in how it is investigated.

The Garda Siochana enjoys an exceptional degree of independence in

its investigation of crime. Because the full body of police powers attach
to a member by virtue of his office, he is independent in the lawful
exercise of the powers. Neither the public prosecutor nor the chief of
police (Garda commissioner) can direct him to exercise, or not to
exercise, the powers in any individual case. However, each member is
ultimately accountable to the Garda commissioner for the manner in
which he conducts a criminal investigation, while the commissioner
also has the general power of direction and control over all members of
the force. As such, he can assign members to particular duties and
investigations and he can prescribe operational policies. He is
responsible for the day-to-day management and general discipline of
the force. The commissioner is himself accountable to the Minister for
Justice for the performance of the force in providing a police service for
the State. That, however, is confined to explanatory accountability. It
does not entail a ministerial power to direct the commissioner in
operational matters such as criminal investigations. The commissioner
is not accountable in any way to the public prosecutor. Equally, the
public prosecutor has no power to issue binding instructions or
directions to the commissioner in respect of criminal investigations or
prosecutions.

In practice the Garda Siochana often works closely with the public
prosecutor. In respect of serious criminal offences the investigation will
be carried out by the Garda Siochana. When they have gathered
sufficient evidence to charge a suspect they will normally charge him
and transmit the file to the public prosecutor who will be responsible
for preparing the case for trial. It may happen in some cases that the
Garda will seek the advice of the prosecutor on legal matters in the
course of the investigation. Usually, this will concern advice on whether
certain conduct comes within the scope of a particular criminal offence,
or advice on whether a suspect should be released without charge, or
charged and brought before a court to be remanded. The prosecutor
invariably responds to these requests. The Public Prosecution System
Study Group recommended that the guidance issued from time to time
in response to ad hoc requests should be codified and consolidated to
form a constantly updated set of guidelines which would remain
confidential within the prosecution system to the extent that that was
necessary (see Report of the Public Prosecution System Study Group,
Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999, para. 5.9.3). In less serious offences
where the Garda will pursue the prosecution themselves requests for
advice may concern evidential or procedural matters. It also happens
from time to time that the public prosecutor requests the Garda to
carry out further investigations in a particular case.

These examples fall very short of a direct role for the public prosecutor
in criminal investigations. Ultimately, responsibility for a criminal
investigation carried out by the Garda Siochana rests with the Garda
commissioner. In practice the commencement and conduct of all
serious criminal investigations is a matter for the Garda. The Director
of Public Prosecutions has absolutely no role in setting priorities on
when investigations should or should not be commenced. Equally, the
Garda do not need the approval of the public prosecutor to commence
any particular investigation, nor do they need his approval for the use
of certain investigative techniques. Indeed, it would be improper for
the public prosecutor to direct a member of the Garda Siochana to
exercise his powers in a particular way in any individual case (State
(McCormack) v Curran, 1987, ILRM 225). It follows that the Garda are
not obliged to consult with the prosecutor on any aspect of an
investigation, nor can the prosecutor give them detailed instructions on
how they should conduct an investigation. While members of the Garda
might seek advice for the prosecutor from time to time, and while the
latter might request further investigations to be carried out from time
to time, the reality is that the discharge of the investigative function
and the exercise of the prosecutorial function are kept quite separate,
at least in serious criminal cases. It will be seen later that in minor
cases the two functions are often merged in the Garda Siochana.

The separation of the investigative and prosecutorial functions raises

the question of who has responsibility for enforcing the law and proper
standards in the conduct of the police investigation. The immediate
responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Garda commissioner. He is
directly responsible for ensuring that the members of the force comply
with the law and good practice in the conduct of investigations. This
includes the power and responsibility to put appropriate administrative
rules and procedures in place to complement the more general
requirements prescribed by law. As the disciplinary authority for the
force the commissioner can use the internal disciplinary procedure to
punish breaches of the law or good practice governing criminal
investigations. In addition there is an independent citizens complaints
system. As an integral part of this system all citizen complaints which
allege criminal conduct on the part of a member must be referred to
the DPP for consideration of possible criminal charges.

Ultimately, each member of the Garda Siochana is accountable to the

law for what he does or does not do in the course of a criminal
investigation. If a member behaves in a manner which amounts to a
criminal or civil wrong he is liable to be held accountable for his action
or inaction through the civil or criminal process. If a member resorts to
unlawful or improper methods in the gathering of evidence there is
also the possibility that that evidence will be excluded from the trial by
the trial judge on account of the impropriety in the methods by which
it was obtained. Indeed, the public prosecutor might even decide not
to proceed with a prosecution if he feels that key evidence will be
excluded because of the manner in which it was obtained. This can
function as an indirect channel through which the prosecutor can
influence police investigative practices.

The Relation between the

Public Prosecutor and the
Minister of Justice
-
Mar 12, 2015

By Rita Cahill
The Relation between the Public Prosecutor and the Minister of Justice
As noted above, no single body or person has a monopoly in the
prosecution of criminal offences in Ireland. At common law any person
(known as a common informer) is competent to initiate and conduct a
criminal prosecution. This broad competence is now confined to minor
offences which are tried summarily (Criminal Justice (Administration)
Act, 1924, Sect. 9). For offences which will be tried by judge and jury
(more serious offences) the common informer can still initiate the
prosecution and maintain it up to the point where the defendant is sent
for trial by judge and jury (State (Ennis) v Farrell, 1966, IR 107). At
this point the prosecution will either be taken over by the public
prosecutor or it will fall. Prosecutorial powers also vest in several
statutory bodies which were created as integral parts of administrative
regulatory schemes. Summary offences created in order to give effect
to the objectives of such a scheme are normally prosecuted by the
regulatory body entrusted with responsibility for the implementation of
the scheme. Like the common informer these bodies are confined to
summary prosecutions (TDI Metro Ltd (No. 2) v Judge Delap, 2000, 4
IR 337 and 520; Cumann Luthchleas Gael Teo v Windle, 1994, 1 IR
525). Where a statutory body fails to take a prosecution in any case
which is within its remit the public prosecutor can step in and initiate
the prosecution (Attorney General v Healy, 1928, IR 460).

The legislation establishing the Garda Siochana does not confer it or its
members with prosecutorial powers. However, at common law each
member of the force enjoys the status of a common informer (State
(Cronin) v The Circuit Court Judge of the Western Circuit, 1937, IR 34;
State (DPP) v District Justice Ruane, 1985, ILRM 349). As such they
have the same competence as the ordinary citizen to initiate
prosecutions which will be disposed of summarily (mostly minor
offences). Unlike the citizen they also enjoy a whole range of
investigative powers and resources which enhance their capacity to
pursue large numbers of prosecutions. In practice that is exactly what
they do. In terms of volume, members of the Garda Siochana handle
by far the most prosecutions in Ireland. Many of these are taken by
and in the name of the investigating officers concerned. In such cases
the public prosecutor cannot intervene to terminate or take over the
prosecution. Within the Dublin Metropolitan Area, as many as eighty
percent of summary cases are prosecuted by the Garda Siochana,
usually by the member who investigated the case. Outside of Dublin,
cases are normally taken by a designated sergeant or inspector. Even
where the prosecution is actually taken by a member of the Garda
Sochana, it will often happen that it is taken in the name of the public
prosecutor (People (DPP) v Roddy, 1977, IR 177). The latter has given
a general consent to this practice (Letter from DPP to Garda
Commissioner, dated January 9, 1975). His consent does not have to
be sought in each case, unless it is one in which the defendant has
made a complaint against the Garda arising out of the same incident
which gave rise to the criminal complaint.

The Garda Commissioner lays down general guidelines for the conduct
of prosecutions by members of the force (Report of the Public
Prosecution System Study Group, o.c. at para.20). These guidelines
are not normally made public. Nor are they absolutely binding on each
member of the force in the sense that they cannot prevent a member
from pursuing a prosecution if he decides in his capacity as a common
informer that a prosecution is warranted. There has been greater
transparency in the area of juvenile crime. Since the early 1960s the
Garda have operated a juvenile liaison scheme aimed at using cautions
as a means of keeping juveniles out of court in so far as possible. This
scheme was originally based on guidelines laid down by the Garda
Commissioner. It has since been put on a statutory footing (Childrens
Act, 2001, Part 4). The public prosecutor has also laid down guidelines
for the conduct of prosecutions (see below). These are applicable to
prosecutions taken by members of the Garda.

In 1924, the Attorney General was given a monopoly over all

prosecutions on indictment (Sect. 9 subs. 1 Criminal Justice
(Administration) Act, 1924). This meant that only he could initiate and
maintain a prosecution all the way through to trial by judge and jury.
The Attorney General is also the legal advisor to the government and is
closely identified with the government of the day. Irelands accession
to the European Community in 1973 resulted in a substantial increase
in his workload. This together with the recognition that the prosecution
process should be insulated from even the appearance of party political
influence, resulted in the creation of the new office of the Director of
Public Prosecutions (DPP) to handle prosecutions on indictment. This
office was created by the Prosecution of Offences Act, 1974 (Sect. 3)
which also transferred most of the prosecutorial functions of the
Attorney General to the DPP. The net effect is that the Attorney
Generals prosecutorial competence is now confined largely to a few
offences which might involve sensitive political and diplomatic
considerations. It is also worth noting that there is provision for the
government to make a temporary transfer of prosecutorial functions
back from the DPP to the Attorney General (Sect. 5 subs. 1 Prosecution
of Offences Act, 1974). This transfer can be effected in relation to
criminal matters of such kind or kinds as are specified in the transfer
order. The government can exercise this power whenever it is of the
opinion that it is expedient in the interests of national security to do
so. In practice the DPP is the sole public prosecutor in prosecutions on
indictment.

The office of DPP is established statutorily as a central office occupied

by a single incumbent based in Dublin. He is assisted by officers and
servants appointed by the Taoiseach (the Prime Minister). Many of
these are professional officers, namely barristers and solicitors to
whom much of the day-to-day decision-making on prosecutions is
delegated by the DPP. All of them are based in the Dublin office,
although one individual is seconded on a part-time basis to Eurojust.
Apart possibly from this Eurojust member, there are no specialist
prosecutors or prosecutors responsible for particular crimes.
Ultimately, the DPP is responsible for the decision to prosecute or not
to prosecute in an individual case, irrespective of whether it is taken by
him personally or by one of his staff.

There is a subdivision within the DPPs office that prepares cases for
prosecution in the Dublin area once the initial decision on prosecution
is taken. This subdivision comes under the general supervision of the
chief prosecution solicitor. Outside of Dublin the chief prosecution
solicitors function is discharged by state solicitors. These are solicitors
in private practice who provide prosecution services to the DPP
pursuant to contracts with the Attorney General. It is envisaged that
these contracts will be transferred from the Attorney Generals office to
the DPP in the near future. Where the Garda have prepared a file on a
case outside Dublin which might have to be tried on indictment they
will normally send it to the local State solicitor who in turn will transmit
it to the DPP for a decision on prosecution. Where the DPP decides in
favour of prosecution he will send the case back to the local state
solicitor to prepare it for prosecution. The local state solicitor also
functions as a valuable link between the Garda Siochana outside Dublin
and the DPP.

The qualifications for appointment to (and procedure for removal from)

the office of DPP are laid down by statute (Sect. 2 Prosecution of
Offences Act, 1974). He must be a practising barrister or solicitor at
the time of appointment and have practised as such for at least ten
years. The incumbent is appointed by the government who must
choose from a list of candidates selected by a committee composed of:
the chief justice, the chairman of the Bar Council, the president of the
Law Society, the Secretary of the Government and the senior legal
assistant to the Attorney General (The Prosecution of Offences Act
(Sect. 2) Regulations, 1974 make provision for the procedure to be
followed by this committee). Before removing the incumbent from
office the government must appoint a committee composed of the
chief justice, a judge of the High Court and the Attorney General to
investigate the health of the DPP or inquire into his conduct generally
or in an individual case. The government may only remove the DPP
after considering the report of this committee.

The DPP is a civil servant in the civil service of the state, as distinct
from the government, (Sect. 2 subs. 4 Prosecution of Offences Act,
1974; McLoughlin v Minister for Social Welfare, 1958, IR 1). His office
comes under the general remit of the Department of the Prime Minister
in the sense that the annual financial estimates for the DPP forms part
of the vote of the Department of the Prime Minister. There is no
suggestion, however, that the DPP is in any way accountable to the
Prime Minister or to any other Minister for his decisions in individual
cases or even for his policies in respect of prosecutions generally.
Indeed the legislation creating the office specifically states that he is
independent in the performance of his functions (Sect. 2 subs. 5
Prosecution of Offences Act, 1974). It would be both improper and
unlawful, therefore, for the Prime Minister or any other Minister even
to attempt to apply pressure on the DPP in respect of a decision in an
individual case or policy generally. There is a specific statutory
outlawing representations (from persons not involved in a case)
encouraging the DPP to drop a prosecution or not to initiate a
prosecution (Sect. 6 Prosecution of Offences Act, 1974). Equally, the
Prime Minister cannot be called to account in parliament for the
decisions or policies of the DPP.

It does not follow that members of parliament do not raise

prosecutorial matters from time to time and seek to put pressure on
the government with respect to decisions or policies taken or adopted
by the DPP. Indeed, the whole issue has come into sharp focus recently
as a result of growing public concern over the DPPs long-standing
policy of refusing to give reasons for deciding not to prosecute in some
highly sensitive cases. Such issues are most likely to be raised with the
Minister for Justice in the context of broader concerns of law
enforcement, crime prevention and fairness in the criminal justice
system, all of which come under the general remit of the Minister.
Nevertheless, the Minister consistently refuses to entertain those
questions which relate specifically to decisions taken or policies
adopted by the DPP. His invariable response to attempts to drag him
into discussion of such matters is that they are matters wholly within
the remit of the DPP whose independence is guaranteed by law.

The DPPs primary function is to decide whether or not to prosecute in

any individual case. As noted earlier, he does not normally get involved
in the initiation or conduct of an investigation, although he may
request further police investigations to be carried out in respect of a
file which has been submitted to him. Before outlining how the DPP
discharges his primary function it might be useful to quote in full the
summary of the functions of his office as set out in his Annual Report
for 1998. It reads:
the consideration of Garda criminal investigation files submitted to
the Office;
the decision as to whether or not a prosecution should be initiated
or as to whether a prosecution already initiated by the Garda Siochana
should be maintained and the advising of any further investigations
necessary for the commencement or continuation of a prosecution;
the determination of the charges to be preferred and the
consideration of any charges already preferred;
the determination of the proofs and other materials to be tendered
to the court and to the accused, including issues regarding the
disclosure to the defense of unused material;
the issuing of decisions regarding the many questions of law and of
public policy which can arise in the course of criminal proceedings;
conferring as necessary with counsel, state solicitors, members of
the Garda Siochana and persons giving scientific or technical evidence;
deciding whether appeals, including appeals by way of case stated,
should be brought or contested, and the prosecution or defense of
proceedings for judicial review and habeas corpus arising out of
criminal proceedings;
the consideration of complaints and allegations of the commission
of criminal offences received from members of the public and where
appropriate their transmission to the Garda commissioner;
the consideration of files submitted by the Garda Complaints
Board;
the drafting or settling of documents necessary for the prosecution
of requests for extradition into the State;
the drafting of requests for international mutual assistance in
criminal matters;
serving on committees and attending meetings relating to
prosecutions and criminal law and procedure; identifying operational
problems arising in the administration of the criminal law and assisting
on request on matters relevant to proposed criminal legislation;
lecturing at the Garda Siochana Training College.

To these might be added: deciding whether certain cases should be

sent for trial to the Special Criminal Court; giving consents for certain
indictable offences to be tried summarily; electing between summary
and indictable procedures for certain statutory offences; directing the
initiation of certain types of prosecution which by law require his
consent; the granting of certificates for appeal to the Court of Criminal
Appeal to the Supreme Court on points of law of exceptional public
importance; considering whether to seek a review of a sentence on
grounds of leniency; and giving his views to the trial court on whether
a custodial sentence would be appropriate.

The decision to prosecute or not to prosecute is at the centre of the

DPPs prosecutorial function. Yet, there is no statutory prescription
governing when he should decide for or against prosecution in any
individual case. Nor is his freedom in these matters governed by any
statutorily prescribed policies. As noted earlier there is no basis upon
which the Minister for Justice, or any other authority can issue
directions to him in such matters. Although there is statutory provision
for the DPP to consult with the Attorney General from time to time it is
generally recognised that this does not subordinate the DPP in any way
to the Attorney General in the performance of his functions (Sect. 2
subs. 6 Prosecution of Offences Act, 1974). The legal and de facto
position is that it is the DPP, and the DPP alone, who determines
whether to prosecute in any case or in any type of case. In these
matters he is subject only to the law.
As a general rule the DPP will require evidence sufficient to establish a
prima facie case of guilt against the accused before he will decide in
favour of prosecution. This means the existence of admissible evidence
upon which a judge or jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt
that the accused was guilty of the offence charged. If the evidence
does not reach that standard the DPP will decide against prosecution.
It does not follow, however, that the DPP will always prosecute where
there is a prima facie case. He still retains a discretion over the
decision to prosecute even in such cases. In deciding whether or not to
prosecute he will pay particular attention to the credibility and
reliability of the evidence. If he considers that the evidence is very
strong and a conviction is very likely it can be expected that he will
prosecute. Nevertheless, the circumstances of an individual case may
be such that he considers a prosecution is merited even though the
prospects of a conviction are weak. Equally, there may be factors
which persuade him to exercise his discretion not to prosecute in cases
where a conviction would be virtually certain.
The DPP has published a list of guidelines on the decision to prosecute.
These comprise three broad groups. First there are principles
governing the general duty of the prosecutor, such as the duty to act
honestly, fairly, impartially and objectively (Statement of General
Guidelines for Prosecutors, Dublin 2001, p. 7). Second, there is a list of
aggravating factors which, if present, would render a decision to
prosecute more likely. These include factors such as: the likelihood of
the offence attracting a severe penalty, the accused being in a position
of authority over the victim and the alleged commission of the offence
while on bail. The third group consists of mitigating factors such as:
the accused being very young or very old, the availability of
alternatives to prosecution, the willingness of the victim to forgive, the
length and expense of the likely trial being disproportionate to the
harm caused and the willingness of the accused to assist in the
prosecution of other offenders.

Ultimately, these guidelines are nothing more than what they purport
to be. They are not legally binding. They are merely a policy statement
issued by the DPP. No executive authority has the power to force him
to alter the guidelines or to require him to follow them or to depart
from them in an individual case. In the exercise of his discretion,
however, the DPP is accountable to the law.

The High Court has jurisdiction to review the grounds upon which the
DPP makes a decision to prosecute or not to prosecute in any
individual case. If, for example, the DPP adopts a policy of refusing to
prosecute in any crime against property below a fixed value the High
Court would almost certainly strike down that policy, and decisions
based upon it, as unlawful. Equally the High Court would strike down
any prosecutorial decision taken in bad faith, such as a decision not to
prosecute because the accused was a friend of the DPP or a decision to
prosecute because the DPP did not like the accuseds political
associations. There are also indications that the High Court would
strike down a decision to prosecute which departed arbitrarily from the
DPPs published guidelines on prosecution (Eviston v DPP, 2002, 3 IR
260). Apart from these extreme cases, however, the High Court is
most reluctant to overturn a prosecutorial decision taken by the DPP in
the exercise of his discretion (State (McCormack) v Curran, 1987, ILRM
225; H v DPP, 1994, 2 ILRM 285). It is quite different if the DPP
decides to prosecute in circumstances where the accuseds right to a
fair trial would be compromised. This might happen, for example,
where the accuseds capacity to prepare a defense has been
irreparably damaged by excessive delay between the alleged
commission of the offence and the decision to prosecute. In such cases
the High Court will consider that the DPP has no discretion in the
matter and it will quash his decision to prosecute (PM v District Judge
Malone, 2002, 2 IR 560; POC v DPP, 2000, 3 IR 87; JL v DPP, 2000, 3
IR 122; PP v DPP, 2000, 1 IR 403).

Closely related to the subject of the judicial review of the DPPs

discretion is the question whether he is obliged to give reasons for a
decision not to prosecute. To date he has followed a consistent policy
of refusing to give reasons which could make their way into the public
domain. He justifies this on the basis of fairness to all parties in a
criminal investigation. His position has received the endorsement of
the Supreme Court which distinguishes between the role of the DPP in
this matter and that of most other bodies exercising statutory powers
in a manner which impact directly on specific individuals (H v DPP,
1994, 2 ILRM 285). However, the DPP is willing to give reasons for
decisions not to prosecute on a confidential basis to the investigating
police officers or, where relevant, the investigating officials of
regulatory bodies. He also has a policy on conducting an internal
review of a decision not to prosecute when requested to do so by the
victim or members of the victims family.

The criminal process in Ireland differs from the civil process in that
there is no formal recognition of the practice of settling the case in
advance of the trial or in the course of the trial. In theory, once the
prosecution has identified the charges appropriate to the alleged
offence, it will prefer those charges in a summons or indictment and
prosecute then through to a formal conviction or acquittal. Admittedly,
there is provision for the prosecution to change course after having
preferred the charges. For example, it enjoys a broad power to amend
the indictment (or summons) at any time up until the verdict is
returned. This can be used to remedy defects in the indictment (or
summons) and to add a new charge or substitute an existing charge. It
may also enter a nolle prosequi on any or all of the charges at any
point up until the verdict is returned. In effect this means that the
charge or charges in question are dropped. That, however, would not
prevent the prosecution from subsequently charging the accused with
the same offences at a future date, unless the nolle prosequi was
entered in a manner which deprived the accused of some material
advantage which had accrued as a result of pre-trial decisions made by
the judge (State (OCallaghan) v O hUadhaigh, 1977, IR 42). Typically
a nolle prosequi will be entered when it becomes apparent that the
charge or charges are superfluous or that the prosecution will not be
able to present evidence to support them.

Clearly, this flexibility puts the prosecution in a position where it can

bargain with the accused. The bargain could take the form of agreeing
to drop more serious charges in return for a plea of guilty to a lesser
charge or even, in more extreme cases, agreeing to give immunity
from prosecution to an offender in return for his giving evidence for
the prosecution against accomplices. There are no formal legal rules
governing these bargaining possibilities. Indeed, officially they do not
really exist at all. In practice what is likely to happen is that the
defense will approach the prosecution seeking a deal. It is entirely a
matter for the prosecution whether they enter into an arrangement of
the sort described above. As yet there has been no judicial decision in
which any such arrangement has been declared unlawful by the Irish
courts. Subject to the possibility of judicial intervention in individual
cases it is a matter for the DPPs discretion whether to drop a more
serious charge in return for a plea of guilty to a lesser charge or to
grant immunity from prosecution in return for giving evidence against
accomplices. No executive authority can override him in such
decisions. Nor is he under any obligation to give reasons for such a
decision or to explain it to an executive or political authority.
State oppression, political policing, misrepresentation by our elected
representatives, and government, misinformation from the national
broadcaster and national media. This is corrupt Ireland in 2015 aided
and abetted by the Judicial system and Garda Siochana.

Theft of family dwellings and small businesses by corrupt banks,

100,000 families facing eviction and homelessness, Our public
hospitals deliberately mismanaged in order to facilitate the introduction
of private health care, Our national infrastructure is suffering to prop
up an attempt by this excuse of a government to privatise water and
sell it to the lowest bidder. National assets and infrastructure been
given away at the behest of a broke EU and euro. Make no mistake this
is a robbery of unimaginable proportions which is been inflicted and
carried out on us the sovereign people of Ireland and yet we remain
SILENT.

The wealthy are being protected by the same system of governance

that heralds the have-nots ever closer to poverty and a collection of
overpaid slimey government ministers and TDs whose policies are
directly responsible for every single piece of misery currently afflicting
the good honest ordinary people of Ireland. 190 people borrowed 62
billion euro and sent this country and its people spiraling into
the destitution and destruction it now faces. We are in a debt situation
which we cannot get out of, it is an absolute impossibility. We were
sold into debt by an inept government without consultation or a
mandate from us the people. This same government were fully aware
the banks were and had been insolvent for years before the bailout.

The bank guarantee of september 30th 2008 was a guarantee contract

built on lies and deception, and as any solicitor or barrister knows,
such agreement that did not have full disclosure is under CONTRACT
LAW null and void.
Are you the good people of this little island going to allow these
injustices where the many pay for the GREED of the few and be
governed by a miniscule 1% who do not win elections but buy them
instead. Ireland is facing the greatest flight of citizens from the state
since the time of the deliberate genocidal famine cull of the people
in the 1840s.

Its always been about them and not us the people. Their behaviours
have become more blatant, more oppressive, more unjust and more
self-serving than ever.

Surely its time for us to throw off the label of SHEEP and become less
compliant, less respectful, less considerate, and ultimately less timid in
our response.

FIGHT BACK !

Join the Protests. Join All The Protests and send a message to
these despicable inconsiderate hoors that the
TIME HAS COME FOR US THE PEOPLE TO TAKE BACK WHAT IS
OURS AND DECLARE

The sovereignty of the nation of Ireland is inalienable, It is

therefore not within the competence of any generation of the
people to SURRENDER that sovereignty, which each generation
holds in trust for the nation. The question of surrender of
national independence may not be submitted to an electorate.

Subject to that fundamental principal it is hereby declared that

ALL authority in Ireland Legislative, Executive and Judicial,
and ALL powers of government, are derived solely under God
from the people of Ireland. These powers are inherent in the
PEOPLE alone by virtue of the sovereignty. They must be
exercised in accordance with the principals of Liberty, Equality
and Justice for all. Any legislation not in accordance with these
principals is hereby declared to be NULL and VOID.

Protesters You Are Appreciated.

Do not be discouraged. Every step you take in protest is progress;
every voice raised in objection is progress.

Every single person encouraged off the fence through the strength of
your character and the courage in your conviction is a victory.

Each assembly of protesters you attend is a defining historical moment

in the story of this country.

You are appreciated. Your rejection of this scandalous imposition by

the government is applauded.

Your attendance and your weight added to the numbers of this

movement for change is invaluable.
Be proud. You have maintained solidarity of protest and clarity of
vision, despite government scaremongering; despite blatant
provocation by instruments of the state; despite vulgar
misrepresentation by the state broadcaster and influential elements of
the national media. You have faced all of this, and without spite or
unnecessary complaint responded only with a call for communities to
grow stronger, more aware, and more committed in their resistance.

You are here even though so many others struggling are not. Do not
be discouraged.

You are appreciated.

Do not be distracted.

Any interaction with An Garda Siochana can be misinterpreted or

misreported as threatening or abusive. Interaction offers An Garda
Siochana an excuse or an opportunity to engage with you as a
protester. Do not be distracted any response to An Garda Siochana
can be misconstrued and deemed to be threatening or abusive.

If An Garda Siochana instruct or direct you and expect you to follow,

you have already given them a reason to do the job theyre being paid
to do. Do not interact. You have right to protest peacefully. Exercise
that right properly and you will have no need to interact with An Garda
Siochana.

Do not be distracted.

You have been misinformed and misrepresented by the state

broadcaster and the national media in general.

While you protest out of compulsion, out of desire to see real change,
out of a necessity borne of the struggle to exist under this continued
programme of austerity, your media and your state broadcaster, in all
its various guises, has at different times painted you as dissident, as
suspicious, as hysterical, as sensationalist, as conspiratorial, as
untrustworthy and as dangerous.
Your numbers have been underestimated and misreported.

Your commitment has been questioned and your character has been
thrown into doubt.

Do not be distracted by their inability to reflect the truth. Be your own

media. You have already shown how effective you can be. Maintain
that focus.

Protesters, do not be dispersed.

You are protected under the constitution in your right to assemble

peacefully. You are protected under the constitution to gather in
numbers, to peacefully protest the behaviour of this government and
to voice your objection to the gross mismanagement of this state by
successive governments.

Do not be dispersed. We, the people, have become more informed,

more vocal in our displeasure and more unified in our direction than at
any other time in the history of this state. Embrace the solidarity that
strength in numbers allows you, and do not be dispersed.

Remember, Protesters, you are Ireland.

You are more Ireland than this government that has cheated and lied
its way into office; you are more Ireland than the state that has used
and exploited you under this programme of austerity; you are more
Ireland than this conspiracy of politicians and business interests.

You are the only alternative.

Do not bow down to pressure from agents of external greed. Do not
jump for the scraps of compromise thrown at you from the tables of
power. Do not respond to provocation or disrespect from any of the
states institutions, whether it wears the uniform of An Garda Siochana
or the shirt and tie of party politics.

Know better.
Do not be dispersed.
Do not be distracted.
Do not be discouraged.
You are appreciated.

You are Ireland, and you are the only alternative.

The government is worried, and it is frightened. We have won the

moral high ground through righteousness and solidarity, through
peaceful protest and perseverance. We must all continue down this
road towards the eventual end of the enforced programme of austerity,
the disestablishment of Irish Water and a return of the destiny of this
nation to its rightful owners you, the people of Ireland.

We must from here on in exhibit a unity they will ignore, a solidarity of

purpose they will deny, an astuteness in our organisation and tactical
ability, a focus on our objective and a momentum that will encourage
all those still sitting on the fence to join the protests. All the protests.

OMISSION FROM
OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE
REPORT
-
Apr 20, 201

There was absolutely nothing in the report about RBMP (River Basin
Management Plans) nor was it discussed in the Joint Water Committee.
For those that dont know this is the building block of our whole water
system. The RBMP was a direct result of the WFD (Water Framework
Directive 2000). If you would like more info on it just search our
Archives. This is a serious flaw.

The RBMP contains plans which are also sent to EU on how we

structure our water resources and its funding now and into the future.
We are on our First Plan and are overdue on our Second which has to
be finalised end of this year.

The report does not mention Article 9.4 or the WFD directive.
Somehow our politicians even those R2W ones seem to have given up
on this vital exemption clause, one of the most important defenses
against EU diktats. This Section must be inserted into any water policy
including the RBMP.

Paddy Bullman A day ago

This is an excellent article. It not only paints a clear picture of the Irish
Water super-quango, but also of the gombeen, sleveen and traitor
infested little cess-pit of corruption that allows an elitist political
overclass to ride the holes off the disenfranchised, powerless and
apathetic serfs that make up the general population of this
country. . . .

Buncrana Together 20 hours ago

Paddy fine description, maybe we could pinch it. Dont forget the
chameleons, though, riding the holes of us, indeed that could be but
theyre definitely sucking the blood of those that just rose from stupor,
only to fall prey again to the poisioned fangs of false promises.

Give us a D, decadent, give us a arrogant, give us an i immoral,

give us l liars and ireann stands for our nations lament.

Brams Stokers Dracula and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein werent far

out at all.

Plans for Dublin Bus to go

cashless revealed
A new system will also streamline paying for bus journeys
NEWS
Dublin Buses on Dame Street in Dublin | Image: RollingNews.ie
29 May 2017

Plans have been unveiled for a new cashless system for

journeys on Dublin Bus.
It is part of a new BusConnects strategy, which will see a
radical transformation of public transport in the capital.
The new system will also streamline paying for bus journeys.
This will see a move to either a 'tag-on' and 'tag-off' facility -
similar to Luas and DART - or a single 'flat fare' approach.
Cashless operation will be introduced on all buses, to remove
the delays caused by cash payments. Currently, over 70% of
fare payments are made by Leap Card.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) say: "As this increases
over the next couple of years, the transition to a cashless
regime will become easier."
The NTA say this will potentially allow the use of credit/debit
cards or mobile devices as a means of payment.
Commuters can also integrate this with other transport
payments - such as parking facilities and bicycle hire.
The NTA say this system should be in place "in the next few
years".
New BRT model | Image: NTA
Bus Rapid Transit
It will also see the introduction of new rapid buses for the
capital.
The new buses will have several doors, higher platforms for
level boarding and stops that are spaced further apart than
those that serve conventional buses.
The NTA say a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) can cater for a higher
volume of passengers than a normal bus corridor.
Image: NTA
New corridors
A new network of bus corridors will form the 'Core Bus
Network' for the Dublin region.
There are eleven radial bus corridors planned in addition to
the BRT routes, as well as three orbital bus corridors.
The NTA say: "Our objective is to develop these eleven radial
bus corridors and three orbital bus corridors so that each will
have continuous bus priority - in other words, a continuous
bus lane in each direction.
"This 'next generation' of bus corridors will deliver a
transformation in the performance of these routes, making it
easier and quicker for you to come and go by bus".
On each of the corridors, there will also be high-quality cycling
facilities - segregated from the bus lanes and general traffic
lanes as far as is practicable.
Low emission vehicles
While a decision on the optimum fleet technology will be made
by the end of this year. It will see either a single technology or
a combination used.
A transition plan will see the bus fleet move to low emission
vehicle types, with the first going into service during 2018.
By 2023, half of the bus fleet - approximately 500 buses - will
be converted to low emission vehicles.
The National Transport Authority say full conversion will be
completed by 2030.

Image: NTA
Park and Ride
A network of park and ride facilities will also be developed at
key locations.
A high-frequency bus service will run at each location, while
parking charges and bus fares will be integrated.
A new style of bus stop is to be rolled out across all bus stops
in the city, with better route and fare information provided in
each case.
More Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) signs along the
new bus corridors and elsewhere will also be introduced.
And bus shelters will be significantly expanded as part of the
BusConnects plan.

This map shows the current bus network (high-frequency routes

only) | Image: NTA
Anne Graham, NTA CEO, said: "We believe that there is
potential to increase bus passenger numbers by at least 50%
over the lifetime of the project, which would represent a
significant step-change in how people get from place to place.

"This can only happen if measures are put in place to make

bus travel more convenient, more reliable and more appealing
and we believe that BusConnects will do precisely that."
The total cost of the plan is estimated to be over 1b, some
300m of which is already committed under the 2015 Capital
Plan.

A new-look bus stop | Image: NTA

NBRU forum
In response to the plans, NBRU General-Secretary Dermot
O'Leary said: "Whilst we welcome the acknowledgement that
the humble bus will remain the optimum public transport
solution, it is of paramount importance that all issues
associated with a successful transport operation, inclusive of
commuter and staff concerns are fed in to any and all
consultative processes.
"It is only two short years ago that we had a dispute across
both Dublin Bus and Bus ireann in relation to attempts by the
Department of Transport and the NTA to force privatisation
into CI without recourse to staff concerns.
"Part of the resolution of this dispute was the recognition that
employment conditions would require a Sectoral Employment
Order (SEO) whereby there would be a potential level playing
pitch across all operators when it comes to employees' rights."
The NBRU has recently written to Transport Minister Shane
Ross over establishing a forum, endorsed by the Labour
Court, so that issues such as BusConnects can be discussed.

A network of next generation bus corridors

At the heart of the BusConnects project is the proposal to develop
continuous bus lanes, as far as is practicable, along the busiest
bus corridors.

The Transport Strategy sets out a network of bus corridors forming

the Core Bus Network for the Dublin region. There are eleven
radial bus corridors planned in addition to the Bus Rapid Transit
routes, as well as three orbital bus corridors.

At present, these busy bus routes only have dedicated bus lanes
along less than one third of their lengths. This means that for most
of the journey, buses are competing for space with general traffic
and so are affected by the increasing levels of congestion.

The resultant delays are a source of real frustration for people

looking for consistent and predictable journey times. This makes
the overall bus system less efficient, less reliable and less
punctual. As a result, many people do not see any benefit in
choosing bus transport.

Our objective is to develop these eleven radial bus corridors and

three orbital bus corridors so that each will have continuous bus
priority in other words, a continuous bus lane in each direction.
This next generation of bus corridors will deliver a transformation
in the performance of these routes, making it easier and quicker for
you to come and go by bus, whether your journey is related to your
job, your studies, or your social life and family life.

We want to remove the current delays and uncertainties, so that in

the future, bus journeys will be faster, more punctual and more
reliable. Making those changes is an essential part of delivering a
vastly improved service for passengers.

Achieving this will, in some instances, require a widening of the

road and changes to parking arrangements, but the end result will
not just be better services for bus passengers, but will benefit all
users of the corridor.

Cyclists will be provided with safe cycling facilities, largely

segregated from other traffic, along these routes. Pedestrians will
benefit from additional safe pedestrian crossing points and
reconstructed footpaths. Car users will have reduced interactions
with cyclists and buses as well a resurfaced roadway providing
smoother journeys with less wear on vehicles.

We will also take the opportunity of enhancing key local centres on

the corridors with additional landscaping and other works aimed at
improving the local environment in these centres.

Fig 1: Proposed Radial Bus & BRT Corridors

Fig 2: Proposed Orbital Bus Corridors

Fa r e s a n d T i c ke t i n g S y s t e m s

Without changing the ticketing systems and the bus fares

structure, the overall project would not deliver the full
benefi ts that are possible under this transformation.

The second biggest source of bus delays, after traffi c congestion, is

the payment process at bus stops. Payment of fares by cash is still
commonplace, slowing down the boarding time. Even when using the
Leap Card, the complexity of payment stages means a high
percentage of passengers have to interact with the driver, with
resultant delays at bus stops. At busy bus stops these delays can be
for several minutes. Multiply by the number of busy stops on a
route, and those delays accumulate to add signifi cantly to the
overall journey time.

Under BusConnects we will simplify and streamline the process of

paying for bus journeys. We want to make the fare system simpler,
and we also want to make movement between diff erent bus services
seamless and easy, without fi nancial penalty. This will require a
move to either a tag-on and tag-off facility, similar to Luas and
DART, or a single fl at fare approach in order to reduce the need to
interact with the driver for fare payments.
As part of this process, cashless operation will be introduced on all
buses, to remove the delays caused by cash payments. Currently
over 70% of fare payments are made by Leap card. As this increases
over the next couple of years, the transition to a cashless regime
will become easier. BusConnects will incorporate the latest
developments in account-based ticketing technology, potentially
allowing use of credit / debit cards or mobile devices as a
convenient means of payment. This will also allow integration with
other transport payments such as parking facilities and bicycle hire.

While everyone was distracted by Irish Water the previous government

managed to introduce a national ID card disguised as a social welfare
card.
In the near future people on social welfare will not be giving cash .
Their card will be loaded up like debit card and it will be the only way a
person will be allowed to pay for items with their social welfare
payment credit.

Any surplus on the card will be wiped off when the next payment is
applied, so it is will be up to SW recipients to insure they use up all the
credits on their card.
If you owe a fine it will be deducted from the amount on the card in
installments. If say you have outstanding motor tax it will be deducted
in installments at the the higher installment rate, INCLUDING
ARREARS.( Ref: Civil Debt Bill).

Also, cigarettes, alcohol, luxury goods will not be allowed to be

purchased on the card. If a person tries to buy a food item of higher
value and better quality the transaction will not be allowed to go ahead
if there is a cheaper and hence lower quality option available.

ALL PART OF THE CASHLESS SOCIETY FOLKS.

Another Week Of Rotten Politics.

2nd April 2017

The last seven days of government in Ireland under Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the
involvement of Endapendents going along with it all, has proved once again to many
in Ireland that their politics is rotten to the core.
To begin with, we have a transport minister that consistently refuses to get involved
in matters related to transport at capital or national level. This is just incredible but
sadly all too true.

Then the Dail elected are intimidated yet again into silence by a non-impartial Ceann
Comhairle who uses his high paid position, to try protect his brave friend. He did
this less than 24 hours after the Dublin courts told Denis OBrien that he cannot
silence Dail elected but that didnt stop the Ceann Comhairle from trying
something possible similar on! The state position, supposed to be impartial position,
was suddenly again non-impartial but Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will say nothing
about this as it does not suit them.

Perhaps worst of all however, is the still continuing, Garada related veil of silence
from Fine Gael and especially (again) Fianna Fail. For sheer self-interest reasons, they
are refusing to call to account those that have been involved in another three year
veil of silence, the Garda institution one.

Instead of doing what is right being honest, transparent and exposing all wrong-
doing the two parties of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are deliberate saying nothing, to
call to account those that have created a Garda three year veil of silence. Biased
media including RTE news and a good number of its journalists, are maintaining their
silence too on the matter. RTE has in its top ranks, Fine Gael connected personnel
who see out the partys wishes all too often.

For years Fine Gael and Fianna fail have been to cameras and microphones, PR
stating grand speeches on the matter of other state institutions maintaining veils of
silence and because of them, the people of Ireland have suffered. Now, because of
nothing less than pure self-interest, not the peoples, the two parties have invented
their own veil of silence.

The sheer audacity and hypocrisy of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is openly obvious.
.
.
Why The Silence? The Bigger Picture
Fine Gael know that if there was a general election tomorrow or soon, they would
not only be embarrassed by lower numbers elected later but they would be removed
yet again from government offices. This would completely undermine their current
(TTIP/CETA based) agenda to privatise as much as they can of state services and
assets before they are ultimately stopped. They are still being aided in this agenda
by Fianna fail and Endapendents.

Fianna Fail are desperate also to avoid a general election. They are currently trying
hard to pay back a 1.5 Million Euro loan that has accumulated due to their last
elections expenses. as their numbers have been lower elected to the Dail, this means
that they gain far less in Dail financial assistance towards their party. What money
they are getting, they are desperate to hold on to as they try to pay their outstanding
party debts. The last thing they want then, is to have an election that ironically,
would in fact see them put into power with a coalition with Sinn Fein. They are at
present, being their own worst enemy. Of course, they dont want the public to piece
together all this including their lower rank members.

Knowing therefore, if they raised the matter of a three year Garda veil of silence, this
would mean there would have to be more serious investigations and some
immediate top Garda ranking sackings or suspensions. This in turn would prove to
be fatal to the Fine Gael government and in quick time, bring it down. To avoid this
happening, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are deliberate saying nothing about a very
serious aspect to the already current exposed mis-deeds within the Garda force.
One national newspaper ran an article during the week stating the following:

Up to 50 secret bank accounts, money laundering, fraud on a massive scale

and this is just the police force welcome to the most corrupt country in the
Western world. Name another country anywhere in the world that can boast a
police force that used an actual laundry to launder money that should have gone
to the State. Find me another nation where law officers could falsify up to one
million breath tests and still keep their chief in her job.
Did I mention the 14,700 wrongful convictions and the smear campaigns against
gardai who tried to highlight wrongdoing?
Still the disclosure that the laundry at the Garda Training College was being used
to launder money is straight out of the Police Academy movies. Think about it, the
institution charged with training cops to uphold the law collecting rent of
124,903 for land belonging to the taxpayer and keeping the cash that should
have gone to the State at a time when the country was on its knees.

And it gets better for there was another account held for laundry and services,
where 37% of the funds were spent on meals, entertainment, contributions to
charity or to parish clergy, and the golf society. It has now been revealed there
was as much as 5 million sloshing around in up to 50 bank accounts. LINK

The article more in particular, its explosive contents, also has been deliberate
ignored by RTE news and other biased media as they too, impose a veil of silence
upon the Ireland nation. They too, along with Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and
Endapendents, continue to stay too silent on much out of nothing but sheer self-
interest and greed.

Irish politics continues to be rotten to the core and at the center of it all, is the usual
culprit parties and individuals.

Further recommended reading: Reporter Gene Kerrigan

Reporter: Gene Kerrigan
.
Want to hear about another Garda scandal? It features a petty criminal we'll call Paddy. And it
tells us why and how the Garda crisis just gets worse, with no serious effort at reform.
.
Getting rid of Commissioner O'Sullivan makes sense, yes. But Paddy's story suggests that
giving Noirin the push will improve things. Well, about as much as getting rid of
Commissioner Callinan did.
.
The hole we're in is far, far deeper than the politicians dare admit.
Paddy, at the age of 21, earned a not-very-good living at petty crime. He was, as Paul
Reynolds of RTE might say, "known to the police".
.
On this occasion, Paddy was done for motoring offences, to which he intended pleading
guilty.
.
While in custody, Paddy signed a confession to a string of 26 burglaries that occurred
between March and May. The guards said he just decided to own up, since he was in the
station, like.
When he saw a solicitor, Paddy said no, he didn't do those burglaries. He said he'd been
beaten up by the cops and he signed the confession to get them to stop.
.
The Garda denied all that. It produced detailed statements by a number of guards. These
described how they drove around the area, with Paddy pointing out one house after another
that he'd burgled.
.
Paddy told his solicitor that none of that happened.
But Paddy had a record. So, y'know yourself, like.
The trial date was set.
.
Paddy's defence was simple and he kept it to himself. The burglaries occurred in March, April
and May. He'd spent most of April in jail, on remand. He couldn't have done the burglaries.
Paddy's lawyer had a prison official ready to testify. In court, the State abruptly dropped all
charges.
.
Paddy's lawyer objected to this, on the grounds it was done to protect the cops, as these
were trumped-up charges.
.
The judge refused to hear such "wild allegations".
.
Had Paddy not had a rock-solid alibi he'd have gone to jail. And a rake of unsolved burglaries
would have been "solved", significantly improving the force's apparent productivity.
.
Here's the thing. This occurred in 1983.
.
The establishment, as is usual in such matters, simply acted as though none of it ever
happened.
.
Now, 34 years later, our Garda scandals involve not 26 burglaries but almost a million fictional
breath tests, thousands of wrongful convictions - and suspicions that similar things have
happened involving perhaps domestic abuse, and/or other matters.
.
I could give you examples of alleged Garda misconduct from a decade before that, or a
decade after it, but the point is not just that the force has had problems for many years.
.
The point is that this has been known for decades within high Garda and political ranks - and
it has been allowed to fester.
.
Why? There's always an excuse to defer to the guards: the IRA, organised crime, or
"populist" social disorder.
.
The emergence today of a range of whistleblowers is not just a rash of individual heroism
within the force. It's a sign of an increased rejection by professional officers of the standards
that the establishment have for so long deemed acceptable.
.
We've had successive scandals; an antagonistic attitude to certain communities, and in
particular to young, working-class males; and a revulsion at oversight, such as the attitude to
GSOC - which comes close to rejection of governance by the civil authorities.
So, why hasn't the establishment taken the opportunity to stop the rot?
.
That's not how Irish politics works.
.
An example.
The Kerry Babies scandal of the 1980s forced politicians to set up a tribunal. Several
members of a family signed detailed confessions to a killing that the forensic evidence said
they didn't commit.
We won't rehash that matter here, but the tribunal report was unsatisfactory. It unfairly
demonised the family; and it unfairly scapegoated individual gardai. It left untouched the
clearly unsafe system of interrogation.
.
The politicians were satisfied, though. Crisis put to sleep.
No room for details here, but in checking the evidential references detailed in the tribunal
report I found things didn't add up. In short, the originals didn't say what the judge said they
did. A very, very serious matter.
.
Subsequently, I by chance found myself in the company of a government minister. I showed
him copies of the documents that proved the tribunal report was - to put it mildly - flawed.
.
I remember his expression of bemusement. He couldn't figure why I imagined he would have
any interest in reopening a problem. Sure, that one was done. Dusted.
.
Here's how it works.
A problem arises - let's say a million fictional breath tests. For you and me, the question is
what's wrong with the force that allowed this to happen? We must find out how it happened,
and ensure changes that will prevent similar problems in the future.
.
For politicians, the question is: How do I defuse this problem?
.
We expect politicians to tackle real-life problems; but their priority is defusing the immediate
political crisis. They do this by ordering an inquiry, a tribunal, or a report. They may have to
dump a commissioner, or a minister - as happened with Callinan and Shatter, as may happen
again with O'Sullivan and Fitzgerald.
.
Whatever it takes to get the problem off the political table.
For those who lead the media coverage of all this - the political correspondents - the question
is: Does this story have legs?
.
This translates as: has this story the potential to damage the Government, or a minister, or
will it affect party leadership rivalries?
If it does any of these things, it has legs - and they will pursue it.
If not, they won't.
.
Again and again this is done. And the political game of jousting continues - with only the next
election in mind. This leaves behind a succession of growing problems - whether A&E chaos,
homelessness or Garda dysfunction.
.
There is A) the real, underlying problem; and there's B) the immediate problem of how
political careers can be advanced or damaged. A quick fix solves the latter problem -
meanwhile, the underlying disorder festers.
.
This is where we are now.
.
One possible way forward is to take this out of the FG-FF play-acting and involve people who
care about the underlying issues. Fr Peter McVerry, for instance, has spoken of Garda-
community relations. Clare Daly and Mick Wallace have shown a real grasp of the Garda
problem.
.
Setting up and empowering a body that could initiate real reforms would make sense. It
would also upset powerful interests, so it won't happen.
.
Consider this.
The FG-FF cartel Government is designed to hog both Government and opposition benches
- and thereby exclude political competition from Sinn Fein and the left-wing groups.
.
Its political agenda revolves around Enda Kenny's embarrassing ambition to hang on until he
breaks John A Costello's record as Fine Gael's longest-serving Taoiseach. No potential
successors have expressed any wish to change this set-up, merely to benefit from it.
.
This is the level of vacuity that remains helpless in the face of enormous political challenges -
from health to housing, from Brexit to a Garda force that so many want to support, but which
continues to scale new heights of self-humiliation.
.
Anyway, I'm sure things will just improve. Of their own accord. Sometime in the next 34 years.
 8 Reasons to Drink Milk
Dr. Marianne Walsh, Nutrition Manager at the National
Dairy Council, explains why milk as a natural, delicious
and nutritious drink is an important component of a
balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
Its well-known that milk is an excellent source of calcium,
which is a key nutrient for the normal growth, development
and maintenance of our bones. In fact, 99% of the bodys
calcium is found in our bones and teeth, says Dr. Walsh.
But theres more to milk than calcium with just one glass
providing us with 8 essential nutrients, each playing
important roles for our health.
B vitamins: Keep your batteries charged
Milk is a natural source of vitamins B2, B5 and B12. These
nutrients play roles in generating energy in our bodies,
reducing feelings of tiredness and fatigue and the normal
functioning of the immune system.
Iodine: A no brainer
Iodine contributes to normal cognitive function. Cognitive
(brain) functions include memory, attention, perception,
reasoning and the ability to retain information. Irish milk is
considered an excellent source of iodine and milk is one of
the main food sources of this mineral in the Irish diet.
Phosphorus: For all of us
Our skeletons act as the frame for our bodies, providing
essential functions such as support, movement and
protection. In addition to calcium and protein, phosphorus is
a key nutrient essential for bone health, playing an important
role in the normal growth, development and maintenance of
bones and teeth.

Potassium: Cut the pressure

Potassium is an important mineral for the maintenance of
normal blood pressure. With rapidly increasing rates of Irish
adults having high blood pressure, this certainly is a nutrient
worth watching.
Protein: Flex those muscles

With over 600 muscles in our bodies playing vital roles for
our movement and support; strong muscles are not just
important for bodybuilders, but are essential for
completing everyday tasks such as walking, taking the
stairs or carrying our shopping! Protein is a nutrient
involved in normal muscle growth and maintenance and
we need to consume protein regularly throughout the day
to supply our muscles. Milk is rich in protein and is a
complete protein, meaning it contains all of the essential
amino acids (building blocks of protein) that our bodies
 require.
Milk Matrix: nutrients working better together

The emerging concept of the milk matrix looks at how the

various nutrients and components present in milk work
together in synergy. This research explores how the health
effects of these nutrients, when consumed in dairy foods,
may be more effective than the individual nutrients working in
isolation.

More than milk Dont forget that dairy products such as

yogurt and cheese are made from milk and, therefore,
contain many of the same essential nutrients. The
Department of Healths Food Pyramid recommends 3
servings from the milk, yogurt and cheese food group each
day as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Between the ages of
9-18 years, 5 servings per day are recommended due to the
increased calcium requirements at this life stage. Examples
of one serving include a 200ml glass of milk, 125g yogurt
and a 25g (matchbox size piece) cheddar cheese.
Variety and Versatility

Milk is nutritious, convenient, versatile, and most

importantly tastes great. Here are some top tips to enjoy
milk across the day:
\ Start your day with a bowl of warm porridge made with
milk
\ Include milk in a fresh fruit smoothie
\ Treat yourself to a frothy caf latte
\ Add milk to soups and sauces
\ Include milk in scrambled egg or omelettes
Have a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of warm milk before
bed
http://www.ndc.ie/dairy-goodness/8-reasons-to-drink-milk

Athletes Powered by Dairy

Interesting research is emerging on the specific benefits of milk in
sport, with potential roles in the areas of recovery nutrition being
explored. Milk naturally contains nutrients that can help address the
3 Rs of post-exercise recovery:

1) REFUEL: Milk contains lactose which can help to start the

refuelling of carbohydrate stores. Flavoured milks which contain
higher carbohydrate amounts in the form of added sugar may be
useful after a very intense session, or when quick recovery is
needed.

2) REPAIR: Milk provides the high-quality proteins, whey and

casein. Protein plays a valuable role in the normal growth and
maintenance of muscles.

3) REHYDRATE: Milk is a fluid (naturally composed of about 87 %

water) and naturally contains electrolytes such as potassium.

As well as being an affordable, natural, versatile and

widely available choice after exercise, milk provides a
range of vitamins and minerals which have roles in health
that are particularly useful for those who are active. For
example, milk provides calcium, protein and phosphorus to
support bone health; vitamin B2 to assist with energy
release; iodine to contribute to normal cognitive (brain)
function; and vitamin B12 to support normal functioning of
the immune system.
Did you know?
The Department of Healths Food Pyramid recommends 3
servings from the milk, yogurt and cheese food
group; with 5 servings recommended for those aged 8-18
years. Serving examples include: 200 ml of milk; 125 ml of
yogurt; or 25 g of cheddar cheese.

Leo Varadkar's welfare fraud

measures labelled as 'a solo
run' and 'a hate campaign'
The claims were made by a former department inspector today.
May 15th 2017,
Minister Leo Varadkar launching the campaign.
Image: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
A FORMER SOCIAL welfare inspector has likened the
campaign against welfare fraud fronted by Minister Leo
Varadkar as a hate campaign.
Speaking on RTs Today with Sen ORourke this morning,
Bernadette Gorman said she has been involved with the
Department of Social Protection for 30 years and has never
come across the level of fraud been claimed by the
campaign.
Fraud would come up from time-to-time but I have to say it
was always very miniscule, she said.
First and foremost I want to speak about how I was trained
in the department because I dont like where the department
is going. I do think Leo Varadkar was on some sort of solo
run but I dont know what his officials were doing allowing
it.
Gorman said that from her experience investigating welfare
claims, complex human stories rather than conscious
fraud are often behind welfare rules being broken.

Over 70% of these payments are going to OAPs and

disabled people, now maybe Leo Varadkar thinks that these
people dont have a vote but I can tell you OAPs do have a
vote and it is a hate campaign and the statistics are
incorrect, Gorman said.
She added that in her opinion it is all about his own bid to
become leader.
The Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All campaign encourages
people to report others who they suspect of committing
social welfare fraud. The department also hopes to publish a
list of proven welfare fraudsters as part of the overall
crackdown.
An advertising campaign worth 165,988 is backing the
campaign, with Varadkar previously stating that such anti-
fraud measures are important.
The vast majority of people receiving payments from the
Department of Social Protection are fully entitled to those
payments and are compliant with the conditions. However,
we take fraud very seriously and have a responsibility to
taxpayers to ensure that people receive what they are
entitled to, the minister said when launching the campaign.
http://www.thejournal.ie/welfare-fraud-campaign-3391240-May2017/

Reports of suspected social

welfare fraud double after
launch of advertising campaign
Leo Varadkars department made 41 million in overpayments due to
customer fraud in 2016.
May 5th 2017,

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar launching the campaign

REPORTS ABOUT POTENTIAL welfare fraud made to the
Department of Social Protection have doubled in the
aftermath of the recently launched Welfare Cheats Cheat Us
All publicity campaign.
According to figures provided by the Minister for Social
Protection Leo Varadkar, some 500 reports of suspected
social welfare fraud were received by his department in the
first week after he launched the campaign on 18 April.
In a written Dil reply to deputies Roisn Shortall, Clare
Daly and Denise Mitchell, Varadkar stated: This represents
more than double the number of reports received in the
same week in 2016 and a 70% increase in the number
received in the first week of April this year.
Confirming the 165,988 cost of the advertising campaign,
Varadkar said: The delivery of the campaign will achieve a
balance of coverage across all demographics and regions and
incorporate print, national and regional radio stations,
digital and outdoor advertising.
The national and regional radio, print and outdoor
advertising will run for a period of two weeks, with a longer
timeframe of four to six weeks for digital/online
advertising.
Varadkar said the cost of the campaign is design and
advertising related, noting: No additional costs arise in staff
resources, website development or the provision of the
telephone reporting facility.
He said the Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All campaign is
designed to encourage reporting of suspected or known
social welfare fraud, stating: The direct marketing element
of the campaign appeals to the public to report fraud and
makes is easier for them to do so.

The department has used facial recognition software since

2013 as part of its measures to combat customer fraud and
Varadkar added: As of 25 April 2017, 155 suspected cases of
identify fraud have been referred to the Special Investigation
Unit and/or An Garda Sochna.
These cases are at various stages of investigation. Successful
prosecutions have been finalised in court in 21 cases, with 18
people receiving custodial sentences.
Declining figures
The amount the department has paid out in overpayments
due to customer fraud has declined in recent years.
Last year, the department made 41 million in
overpayments due to customer fraud in 16,225 cases a
decline on the 49 million paid out in 2015 in 21,407 cases
of customer fraud.
The department paid out 52 million in overpayments in
2014 in relation to 27,437 cases and 61.9 million in 2013 in
relation to 27,489 cases.
In 2016, the department made 160 referrals to the garda
concerning suspected fraud an increase on the 151
referrals in 2015 and the 115 referrals in 2014.
In his reply to the TDs, Varadkar also stated: In 2016, the
Department achieved overall savings of 506 million as a
result of control and anti-fraud measures. This reflects
nearly 950,000 reviews of individual claims undertaken by
the Department last year to determine on-going
entitlements.
Total overpayments for last year amounted to 110 million,
with customer error contributing 46.7 million to the
amount. Varadkar said his department recovered 82
million in overpayments last year.

Welfare cheats cheat us all':

New campaign wants public to
blow the whistle on welfare
fraud
Its estimated that last year suspected fraud overpayments of
Jobseekers Allowance cost 14 million.
Apr 18th 2017,

Source: Shutterstock/Africa Studio

A NEW HARD-HITTING campaign is being launched to
encourage members of the public to blow the whistle on
welfare fraud.
Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar is launching the
campaign today.
The adverts are designed to confront people with the reality
of welfare fraud and aim to persuade people to report any
knowledge they have about specific cases to the Department
of Social Protection.
Its estimated that last year suspected fraud overpayments
of Jobseekers Allowance cost 14 million.
Minister Varadkar said today:
The vast majority of people receiving payments from the
Department of Social Protection are fully entitled to those
payments and are compliant with the conditions. However,
we take fraud very seriously and have a responsibility to
taxpayers to ensure that people receive what they are
entitled to. Nothing upsets people more than someone else
cheating the system at their expense. Thats why we are
launching a new campaign to encourage members of the
public to report suspected or known cases of welfare fraud.
He said that last year some 20,800 allegations of alleged
social welfare fraud were dealt with by the Department.
These are investigated and where warranted, payments are
reduced or stopped and, in some cases, claimants are
prosecuted, he said. Overall, a range of anti-fraud and
control measures in the Department of Social Protection
saved taxpayers over 500 million last year.
The majority of public reports in 2016 concerned Jobseekers
Schemes, Supplementary Welfare Allowance and One
Parent Family Payments.
The most common reports allege issues such as working
while claiming, cohabiting with a partner who is making a
financial contribution, or claiming while living abroad.
The Department estimates that approximately one in three
reports results in a payment being reduced or stopped.
Last year, the Departments Prosecution Service considered
some 300 cases of which 194 were referred to the Chief State
Solicitors Office for proceedings to issue. A further 160
cases were referred for prosecution to the DPP by the
Departments Special Investigations Unit.
Minister Varadkar said that the Department of Social
Protection has the single biggest budget of any Government
Department, spending 19 billion every year.
Last year, 1.4 million people received a weekly social
welfare payment. Even with a budget of this size, there are
still many positive changes I would like to make but have
been unable to do so due to budgetary constraints, he said.
Thats why savings are so important. And thats why the
public has a vital role in ensuring that we only target
resources at those who most need them.
Source: Department of Social Protection
(Cant see, click here)
The Department of Social Protection has rolled out new
initiatives to tackle welfare fraud such as the introduction of
a modern debt management system.
A special investigation unit, consisting of trained inspectors
and Garda officers, also operate in the department, tasked to
identify more serious breaches.
Varadkar said his department has also deployed identity and
analytics software and other intelligence systems to
reinforce its fraud prevention work.

New advert to be used in welfare fraud campaign.

Source: Department of Social Protection
The new advertising campaign asks questions such as:
Would you report a welfare cheat?
The adverts are designed to make people sit up and think
about the issue, and take action if they do have information,
said a department spokesperson.
The minister said members of the public play an important
role in supporting anti-fraud activities, with concerned
citizens making 19,000 reports in 2016.
Every year thousands of allegations of welfare fraud are
made to the department. Some of these transpire to be
genuine cases and result in payments being suspended.
The payments are recovered if the case is genuine and some
cases also merit prosecution.

Source: Department of Social Protection

(Cant see, click here)
Confidential reports can be made using:
A confidential facility on-line on the
Departments website www.welfare.ie/cheats where
concerns can be reported
The dedicated telephone facility 01 673 45
45 staffed by trained personnel
Reports by letter are also welcomed and
encouraged (Fraud Reports, Central Control Division,
 DSP, Shannon Lodge, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co
Leitrim).
Reports can also be made to any of the
Departments offices nationwide.
Overall, the department conducts around one million claim
reviews annually.
Varadkar said the continued roll-out of the Public Services
Card, which gives people access a range of public services,
has considerably reduced the potential for identity fraud.
The minister said he wants to strengthen the legislative
provisions to deter abuse of the social welfare system,
including publishing the names of persons who are
prosecuted for social welfare fraud
He also aims to apply interest on overpayments resulting
from fraud.
http://www.thejournal.ie/welfare-cheats-varadkar-3344251-Apr2017/

Read Apple's letter to Europe on Irish tax decision

Tim Cook says European Commission decision will have 'profound and
harmful effect' across Europe
by Amar Toor@amartoo Aug 30, 2016
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Apple CEO Tim Cook has published an open

letter to customers in Europe, after the
European Commission ruled that Ireland gave
preferential tax treatment to the tech
company. Earlier Tuesday, the Commission
ordered Ireland to collect up to $14.5 billion
in unpaid taxes from Apple, ruling that the
Irish government's tax deals gave the
company "a significant advantage" over
other businesses, in violation of EU law.

In the letter, published on Apple's website,

Cook described the Commission's decision as
"unprecedented," adding that it will have a
"profound and harmful effect" on investment
and jobs in Europe. Apple and Ireland have
already said that they plan to appeal the
decision.
Read Cook's full letter below.
A Message to the Apple Community in Europe

Thirty-six years ago, long before introducing

iPhone, iPod or even the Mac, Steve Jobs
established Apples first operations in Europe.
At the time, the company knew that in order
to serve customers in Europe, it would need a
base there. So, in October 1980, Apple
opened a factory in Cork, Ireland with 60
employees.
At the time, Cork was suffering from high
unemployment and extremely low economic
investment. But Apples leaders saw a
community rich with talent, and one they
believed could accommodate growth if the
company was fortunate enough to succeed.
We have operated continuously in Cork ever
since, even through periods of uncertainty
about our own business, and today we
employ nearly 6,000 people across Ireland.
The vast majority are still in Cork including
some of the very first employees now
performing a wide variety of functions as part
of Apples global footprint. Countless
multinational companies followed Apple by
investing in Cork, and today the local
economy is stronger than ever.
The success which has propelled Apples
growth in Cork comes from innovative
products that delight our customers. It has
helped create and sustain more than 1.5
million jobs across Europe jobs at Apple,
jobs for hundreds of thousands of creative
app developers who thrive on the App Store,
and jobs with manufacturers and other
suppliers. Countless small and medium-size
companies depend on Apple, and we are
proud to support them.
As responsible corporate citizens, we are also
proud of our contributions to local economies
across Europe, and to communities
everywhere. As our business has grown over
the years, we have become the largest
taxpayer in Ireland, the largest taxpayer in
the United States, and the largest taxpayer in
the world.
Over the years, we received guidance from
Irish tax authorities on how to comply
correctly with Irish tax law the same kind
of guidance available to any company doing
business there. In Ireland and in every
country where we operate, Apple follows the
law and we pay all the taxes we owe.
The European Commission has launched an
effort to rewrite Apples history in Europe,
ignore Irelands tax laws and upend the
international tax system in the process. The
opinion issued on August 30th alleges that
Ireland gave Apple a special deal on our
taxes. This claim has no basis in fact or in
law. We never asked for, nor did we receive,
any special deals. We now find ourselves in
the unusual position of being ordered to
retroactively pay additional taxes to a
government that says we don't owe them
any more than we've already paid.
The Commissions move is unprecedented
and it has serious, wide-reaching
implications. It is effectively proposing to
replace Irish tax laws with a view of what the
Commission thinks the law should have been.
This would strike a devastating blow to the
sovereignty of EU member states over their
own tax matters, and to the principle of
certainty of law in Europe. Ireland has said
they plan to appeal the Commissions ruling
and Apple will do the same. We are confident
that the Commissions order will be reversed.
At its root, the Commissions case is not
about how much Apple pays in taxes. It is
about which government collects the money.
Taxes for multinational companies are
complex, yet a fundamental principle is
recognized around the world: A companys
profits should be taxed in the country where
the value is created. Apple, Ireland and the
United States all agree on this principle.
In Apples case, nearly all of our research and
development takes place in California, so the
vast majority of our profits are taxed in the
United States. European companies doing
business in the U.S. are taxed according to
the same principle. But the Commission is
now calling to retroactively change those
rules.
Beyond the obvious targeting of Apple, the
most profound and harmful effect of this
ruling will be on investment and job creation
in Europe. Using the Commissions theory,
every company in Ireland and across Europe
is suddenly at risk of being subjected to taxes
under laws that never existed.
Apple has long supported international tax
reform with the objectives of simplicity and
clarity. We believe these changes should
come about through the proper legislative
process, in which proposals are discussed
among the leaders and citizens of the
affected countries. And as with any new laws,
they should be applied going forward not
retroactively.
We are committed to Ireland and we plan to
continue investing there, growing and serving
our customers with the same level of passion
and commitment. We firmly believe that the
facts and the established legal principles
upon which the EU was founded will
ultimately prevail.
Tim Cook
OPEN LETTER TO CHAIR OF THE OIREACHTAS HEALTH COMMITTEE FROM MUM OF
FORGOTTEN GIRL
#investigateNOW #informedconsent #HPVvaccine

Dear Chair of the Oireachtas Health Commitee,

In response to the email sent on your behalf,
received on the 26th May, I am disappointed to
learn that parents' testimonials are not taken into
consideration in current, or future Joint Health
Committee presentations, on matters relating to the
HVP vaccination program.This, regardless of Parents
and chronically ill girls of REGRET's repeated
requests that our voices be heard in this debate.
Observing the contents of the committee's recent
public presentation on the HPV vaccine,
via Oireachtas TV, it is reasonable to conclude that
the
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health have been
instructed by the HSE to present one side of this
issue only.

Please find attached, a picture of my daughter

during her most recent hospital admission, following
a seizure on the road side. She suffers daily seizures
after one shot of the HPV vaccine in 2012, and at
this stage we know the ambulance paramedics by
first name, as she needs to be brought to hospital on
a weekly basis, due to collapsing in seizures. I am
now putting you on notice that, due to the continued
policy of ignoring the plight of the HPV vaccine
injured girls, such as Carol Ann, I hold the
Department of Health, directly responsible for my
daughter's survival, including any brain damage
caused by these frequent seizures.

400 girls in Ireland (represented by us parents as

the support group REGRET) have suffered a cluster
of debilitating symptoms after receiving the HPV
vaccination. Their parents made the connection
after seeing all of these symptoms listed as possible
side effects, in the Manufacturer's risk
information; https://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_
circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_ppi.pdf

The HSE deny that there is any link, consistently

pointing at a 2015 EMA study of two conditions
POTS and CRPS, claiming that there is no increase in
the instances of these illnesses. This study has been
publicly challenged by one of the most respected,
independent medical foundations in the world; The
Nordic Cochrane Centre. The main concern (aside
from conflicts of interest) is that the EMA study was
over-reliant on the manufacturer's own data and
reassurances, and it did not address the cluster
symptoms suffered by previously healthy girls and
boys worldwide, following the HPV vaccination. This
was also reinforced in a recent WHO study that
recommended further investigation is carried out on
post HPV cluster
symptoms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article
s/PMC5209415/

Meanwhile, instead of engaging respectfully with the

parents, our experience has been the opposite;

Public attacks from the Minister of Health, calling

parents disgusting for speaking out, and labeling the
girls as 'Fake Stories'.

The Irish Cancer Society accusing us publicly of

'Fake News' and labeling our daughters as having
mental or emotional issues.

Censoring of National Radio, TV and printed media,

abusing anyone who dares to speak out.

Numerous manufactured committee meetings and

'HPV Conferences' designed only to give headlines
to the HSE message, that 'its all perfectly safe' (we
have been requesting a committee hearing for
months but parents and girls have been denied a
voice).

In addition, parents are forced to go abroad with

their very sick daughters (at huge cost), searching
for medical treatments with a view to alleviating
their daughters suffering.

As regards the HSE's so-called "Care Plan", which

was evidently designed for 12,000 Chronic
Fatigue /ME sufferers, we have since discovered that
this 'capture' program has never been offered to the
CFS/ME community for whom it was intended, which
leads us to believe that it was designed as an
attempt to corral parents of REGRET, and cover up
any possible link between our daughters' illnesses
and the HPV vaccine.

This is clearly not a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome issue,

considering the many girls both in Ireland, and
worldwide suffering with seizures, neurological
symptoms, failing immune systems, Pancreatitis,
and Premature Ovarian Failure, following the HPV
vaccination, in addition to the cluster symptoms
outlined in the PIL, as possible side effects.
At a meeting with the HSE in May 2016, they went
on record stating;
"We can't include the Patient Information Leaflet in
the school pack as the uptake rates would plummet

All that parents in REGRET ever asked for was this:

That the manufacturers Patient Information Leaflet
was included in the school pack so it could be read
by ALL parents as per the manufacturers
instructions.

That an INDEPENDENT investigation was carried out

to study the girls and establish any link or causal
chain between the vaccine and the illnesses from
which they suffer.

Help in getting our, now over 400 previously healthy

daughters, chronically ill post HPV vaccination, well
again.

Is this too much to ask for, in the circumstances

which our girls now find themselves in, trusting the
reassurances of their own Health Department?

As you can see this clearly warrants an Independent

Investigation NOW, with over 400 Irish girl's lives at
risk and with more children injured with each HPV
vaccination round.

Furthermore I would like to ask how the HSE, or the

Department of Health think it is okay to have a
budget within the framework of its practices to
spend money promoting the HPV vaccine in print,
and online media, such as videos and other
campaigns. This is a medical product and should not
be promoted as if it is a commercial interest. This is
misleading to the public. Active promotion is
contrary to laws which prohibit advertising medical
products per IMO regulations.

In my own daughter case it is only a matter of time

before she hits her head so hard, during a collapse,
that there is no point of return. Clearly her life does
not matter, as she has been denied a meeting with
the Minister for Health consistently, along with all
the other girls in our support group.

Yours in deepest despair,

Ann Fitzpatrick

Open Letter to Minister for Health Simon Harris TD

#informedconsent#investigateNOW

Dear Minister Harris,

This is my 19 year old girl who got three jabs of the HPV
vaccine as a 12 year old. She was hospitalised last
Thursday with an acute infection and stayed in
hospital nine days. This is one of many hospital
stays, where she has been admitted with very
serious symptoms, and life threatening conditions,
such as Pancreatitis. In between her life revolves
around medication, doctors and consultant
appointments.

Six years on, she suffers daily headaches, muscle

fatigue, joint pains, short term memory loss, chronic
pain, systemic inflamation, compromised immune
system, chronic inter cellular bacterial and viral
infections, ongoing nausea, extreme tiredness, noise
and light sensitivity, and very low mood due to her
debilitating post Gardasil illness.
We came home at midnight, and I was sitting up
until the early hours full of emotions. This time we
got a real fright. We both thought she was dying,
and it brought home how unprotected she is without
a fully functioning immune system. My daughter is
your constituent and now she needs your help.

How can you dismiss our 400 daughters so readily

as "fake stories"?
Don't you remember the battle you fought for your
brother Adam?
Where is your Duty of Care now?

My daughter is a fighter. She held onto her

education by her finger tips and it wasn't easy. She
can't always get out of bed due to chronic pain and
fatigue, but when she does, as most girls her age,
she makes an effort to look the best she can. She is
a teenager, who loves make up and movies. An
aspiring actress with an enormous determination.
She is my hero, but now she is broken and I can't fix
her.

She asks me if she will eventually die from this

"unexplained illness" she contracted right after the
third shot of the HPV vaccine, and you know what
the worst thing is?

It was me who put my signature on the consent

form which arrived home with the glossy HSE
brochure, reassuring me that "there are no side
effects" from this drug, but only "on the day
reactions". The manufacturers Patient Information
Leaflet listing 25 possible side effects begs to differ.

Now I am left without answers to her questions. Her

immune system is not functioning properly, and we
all know what that means. The next infection or
illness could be the last. We are getting really scared
now. Our daughters are getting worse.

We need you to stand up and be accounted for and

investigate our girls. They are our "pride and joys"
and it's deeply unfair to hold them ransom for a
target uptake rate which has been agreed with the
manufacturers of this vaccine.

We are pleading with you to investigate our

daughters post HPV vaccine illnesses, and to ensure
that parents are given the PIL in the information
pack sent home from the schools. These are very
reasonable requests.

Our girls need to see that they matter. They want

you to find out who is susceptible to side effects,
prior to receiving the HPV vaccine, so that other girls
(and boys) don't have to go through what they are
going through.

Please take the time to meet with, and listen to,

"The forgotten girls" - our daughters.
They are losing hope, and they need you to steer
this debate in a respectful manner. They are an
open target, and are finding it hard to cope with the
incessant harassment both online and in the media,
at the back of your bold public statements.

There is nothing fake about their day-to-day

struggles and I think you need to apologise for this
latest headline also.

Yours in despair,
Mum of one of the forgotten girls
Vaccine aluminum adjuvant causation of neuroglial activation and neuroinflammation in the brain of patients
with autism- Page 2
Vaccine aluminum adjuvant causation of neuroglial activation and
neuroinflammation in the brain of patients with autism- Page 2

This is enough information and from Suzanne Humphries should be in

itself enough to shut down the entire CDC directed infant vaccination
schedule. But you know that again they will ignore it; and because not
to would obviously finish them entirely.

Suzanne Humphries, MD - Neonatal Immunity: The first 3 years of life:

(the above video)

Nothing should interfere with the immunologic programming,

especially during the first three years. Normal brain development
depends on the baby maintaining a non-inflammatory state. Vaccines
drive excessive inflammation and can derail normal brain development:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL8srdLw4c0

Dr. Suzanne Humphries Has A Lot To Say About Aluminum In Vaccines

By the age of 18 months, that infant has already received 4,925
micrograms (mcg) of aluminum, 100 percent of which is absorbed since
its given intramuscularly. In the 1980s the amount of aluminum you got
when following the childhood vaccination schedule amounted to 1,120
mcg, and importantly, it was given in more mature babies, not newborns.
Today, American children end up getting a grand total of 6,150 mcg of
aluminum if they get all of their recommended vaccines.

Read more:
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/04/20/dr-suzanne-humphries-has-a-
lot-to-say-about-aluminum-in-vaccines/

Dr Suzanne Humphries. Aluminum is toxic to all life forms: The case

against aluminum in vaccines. (the above video)
https://youtu.be/LZe99K12740

Vaccination: The Neurological Poison So Common Your Doctor Probably

Pushes It
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/11/vaccination-
impact-on-childrens-health.aspx

Dr. Paul Offits Aluminum Deceptions and Academic Misconduct (one

very important article, to read)
http://vaccinepapers.org/dr-paul-offits-aluminum-deceptions-academic-
misconduct/

The Defense of Aluminum Adjuvant, Debunked

http://vaccinepapers.org/rigorous-defense-al-adjuvant-wrong/

Part 1: Immune Activation and Autism

http://vaccinepapers.org/rigorous-defense-al-adjuvant-wrong/

See all posts on Immune Activation

Part 1: Immune Activation and Autism

Part 2: Interleukin-6 and Autism
Part 3: Monkey Experiments
Part 4: (Coming Soon) Prenatal vs. Postnatal Immune Activation

http://vaccinepapers.org/immune-activation/

Scientific Papers Library

Immune Activation
http://vaccinepapers.org/scientific-papers-library/

A More Rigorous Defense of Al Adjuvant, and Why it is Wrong

http://vaccinepapers.org/rigorous-defense-al-adjuvant-wrong/

VRM: The Problem With Vaccines Part 2 Synergistic Effect of Heavy

Metal Toxicity On The Body
http://vaccineresistancemovement.org/?p=6097

The Mechanisms of Vaccine Injury and Via Cytokine Storm

http://www.vacfacts.info/the-mechanisms-of-vaccine-injury-and-via-cytokine-
storm.html

Vaccination toxicity: The Zeta phase of MASS and blood sludging

http://www.vacfacts.info/vaccination-toxicity-the-zeta-phase-of-mass-and-
ldquoblood-sludgingrdquo.html

Unvaccinated Children Will Be Healthiest Among Future Generations Studies and

Surveys Predict
http://www.fhfn.org/unvaccinated-children-will-be-healthiest-among-future-
generations-studies-and-surveys-predict/

Journal of Toxicology- Aluminum

Volume 2009 (2009), Article ID 532640,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2009/532640

Published Research
Aluminum Vacciune Adjuvants
Mercury - Neurological and Immune Development
http://www.cmsri.org/published-research/

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2010 Nov;20(7):598-601. doi:

10.1038/jes.2009.64. Epub 2009 Dec 16.
Infants' exposure to aluminum from vaccines and breast milk during the
first 6 months.
Drea JG1, Marques RC.

Abstract

The success of vaccination programs in reducing and eliminating infectious

diseases has contributed to an ever-increasing number of vaccines given at
earlier ages (newborns and infants). Exposure to low levels of environmental
toxic substances (including metals) at an early age raises plausible concerns
over increasingly lower neuro-cognitive rates. Current immunization
schedules with vaccines containing aluminum (as adjuvant) are given to
infants, but thimerosal (as preservative) is found mostly in vaccines used in
non-industrialized countries. Exclusively, breastfed infants (in Brazil) receiving
a full recommended schedule of immunizations showed an exceedingly high
exposure of Al (225 to 1750 g per dose) when compared with estimated
levels absorbed from breast milk (2.0 g). This study does not dispute the
safety of vaccines but reinforces the need to study long-term effects of early
exposure to neuro-toxic substances on the developing brain. Pragmatic
vaccine safety needs to embrace conventional toxicology, addressing especial
characteristics of unborn fetuses, neonates and infants exposed to low levels
of aluminum, and ethylmercury traditionally considered innocuous to the
central nervous system.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20010978

Tox-Guide For Aluminum-Al

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxguides/toxguide-22.pdf

Int J Alzheimers Dis. 2011 Mar 8;2011:276393. doi: 10.4061/2011/276393.

Link between Aluminum and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease:
The Integration of the Aluminum and Amyloid Cascade Hypotheses.
Kawahara M1, Kato-Negishi M.

Abstract

Whilst being environmentally abundant, aluminum is not essential for life. On

the contrary, aluminum is a widely recognized neurotoxin that inhibits more
than 200 biologically important functions and causes various adverse effects
in plants, animals, and humans. The relationship between aluminum exposure
and neurodegenerative diseases, including dialysis encephalopathy,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinsonism dementia in the Kii Peninsula
and Guam, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been suggested. In particular,
the link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease has been the subject of
scientific debate for several decades. However, the complex characteristics of
aluminum bioavailability make it difficult to evaluate its toxicity and therefore,
the relationship remains to be established. Mounting evidence has suggested
that significance of oligomerization of -amyloid protein and neurotoxicity in
the molecular mechanism of AD pathogenesis. Aluminum may play crucial
roles as a cross-linker in -amyloid oligomerization. Here, we review the
detailed characteristics of aluminum neurotoxicity based on our own studies
and the recent literatures. Our aim is to revisit the link between aluminum and
AD and to integrate aluminum and amyloid cascade hypotheses in the context
of -amyloid oligomerization and the interactions with other metals.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21423554

Review Article
Aluminum-Induced Entropy in Biological Systems:
Implications for Neurological Disease

5. Conclusions
Aluminuminducesentropyinlivingorganismsbydisrupting
all levels of structure from water molecules through all
biosemiotic systems. Entropy-inducing cascades, feedback
loops (positive and negative) within and across levels, can
damage DNAs, RNAs, proteins, cells, tissues, and whole organ
systems. As a result of cellular damage caused by an
Al compound, injured and dying cells will release proteases,
excitatory amino acids, and ions (e.g., potassium, calcium),
disrupting biosemiosis at many levels. Toxic effects of Al and
its compounds thus tend to proliferate. Interactive results
involving immune functions, for instance, make the impact
worse than if only one system were involved. Of course, the
dose-response of Al and its compounds must be considered,
but even at low doses, especially with repeated exposures, Al
can have cumulative deleterious effects that can be extreme
and even fatal. For that reason, a repeated low dose exposure
may prove more damaging than a single larger dose. Al
and its compounds can cross biosemiotic levels, damaging
genetic systems, proteins, cells, and all systems up through
the CNS. While higher doses may rapidly affect multiple
levels, as in dialysis-associated encephalopathy (DAE), low
doses over time, for example, from vaccines, can degrade
metabolism and disrupt repair and defense systems and can
spiraloutofcontrolasinASIA.Aladjuvantsinvaccinesmay
hyperdrive the immune functions of the body but they also
directly disrupt biosemiotic systems. Sound theory, empirical
research, and reasonable inferences from sources cited here
show that Al and its compounds damage biological systems.
Such conclusions warrant considerations at a policy level to
limit human exposure to Al and its compounds

Read more:
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/Shaw_et_al_JOT_2014.pdf

Treatment Manual for HPV Vaccine Injured

http://vaccineimpact.com/2015/treatment-manual-for-hpv-vaccine-injured/

Mass Vaccine Brainwashing Campaign Exposed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_detailpage&v=S9HwpHDHFWo&app=desktop

How To Recognize the Signs And Symptoms of Vaccine Reactions

http://www.nvic.org/Downloads/4507NVIC11x17HIRES.aspx

Is Aluminum The New Thimerosal?

http://sarahjmuma.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/aluminum-new-thimerosal-
sears.pdf

Research Article
The Severity of Autism Is Associated with Toxic Metal Body Burden and
Red Blood Cell Glutathione Levels

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship of children's autism symptoms with

their toxic metal body burden and red blood cell (RBC) glutathione levels. In
children ages 38 years, the severity of autism was assessed using four tools:
ADOS, PDD-BI, ATEC, and SAS. Toxic metal body burden was assessed by
measuring urinary excretion of toxic metals, both before and after oral
dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Multiple positive correlations were found
between the severity of autism and the urinary excretion of toxic metals.
Variations in the severity of autism measurements could be explained, in part,
by regression analyses of urinary excretion of toxic metals before and after
DMSA and the level of RBC glutathione (adjusted of 0.220.45, in all cases).
This study demonstrates a significant positive association between the
severity of autism and the relative body burden of toxic metals.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jt/2009/532640/ (full study)

Aluminum Induced Immunoexcitotoxicity in Neurodevelopmental

and Neurodegenerative Disorders
Russell L. Blaylock*
Visiting Professor Biology Belhaven University Theoretical Neurosciences
Research, LLC Ridgeland, Mississippi, USA

Abstract

A great deal has been learned about the neurotoxicity of aluminum over the
past two decades in terms of its ability to disrupt cellular function. Newer
evidence suggests that a more central pathophysiological mechanism may be
responsible for much of the toxicity of aluminum and aluminofluoride
compounds on the brain. This mechanism involves activation of the brain
s innate immune system, primarily the microglia, with a release of
neurotoxic concentrations of excitotoxins and pro-inflammatory cytokines,
chemokines and immune mediators. A large number of studies suggest that
excitotoxicity plays a significant role in the neurotoxic action of a number of
metals, including aluminum. Recently, researchers have found that while most
of the chronic neurodegenerative effects of these metals are secondary to
prolonged inflammation, it is the enhancement of excitotoxicity by the immune
mediators that is responsible for most of the metal s toxicity. This
enhancement occurs via a crosstalk between cytokine receptors and
glutamate receptors. The author coined the name immunoexcitotoxicity to
describe this process. This paper reviews the evidence linking
immunoexcitotoxicity to aluminums neurotoxic effects.

http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/documents/Aluminum-Blaylock.pdf

Aluminum Induced Immunoexcitotoxicity in Neurodevelopmental and

Neurodegenerative Disorders
http://chiropractorwestpalmbeach.net/2013/06/27/aluminum-induced-
immunoexcitotoxicity-in-neurodevelopmental-and-neurodegenerative-disorders/

Raising A Vaccine Free Child, by Wendy Lydall

http://www.vaccinefreechild.com/

Fight Autism and Win! By parents for parents! (the Andy

Cutler chelation protocol)
http://www.fightautismandwin.com/#sthash.XITmXJsq.dpbs
http://www.amazon.com/Fight-Autism-Win-Biomedical-
Therapies/dp/0615582095

Autism, ADD, ADHD: 2014

Whats Really Working?
Featuring Amy Derksen, ND
With bonus lecture by Dietrich Klinghardt, MD. PHD
http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/images/stories/event/autism_add_adhd_w
hats_working_today.pdf

J Inorg Biochem. 2013 No;128:237-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2013.07.022.

Epub 2013 Jul 19.
Administration of aluminium to neonatal mice in vaccine-relevant
amounts is associated with adverse long term neurological outcomes.
Shaw CA1, Li Y, Tomljenovic L.

Abstract
Our previous ecological studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has
demonstrated a correlation between increasing ASD rates and aluminium (Al)
adjuvants in common use in paediatric vaccines in several Western countries.
The correlation between ASD rate and Al adjuvant amounts appears to be
dose-dependent and satisfies 8 of 9 Hill criteria for causality. We have now
sought to provide an animal model to explore potential behavioural
phenotypes and central nervous system (CNS) alterations using s.c. injections
of Al hydroxide in early postnatal CD-1 mice of both sexes. Injections of a
"high" and "low" Al adjuvant levels were designed to correlate to either the
U.S. or Scandinavian paediatric vaccine schedules vs. control saline-injected
mice. Both male and female mice in the "high Al" group showed significant
weight gains following treatment up to sacrifice at 6 months of age. Male mice
in the "high Al" group showed significant changes in light-dark box tests and in
various measures of behaviour in an open field. Female mice showed
significant changes in the light-dark box at both doses, but no significant
changes in open field behaviours. These current data implicate Al injected in
early postnatal life in some CNS alterations that may be relevant for a better
understanding of the aetiology of ASD.
2013.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23932735

Exposure to Mercury and Aluminum in Early Life: Developmental

Vulnerability as a Modifying Factor in Neurologic and Immunologic
Effects

Abstract: Currently, ethylmercury (EtHg) and adjuvant-Al are the dominating

interventional exposures encountered by fetuses, newborns, and infants due
to immunization with Thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs). Despite their
long use as active agents of medicines and fungicides, the safety levels of
these substances have never been determined, either for animals or for adult
humansmuch less for fetuses, newborns, infants, and children. I reviewed
the literature for papers reporting on outcomes associated with (a) multiple
exposures and metabolism of EtHg and Al during early life; (b) physiological
and metabolic characteristics of newborns, neonates, and infants relevant to
xenobiotic exposure and effects; (c) neurobehavioral, immunological, and
inflammatory reactions to Thimerosal and Al-adjuvants resulting from TCV
exposure in infancy. Immunological and neurobehavioral effects of
Thimerosal-EtHg and Al-adjuvants are not extraordinary; rather, these effects
are easily detected in high and low income countries, with co-exposure to
methylmercury (MeHg) or other neurotoxicants. Rigorous and replicable
studies (in different animal species) have shown evidence of EtHg and Al
toxicities. More research attention has been given to EtHg and findings have
showed a solid link with neurotoxic effects in humans; however, the potential
synergic effect of both toxic agents has not been properly studied. Therefore,
early life exposure to both EtHg and Al deserves due consideration.

http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/12/2/1295/htm

Journal of American Nutraceutical Association 6: 21-35, 2003.

Interaction of Cytokines, Excitotoxins, and Reactive Nitrogen and
Oxygen Species in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Russell Blaylock, MD*
Medical Director, Advanced Nutritional Concepts Ridgeland, Mississippi

ABSTRACT

There is growing and compelling evidence that excessive peripheral as

well as central immune activation of brain microglia can result in
alterations in brain growth and connectivity during rapid brain growth,
the so-called "brain growth spurt." A considerable amount of evidence,
presented in this paper, demonstrates the deleterious effects of immune
factors, such as cytokines, chemokines, and excitotoxins, when present
in excess. The interaction between excitotoxicity, ROS and RNS injury and
immune dysfunction is discussed. It is concluded that excessive activation of
the brain's immune system during critical growth periods can occur when
vaccines are given as combination vaccines, using schedules that are too
close together or by the use of certain live viruses in the vaccines.

http://www.nutrimedical.com/news.jhtml?method=view&news.id=1084

Recent Changes In Vaccines

"Theyve been increasing the amount of aluminum in vaccines quite

systematically particularly over the last 10 years, says Dr. Stephanie
Seneff, senior scientist at MIT who has been conducting research for
over three decades. She is considered the leading expert on sulfur and how
it functions in the body. She is an electrical engineer, a computer science
specialist who then converted into the biological sciences with a biology
degree as well as a food and nutrition specialty.

Theyve been increasing the number of vaccines as well. Im deeply

disturbed by what Im seeing, she says. The root of her worry is, They add
the aluminum in order to get the child to react enough. If the child has a strong
immune system and you just give them a vaccine of some dead microbe, the
bodys going to slough it off they wont actually be resistant to the disease.
They have to put something else in the vaccine to make you react more.
Theyve discovered that aluminum works really well. At the same time its
causing all the trouble.

Read more:
http://nourishingplot.com/2014/06/27/recent-changes-in-vaccines/

The Mechanisms of Vaccine Injury and Via Cytokine Storm

http://www.vacfacts.info/the-mechanisms-of-vaccine-injury-and-via-cytokine-storm.html

Although this next study does not involve vaccines; if you follow the
studies on these pages, you will realize how similar the same type of
vaccine injury is, to traumatic brain injury; and it clearly involves the
same or similar physiological and biological systems.

Surg Neurol Int. 2011; 2: 107.

Published online 2011 July 30. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.83391
PMCID: PMC3157093
Immunoexcitotoxicity as a central mechanism in chronic traumatic
encephalopathyA unifying hypothesis
Published online 2011 July 30. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.83391
PMCID: PMC3157093
Russell L. Blaylock* and Joseph Maroon1

Abstract
Some individuals suffering from mild traumatic brain injuries, especially
repetitive mild concussions, are thought to develop a slowly progressive
encephalopathy characterized by a number of the neuropathological elements
shared with various neurodegenerative diseases. A central pathological
mechanism explaining the development of progressive neurodegeneration in
this subset of individuals has not been elucidated. Yet, a large number of
studies indicate that a process called immunoexcitotoxicity may be playing a
central role in many neurodegenerative diseases including chronic traumatic
encephalopathy (CTE). The term immunoexcitotoxicity was first coined by the
lead author to explain the evolving pathological and neurodevelopmental
changes in autism and the Gulf War Syndrome, but it can be applied to a
number of neurodegenerative disorders. The interaction between immune
receptors within the central nervous system (CNS) and excitatory glutamate
receptors trigger a series of events, such as extensive reactive oxygen
species/reactive nitrogen species generation, accumulation of lipid
peroxidation products, and prostaglandin activation, which then leads to
dendritic retraction, synaptic injury, damage to microtubules, and
mitochondrial suppression. In this paper, we discuss the mechanism of
immunoexcitotoxicity and its link to each of the pathophysiological and
neurochemical events previously described with CTE, with special emphasis
on the observed accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3157093/

Download PDF: Immunoexcitotoxicity as a central mechanism in chronic

traumatic encephalopathy-A unifying hypothesis
http://www.surgicalneurologyint.com/downloadpdf.asp?issn=2152-
7806%3Byear%3D2011%3Bvolume%3D2%3Bissue%3D1%3Bspage
%3D107%3Bepage%3D107%3Baulast%3DBlaylock%3Btype%3D2

Session 22, The Vaccine Safety Conference: Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD, CCN
THE CENTRAL ROLE OF IMMUNOEXCITOTOXICITY IN ALUMINUM AND
MERCURY-CONTAINING ADJUVANT-TRIGGERED
NEURODEVELOPMENTAL AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9DkcpEEBPI

Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD, CCN, video presentation -(same video as above,
for an alternate source).
http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/videos.html#BlaylockVideo

How Vaccines Harm Child Brain Development - Dr Russell Blaylock MD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QBcMYqlaDs

Vaccination and brain inflammation

http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/prevention/immunity/vaccinations/167-
vaccines-depression-neurodegeneration-after-age-50-years?showall=&

Danger of live virus vaccines

http://www.heartmdinstitute.com/prevention/immunity/vaccinations/167-
vaccines-depression-neurodegeneration-after-age-50-years?showall=&

A Mechanism of Toxicity of Aluminium-based Adjuvants?

Consumer Summary | by Chris Exley
http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/exley

Exley & House (2011) Aluminium in the human brain. Monatsh Chem (In
press)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/9550512205128414/

Aluminum as a Neurotoxin: The Evidence from Cell Culture, In Vivo, &

Human Studies
http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/pdf/Shaw/Shaw_PPT.pdf

Study Reveals Children are Being Vaccinated With Toxic Levels of

Aluminium Causing Neurological Damage & Autism

A recent study conducted by Canadian scientists Professor Christopher Shaw

and Dr. Lucija Tomljenovic revealed that the more vaccines that children
receive containing the adjuvant aluminum, the greater their chance is of
developing autism, autoimmune diseases and neurological problems in the
future.

In 2013, in their paper, published by Springer Science+Business Media, titled

Aluminum in the Central Nervous System: Toxicity in Humans and Animals,
Vaccine Adjuvants, and Autoimmunity, they revealed that during a 17-year
period, the rates of autism had increased significantly in countries that had the
most vaccinations containing the adjuvant aluminum.
A Highly Significant Correlation

The researchers compared the number of vaccines recommend by the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the period from
1991 2008 and the changes in the autism rates during the same period.
They wrote:

The data sets, graphed against each other, show a pronounced and
statistically highly significant correlation between the number vaccines with
aluminum and the changes in autism rates. Further data showed that a
significant correlation exists between the amounts of aluminum given to
preschool children and the current rates of autism in seven Western countries.
Those countries with the highest level of aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines had
the highest autism rates. [1] (own emphasis)

Read more:
http://www.thelibertybeacon.com/2014/06/23/study-reveals-children-are-
being-vaccinated-with-toxic-levels-of-aluminium-causing-neurological-
damage-autism/

Dr. Chris Shaw discusses the toxic side effects of Aluminum in

Vaccines. Oct-21-2009, (very informative)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsAKoRx60xs

Review of Vaccine Induced Immune Overload and the Resulting

Epidemics of
Type 1 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, Emphasis on Explaining the
Recent
Accelerations in the Risk of Prediabetes and other Immune Mediated
Diseases

Abstract
There has been an epidemic of inflammatory diseases that has paralleled the
epidemic on iatrogenic immune
stimulation with vaccines. Extensive evidence links vaccine induced immune
over load with the epidemic of type 1
diabetes. More recent data indicates that obesity, type 2 diabetes and other
components of metabolic syndrome are
highly associated with immunization and may be manifestations of the
negative feedback loop of the immune system
reacting to the immune overload. The epidemic of diabetes/prediabetes
appears to be accelerating at a time when
the prevalence of obesity has stabilized, indicating that the negative feedback
system of the immune system has
been over whelmed. The theory of vaccine induced immune overload can
explain the key observations that have
confounded many competing hypothesis. The current paper reviews the
evidence that vaccine induced immune
overload explains the disconnect between the increase in prediabetes and
nonalcoholic fatty liver at a time when the obesity epidemic is waning in
children.

http://vaccines.net/vaccine-induced-immune-overload.pdf

Do aluminum vaccine adjuvants contribute to the rising prevalence of

autism?
Lucija Tomljenovic a, Christopher A. Shaw a,b
http://pop.1796kotok.com/pdfs/Aluminum_autism.pdf

DR. CHRIS SHAW: ALUMINUM IN THE BODY - ONE MORE GIRL

EXCERPTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfTo35UrFPA

Abstract for talk: Aluminum as a neurotoxin: the evidence from cell culture, in
vivo, and
human studies

http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/pdf/Shaw/Shaw_CS.pdf

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Aluminum Vaccine Adjuvants

Lucija Tomljenovic, Russell L. Blaylock, Christopher A. Shaw

Abstract
Impaired brain function, excessive inflammation, and autoimmune
manifestations are common in autism. Aluminum (Al), the most commonly
used vaccine adjuvant, is a demonstrated neurotoxin and a strong immune
stimulator. Hence, adjuvant Al has the necessary properties to induce
neuroimmune disorders. Because peripheral immune stimuli in the postnatal
period can compromise brain development and cause permanent neurological
impairments, the possibility that such outcomes could also occur with
administration of Al vaccine adjuvants needs to be considered. In regard to
the risk of adjuvant toxicity in children, the following should be noted: (i)
children should not be viewed as small adults as their unique physiology
makes them more vulnerable to toxic insults; (ii) in adult humans Al adjuvants
can cause a variety of serious autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
including those affecting the brain, yet children are routinely exposed to much
higher amounts of Al from vaccines than adults; (iii) compelling evidence has
underscored the tight connection between the development of the immune
system and that of the brain. Thus, it appears plausible that disruptions of
critical events in immune development may also play a role in the
establishment of neurobehavioral disorders; (iv) the same immune system
components that play key roles in brain development appear to be targeted
for impairment by Al adjuvants. In summary, research data suggests that
vaccines containing Al may be a contributing etiological factor in the
increasing incidence of autism.

http://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4614-4788-
7_89

Alzheimers
Int J Alzheimers Dis. 2012;2012:914947. doi: 10.1155/2012/914947. Epub
2012 Jul 30.
Cognitive deterioration and associated pathology induced by chronic
low-level aluminum ingestion in a translational rat model provides an
explanation of Alzheimer's disease, tests for susceptibility and avenues
for treatment.
Walton JR.

Abstract
A translational aging rat model for chronic aluminum (Al) neurotoxicity mimics
human Al exposure by ingesting Al, throughout middle age and old age, in
equivalent amounts to those ingested by Americans from their food, water,
and Al additives. Most rats that consumed Al in an amount equivalent to the
high end of the human total dietary Al range developed severe cognitive
deterioration in old age. High-stage Al accumulation occurred in the entorhinal
cortical cells of origin for the perforant pathway and hippocampal CA1 cells,
resulting in microtubule depletion and dendritic dieback. Analogous
pathological change in humans leads to destruction of the perforant pathway
and Alzheimer's disease dementia. The hippocampus is thereby isolated from
neocortical input and output normally mediated by the entorhinal cortex.
Additional evidence is presented that Al is involved in the formation of
neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, granulovacuolar degeneration, and
other pathological changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The shared
characteristics indicate that AD is a human form of chronic Al neurotoxicity.
This translational animal model provides fresh strategies for the prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of AD.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22928148

NEW STUDY REVEALS CHILDREN BEING VACCINATED WITH TOXIC

LEVELS OF ALUMINUM CAUSING NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE AND
AUTISM

In their landmark 2013 paper, Canadian scientists Professor Christopher

Shaw and Dr. Lucija Tomljenovic show that the more children receive
vaccines with aluminum adjuvants, the greater their chance is of developing
autism, autoimmune diseases and neurological problems later in life. A
demonstrated neurotoxin, Aluminum is the only approved adjuvant in the US.
Its use presents the risk of brain inflammation, autoimmunity and other
adverse health consequences.

http://www.fhfn.org/new-study-reveals-children-being-vaccinated-with-toxic-
levels-of-aluminum-causing-neurological-damage-and-autism/

Immunol Res. 2013 Jul;56(2-3):304-16. doi: 10.1007/s12026-013-8403-1.

Aluminum in the central nervous system (CNS): toxicity in humans and
animals, vaccine adjuvants, and autoimmunity.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23609067
Administration of aluminium to neonatal mice in vaccine-relevant
amounts is associated with adverse long term neurological outcomes
C.A. Shawa,b,c, , Y. Li a , L. Tomljenovic a

Abstract:

Our previous ecological studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has

demonstrated a correlation between increasing ASD rates and aluminium (Al)
adjuvants in common use in paediatric vaccines in several Western countries.
The correlation between ASD rate and Al adjuvant amounts appears to be
dose-dependent and satises 8 of 9 Hill criteria for causality. We have now
sought to provide an animal model to explore potential behavioural
phenotypes and central nervous system (CNS) alterations using s.c. injections
of Al hydroxide in early postnatal CD-1 mice of both sexes. Injections of a
high and lowAl adjuvant levels were designed to correlate to either the U.S.
or Scandinavian paediatric vaccine schedules vs. control saline-injected mice.
Both male and female mice
in the high Al group showed signicant weight gains following treatment up
to sacrice at 6 months of age. Male mice in the high Al group showed
signicant changes in lightdark box tests and in various measures of
behaviour in an open eld. Female mice showed signicant changes in the
lightdark box at both doses, but no signicant changes in open eld
behaviours. These current data implicate Al injected in early postnatal life in
some CNS alterations that may be relevant for a better understanding of the
aetiology of ASD. 2013 Elsevier Inc

http://myofasciite.fr/Contenu/Divers/201307_CAShaw_YLee_LTomljenovic.pdf

PRESENTATIONS
http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/presentation.html

Study RESOURCES - Dr Russell Blaylock

http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/resources.html

The Danger of Excessive Vaccination During Brain Development

The Case for a Link to Autism Spectrum Disorders
By Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/03/14/the-danger-of-
excessive-vaccination-during-brain-development.aspx

Immune-Glutamatergic Dysfunction as a Central Mechanism of the

Autism Spectrum Disorders
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?
doi=10.1.1.317.7642&rep=rep1&
http://www.utdallas.edu/~mxa049000/lessons/research/literature/Autism/new/
Blaylock%20autism%20rev%20CMC%2009.pdf

Chronic Microglial Activation and Excitotoxicity Secondary to Excessive

Immune Stimulation:
Possible Factors in Gulf War Syndrome and Autism
The Role of Excitotoxicity

Page 47. Damage to neuronal mechanisms is not limited to direct cytokine

effects. The excitotoxicity initiated by microglial activation is even more
important. In cases of HIV-1 dementia, it is known that brain quinolinic acid,
an excitotoxin secreted by activated microglia, can increase more than 300-
fold. In addition, glutamate is released in concentrations that are known to
destroy neurons and/or synaptic connections.

Because glutamate can also activate microglia and enhance cytokine-induced

neurodegeneration, a vicious cycle is created in which immune cytokines can
stimulate release of glutamate, and glutamate in turn enhances cytokine
production and release. Moreover, cytokines inhibit glutamate transporters,
which play a critical role in removal of excess extracellular glutamate.
Intimately linked to excitotoxicity is the generation of destructive free radicals,
especially the reactive nitrogen species such as peroxynitrite and
nitrosoperoxycarbonate. Much of the injury to dendrites, synapses and
neurons, by both cytokines and excitotoxicity, is caused by free radicals.

The Role of Vaccines, page 49

Read more:
http://www.jpands.org/vol9no2/blaylock.pdf

Entropy 2012, 14(8), 1399-1442; doi:10.3390/e14081399

Review
The Initial Common Pathway of Inflammation, Disease, and Sudden
Death
Robert M. Davidson 1,* and Stephanie Seneff

Abstract: In reviewing the literature pertaining to interfacial water, colloidal

stability, and cell membrane function, we are led to propose that a cascade of
events that begins with acute exogenous surfactant-induced interfacial water
stress can explain the etiology of sudden death syndrome (SDS), as well as
many other diseases associated with modern times. A systemic lowering of
serum zeta potential mediated by exogenous cationic surfactant
administration is the common underlying pathophysiology. The cascade leads
to subsequent inflammation, serum sickness, thrombohemorrhagic
phenomena, colloidal instability, and ultimately even death. We propose that a
sufficient precondition for sudden death is lowered bioavailability of certain
endogenous sterol sulfates, sulfated glycolipids, and sulfated
glycosaminoglycans, which are essential in maintaining biological equipose,
energy metabolism, membrane function, and thermodynamic stability in living
organisms. Our literature review provides the basis for the presentation of a
novel hypothesis as to the origin of endogenous bio-sulfates which involves
energy transduction from sunlight. Our hypothesis is amply supported by a
growing body of data showing that parenteral administration of substances
that lower serum zeta potential results in kosmotropic cationic and/or
chaotropic anionic interfacial water stress, and the resulting cascade.
http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/14/8/1399 (Also view full text from that link
by clicking full study)

Warning to Pregnant Mothers - Toxic Dose of Aluminum in the Tdap,

Pediatrician Paul Thomas (same video as at the top of page)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoY6vXEMsU8

Aluminum in Vaccines | A Pediatricians Warning To All Parents (same

video as at the bottom of page)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee70I5bm3-k

The Initial Common Pathway of Inflammation, Disease, and Sudden

Death, (full study source)
Pay particular attention to reading pages, Page 414-415 in regard to vaccine
aluminum adjuvants, and as well pages 419-420 in regard to Gardasil.

Excerpted:

Page 414-415

The respiratory and auditory centers [218,219] in the brainstem are vulnerable
to microvascular ischemic stress. So too is the pancreas [220225].
Watershed and terminal vascular distributions are particularly susceptible to
microvascular ischemic stress [223225]. These vascular distributions would
be predicted to be highly susceptible to pathologic inflammatory stimulation
and thrombohemorrhagic phenomena [3] induced by zeta potential-lowering
and interfacial water stress-inducing properties of cationic kosmotropic
electrolytes and polyelectrolyte surfactants. Dr Mohammed Al-Bayatis
histopathologic analyses of SIDS [220222] and so-called Shaken Baby
Syndrome (SBS) victims [226] are most informative. Al-Bayatis work provides
strong support for the view that microvascular ischemia plays a central role in
the pathophysiology of SIDS and, by inference, all SDS events [220222].
Surfactant induced water stress [29,40,43,45,54,174,178,211,212] especially
that associated with polycationic surfactants, is an important determinant of
risk. Risk factors for SDS are synergistic and cumulative.

Expressed most simply, anything that perturbs the ZP toward less negative
values and/or induces cationic kosmotropic or anionic chaotropic water stress
represents a step in the direction of enzyme inhibition, protein dysfunction,
cellular dysfunction, flocculation, gelation, coagulation,
microvascular ischemia, cellular anoxia, infarction, and death.

Transcytosis, both endocytosis and exocytosis, membrane potentials

[219,227], and ion channels are all profoundly disrupted by polycationic
surfactants [31,89,228231]. A very relevant example is aluminum (Al3+), a
kosmotropic trivalent cation, which is a potent and irreversible blocker of
voltage activated calcium channels in mammalian neurons [31,228]. Ca-
ATPase, protein kinase C and calmodulin (CaM) are biological systems
known to be disrupted by aluminum [37,87,178,232]. Another very relevant
example is mercury (Hg2+), a kosmotropic divalent cation. It has been shown
in infant monkeys that the ethylmercury in thimerosal is more readily stored as
inorganic mercury (Hg2+) in the brain than is orally-delivered ethylmercury
and that inorganic mercury tends to linger longer in the tissues [231].

Thus, the sudden death syndrome can now be defined as an acute disruption
of the colloidal stability of the vascular system, which triggers a cascade of
events [97100,229,230] leading to death, whenever compensatory
mechanisms to maintain colloidal stability of the blood are insufficient. If
compensatory mechanisms are sufficient, the cascade can instead lead to a
new equilibrium. Mucopolysaccharides, also known as glycosaminoglycans
(GAGs), contribute to the inflammatory state of the Shwartzman phenomenon
[233236]. Upon exposure to systemic stress, increases in
sulfomucopolysaccharide incorporation occur throughout the body, and this is
designated as the universal nonspecific mesenchymal reaction [3].

Gardasil

Page 419-420

2.9. Acute Shock and Role of Endothelial NOS-derived NO in SDS

Anaphylactic shock is a sudden, life-threatening allergic reaction associated

with severe hypotension. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is implicated in the
cardiovascular dysfunctions occurring in various shock syndromes, including
anaphylaxis. Anaphylactic shock is especially associated with quadrivalent
HPV vaccine, which contains aluminum hydroxide. Based on the number of
confirmed cases, the estimated rate of anaphylaxis following quadrivalent
HPV vaccine was
significantly higher than identified in comparable school-based delivery of
other vaccines [282].

In this review, we have described several of the adverse biophysical

properties associated with cationic surfactants, Al3+ salts, and non-ionic
surfactants. The U.S. CDC VAERS database provides considerable evidence
of life threatening anaphylactic shock and anaphylactoid events associated
with HPV vaccine, as well as with all of the aluminum (3+) containing
vaccines, some of which resulted in sudden death. The U.S. CDC Vaccine
Excipient & Media Summary states, Excipients are inactive ingredients of a
drug product necessary for production of a finished pharmaceutical
formulation. In the February 2012 update, the CDC disclosed that excipients
in U.S. HPV vaccine include amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate,
polysorbate 80, and sodium borate (from the manufacturers package insert of
March, 2011). The relevance to SDS is apparent from reports of unexplained
deaths of some women attributed to HPV vaccines in the CDC VAERS
database, some of which were described variably as death during sleep or
while bathing.

A reasonable question should be raised as to the purported safety and alleged

biologic inactivity of the ingredients in the HPV vaccine, particularly aluminum,
polysorbate 80, and sodium borate. Moreover, a further reasonable question
should be Entropy 2012, 14 1420 raised as to the purported safety and
alleged biologic inactivity of all of the aluminum and polysorbate 80 containing
vaccines. This question may be further explored by analysis of the CDC
VAERS database.

For example, CDC VAERS report ID: 337242 states my daughter had her 3rd
GARDASIL vaccine in Sept. She was a very healthy young lady, she went to
take a shower and died. Autopsy report states undermined [undetermined]
death. There was no sign of trauma to the body to indicate a fall. She had
pointed the shower head away from her and she got down on her knees and
put her head on the edge of the tub and passed away.

Sources: http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/14/8/1399
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/Entropy/Entropy1_downloaded.pdf

Stephanie Seneff
http://www.informatik.uni-trier.de/~ley/pers/hy/s/Seneff:Stephanie.html

Gardasil: New Study Brings More Safety Questions to Light

By Norma Erickson, President

Excerpts:

Why were HPV-16 L1 DNA fragments detected in post mortem samples taken
six months after Gardasil vaccination and not the other vaccine-relevant
types? Dr. Sin Hang Lee, of Milford Hospital and Milford Molecular Laboratory,
may have provided an answer in his most recently published paper entitled,
Topological conformational changes of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA
bound to an insoluble aluminum salt A study by low temperature PCR.[1] His
findings suggest that non-B-conformational changes in HPV L1 gene DNA
fragments bound to the AAHS adjuvant may be genotype related, in other
words specific to HPV-16.

In September 2011, SaneVax Inc. informed the FDA that despite all claims
stating Gardasil contained no viral DNA Dr. Lee had discovered there were
indeed fragments of HPV-11, HPV-16 and HPV-18 L1 DNA firmly attached to
Mercks proprietary aluminum adjuvant in 100% of the samples he tested, but
all were lacking a region amplifiable by an MY09 degenerate primer.[2] The
FDA was quick to confirm that Gardasil does contain residual HPV L1 gene
DNA fragments,[3] but that these fragments posed no health risk. The FDA
completely ignored a request for further investigations put forth by the
SaneVax Team.[4]

In light of the FDA statement corroborating Dr. Lees previous findings, the
presence of HPV DNA fragments of vaccine origin in the bodies of recipients
might be anticipated after intramuscular injections of Gardasil. However,
finding HPV-16 L1 DNA fragments in post-mortem blood samples of a
teenager who died six months after completion of 3 Gardasil injections without
finding any other vaccine-relevant fragments was a surprise.[5] Obviously,
further investigations were necessary.

At the request of SaneVax Inc., Dr. Lee agreed to use PCR amplification
followed by direct DNA sequencing to try and determine what was going on.
What he discovered is stated clearly in the conclusion of the above referenced
paper. It says:

Where does this leave the average medical consumer? Unfortunately, it

leaves them with the following unanswered questions:

Once injected, how long will the HPV-16 L1 DNA fragments attached to
aluminum remain in my body?

Are the non-B conformation HPV fragments in Gardasil potentially harmful?

Will the non-B conformation DNA fragments in Gardasil induce autoimmune

disorders?

Will the non-B conformation DNA get integrated in the genome causing
mutagenesis and/or cancer?

The scientific community needs to investigate these potential risks

immediately. Medical consumers need to know the risks as well as any
potential benefits before they decide if Gardasil is right for them.

In the interest of public health and safety, the FDA needs to rescind approval
for Gardasil until satisfactory answers are provided to the four questions
above. The time for poke and hope is long since passed. Medical consumers
need proof this vaccine is safe.

Read more:
http://sanevax.org/gardasil-new-study-brings-more-safety-questions-to-light/

Death after Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination:

Causal or Coincidental?

Conclusions: Our study suggests that HPV vaccines containing HPV-16L1

antigens pose an inherent risk for
triggering potentially fatal autoimmune vasculopathies.

http://www.rescuepost.com/files/ltshaw-death-after-quadrivalent-hpv-
vaccination-pharma-reg-affairs-2012.pdf

The Potential Significance of Aluminum/DNA Compounds in Gardasil on

Health
http://sanevax.org/the-potential-significance-of-aluminumdna-compounds-in-
gardasil-on-health/

The persistence of HPV DNA fragments and adverse effects in HPV shot
recipients
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-persistence-of-hpv-dna-fragments-and-
adverse-effects-hpv-shot-recipients

Gardasil: Are you paying for your own bullet?

The temperature of the heated controversy concerning Gardasil was recently

raised even more when Dr. Bernhard Dalbergue (France), former
pharmaceutical industry physician with Merck, recently predicted that the
vaccine will become the greatest medical scandal of all times.

In an interview in the April 2014 issue (no. 66) of the magazine Principes de
Sant (Health Principles), Dr. Dalbergue, who has worked for over twenty
years with the industry, describes the widespread corruption and his concern
that the health of patients is sacrificed on the altar of profitability.

Dr. Dalbergue stated:

I predict that Gardasil will become the greatest medical scandal of all times
because at some point in time, the evidence will add up to prove that this
vaccine has absolutely no effect on cervical cancer and that all the very many
adverse effects which destroy lives and even kill, serve no other purpose than
to generate profit for the manufacturers.

According to Dr. Dalbergue the pharmaceutical industry has hardened

considerably during the last decade, as shown by increased violations of
ethics, manipulation of clinical trial data, widespread corruption, gross
conflicts of interest and generally less emphasis on pharmacovigilance.

Read more:
http://sanevax.org/gardasil-paying-for-your-own-bullet/

Why is neurotoxic aluminum in vaccines, (Over 600 mcg in all three shots of
Gardasil. The brand name Cervarix now showing equally as harmful, with its
new APo4 adjuvant). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervarix

Excerpt:

Aluminum hydroxide is a neurotoxic poison

This form of aluminum is a protoplasmic poison and a potent neurotoxin that

is completely unnatural to the biochemical process of any life form on earth.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that aluminum is now being
implicated as interfering with a variety of cellular and metabolic processes in
the nervous system and other tissues. Aluminum toxicity is known to cause
encepthalitis, bone disease and anemia.

Aluminum hydroxide is used in vaccines to increase the bodys production of

antibodies, though no one knows how it works, says Purdue researcher
Stanley Hem, professor of industrial and physical pharmacy.
Antigens are protein molecules that stimulate the immune system. Antibodies
are protein molecules made by the immune system to defend against foreign
substances. In the 1930s, vaccine researchers tested a number of
ingredients to see what would effectively bring antigens into the body so the
immune system of the individual would produce antibodies.

Aluminum was proved to be an effective adjuvant or substance that irritates

the immune system and causes antibody production.

Read more:
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/vaccine_dangers/toxic_aluminum.html

Gardasil-The Real Truth

http://www.vacfacts.info/gardasil---the-real-truth.html

09 Andrew Moulden En 07 de 11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hUOVChsJ9w

09 Andrew Moulden En 06 de 11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58KLLm1q0_Y

Vaccination toxicity: The Zeta phase of MASS and blood sludging

http://www.vacfacts.info/vaccination-toxicity-the-zeta-phase-of-mass-and-
ldquoblood-sludgingrdquo.html

TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR ALUMINUM

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp22.pdf

----------------

Crit Rev Toxicol. 2014 Oct;44 Suppl 4:1-80. doi:

10.3109/10408444.2014.934439.
Systematic review of potential health risks posed by pharmaceutical,
occupational and consumer exposures to metallic and
nanoscale aluminum, aluminumoxides, aluminum hydroxide and its
soluble salts.
Willhite CC1, Karyakina NA, Yokel RA, Yenugadhati N, Wisniewski TM, Arnold
IM, Momoli F, Krewski D.

Abstract
Abstract Aluminum (Al) is a ubiquitous substance encountered both naturally
(as the third most abundant element) and intentionally (used in water, foods,
pharmaceuticals, and vaccines); it is also present in ambient and occupational
airborne particulates. Existing data underscore the importance of Al physical
and chemical forms in relation to its uptake, accumulation, and systemic
bioavailability. The present review represents a systematic examination of the
peer-reviewed literature on the adverse health effects of Al materials
published since a previous critical evaluation compiled by Krewski et al.
(2007) . Challenges encountered in carrying out the present review reflected
the experimental use of different physical and chemical Al forms, different
routes of administration, and different target organs in relation to the
magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure. Wide variations in diet can
result in Al intakes that are often higher than the World Health Organization
provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), which is based on studies with Al
citrate. Comparing daily dietary Al exposures on the basis of "total Al"assumes
that gastrointestinal bioavailability for all dietary Al forms is equivalent to that
for Al citrate, an approach that requires validation. Current occupational
exposure limits (OELs) for identical Al substances vary as much as 15-fold.
The toxicity of different Al forms depends in large measure on their physical
behavior and relative solubility in water. The toxicity of soluble Al forms
depends upon the delivered dose of Al(+3) to target tissues. Trivalent Al reacts
with water to produce bidentate superoxide coordination spheres [Al(O2)
(H2O4)(+2) and Al(H2O)6 (+3)] that after complexation with O2(-), generate
Al superoxides [Al(O2())](H2O5)](+2). Semireduced AlO2() radicals deplete
mitochondrial Fe and promote generation of H2O2, O2 (-) and OH(). Thus, it
is the Al(+3)-induced formation of oxygen radicals that accounts for the
oxidative damage that leads to intrinsic apoptosis. In contrast, the toxicity of
the insoluble Al oxides depends primarily on their behavior as
particulates. Aluminum has been held responsible for human morbidity and
mortality, but there is no consistent and convincing evidence to associate the
Al found in food and drinking water at the doses and chemical forms presently
consumed by people living in North America and Western Europe with
increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neither is there clear evidence to
show use of Al-containing underarm antiperspirants or cosmetics increases
the risk of AD or breast cancer. Metallic Al, its oxides, and common Al salts
have not been shown to be either genotoxic or
carcinogenic. Aluminum exposures during neonatal and pediatric parenteral
nutrition (PN) can impair bone mineralization and delay neurological
development. Adverse effects to vaccines with Al adjuvants have occurred;
however, recent controlled trials found that the immunologic response to
certain vaccines with Al adjuvants was no greater, and in some cases less
than, that after identical vaccination without Al adjuvants. The scientific
literature on the adverse health effects of Al is extensive. Health risk
assessments for Al must take into account individual co-factors (e.g., age,
renal function, diet, gastric pH). Conclusions from the current review point to
the need for refinement of the PTWI, reduction of Al contamination in PN
solutions, justification for routine addition of Al to vaccines, and harmonization
of OELs for Al substances.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25233067

Immunotherapy. 2014;6(10):1055-71. doi: 10.2217/imt.14.81.

Are there negative CNS impacts of aluminum adjuvants used in
vaccines and immunotherapy?
Shaw CA1, Li D, Tomljenovic L.

Abstract
In spite of a common view that aluminum (Al) salts are inert and therefore
harmless as vaccine adjuvants or in immunotherapy, the reality is quite
different. In the following article we briefly review the literature on Al
neurotoxicity and the use of Al salts as vaccine adjuvants and consider not
only direct toxic actions on the nervous system, but also the potential impact
for triggering autoimmunity. Autoimmune and inflammatory responses
affecting the CNS appear to underlie some forms of neurological disease,
including developmental disorders. Al has been demonstrated to impact the
CNS at every level, including by changing gene expression. These outcomes
should raise concerns about the increasing use of Al salts as
vaccine adjuvants and for the application as more general immune stimulants.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25428645

Biotech Histochem. 2015 Feb;90(2):132-9. doi:

10.3109/10520295.2014.965277. Epub 2014 Oct 14.
A histological study of toxic effects of aluminium sulfate on rat
hippocampus.
abu N1, Ouz EO, Tufan A, Adgzel E.

Abstract
Aluminium has toxic effects on many organ systems of the human body.
Aluminium toxicity also is a factor in many neurodegenerative diseases. We
investigated changes in numbers of hippocampal neurons in rats exposed to
aluminium using an optical fractionator and we investigated aluminium-
induced apoptosis using the transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling
(TUNEL) assay. Twenty-four female rats were divided equally into control,
sham and aluminium-exposed groups. The control group received no
treatment. The two treatment groups were injected intraperitoneally with 1 ml
0.9% saline without (sham) and with 3 mg/ml aluminium sulfate every day for
two weeks. Following the treatments, the brains were removed, the left
hemisphere was used for hippocampal neuron counting using an optical
fractionator and the right hemisphere was investigated using hippocampal
TUNEL assay to determine the apoptotic index. The number of neurons in the
stratum pyramidale of the hippocampus was significantly less in the
aluminium group than in the control and sham groups; there was no
significant difference between the control and sham groups. The apoptotic
index also was significantly higher in the aluminium group than in the other
two groups. We quantified the toxic effects of aluminium on the rat
hippocampus and determined that apoptosis was the mechanism of
aluminium-induced neuron death in the hippocampus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25314162

Int J Alzheimers Dis. 2011 Mar 8;2011:276393. doi: 10.4061/2011/276393.

Link between Aluminum and the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease:
The Integration of the Aluminum and Amyloid Cascade Hypotheses.
Kawahara M1, Kato-Negishi M.

Abstract
Whilst being environmentally abundant, aluminum is not essential for life. On
the contrary, aluminum is a widely recognized neurotoxin that inhibits more
than 200 biologically important functions and causes various adverse effects
in plants, animals, and humans. The relationship between aluminum exposure
and neurodegenerative diseases, including dialysis encephalopathy,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinsonism dementia in the Kii Peninsula
and Guam, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been suggested. In particular,
the link between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease has been the subject of
scientific debate for several decades. However, the complex characteristics
of aluminum bioavailability make it difficult to evaluate its toxicity and
therefore, the relationship remains to be established. Mounting evidence has
suggested that significance of oligomerization of -amyloid protein and
neurotoxicity in the molecular mechanism of AD pathogenesis. Aluminum may
play crucial roles as a cross-linker in -amyloid oligomerization. Here, we
review the detailed characteristics of aluminum neurotoxicity based on our
own studies and the recent literatures. Our aim is to revisit the link
between aluminum and AD and to integrate aluminum and amyloid cascade
hypotheses in the context of -amyloid oligomerization and the interactions
with other metals.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21423554

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2012 Oct;26(4):291-3. doi:

10.1016/j.jtemb.2012.02.005. Epub 2012 Mar 15.
Aluminium overload after 5 years in skin biopsy following post-
vaccination with subcutaneous pseudolymphoma.
Guillard O1, Fauconneau B, Pineau A, Marrauld A, Bellocq JP, Chenard MP.

Abstract
Aluminium hydroxide is used as an effective adjuvant in a wide range of
vaccines for enhancing immune response to the antigen. The pathogenic role
of aluminium hydroxide is now recognized by the presence of chronic fatigue
syndrome, macrophagic myofasciitis and subcutaneous pseudolymphoma,
linked to intramuscular injection of aluminium hydroxide-containing vaccines.
The aim of this study is to verify if the subcutaneous pseudolymphoma
observed in this patient in the site of vaccine injection is linked to an
aluminium overload. Many years after vaccination, a subcutaneous nodule
was discovered in a 45-year-old woman with subcutaneous
pseudolymphoma. In skin biopsy at the injection site for vaccines, aluminium
(Al) deposits are assessed by Morin stain and quantification of Al is performed
by Zeeman Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Morin stain
shows Al deposits in the macrophages, and Al assays (in g/g, dry weight)
were 768.1018 for the patient compared with the two control patients,
5.610.59 and 9.130.057. Given the pathology of this patient and the high Al
concentration in skin biopsy, the authors wish to draw attention when using
the Al salts known to be particularly effective asadjuvants in single or repeated
vaccinations. The possible release of Al may induce other pathologies
ascribed to the well-known toxicity of this metal.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22425036
----------------

Etiology: An Editorial on the Prevention of Communication Disorders

Excerpt: In the field of communication disorders, perhaps the most neglected

area in the scope of practice of speech-language pathologists and
audiologists is prevention [5]. Yet to prevent disorders it is necessary first and
foremost to seek out their causes. Let this editorial serve as a call for papers
seeking out causes with a view toward prevention. The work can be guided in
part, at least, by the sure knowledge that all disorders, disease conditions,
and even death itself involve breakdowns in the biological control systems
that enable health and well-being. Understanding the disruptive factors that
cause such breakdowns [6] will go a long way toward enabling their
prevention. Also we know now for a certainty that certain environmental toxins
are causally involved [7].

http://www.esciencecentral.org/journals/etiology-an-editorial-on-the-
prevention-of-communication-disorders-JCDSHA.e101.php?aid=15245

Michigan doctor reveals plan to stop autism

April is National Autism Awareness Month and the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) now estimates that one in 68 children has been identified with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The rates have increased 30% since the
reported estimate of one in 88 two years ago. The rate was one in 10,000 in
1970.

A physician, Dr. Marvin Anderson, has been treating children with ASD in his
clinic at Abbas Place since 2009. He has written a book entitled Autism
Prevention, Care and Management. In his book, Dr. Anderson describes his
experiences helping children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) and he proposes a positive and hopeful solution to ending
the autism epidemic that is spreading throughout the world. His treatment for
ASD and ADHD is primarily directed to the digestive tract, including the liver.
Animal studies have shown an intriguing connection between inflammation in
the intestinal tract and inflammation in the brain. Autism also can involve
impairments in the bodys detoxification pathways. Dr. Andersons program
includes identifying contaminants that are present in his patients and creating
a detoxification plan for their safe and efficient removal. Inflammation
elsewhere in the body, including the brain, is also addressed. An important
part of this plan involves care of the liver using the principles of liver cleansing
advanced by Dr. Sandra Cabot in her best-selling book, The Liver Cleansing
Diet.

Dr. Anderson has discussed his plan for ending the autism epidemic in detail
with state of Michigan Representative Ray Franz. The plan consists of
enacting three laws by the state legislature.

I. Require that all newborn infants receive an autism prevention screening test
prior to receiving any vaccinations. The one size fits all approach to
vaccinations is no longer working. According to Dr. Gregory Poland et al. in
Vaccinomics and Personalized Vaccinology, included in the 2012 Jordan
Report, Accelerated development of vaccines, ...significant individual
variation exists in risk of adverse events and in immune response to a given
vaccine.

Read more:
http://www.examiner.com/article/michigan-doctor-reveals-plan-to-stop-autism

THE BOOK: Autism Prevention Care and Management

Written by a physician with 10 years experience caring for children with this
calamity summarizes the problem and solution to the epidemic of autism
that is spreading throughout the world.

http://www.autismatabbasplace.com/book.html

Phenotypic expression of autoimmune autistic disorder (AAD): A major

subset of autism

Vijendra K. Singh, PhD

Brain State International Research Center, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

BACKGROUND: Autism causes incapacitating neurologic problems in

children that last a lifetime. The author of this article previously hypothesized
that autism may be caused by autoimmunity to the brain, possibly triggered by
a viral infection. This article is a summary of laboratory findings to date plus
new data in support of an autoimmune pathogenesis for autism.

METHODS: Autoimmune markers were analyzed in the sera of autistic and

normal children, but the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of some autistic children
was also analyzed. Laboratory procedures included enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay and protein immunoblotting assay.

RESULTS: Autoimmunity was demonstrated by the presence of brain

autoantibodies, abnormal viral serology, brain and viral antibodies in CSF, a
positive correlation between brain autoantibodies and viral serology, elevated
levels of proinflammatory cytokines and acute-phase reactants, and a positive
response to immunotherapy. Many autistic children harbored brain myelin
basic protein autoantibodies and elevated levels of antibodies to measles
virus and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Measles might be
etiologically linked to autism because measles and MMR antibodies (a viral
marker) correlated positively to brain autoantibodies (an autoimmune marker)
salient features that characterize autoimmune pathology in autism. Autistic
children also showed elevated levels of acute-phase reactantsa marker of
systemic inflammation.

CONCLUSION: The scientific evidence is quite credible for our autoimmune

hypothesis, leading to the identification of autoimmune autistic disorder (AAD)
as a major subset of autism. AAD can be identified by immune tests to
determine immune problems before administering immunotherapy. The author
has advanced a speculative neuroautoimmune (NAI) model for autism, in
which virus-induced autoimmunity is a key player. The latter should be
targeted by immunotherapy to help children with autism.

https://www.aacp.com/Pages.asp?AID=7937

Is Encephalopathy a Mechanism to Renew Sulfate in Autism?

Stephanie Seneff 1,*, Ann Lauritzen 2 , Robert M. Davidson 3 and Laurie
Lentz-Marino 4

Entropy; Jan2013, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p372

ABSTRACT This paper makes two claims: (1) autism can be

characterized as a chronic lowgrade encephalopathy, associated
with excess exposure to nitric oxide, ammonia and glutamate in the
central nervous system, which leads to hippocampal pathologies
and resulting cognitive impairment, and (2), encephalitis is provoked
by a systemic deficiency in sulfate, but associated seizures and
fever support sulfate restoration. We argue that impaired synthesis
of cholesterol sulfate in the skin and red blood cells, catalyzed by
sunlight and nitric oxide synthase enzymes, creates a state of
colloidal instability in the blood manifested as a low zeta potential
and increased interfacial stress. Encephalitis, while life-threatening,
can result in partial renewal of sulfate supply, promoting
uronal survival. Research is cited showing how taurine may not only
help protect neurons from hypochlorite exposure, but also provide a
source for sulfate renewal. Several environmental factors can
synergistically promote the encephalopathy of autism, including the
herbicide, glyphosate, aluminum, mercury, lead, nutritional
deficiencies in thiamine and zinc, and yeast overgrowth due to
excess dietary sugar. Given these facts, dietary and lifestyle
changes, including increased sulfur ingestion, organic whole foods,
increased sun exposure, and avoidance of toxins such as aluminum,
mercury, and lead, may help to alleviate symptoms or, in some
instances, to prevent autism altogether.

http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/1/372

Autism: A neuroepigenetic disorder, By Richard C. Deth, PhD

http://www.autismone.org/sites/default/files/Deth_ASD03.pdf

Empirical Data Confirm Autism Symptoms Related to Aluminum and

Acetaminophen Exposure
Stephanie Seneff, Robert M. Davidson, and Jingjing Liu
http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/14/11/2227
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/Entropy/entropy-14-02227.pdf

GLUTATHIONE Scientific Research

Our findings suggest that acetaminophen administration selectively
depletes (within 2 hr) mitochondrial glutathione, and produces local
toxicity by altering membrane permeability and decreasing the
efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. This renders mitochondria
more susceptible to oxidative damage PMID: 8937421

http://www.readisorb.com/science/glutathione_scientific_researc.htm
l

Biochem Pharmacol. 1996 Oct 25;52(8):1147-54.

Effect of acetaminophen administration on hepatic glutathione
compartmentation and mitochondrial energy metabolism in the rat.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8937421

Scientific Research, 2nd Page

http://www.readisorb.com/science/

Tim Guilford, MD
Glutathione in Health and Disease
http://www.svhi.com/newsletters/2005/slf-122005.pdf

Glutathione
http://www.readisorb.com/

Glutathione, Tylenol, Vaccine Adverse Reactions, and ASD

http://www.vacfacts.info/glutathione-tylenol-vaccine-adverse-reactions-and-
asd.html

Neurodegenerative Diseases: Neurotoxins as Sufficient Etiologic

Agents?
Christopher A. Shaw and Gnter U. Hglinger
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814816/

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews

Analysis of neurological disease in four dimensions: insight from ALS-
PDC epidemiology and animal models

The causal factor(s) responsible for sporadic neurological diseases are

unknown and the stages of disease progression remain undefined and poorly
understood. We have developed an animal model of amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis-parkinsonism dementia complex which mimics all the essential
features of the disease with the initial neurological insult arising from
neurotoxins contained in washed cycad seeds. Animals fed washed cycad
develop deficits in motor, cognitive, and sensory behaviors that correlate with
the loss of neurons in specific regions of the central nervous system. The
ability to recreate the disease by exposure to cycad allows us to extend the
model in multiple dimensions by analyzing behavioral, cellular, and
biochemical changes over time. In addition, the ability to induce toxin-based
neurodegeneration allows us to probe the interactions between genetic and
epigenetic factors. Our results show that the impact of both genetic causal
and susceptibility factors with the cycad neurotoxins are complex. The article
describes the features of the model and suggests ways that our
understanding of cycad-induced neurodegeneration can be used to decipher
and identify the early events in various human neurological diseases.

http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-a4f127e4-
0c75-3f6d-bb32-9406a3136a76

And to realize that in any of the studies that the CDC has considered as to
vaccine toxicity, none of that has been studied, and nor as well has any basic
physiological science like this been addressed nor even acknowledged. They
are yet by CHOICE, in the dark ages, as to their known and accepted
knowledge, and of the human body, and its immune system

Dr Blaylock, a Board-certified neurosurgeon, Visiting Professor of Biology at

Belhaven College, Jackson, Mississippi, and member of the Editorial Board of
the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA), is the author of
three books on excitotoxicity: Excitoxicity: the taste that kills, Health and
nutrition secrets, and Natural strategies for cancer patients.

EXCITOTOXICITY: A POSSIBLE CENTRAL MECHANISM IN FLUORIDE

NEUROTOXICITY, (the fluoride and aluminum connection)
by Russell L Blaylocka, Ridgeland, MS, USA

SUMMARY: Recent evidence indicates that fluoride produces neuronal

destruction and synaptic injury by a mechanism that involves free radical
production and lipid peroxidation. For a number of pathological disorders of
the central nervous system (CNS), excitotoxicity plays a critical role. Various
studies have shown that many of the neurotoxic metals, such as mercury,
lead, aluminum, and iron also injure neural elements in the CNS by an
excitotoxic mechanism. Free radical generation and lipid peroxidation,
especially in the face of hypomagnesemia and low neuronal energy
production, also magnify excitotoxic sensitivity of neurons and their elements.
This paper reviews briefly some of the studies that point to a common
mechanism for the CNS neurotoxic effects of fluoride and calls for research
directed toward further elucidation of this mechanism.

http://www.fluorideresearch.org/374/files/374301-314.pdf

Dr Andrew Wakefield Defends His Research, (a quite lengthy video, but

puts the TRUTH front and center, all of it).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6DuBR_xGQg

Vaccine Safety Conference Session 15 Dr. Andrew Wakefield

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ei0QSvKdgw
http://www.vaccinesafetyconference.com/videos.html#WakefieldVideo

Selective Hearing: Brian Deer and the GMC

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/selective-hearing-brian-deer-and-the-gmc/

Research References, (endless, and all of it is ignored by the CDC)

http://www.callous-disregard.com/research.htm

Dr Andrew Wakefield - MMR Vaccine - Truth and Reality

http://www.vacfacts.info/dr-andrew-wakefield---mmr-vaccine---truth-and-reality.html

------------

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

Volume 280, Issues 12, 15 May 2009, Pages 101108

Biomarkers of environmental toxicity and susceptibility in autism

Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may result from a combination of
genetic/biochemical susceptibilities in the form of a reduced ability to excrete
mercury and/or increased environmental exposure at key developmental
times. Urinary porphyrins and transsulfuration metabolites in participants
diagnosed with an ASD were examined. A prospective, blinded study was
undertaken to evaluate a cohort of 28 participants with an ASD diagnosis for
Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores, urinary porphyrins, and
transsulfuration metabolites. Testing was conducted using Vitamin
Diagnostics, Inc. (CLIA-approved) and Laboratoire Philippe Auguste (ISO-
approved). Participants with severe ASDs had significantly increased mercury
intoxication-associated urinary porphyrins (pentacarboxyporphyrin,
precoproporphyrin, and coproporphyrin) in comparison to participants with
mild ASDs, whereas other urinary porphyrins were similar in both groups.
Significantly decreased plasma levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), cysteine,
and sulfate were observed among study participants relative to controls. In
contrast, study participants had significantly increased plasma oxidized
glutathione (GSSG) relative to controls. Mercury intoxication-associated
urinary porphyrins were significantly correlated with increasing CARS scores
and GSSG levels, whereas other urinary porphyrins did not show these
relationships. The urinary porphyrin and CARS score correlations observed
among study participants suggest that mercury intoxication is significantly
associated with autistic symptoms. The transsulfuration abnormalities
observed among study participants indicate that mercury intoxication was
associated with increased oxidative stress and decreased detoxification
capacity.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022510X08004310

Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism

Context Impaired mitochondrial function may influence processes highly

dependent on energy, such as neurodevelopment, and contribute to autism.
No studies have evaluated mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial DNA
(mtDNA) abnormalities in a well-defined population of children with autism.

Main Outcome Measures Oxidative phosphorylation capacity, mtDNA copy

number and deletions, mitochondrial rate of hydrogen peroxide production,
and plasma lactate and pyruvate.
Conclusion In this exploratory study, children with autism were more likely to
have mitochondrial dysfunction, mtDNA overreplication, and mtDNA deletions
than typically developing children.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impaired social

interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive
or severely restricted activities and interests.1 Limited scientific advances
have been made regarding the causes of autism, with general agreement that
both genetic and environmental factors contribute to this disorder.

Some reports have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction and altered

energy metabolism may influence the social and cognitive deficits in autism2-
4; however, most reports involved only 1 or a few isolated cases.2,5 A school-
based study of 69 children aged 10 to 14 years with confirmed autism or ASD
found mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction in 7.2%.4 Considering the
limitations of elevated lactate-to-pyruvate ratios and the bias toward skeletal
muscle disturbances in the study sample, some cases were likely overlooked,
and the incidence in the affected population could actually be higher than
reported. To our knowledge, there are no systematic studies aimed at
investigating changes in mitochondrial function, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
copy number, mtDNA deletions, and oxidative stress in children with autism
who have been clinically well defined.

Mitochondrial function in disease often has been investigated in muscle

biopsies6; however, the detection of mitochondrial defects in readily available
cells from body fluids (lymphocytes and platelets7) would be valuable under
the assumption that many such defects may not be confined to muscle or the
brain, tissues in which mitochondrial diseases are most strongly evident.
Considering that the energy requirement for lymphocytes is derived almost
equally from glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation,8 we tested the
hypothesis that children with full syndrome autism have dysfunctional
mitochondria in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Objective To evaluate mitochondrial defects in children with autism.

Read more:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/304/21/2389.abstract

Unvaccinated Children Will Be Healthiest Among Future Generations Studies and

Surveys Predict
http://www.fhfn.org/unvaccinated-children-will-be-healthiest-among-future-generations-
studies-and-surveys-predict/

Vaccine Truth Informational Brochures:

Do not allow all of the vaccine-injured childrens injuries to be in vain. Educate

others in honor of them. Be the Voice for those who don't have one. Do not be
silent. You can inform other parents. We provide multiple free brochures you
can give to educate other parents.

Download and print them now.

http://www.educate4theinjured.org/eric/4571993523
Educate Others: (Three brochures)
http://www.educate4theinjured.org/eric/4571993523#!brochures/cee5

CURRENT VACCINE SCHEDULE- 26 DOSES BEFORE THE 1ST YEAR OF

LIFE. 49 DOSES BY AGE 6. Do you have your 49 doses? Nope, NEITHER
DO I, OR HER OR HIM. Look around you. Who has had the 49 doses we give
our children? OUR CHILDHOOD VACCINES HAVE ALREADY WANED!
SINCE AROUND 90% OF ADULTS ARE CONSIDERED UNVACCINATED,
WHY ARENT WE HAVING EPIDEMICS? Are so many vaccines safe?

Is Aborted Fetal DNA in Vaccines Linked to Autism?

The vaccine-autism connection was first hypothesized following the

introduction of a new measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to the U.S.
in 1979, with complete U.S. market share by 1983, and to the UK in 1988.
Autism rates began to rise in the U.S. after 1979 and rose dramatically after
1983, and likewise rose in the UK after 1988, leading physicians to suspect a
link. Initially, the measles component of this vaccine, MMR II, was suspected
to be the culprit. Subsequent studies have also focused on the presence of
mercury in vaccines, which incidentally, the MMR II vaccine did not contain.

Those studies have largely ruled out the new measles portion of the MMR II
or mercury as the environmental trigger for autism. However, the compelling
temporal association between this new MMR vaccine and autism cannot be
ignored or explained away. What has been ignored is the fact that this new
MMR vaccine introduced the use of aborted fetal cells for vaccine production.
At one point, as much as 94 percent of children in the U.S. and 98 percent of
children in the UK were given this vaccine.

Today, more than 23 vaccines are contaminated by the use of aborted fetal
cells. There is no law that requires that consumers be informed that some
vaccines are made using aborted fetal cells and contain residual aborted fetal
DNA. While newer vaccines produced using aborted fetal cells do inform
consumers, in their package inserts, that the vaccines contain contaminating
DNA from the cell used to produce the vaccine, they do not identify the cells
as being derived from electively aborted human fetuses.

In other words, they tell you what is in the vaccine, but they dont fully inform
you where it came from. The earliest aborted fetal cell-produced vaccines
such as Meruvax (rubella) and MMR II do not even inform consumers that the
vaccines contain contaminating DNA from the cell used to produce them.
Furthermore, it is unconscionable that the public-health risk of injecting our
children with residual contaminating human aborted fetal DNA has been
ignored.

How could the contaminating aborted fetal DNA create problems? It creates
the potential for autoimmune responses and/or inappropriate insertion into our
own genomes through a process called recombination. There are groups
researching the potential link between this DNA and autoimmune diseases
such as juvenile (type I) diabetes, multiple sclerosis and lupus. Our
organization, [3] Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute (SCPI), is focused on
studying the quantity, characteristics and genomic recombination of the
aborted fetal DNA found in many of our vaccines.

Read more: http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/1758/2/

http://media.wix.com/ugd/c2b39a_6c6beca3ffbb4c249b3bb66cb55eb307.pdf
-------------------

Aluminum is an experimentally demonstrated neurotoxin and the most

commonly used vaccine adjuvant. Despite almost 90 years of widespread
use of aluminum adjuvants, medical science's understanding about their
mechanisms of action is still remarkably poor. There is also a concerning
scarcity of data on toxicology and pharmacokinetics of these compounds. In
spite of this, the notion that aluminum in vaccines is safe appears to be widely
accepted.

Experimental research, however, clearly shows that aluminum adjuvants have

a potential to induce serious
immunological disorders in humans. In particular, aluminum in adjuvant form
carries a risk for autoimmunity, long-term brain inflammation and associated
neurological complications and may thus have profound and widespread
adverse health consequences. In our opinion, the possibility that vaccine
benefits may have been overrated and the risk of potential adverse effects
underestimated, has not been rigorously evaluated in the medical and
scientific community

Aluminum vaccine adjuvants: are they safe? [Curr Med Chem. 2011] -
PubMed - NCBI
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21568886

BE AWARE OF THE DELAYED REACTION!

HOW LONG AFTER A VACCINE DO INJURIES OCCUR?

IMMEDIATELY TO YEARS LATER.

OFTEN 13-19 DAYS AFTER VACCINATION.

YOU KNOW THE SCREAMS

Arched back. Inconsolable crying. ENCEPHALITIS. BRAIN DAMAGE. Many

parents do not recognize the link between
vaccination and reaction or injury because often times the reaction is delayed
until after the vaccine virus incubates. Almost a month after they get their
shots. This takes up to and around 3-4 weeks after the child is injected to
occur. WATCH YOUR BABY AROUND THE 2ND-3RD WEEK! KEEP THEM
CLOSE TO YOU! COMFORT THEM IF THEY BECOME SICK. NO TYLENOL
OR ADVIL. THIS HURTS THE DETOXIFICATION PROCESS AND PUTS
YOUR BABY AT GREATER RISK FOR SEIZURES.
"There is insufficient evidence to support routine vaccination of healthy
persons of any age. - Paul Frame, M.D., Journal of Family Practice"

"My suspicion, which is shared by others in my profession, is that the nearly

10,000 SIDS deaths that occur in the United States each year are related to
one or more of the vaccines that are routinely given children. The pertussis
vaccine is the most likely villain, but it could also be one or more of the
others." --Dr.
Mendelsohn, M.D.

"The evidence for indicting immunizations for SIDS is circumstantial, but

compelling. However, the keepers of the keys to medical-research funds are
not interested in researching this very important lead to the cause of an
ongoing, and possibly preventable, tragedy. Anything that implies that
immunizations are not the greatest medical advance in the history of public
health is ignored or ridiculed. Can you imagine the economic and political
import of discovering that immunizations are killing thousands of babies?"
--Dr. Douglass M.D.

Crib death was so infrequent in the prevaccine era that it was not even
mentioned in the statistics, but it started to climb in the 1950s with the spread
of mass vaccination against diseases of childhood. --
Harris L.Coulter, PhD."

Read more:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/c2b39a_03f8aac260f54057bd33359c4ec6c03c.pdf

Memorial to Victims of the Silent War ~ VACCINES ~

Cease for Peace! ~ Interviews with Sallie O. Elkordy
http://billiontoddlermarchforsurvival.blogspot.com/

5 Reasons Not To Get The Flu Shot:

http://vaccineresistancemovement.org/?p=12642

VRM: The Problem With Vaccines Part 4 Primary Aspects of Vaccine

Toxicity Affecting The Body
http://vaccineresistancemovement.org/?p=8787

--------------

Review of Vaccine Induced Immune Overload and the Resulting

Epidemics of
Type 1 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, Emphasis on Explaining the
Recent
Accelerations in the Risk of Prediabetes and other Immune Mediated
Diseases
J Barthelow Classen MD
3637 Rockdale Road, Manchester, MD 21102, USA

Abstract
There has been an epidemic of inflammatory diseases that has paralleled the
epidemic on iatrogenic immune stimulation with vaccines. Extensive evidence
links vaccine induced immune over load with the epidemic of type 1 diabetes.
More recent data indicates that obesity, type 2 diabetes and other
components of metabolic syndrome are highly associated with immunization
and may be manifestations of the negative feedback loop of the immune
system
reacting to the immune overload. The epidemic of diabetes/prediabetes
appears to be accelerating at a time when the prevalence of obesity has
stabilized, indicating that the negative feedback system of the immune system
has been over whelmed. The theory of vaccine induced immune overload can
explain the key observations that have confounded many competing
hypothesis. The current paper reviews the evidence that vaccine induced
immune overload explains the disconnect between the increase in
prediabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver at a time when the obesity epidemic is
waning in children.

http://www.vaccines.net/vaccine-induced-immune-overload.pdf

Vaccine-induced immune overload now affects majority of US children,

study finds.
Read article here: http://www.thelibertybeacon.com/?p=21474

---------------------

A Parents Primer: Vasculitis and Vaccines, (more inflammation problems,

likely due to the aluminum adjuvants, this time its in the blood vessels)
http://sanevax.org/a-parents-primer-vasculitis-and-vaccines/

How the aluminum adjuvants cause this said inflammation.

J Immunol. 2008 Sep 15;181(6):3755-9. Cutting edge: alum adjuvant

stimulates inflammatory dendritic cells through activation of the NALP3
inflammasome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18768827

Hypothesis Neuro-inflammation, blood-brain barrier, seizures and

autism
http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/168

Research The NALP3 inflammasome is involved in neurotoxic prion

peptide-induced microglial activation
http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/9/1/73/abstract

BRAINS IMMUNE SYSTEM TRIGGERED IN AUTISM, (and clueless of them

there is of course no mention proposed causation nor vaccines, while sitting
right on the smoking gun. Same findings though, without even a thought nor
mention of causation )
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2004/11_15a_04.html
Ann Neurol. 2005 Jan;57(1):67-81. Neuroglial activation and
neuroinflammation in the brain of patients with autism.
Vargas DL, Nascimbene C, Krishnan C, Zimmerman AW, Pardo CA.
Source: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
http://www.neuro.jhmi.edu/neuroimmunopath/pdf/4%20Neuroglial
%20activation%20and%20neuroinflammation%20in%20the%20brain%20of
%20patients%20with%20autism.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15546155

A couple more examples exist below.

Nanomolar aluminum induces pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic gene

expression in human brain cells in primary culture
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0162013405001182
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15961160

Microglial Activation and Increased Microglial Density Observed in the

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Autism
www.anthro.ucsd.edu/faculty-staff/profiles/files/Morgan_2010.pdf
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000632231000497X
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20674603

Microglial Activation and Increased Microglial Density Observed in the

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Autism, (with a list of other related
studies)
http://www.journalogy.net/Publication/35542161/microglial-activation-and-
increased-microglial-density-observed-in-the-dorsolateral-prefrontal

Immunity, neuroglia and neuroinflammation in autism

http://www.journalogy.net/Publication/6149686/immunity-neuroglia-and-
neuroinflammation-in-autism

Blood-brain barrier flux of aluminum, manganese, iron and other metals

suspected to contribute to metal-induced neurodegeneration, (and they
are injecting newborn infants with hepatitis B vaccine containing an aluminum
adjuvant which is recklessly for profit insane)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17119290

Nanomaterials can be transported by monocyte-lineage cells to DLNs,

blood and spleen, and, similarly to HIV, may use CCL2-dependent
mechanisms to penetrate the brain. This occurs at a very low rate in normal
conditions explaining good overall tolerance of alum despite its strong
neurotoxic potential. However, continuously escalating doses of this poorly
biodegradable adjuvant in the population may become insidiously unsafe,
especially in the case of overimmunization or immature/altered blood brain
barrier or high constitutive CCL-2 production.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23557144
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/99
Empirical Data Confirm Autism Symptoms Related to Aluminum and
Acetaminophen Exposure
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/Entropy/entropy-14-02227.pdf

How much proof, and as well scientific study proof, would you and
should you need? Nothing would be enough, is the attitude of those in
the so called medical field and regulatory fields, (and with everything to
lose, the truth be known).

The Vaccine Truth-Facts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0y2t01mqvI

WE DON'T VACCINATE! Myth And Reality Of Vaccination Campaigns

(Trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2cc5J7vlOg&feature=youtu.be

10 Facts Vaccine Companies Don't Want You to Know!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yqtu9TRi7A

The CDC has to know this. Yet, they're trying to make you believe that if you
don't vaccinate your child you're endangering the health of other children. But
nothing could be farther from the truth. All the science conducted by
independent researchers shows that vaccines can harm your children and
grandchildren. This is not some conspiracy theory; it's scientific fact.

http://www.burtongoldberg.com/vaccines.html#.VSBgIDL5Viw.facebook

Dr. Chris Shaw discusses the toxic side effects of Aluminum in

Vaccines. Oct-21-2009
Department of Social
Protection pursued a woman
for 20,000, but she was
actually owed 700
The incident was included as a case study in the Office of the
Ombudsmans annual report for 2016.

THE DEPARTMENT OF Social Protection wrote to a woman

saying that she had been overpaid nearly 20,000, but she
was in fact owed money.
The woman received correspondence from her local Social
Protection Office last year saying that an overpayment of
19,900 had been made to her.
The woman was unaware of how this debt arose. She wrote
to the office looking for an explanation but received no
response.
The woman then contacted the Office of the Ombudsman
who told the Department to look into the womans query.
The Department did this and discovered that the womans
application had not been processed properly. The womans
income had been recalculated a number of times.
The Department took into account the womans husbands
income but failed to take account of an illness that reduced
this.
In the end, the Department discovered that not only had
there been no overpayment but that the woman was actually
entitled to a refund of about 700.

View image on Twitter

Follow

Ombudsman's Office
Case study 4 20k welfare bill turns into refund
http://
bit.ly/2rg38uY
11:25 AM - 31 May 2017
8 8 Retweets5 5 likes
Twitter Ads info & Privacy
Source: Ombudsman's Office/Twitter

Annual report
The incident was included as a case study in the Office of the
Ombudsmans annual report for 2016, which was launched
today.

The Ombudsman deals with complaints from people who

feel they have been unfairly treated by certain public bodies
for example, government departments, local authorities
and publicly funded third-level education institutions.
Last year, the Ombudsman Peter Tyndall received a total
of 3,067 complaints to his office (down slightly on last year).
Over three-quarters of these were closed within three
months and 96% were closed within 12 months.
Close to 1,700 of the complaints were properly examined
(the others were either discontinued, withdrawn, or outside
the remit of the office).
Of the case, almost a quarter (23%) were fully upheld and
4% were partially upheld. Some assistance was provided for
one fifth of the examined complaints. Over half (54%) were
not upheld.
Speaking this morning on RTs Today With Sen ORourke,
Peter Tyndall said the role of the Ombudsman was to give
assistance to people who felt they had not been properly
treated by the bodies of the state.
He said that in nearly half of all examined complaints the
complaint was either upheld or assistance was given to the
individual involved.
Its what wed expect really, said Tyndall.
Most public bodies do a reasonable job most of the time but
when they dont were there to help put it right.
Of the complaints received, over 35% had to do with
government departments and offices.
A total of 679 complaints were against the Department of
Social Protection, 129 against the Department of
Agriculture, Food and the Marine, 94 against the Revenue
Commissioners, and 67 against the Department of Justice
and Equality.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ombudsman-report-3418214-
May2017/?utm_source=facebook_short

Regarding the news today from the ombudsman concerning the hounding of a woman for
claims of overpayments by the department of social destruction...
While we are all focussed on how infrequent cases of fraud happen, we must not forget the
legal mechanisms that are in place to allow a state agency to hound a citizen under the
presumption of guilt without a requirement to prove her guilt in the first place.
It seems it has become socially acceptable to treat citizens with suchcontempt for merely
claiming a benefit that they are entitled to.
It's as if once you sign on, your rights as a citizen are massively curtailed.
Your right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty is taken away to the point
that the citizen needs a ombudsman to carry out the very investigation that the
department should have carried out before they even begun contacting the
citizen in the first place.
While receiving her 700 entitlement, that lady should use it to sue the state for
being treated as a criminal without any proof. I am quite sure the stress of being
hounded like a criminal must have taken its toll.

Over twenty years ago I was broke, ignorant and

desperate. Dumb too. On multiple levels. A kid. But by
then I had a real kid of my own. A boy. And when we
brought him home from the hospital and lay him on the
bed of my bedsit I decided he'd never lie on that damn
bed again. It was time for something bold. Audacious.
Drastic. And when you have no formal education, no
experience, and no way of getting in the front door of
anywhere, you learn to prize open the back doors.
I was being investigated by the welfare. Nothing personal.
They were doing it to everybody. Still horrible. They
arranged for a meeting the following month where I would
explain to them what it was I was doing to get off the dole.
I knew nothing about anything except a little about
movies. And television. And nothing about soap opera. Fair
City was a long running soap opera. Still is. Incredibly
successful. Some may say incomprehensibly. To each their
own. But this soap opera is made by the national
broadcaster, RTE, which means they have a duty to
respond to whoever contacts them. Which means they
were willing to audition a completely unknown lunatic
looking to do something drastic to get his boy off a dodgy
mattress in a dodgy bedsit.
I called the producer. This was a time when people
answered their own phones. No buffers. He agreed to
meet. It wasn't verified but we penciled in a bank holiday
Monday a few weeks away. That day arrived and I called
the number. The producer wasn't there. Understandably
so. I decided to leave a message to say we had made an
obvious mistake and could he call back tomorrow to
arrange a more suitable time. That's what I decided to say.
But somehow the words that came out were essentially go
fuck yourself. Told you I was dumb. Game over. Couple of
days later I get a call on the coinbox in the hallway. It's the
producer's assistant. Would I come in and audition for the
show. Game on.
I'd never been in the RTE canteen before. This was not my
world. But I kept thinking of that beautiful bastard on that
bedsit mattress. My world wasn't working. I had arrived
two hours early. Scared I'd miss it. Walked out to Montrose
from town. Stomach sick. Found the entrance to the Fair
City lot and peered through the tiny opening in the
doorway. Saw a long line of actors. Waiting. Rehearsing.
Vogueing. The acting community was small back then.
Tight. Incestuous.
I bolted. Back to the canteen. The bathroom. Puked up a
breakfast I'd never eaten. Just tell the missus it's done.
Pretend it already happened. Slip out of the canteen back
into town. Away from RTE. Forever. Then I thought of the
kid. On the bed. In the bedsit. Bastard.
Without looking up from her schedule a bored woman
gave me some pages with words from a scene. Sides she
called them. Told me to take a seat. But all the seats were
taken. And all the takers were looking up at me.
Recognised some of them too. Some were big shots. Some
were medium shots. No one knew me. The virgin in the
whorehouse.
I read the words on the pages. It was an angry scene. A
threatening scene. A soap opera scene. I needed to puke
again but focused on the sounds coming from the audition
room instead. I read the words on the page as the actors
played them inside. They were really going for it. No
prisoners. Balls out. Nine on the richter scale.
It came to my turn. I told the others to go ahead. One by
one they all went inside and one by one they got to the
fractious part of the scene where the two characters go
toe-to-toe. Everybody raised their voice on the big lines.
Angry. Macho. Hate. The threat delivered. The bloke
reading in for the other character was getting more
confident with each reading. He was loving this shit. His
day to show just how good he was. Cock-blocking the
other actors. Same beats every time. Same reactions.
Same everything. Eventually nobody was left. Just me. The
bored woman looked at me. Time.
There was a surprising number of people in the studio.
Good sized crew. Lights. Decent camera. Proper sound.
Real playback monitor. More than an audition. A screen
test. The producer looked at me and shook hands. I
wanted to apologise for the asshole message I'd left on his
machine but was too busy trying to conceal the fact I
hadn't a clue what I was doing. They told me to sit. And
that's when I saw him. I had been listening to his voice for
hours now. And his physicality was just as arrogant as his
readings. The Cockblocker.
I sat beside him and offered my hand. He shook it but
didn't look at me. Too busy demonstrating how close he
had become with the crew. Laughing loudly at a shit joke.
The producer asked if I wanted a rehearsal. I understood
the word. But not what it meant. I shook my head. No. The
producer asked for quiet. Cockblocker got in one final
guffaw, rolled his neck and, as if he was doing me a solid,
he nodded yes. Action.
Cockblocker began the scene as he had every other time.
King of the hill. Top of the world. Made it, ma. It may have
been my paranoid imagination but, if anything, he was
even more arrogant. I didn't look at him. Wouldn't look at
him. I kept looking at the producer. The one I had left the
asshole message to. He was looking back. Confounded.
Curious. He kept glancing at me then back at his monitor.
Frowning. I spoke quietly. Tentatively. Cock Blocker was in
his element now. The more I swallowed back the words the
more he projectile vomited them out. He was on a roll and
nothing was going to stop his final victory lap. It came to
the big finale. The showdown. The knockout. And he went
for it. I could feel his spit enter the side of my ear.
Burrowing in. Abusing my brain. He got to the highest
point possible. His raging screams echoing off the studio
walls. His pitch blowing the mics. His genius
unquestionable. This was the greatest performance in the
history of acting. He knew it. We didn't. But he did. And,
now, as he waited for my response, he allowed his warm
breath slap off the side of my face. I'd never had sex with
a man. But this was what it must be like.
The producer stared at me. It was my big moment. Where
I lose it. Where I dominate. Where I show what it means to
be macho. Every other actor had nailed it. On time. On
cue. On the nose. The producer was about to say cut.
Wrap it up. Go home. But, without looking at Cockbloker, I
gently, tenderly, almost imperceptibly rested my hand on
his crotch. Not a squeeze. Just an open resting palm and
slight curvature of the fingers spread over his cock and
balls. A deathly silence descended. This wasn't how Fair
city auditions were supposed to go.
Cockblocker continued speaking the scripted text. But his
voice was different. He stuttered. Words weren't working.
Semi-paralysis. His fingers gripped my knuckles to remove
the uninvited hand. But that's the thing about force. The
more relaxed my hand became the more impossible it
seemed for him to prize my fingers off his rapidly
retracting testes. He began shouting the words. The words
that he had learned so well. The words that he had used to
upstage every previous poor bastard looking for a life-
saving job. The words that were now exposing the fragility
of his masculinity and betraying him. A bit like his balls.
Behind the camera, the producer's shoulders rocked
silently, rhythmically, up and down as he suppressed his
laughter. As the crew looked to each other their faces were
frozen in comical shock. Something was happening in the
scene. That was certain. But what the hell it was, nobody
knew. Or if it was even legal.
His face now purple, Cockblocker gave up trying to
remove my hand. As he continued speaking, the meaning
of dialogue had entirely altered. The subtext of every
statement now was a plea to stop. To unhand his
undercarriage. To unfurl his underwear. To stop being a
bastard.
As gently as I had cupped my hand on his cotton covered
undercarriage, I now removed it and looked at him for the
first time. Almost shy. I hesitated then tenderly inhaled his
aroma from the tips of my fingers. The aroma was
imagined. But the point was made. This was Love. Not
hate. Vulnerable. Not macho.
I raised the hand with the imaginary aroma and delicately
touched my thumb onto his dried lips. He stopped
speaking. I had cut him off slightly early but I don't think
the author would have minded. I spoke to him the way you
speak to an animal you love. A dog you adore. At the vet.
Before he's put down. The threat delivered. I slid the tip of
my thumb into his mouth. He didn't resist. He knew I was
willing to kill him. Because I was.
Nobody knew what to do. The text was over but the scene
wasn't. I held my thumb there. In his mouth. He stared
back at me. All pretence gone. I liked him now. I could
finally see his potential. If he dropped the swaggering
horseshit he could be a half-decent actor. No Brando. But
not bad. The producer let it hang. Like all good directors
do. Then he looked up from the monitor. The laughter was
gone. No guffaws left. Game over.
I ran out of the Fair City lot. Out of RTE. Out of my mind.
My kid was going to be lying on that bedsit mattress
longer than intended. By the end of that month the
welfare folks came around to investigate. Surprisingly nice
people. Doing their job. Wanting to know what I had been
doing to get off the dole. Mid way through my stumbling
answer there was a knock on the door. The coinbox. A
phone call. The producers assistant. We want to offer you
the part.
Later, the producer, a beautiful man, told me he had
brought people in the listen to the original response on his
answering machine, wondering what basketcase has balls
big enough to leave such a message. They were different
times then. Not as insular. Twenty years later I'm still
broke, ignorant and desperate. Except now there are four
kids. And a dog. Might give Fair City a call. See if I can
swing an audition.
Litany of errors by child
services saw woman's claims of
serious sexual abuse 'lost' for
over three years
The HSEs child and family services, the precursor to Tusla, also
repeatedly sent details of the case to a series of incorrect addresses.
Mar 6th 2017,

THE HSE LOST a disclosure of alleged serious physical,

sexual, and mental abuse by a woman against her father for
more than three years.
A series of errors in the handling of this case, revealed today
by TheJournal.ie, spanned nearly six years and has led to
multiple apologies from both the HSE and child and family
agency Tusla.
Over the course of nearly six years from October 2010, the
HSE:
Misfiled the original retrospective
disclosure of abuse for over three years
Informed the woman in question that an
initial delay of nine months in inviting her to meet was
a result of that disclosure being missing
Took 15 months to process the complaint
towards an investigation
Sent sensitive details regarding the case on
 at least three occasions to two incorrect addresses, one
of which was on the same street as the woman in
question
It subsequently emerged that the original copy of the
retrospective disclosure made by the woman, Mary (not her
real name), had been misfiled and inadvertently attached
to an unconnected Garda notification. This led to an
unreserved apology from child and family agency Tusla,
one of many concerning this case.
In processing the initial allegations, the HSEs child and
family arm (the precursor to Tusla) directed correspondence
detailing sensitive aspects of the case meant for the woman
in question to two wrong addresses on at least three
separate occasions.
My life was made hell through this, Mary
told TheJournal.ie. My life was already hell with
confronting what had happened, and then to have the
disclosure of such sensitive things dealt with the way it was
just made it a hundred times worse.
This case is one of many which is being considered by
Ombudsman Peter Tyndall as part of a systemic
investigation into the way complaints are handled by Tusla.
That report is currently being drafted and is expected to be
published in the coming weeks, a spokesperson confirmed to
TheJournal.ie.
The manner in which the case was dealt with by the HSE
bears resemblance to the recent farrago surrounding an
error in how Tusla dealt with a complaint against Garda
Sergeant Maurice McCabe which saw an erroneous
accusation of sexual assault against him kept on file by the
child and family agency for nearly two years after it had been
found to be false.
October 2010 initial disclosure is misfiled
The retrospective disclosure regarding this case was made in
October 2010 by Mary, who lives in the midlands.
It concerned accusations of serious sexual and physical
abuse against her father covering a period of 15 years
between the late 1970s and the early 1990s.
No response, bar an official acknowledgement of the initial
letter, was given to her for at least seven months following
her initial contact. Tusla, which was set up in January 2014,
subsequently apologised for this avoidable delay which it
said resulted from an administrative error which saw the
disclosure misfiled.

After repeat attempts by Mary to contact a social worker

(whom she had been informed would be handling her case)
went unanswered, a meeting was finally agreed between the
two for June 2011, but not before that meeting was cancelled
by the HSE worker three times at short notice.
At the eventual meeting, Mary noted that the social worker
clearly had no idea who I was or what my case related to.
They told me that the original copy of my disclosure had
gone missing which was why the case had been delayed, she
told TheJournal.ie.
July 2011 Sensitive information sent to wrong
address
That original copy was subsequently located in November
2013, three years after the initial complaint it had been
misfiled and inadvertently attached to an unconnected
Garda notification. The social worker in question, who has
since been promoted, apologised unreservedly for this
error in January 2014.
Following that meeting in June 2011, Mary never saw that
social worker in person again.

Source: RollingNews.ie
The social worker did send an acknowledgement letter
regarding the meeting, which contained specific, sensitive
information regarding the abuse allegations; however this
letter was sent to a wrong address on the same street that
Mary was then living on. This particular letter also
apologised for the oversight which saw the meeting
delayed for nine months.
Three days prior to the wrong address being used in writing
to Mary, a report filed by the same social worker did in fact
detail her correct address. On all this correspondence,
Marys name is misspelled. A copy of that report had also
been requested by her. It was never sent (all of this
correspondence, including that which had been
misaddressed, was finally received by Mary when she
requested it of yet another social worker in August 2012).
In the wake of this meeting Mary heard nothing from the
HSE until she made contact with it personally requesting an
update. In dealing with this further complaint, a senior
manager in the HSEs child and family section sent two
responses, both again containing sensitive information
relevant to her case, in October 2011, both of them to
another incorrect address (in this case, the address didnt
even exist and the letters were returned to sender
undelivered). The manager acknowledged this clerical
error in December 2011 and again sincerely apologised
for the unacceptable standard of response.
December 2011 investigation begins
At this time, roughly 15 months after the initial disclosure
was made, another social worker met with Mary with a view
to kickstarting an investigation into her claims of abuse. The
HSE had already been satisfied that there were existing
child protection and safety and welfare concerns that
required immediate and ongoing response following the
delayed screening of the initial disclosure.

Such a meeting would be held in advance of the same social

worker meeting with members of Marys family. This person
subsequently, in early 2014, asked Mary for the notes she
had compiled from their meeting, to facilitate the Garda
investigation which had been instigated, saying that their
own had been lost. When Mary refused this request, the
social worker later claimed that they had not taken any notes
of the meeting, nor had they taken any notes from any of the
subsequent interviews with Marys family. Assuming this is
the case, such practice is in direct contradiction of Tuslas
own child protection guidelines.
Over the following four months, Mary repeatedly requested
of the senior manager at the HSE the reason as to the delay
in the progress of its investigation (in February 2012 she
submitted a specific complaint under the HSEs Your
Service Your Say portal regarding the initial nine-month
delay before she was met by a social worker, and also the
fact no report of that meeting was given to her despite
assurances to the contrary). The responses from this
manager at the time repeatedly refer to their regretting
terribly any distress you have been caused.
May 2012 Child services director apologises, gives
personal assurances
With months passing without an update and the case
appearing to have hit a standstill, Mary eventually contacted
Gordon Jeyes (then national director of children and family
services at the HSE, and subsequently to become Tuslas
first CEO) seeking a meeting. This occurred in May 2012.
In the aftermath Jeyes expressed his sincerest regret and
apology that Marys experience had resulted in further
distress during such a difficult time in your life. He likewise
committed to learn from your regrettable experiences so
that they will not be repeated going forward and gave
assurances that I will pursue the matter further.
Gordon Jeyes left Tusla in May 2016. TheJournal.ie has
asked him for comment in relation to this matter.
In the aftermath of this meeting the case ground to a halt
once more. This led to Mary engaging the services of both
the Data Protection Commissioner (in May 2013, concerning
the posting of sensitive information to the wrong address on
repeat occasions, and the loss of her disclosure) and the
Ombudsman (in June 2014, with regard to the Marys
grievances as to how her case had been handled in general).
In response to a query from TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson
for the DPC said that the Commissioner does not comment
on individual investigations carried out by this office.
Any alleged breach of the Data Protection Acts involving
sensitive personal data is considered serious and is
investigated by the DPC.
When asked whether the DPC has dealt with many other
data protection failures by state bodies involving the
disclosure of abuse, the spokesperson responded that this
office does compile records in the manner requested in
(this) query.
The Garda investigation into Marys claims was eventually
dropped in early 2014 due to a lack of evidence.
In December 2015 Mary discovered, via health regulator
CORU, that the person who eventually investigated her
complaint and who interviewed her family was not
registered with the regulator as a social worker at the time of
the interview.
In May 2015, she learned from the Ombudsman that the
manner in which her complaint was processed had been
acknowledged by Tusla as being not acceptable. A Tusla
representative likewise acknowledged that the sending of
sensitive information to incorrect addresses on repeat
occasions was regrettable.
Regarding the alleged loss of notes by the person who
eventually investigated the complaint, the principal social
worker who investigated following the intervention of the
Ombudsman concluded that no minutes (of the initial
meeting) had been taken. The Ombudsman concluded that
it would have been remiss of any social worker to fail to
keep minutes of a meeting concerning a complaint of serious
abuse.
Both Tuslas Child Protection and Welfare Handbook and
CORUs Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Social
Workers make it clear that adequate, accurate note-taking is
a pre-requisite for all meetings between Tusla employees
and those alleging abuse.
Theyve made my life hell
Today, more than six years after her initial disclosure, Mary
is keen, more than anything, that what happened to her
cannot happen to anyone else.

These are people who we trust to fight our corner, that they
will take statements of the most sensitive nature, that they
will protect them and keep them safe. That they will hear
your pain and anguish and distress, and your vulnerability,
she said.
A source of particular anguish to her is the dispute over the
notes, or lack thereof, taken by the social worker Mary met
in December 2011, and who subsequently interviewed her
family.
This person interviewed me and my family members and
never documented any of those interviews, she says. Then
I heard that they had taken no notes at all, and soon after
that the case was dropped.
I was absolutely devastated.
They couldnt even get the basics right, when surely taking
notes is one of the fundamental aspects of their job.
She says that at no time did anyone from either the HSE or
Tusla contact her voluntarily to apologise for her treatment:
I always had to contact them to make a complaint.
One of those I dealt with, in 2012, told me that I was being
overly-sensitive, that I needed to get over it and move on
with it. How can you say that? This is my life. Youre just
making a mockery of it.
You expect these people at the most basic level to just do
their jobs, even if nothing was to come of it at least you
would know in your heart that they did everything they
could to protect you and those around you, she says.
In my case not one of them did their job with the basics of
human decency all they did was try to ignore the situation
rather than deal with it. I will never trust a social worker
again.
They should be ashamed by the way they treated my case.
My abuse may have happened 25 years ago but it will sit
with me for the rest of my life. So will the way they handled
my case.
Reaction
In the aftermath of Mary contacting the Ombudsman,
matters moved relatively quickly.
In May 2015 a Tusla service director acknowledged, via an
Ombudsman intermediary, that the delay which occurred in
2011 before an investigation was begun constituted an
avoidable omission and would not be considered
acceptable. They added that as a result changes were made
in local administrative practices in order to prevent a
recurrence of such an issue.
They added, as previously mentioned, that it was
regrettable that correspondence was sent to the incorrect
address.
The director concluded by apologising to Mary once more,
and said that a separate apology was being prepared by
Tuslas Director of Quality. Later that month her initial
disclosure was returned to her more than four-and-a-half
years after it was initially lodged.
In April 2016 the Ombudsman confirmed to Mary that her
case would be used as part of the social work investigation
into Tuslas procedures for dealing with complaints.
Tusla itself confirmed in August 2016 that it is currently
undertaking a full review of all cases awaiting allocation
including retrospective abuse cases.
In response to a query from TheJournal.ie in relation to this
article Tusla said that it does not comment on individual
cases in a statement.
This is to protect the children and families with whom we
work. We are currently working with the office of the
Ombudsman in relation to their investigation into how Tusla
manages complaints and will implement the
recommendations made, the statement said.
Reviews and quality assurance checks by external bodies
allow us to continuously improve and enhance our services
to ultimately improve the lives of the children and families
with whom we work.
http://www.thejournal.ie/hse-retrospective-disclosure-3265589-
Mar2017/

Internal Audit Unit are turning on each other at the PAC

hearing this morning. Legal threats within the unit with
two Senior civil servants failing to express confidence in
management of Garda force.
Two gardai called to the home of a dedicated anti
water charge protester.
They asked him his name, he said" who are you ",
they said " you know who we are", he said " I know
what you are but I want your names and your
numbers ".
He said " hold on a minute until I get my tablet and I
can record your answers".
He came back with his tablet and started recording,
instantly one of the gardai grabbed the tablet and
smashed it off the ground and left.
He complained at his local gardai station and was
told he was "imagining things but that if he went any
further with this he and his family would suffer"
This is not true but it shows how easily it is to make
up false ( lies) stories, as the gardai prosecution
witnesses are doing in the case against the Jobstown
protesters.
Discusting state of affairs
Jonathan Sugarman interviewed on Cork's 96FM, Jonathan knew
about the imminent collapse and tried to warn the Central Bank and
nothing was done so the idea that this collapse was sprung on the
State overnight is a LIE May 27th 2017
https://soundcloud.com/opinionline96/the-opinion-line-2017-04-28-
your-free-daily-podcast-is-here
Following former Dublin investment banker turned corruption whistleblower Jonathan Sugarman's explosive
96 FM radio interview last Friday I was fortunate enough to be given an opportunity to share our views on how
to limit the control of the illuminati and their corporate world government live on air from 1 hour 34 mins 35
seconds onwards.

https://soundcloud.com/.../the-opinion-line-2017-05-02...
A Single case of social welfare identity fraud suspected
this year. Leo spends over 200k on a hate campaign.
#Rat4leo
https://www.irishtimes.com//single-case-of-social-
welfare-

Single case of social-welfare identity fraud

suspected this year
Leo Varadkars 200,000 Welfare Cheats campaign unnecessary,
says Sinn Fin
IRISHTIMES.COM

Meanwhile all politicians get a 5,000 pay rise, extra expenses, Apple still pay no tax and get away with 13-
19 Billion in back taxes unpaid. More people end up on trolleys or waiting lists. More end up homeless etc. Mr
Zero Cometence certainly has an impressive record, hasn't he?

Before the "crisis", our national debt was 43bn.... Lower than that of Germany according to
Enda Kenny in the Dil.

Today, after all the cuts to services and supports with higher taxes on everything... the
national debt is 200bn....
Where's the savings from the cuts gone?

The joke is on us...

See a pattern? We are mirroring our nearest neighbour with the same predictable
results...

https://www.irishtimes.com//ireland-gains-5-000-millionair

Who do you think Fine Gael/Fianna Fail are really working for??

You?

Fine Gael admits tax evasion

over period of 9 years
Sat, May 12, 2001, 01:00
MARK BRENNOCK

FineGaelfacesmajorpoliticalembarrassmentafteradmittinggiving120,000inillegalunderthe
countercashpaymentstoitsstaffoveranineyearperiod.

Fine Gael admits tax evasion of 120,000 in illegal under-the-counter

payments to staff

Well folks if Fine Fail could be corrupt, well Fianna Gael are proving
what ever corruption, cromyism and incompetence FFcan FG can do
it better. The blueshirts have to publically admit that " giving
120,000 in illegal under-the-counter cash payments to its staff
over a nine year period."

So folks if FF do corruption, well the blueshirts do it better ?

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/fine-gael-admits-tax-evasion-over-period-of-9-
years-1.307406?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Ffine-gael-admits-tax-evasion-over-period-
of-9-years-1.307406
FG's Tax Shambles
Wed, May 16, 2001, 01:00

FineGaelhasimportantquestionstoanswerinrelationtotaxevasionandunderthecounterpayments
madetostaffoveranelevenyearperiod.Issuesalsoariseinconnectionwithitshandlingofsocalled
pickmeuppaymentsbyvariouscompaniesbefore1998.LastFriday,underpressurefromthemedia,a
statementfromFineGaelpurportedtosetouttheprecisepositioninrelationtotheRevenue
Commissionerswherebothtypesofpaymentwereconcerned.Itnowtranspiresthestatementwas
misleadingandfactuallyinaccurate.Thematterislikelytoberaisedattoday'smeetingoftheFine
GaelParliamentaryParty.

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fg-s-tax-shambles-1.308152?
mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com
%2Fopinion%2Ffg-s-tax-shambles-1.308152

Let's not forget the genesis of the Property Tax...

Hint: It wasn't to provide you with local services...

Hint 2: This property tax was agreed to by Fianna Fail with the IMF in 2010 and implemented
by Fine Gael in 2015 after a stormy battle to introduce the Household Charge...

https://www.imf.org/external/np/loi/2010/irl/120310.pdf

Of course the voters are already lining up Mehole and co for another turn of the
wheel right?

Here's something you might find interesting...

Wikileaks confidential cable on the restructuring of the Irish tax take... (thanks
Richard Keyes for the link)
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09DUBLIN360_a.html

Note the DATE of the cable... 2009 September 11. In otherwords the contents of
this cable was discussed before the IMF agreement was signed in 2010...

This included the introduction of Water Charges and Property Taxes...

Excellent link Richard... Just proves that they had this in mind all along..
All the talk and posts in the world isn't going to change what's happening in Ireland or the
corruption that is at its core. I've been looking at everything that has happened in Ireland over
the last 5/6 years and very little has changed or will changed untill the people at the centre of
all of this are removed by force which is very likely to happen. From the local td's right up to
those heading most of the political parties and all the cronies in between. Please excuse the
rant but when all the corruption and dodgy deals are so plain for all to see backed by the rigged
law system in Ireland then it's very hard to see any other solution other than physical means.
Tax evasion at heart of
allegations by whistleblower
Prominent politicians at centre of claims by department
official
Sat, Nov 8, 2014, 01:00 Updated: Sat, Nov 8, 2014, 13:53
Martin Wall, Fiach Kelly

Guinness & Mahon board member Des Traynor. Photograph: Joe St Leger
At the heart of the allegations put forward by Department
of Enterprise and Jobs official Gerry Ryan is a contention
that a number of prominent former Fianna Fil politicians
and at least one former prominent Fine Gael politician
engaged in significant tax evasion over an extended period
of time dating back to the 1970s.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/tax-evasion-
at-heart-of-allegations-by-whistleblower-1.1992946?
mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Ftax-
evasion-at-heart-of-allegations-by-whistleblower-
1.1992946
Des Traynor Irish elites top money manager [he sent
millions to Cayman Islands]
November 10, 2014

By Gareth Morgan From Independent.IE

DesS Traynor was the man who managed money for many of Irelands
most important people and sent millions offshore to destinations such
as the Cayman Islands.
He moved money through a complex series of accounts and companies
in a bid to avoid scrutiny.
Mr Traynor was dubbed Charlies Bag Man for the work he did for the
late Taoiseach Charlie Haughey, who became deeply embroiled in the
Ansbacher scandal.
Mr Traynor set up offshore Ansbacher accounts, allowing hundreds of
well-heeled individuals, including Haughey, to evade tax. His role in
administering funds which paid for Haugheys lavish lifestyle was
closely probed by the Moriarty Tribunal.
He conducted most of his business discreetly in the corner of hotel
lobbies, and scrupulously cut the letter heading off Ansbacher
statements before sending them out to his clients.
Mr Traynor started life as a chartered accountant with Haughey Boland,
and later worked for the building materials group CRH, which he helped
turn into a multinational conglomerate.
Joan Williams, who was Mr Traynors secretary for more than 20 years,
gave the tribunal details of how Mr Traynor was running business from
the premises.
Ms Williams told the tribunal that Mr Traynor kept a computer and filing
cabinets dedicated to Ansbacher in his office at CRH, in Fitzwilliam
Square. She said she had no direct knowledge of how the Ansbacher
loan arrangements were run.
Despite his complex offshore dealings, Mr Traynor kept much of his own
1.7m fortune in ICS building society. When he died peacefully at his
home in Howth Road, Dublin, in May 1994 aged 62, he had stocks and
bonds valued at 889,318.
It would appear that he scrupulously paid his income tax and PRSI, and
the Revenue Commissioners were so impressed with his financial
housekeeping that following his death they gave his estate a tax rebate
of more than 7,000. However, in 2007, Traynors estate made a
settlement of over 4m with the tax authorities.
For more on this story go to: http://www.independent.ie/irish-
news/politics/des-traynor-irish-elites-top-money-manager-
30728060.html
IMAGE: www.irishtimes.com
Related story:
Tax evasion at heart of allegations by whistleblower
By Martin Wall, Fiach Kelly From The Irish Times
Prominent politicians at centre of claims by department official
At the heart of the allegations put forward by Department of Enterprise
and Jobs official Gerry Ryan is a contention that a number of prominent
former Fianna Fil politicians and at least one former prominent Fine
Gael politician engaged in significant tax evasion over an extended
period of time dating back to the 1970s.
Separately he has maintained that his investigations into these issues
were blocked.
The allegations set out by Ryan are linked directly to the Ansbacher
accounts scandal which emerged nearly 15 years ago.
Ansbacher was a bank in the Cayman Islands, but the nominally
offshore money in the deposits was in fact held in Guinness & Mahon
Bank on Dublins College Green.
Official investigations found that the Cayman trusts were in fact under
the control of the Irish people who placed money in them, rather than
the Cayman trustees who should properly have had control. The
supposedly offshore money could be withdrawn by wealthy depositors
at Guinness & Mahons premises.
An official report in 2002 identified about 200 Ansbacher account-
holders.
However, Ryan contended he had uncovered evidence in 2003 and
2004 that former Fianna Fil and some Fine Gael politicians were the
beneficial owners of Cayman accounts in a secret Ansbacher ledger,
the details of which had never come into the public domain.
Ryan maintained in a briefing document which he forwarded to the
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that he had obtained this evidence
from interviews conducted with former Guinness & Mahon personnel.
He said a transcript of an interview with one member of the bank staff
indicated she had kept a list of the names of the Fianna Fil politicians
and a separate list of their substantial Cayman account balances.
He said the accounts department staff member would match up these
lists with Sellotape when Des Traynor, who was on the board of
Guinness & Mahon, would ask for a list of the balances.
The listing of names of the beneficial owners of these Cayman
accounts was always kept in a separate safe to the list of the balances
so that, if one fell into the wrong hands, no one would be able to match
the senior politicians with their account balances, he wrote. This was
referred to as the black briefcase.
Secret ledger
Ryan said a former bank official had stated that on a number of
occasions in 1977 and 1978 she had had sight of a list of names and
account balances in the very secret Cayman ledger.
He said the former bank official had identified the names of nine senior
Fianna Fil politicians on the list.
These individuals are named in Ryans document given to the PAC.
The bank official also maintained, according to Ryan, that she had
recognised the name of a prominent Fine Gael politician as being the
beneficial owner of one of the accounts in the secret Cayman ledger.
He also contended that there had been Fine Gael connections to
Traynor which had not been examined by various investigations over
the years.
He also said a judge had been a client of Traynors in Guinness &
Mahon.
When details of the dossier emerged yesterday the initial reaction in
political circles was that given Ryan had cited the new whistleblowers
legislation he must be given a fair hearing.
This could happen at a closed hearing of the PAC similar to that
afforded to Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe with the transcript
of the meeting remaining private.
The Oireachtas said PAC members received a copy of what may well
be a protected disclosure for the purposes of the Protected Disclosure
Act 2014.
This is the first occasion on which documentation has been received by
the members in question under the 2014 Act, the statement added,
saying the PAC would take legal advice on the issue next week.
There was also surprise at some of the names included in the dossier,
but those involved in the Fianna Fil-Progressive Democrats
government, during the term of which Ryan carried out his
investigations, insisted they had dealt with his allegations appropriately.
One senior figure from that period said all the claims had been passed
to the relevant authorities.
While there was a feeling last night among Government and Fianna Fil
figures that there may be nothing much to fear from the dossier, it still
has the potential to cause political controversy.
IMAGE: Guinness & Mahon board member Des Traynor. Photograph:
Joe St Leger
For more on this story go to:
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/tax-evasion-at-heart-of-
allegations-by-whistleblower-1.1992946

Sentence due for garlic importer Begley

15/02/2013

Judges will rule today on what sentence to impose on a businessman who

appealed against a six-year jail term for tax evasion on imported garlic.
Paul Begley was imprisoned last March over a 1.6m garlic import duty scam.
Three judges at Dublins Court of Criminal Appeal previously ruled his sentence -
the longest ever handed down for tax fraud of its kind was excessive and
disproportionate.
But they warned the 47-year-old, who admitted labelling more than 1,000 tonnes
of garlic imported from China as apples, that his tax evasion was a serious matter
carried out with premeditation over a period of time for personal gain.
Begley, of Rathcoole, Co Dublin, was head of Irelands largest fruit and vegetable
company, Begley Brothers Ltd, when he avoided paying a higher tax of up to
232% on garlic. Fruit and vegetables have rates as low as 9%.
While his conviction centred on a sample four charges of avoiding tax totalling
just over 85,000, the trial judge was told the total fraud was about 1.6m and
that Begley had been paying off debts of 33,000 a month.
The maximum sentence for each count is five years in prison, or a 10,000 fine,
or treble the amount of the duty avoided, whichever was the largest sum.
Appealing against the sentence his barrister Patrick Gageby told the court his
client faced several consequences as a result of his actions, including a five-year
disqualification as a director since the day he pleaded guilty.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/sentence-due-for-garlic-
importer-begley-584829.html

Can you imagine what 19 BN.... Yes 19,000,000,000.... can

you just even close your eyes and dream of what that
money could do for our homeless, our hospitals, our
schools, childcare facilities, our water infrastructure and
last but not least.... US.... you and me.... how could that
help us with our day to day lives.... I close my eyes now
and wonder Who Gave This Government the MANDATE to
Argue and WASTE OUR MONEY ON THIS PREVENTION.... I
say BRING IT ON... Make them PAY what they are due to
pay.... HELP US... HELP OURSELVES.... I did not agree to
this, it was not on any mandate, and therefore we should
be consulted about it, we the people, whom the lack of
this money, l directly affects...
"In a worst-case scenario, Apple may face a $19 billion bill if the government in Dublin ultimately loses and is
forced to recoup tax from the company"

A worst case scenario for whom??

Forced to claim back taxes that are actually owed to us? Imagine that...

~Belenus

http://www.irishtimes.com//ireland-may-face-censure-over-a
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
6 October at 13:08
Its not just Donald Trump who doesnt pay a fair share in
taxes. 73% of Fortune 500 companies stash profits
overseas to avoid taxes. Apple keeps $214.9 billion in
profits offshore, avoiding $65.4 billion in taxes. While 20
Billion Dollars Is Also Owed To The People Of
Ireland...Crushed By The 'ROTTEN APPLES' In The FG/FF/
And Lab Parties!!! Bury Your Heads In Shame, You Infested
Imbecile Degenerates!!!
5 questions about the EU's tax ruling against AppleApple Tax: The European Union
ordered Apple, Inc. to pay billions to Ireland in back taxes.
http://usat.ly/2bPkbjk
What is the EU claiming Apple did?

The EU says Apple is paying far less in taxes in

Ireland, a country with an already low
corporate tax rate, than it should have due to
special deals Ireland made to generate jobs.

Apple paid just 0.005% on European profits in

2014, says the EU, rather than Ireland's
already low 12.5% corporate rate. What's
more, it paid that super-low tax rate on
income from sales made outside Ireland, in
the EU and elsewhere.

The EU alleges Apple was able to avoid higher

taxes due to Irish tax deals that let Apple set
up two Ireland-based companies: Apple Sales
International and Apple Operations Europe.
Under this structure, consumers in Europe, the
Middle East and Africa bought products from
Apple Sales International.

Apple must pay up to $14.5B in back taxes to

Ireland
Here's where it gets interesting. Irish tax
rulings let Apple allocate most of Apple Sales
International's profits to a "head office" that
was not based in Ireland, or any other country,
so wasn't subject to Irish taxes, said the EU.
Apple ended up paying Irish taxes on a
fraction of the profits from Apple Sales
International. The EU says this "head office"
had no employees, making it unlikely it could
have recorded $22 billion in profits in one
year. Apple Operations Europe boasted a
similar setup, says the EU.

As a result, only a fraction of Apple's sales

from the EU were taxed in Ireland, lowering
the tax rate Apple paid to under 1%.

Meanwhile, Apple's Irish subsidiaries made big

annual payments to the parent company's
R&D funds in the U.S.

The EU considers this "illegal state aid"

because it gave Apple an unfair advantage
over other companies.

What does Apple think of all this?

In a letter to customers, Apple CEO Tim Cook

says he's confident the EU ruling will be
reversed in the appeals process. Both Apple
and Ireland plan to appeal the decision.
This claim has no basis in fact or in law, says
Cook on the EU's accusations. We never
asked for, nor did we receive, any special
deals. We now find ourselves in the unusual
position of being ordered to retroactively pay
additional taxes to a government that says we
don't owe them any more than we've already
paid.

STORY FROM COLLEGE AVE STUDENT LOANS

Calculate college costs by taking this quiz

Cook also says nearly all research and

development for Apple takes place in
California, with the vast majority of profits
taxed in the U.S.

The Commissions move is unprecedented

and it has serious, wide-reaching
implications, says Cook. It is effectively
proposing to replace Irish tax laws with a view
of what the Commission thinks the law should
have been.

Cook also points out Apple is the largest

taxpayer in the U.S., Ireland and globally.
Ireland is also disputing the EU ruling. Irish
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said in a
statement Tuesday Apple paid its taxes in full
and did not receive special treatment. It is
important that we send a strong message that
Ireland remains an attractive and stable
location of choice for long-term substantive
investment.

Has the U.S. weighed in?

In a statement. the U.S. Treasury Department

says it is disappointed in the EU ruling, and
claims it could impact foreign investment in
Ireland and the rest of Europe. We believe
that retroactive tax assessments by the
Commission are unfair, contrary to well-
established legal principles, and call into
question the tax rules of individual Member
States, reads a statement from a Treasury
spokesperson.

How will this impact Apple?

It certainly won't happen immediately. In an

investor explainer, Apple says it doesn't
expect any restatement of previous financial
results or changes to its near-term future
results. Apple says its cash balance will remain
unaffected, but the company does anticipate
we will place some amount of cash in an
escrow account. Also important: the appeals
process in this case could take several years.

Even if it were to pay the entire $14.5 billion, a

vast sum that could wipe out most big
companies' profits, that would amount to just
6% of its cash and investments as of June.

Should Apple customers worry?

Right now, the only thing Apple customers

should worry about is whether they've
updated their iPhone's operating system to
the latest version to fix a security flaw.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/30/five-
questions-eus-tax-ruling-against-apple/89580940/

Apple chief Tim Cook says tax ruling 'maddening'Apple chief Tim Cook says the EU
ruling that the company should pay Ireland billions in back tax is "maddening" and "political".
Read more on his reaction
http://bbc.in/2bK3i4V
Does he think he think he doing humanity good by selling overpriced items and not pay taxes? He said "you
insisted we pay tax like we were a dirty little kebab shop". This is nothing better than a Trumpism, thinking
Apple is above everything

Apple already owes Ireland $14.5 billion in back taxes. And

that's just Ireland.
$14.5 billion: thats how much the European
Union has ruled Apple owes Ireland in back
taxes.
Its a big number, though not nearly the tax bill
Apple would owe the U.S. if it pulled the $92
billion in profits it is currently storing in Irish and
other overseas accounts back to its home
country.
CEO Tim Cook says 40 percent of that would go
in taxes to the U.S. and state governments, an
amount he recently told the Washington Post
Apple would not be willing to pay. Its not a
matter of being patriotic or not patriotic, Cook
said. It doesnt go that the more you pay, the
more patriotic you are.
Cook thinks the tax law should be changed and
U.S rates lowered.
As for the EU tax ruling, he vowed to appeal. At
its root, the Commissions case is not about how
much Apple pays in taxes, he wrote. It is about
which government collects the money.
But no government seems to be collecting very
much. According to the EU, Apples corporate tax
rate in Ireland has been as low as 0.005 percent
in recent years. And an extensive review of the
companys tax practices performed by the U.S.
Senates Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations in 2013 found that Apple pays
taxes of less than 2 percent on its overseas
income, and significantly less than the 35 percent
U.S. statutory corporate tax rate on its domestic
income.
Many applaud companies for making smart
financial moves, including minimizing what they
pay in taxes. But there are consequences to
Apples decision to make global tax planning one
of its core capabilities.
While the companys money sits in foreign
accounts, it is being invested in securities like
U.S. Treasuries, stocks, and other investments,
not in the kind of research that could help to
generate new tech breakthroughs, innovation,
and jobs.
Apple has consistently spent less than
competitors on research. Even in 2015, when it
put a record $6 billion into R&D, that was just 3.3
percent of its $183 billion in revenue. By contrast,
Intel spent more than 20 percent of its 2015
revenue on R&D. Microsoft spent 13 percent,
Google 15 percent, and Amazon more than 10
percent, all according to data compiled by
PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Apple has more cash than any other company
$216 billion in total, according to Moodys
Investors Service. But spending it would mean
bringing it back to the U.S. and paying taxes on
it. Its far cheaper to borrow money, and thats
exactly what Apple has done, going from debt-
free as recently as 2012 to $80 billion in debt as
of March this year.
That money has gone to finance much of the
companys current spending, which includes a
large program to buy shares back. Such
buybacks help support a companys stock price,
but do little to stoke innovation.
Apple isnt the only company hoarding profits
overseas, either: Microsoft has $108 billion
overseas, and General Electric has $104
billion. Its a trend thats helping to create a
disparity between corporate performance and
overall economic growth. Recent research by
a trio of Columbia Business School
professors found that under current tax rules
and practices, less profit is being channeled
into U.S. investments, contributing to lower
overall economic growth.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602269/apples-tax-game-is-
hurting-economic-growth/?
utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=p
ost

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook is outraged by a European

Commission ruling that the company owes Ireland what
could amount to more than $27 billion in back taxes,
drawing unwelcome attention to the company's
international attempts at tax avoidance during a U.S.
election campaign. www.cbc.ca/1.3741145
They can still do this?
Excerpt:
The EU Commission ruled last year that the multinational
tech giant owes Ireland the sum for profits that went
untaxed for more than a decade.
Both Apple and Ireland strongly reject the commissions
decision, and plan to challenge it through the EUs courts.
It is expected to take years before a final outcome is
reached.
However, in the interim, Ireland is obliged to collect the
funds. This money will then be held in a third-party holding
account pending the outcome of the appeal against the
decision.If the appeal is successful, the money will be paid
back to Apple. The original deadline for Ireland to collect
the money was in early January.
Tim Cook Posts Public Letter Addressing EU Ruling That
Apple Owes Billions in Unpaid Taxes...
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted a public letter to the
Apple Community in Europe addressing an EU ruling which
found that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to the
company.
http://iClarified.com/56614

Tim Cook Posts Public Letter Addressing EU Ruling

That Apple Owes Billions in Unpaid Taxes
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted a public letter to the Apple
Community in Europe addressing an EU ruling which found that
Ireland granted illegal tax
ICLARIFIED.COM
European Commission Rules Apple Received
Illegal State Aid From Ireland, Owes Billions in
Back Taxes
Monday August 29, 2016 10:53 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

The European Commission on Tuesday will rule that Apple

received illegal state aid from Ireland, according to a 130-page
judgment known by Financial Times.
Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager circulated the
final ruling to her counterparts in the EUs executive branch
only on Monday morning, deploying a fast-track procedure in a
bid to minimize leaks. The usual notice period is two weeks.
The ruling follows a three-year investigation into Apple's tax
arrangements in Ireland, where it has reportedly paid around
2% or less in taxes compared to the country's headline 12.5%
corporate tax rate.

The commission's ruling asks Dublin to raise a new tax

assessment on Apple, which could have to restate its accounts
as a result of the ruling, according to the report. One area of
focus is Apple's tax arrangements for its intellectual property
assets, which is "a hotly disputed area likely to lead to a large
claim for back taxes."

The ruling means Apple could owe several billions of euros in

back taxes. JPMorgan estimated the company could be forced
to pay up to 19 billion euros ($21.2 billion) in back taxes,
although a previous study placed the figure around $8 billion,
and some analysts believe the amount could be a
comparatively lower $1 billion.

Europe's competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager will

provide an actual estimate of Apple's potential tax bill when
the European Commission's findings are publicly released on
Tuesday, according to the report.

Apple declined to comment on the matter, reiterating that the

company fully complies with international tax law and that it is
the largest taxpayer in the world. Apple said last month that
both the company and Ireland would appeal any unfavorable
ruling in European courts.

Apple joins the ranks of Starbucks, Fiat Chrysler, Amazon,

Google, IKEA, and McDonald's as one of several large
corporations accused of tax avoidance in Europe recently.
Starbucks in particular is currently appealing its case in
Netherlands, where it was ordered to pay as much as 30
million euros in back taxes.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury department warned that an

adverse ruling against Apple could "set an undesirable
precedent." It also said the European Commission is becoming
a "supranational tax authority," going beyond acceptable
enforcement of competition and state aid law and singling out
U.S. companies.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the
discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues
forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and
follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least
100 posts.

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/08/29/eu-rules-apple-received-
illegal-state-aid-ireland/
pple appeals EU tax ruling that it owes Ireland $14 billion.
Apple has launched a legal challenge to a record $14
billion European Union (EU) tax demand. The mega
company argues that EU regulators ignored tax experts
and corporate law and deliberately picked a method to
maximize the penalty. The European Commission said on
Aug. 30 that the companys Irish tax deal was illegal state
aid and ordered it to repay up to 13 billion euros to
Ireland, where Apple has its European headquarters.

The Irish government said Tuesday that it will formally

filed an appeal against the European Commission's
judgement that Apple owes billions of dollars in back
taxes. The move was expected, and the filing later this
week will simply be one step of many in the ongoing fight
over Ireland's treatment of multinational corporations.

The Irish government said Tuesday that it will formally filed an

appeal against the European Commissions judgement that
Apple owes billions in back taxes. The move was expected,
and the filing later this week will simply be one step in the
ongoing fight over Irelands tax code.

EU says Ireland undercharged Apple 13 billion for taxes

Reuters reported the move, which was announced by Finance
Minister Michael Noonan. While the ECs ruling is that Apple
owes Ireland itself that money, Ireland says that isnt the case.
The country is fighting the ruling because it threatens the tax
status of many multinationals who have set up shop in Ireland
for exactly this reason.
Apples Irish Woes
The EC has gone after Apple and Irelands tax arrangements
by accusing Ireland of rendering illegal state aid to Apple. The
European Union wants to stop corporate structures and
taxation arrangements that effectively allow multinationals to
avoid paying taxes in one member country by shifting profits to
another with low tax rates. Such as Ireland.
In August, the EC ruled that Apple owed some 13 billion
(US$14.5 billion at the time) not in taxes, but in back taxes. It
was unprecedented and heavily criticized by the U.S.
government.
The European Commission is also targeting Starbucks,
Amazon, McDonalds, and other firms for their arrangements in
Ireland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich
The header for this section, Double Irish with a Dutch
Sandwich, is the name of a strategy that Apple pioneered.
Investopedia has more on the topic, but heres the really
simplified version:
Apple has companies set up in Ireland and the Netherlands
that license out the right to sell Apple products to third parties,
including Apples own subsidiaries in other countries. The
whole thing effectively generates all of Apples paper profits in
Ireland, where it pays a very low income tax. Apple will
eventually have to pay taxes if it brings that money to the U.S.,
but due to U.S. tax code, it wont pay those taxes as long as
the money stays abroad.
Its all nice and legal, and it has local governments the world
overincluding EU member nationscranky as all get out.
The European Commission is attempting to change the rules
by declaring Irelands tax structure illegal state aid,
something expressly prohibited by European Union rules.
That makes this a big fight, and one that could conceivably
wreck the entire European Union. Ireland has long been
assumed to appeal this, and legal opinions vary as to whether
it will succeed. Ive read compelling arguments either way, but
I suspect the illegal state aid component wont hold up.
What is the 'Double Irish With A Dutch Sandwich'
The double Irish with a Dutch sandwich is a tax avoidance technique employed
by certain large corporations, involving the use of a combination of Irish and
Dutch subsidiary companies to shift profits to low or no tax jurisdictions. The
double Irish with a Dutch sandwich technique involves sending profits first
through one Irish company, then to a Dutch company and finally to a second Irish
company headquartered in a tax haven. This technique has allowed
certain corporations to reduce their overall corporate tax rates dramatically.

BREAKING DOWN 'Double Irish With A Dutch

Sandwich'
This technique is just one of a class of similar international tax avoidance
schemes. Each involves arranging transactions between subsidiary companies to
take advantage of the idiosyncrasies of varied national tax codes. These
techniques are most prominently used by tech companies, because these firms
can easily shift large portions of profits to other countries by assigning
intellectual property rights to subsidiaries abroad.
The double Irish with a Dutch sandwich is generally considered to be a very
aggressive tax planning strategy. It is, however, famously used by some of the
world's largest corporations, such as Google, Apple and Microsoft. In 2014, it
came under heavy scrutiny, especially from the United States and the European
Union, when it was discovered that this technique made it possible to send
several billion dollars annually tax-free to tax havens.

How it Works
The technique involves two Irish companies, a Dutch company and an offshore
company located in a tax haven. The first Irish company is used to receive large
royalties on goods, such as iPhones sold to U.S. consumers. The U.S. profits,
and therefore taxes, are dramatically lowered, and the Irish taxes on the royalties
are very low. Due to a loophole in Irish laws, the company can then transfer its
profits tax-free to the offshore company, where they can remain untaxed for years.

The second Irish company is used for sales to European customers. It is also
taxed at a low rate and can send its profits to the first Irish company using a
Dutch company as an intermediary. If done right, there is no tax paid anywhere.
The first Irish company now has all the money and can again send it onward to
the tax haven company.

The End of the Double Irish With a Dutch Sandwich

Due largely to international pressure and the publicity surrounding Google's and
Apple's uses of the double Irish with a Dutch sandwich, the Irish finance minister,
in the 2015 budget, passed measures to close the loopholes and effectively end
the use of the double Irish with a Dutch sandwich for new tax plans. Companies
with established structures will continue to benefit from the old system until 2020.

https://www.macobserver.com/analysis/ireland-formally-
appeal-eu-ruling-apple-taxes-expected/

Jobstown trial hears defendant asked garda 'How could

protesting be false imprisonment?'
31/05/2017

A 71-year-old man charged with the false imprisonment of

Joan Burton during a water charges protest in Jobstown told
garda he had joined the protest while in the area getting
petrol.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Frank Donaghy told garda
who explained to him that the maximum sentence for the
offence was life imprisonment: That wouldn't be long for me.
How could protesting be false imprisonment?
Mr Donaghy of Alpine Rise, Tallaght, Dublin along with
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and five other men, have denied
falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser Karen
OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without their
consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
Garda Chris Moylan agreed with Sean Gillane SC,
prosecuting, that he was one of a number of garda who
attended at Mr Donaghy's home on February 12, 2015 at
7.21am to arrest him. He said they rang the doorbell and the
door was answered by Mr Donaghy.
The court heard they were invited into the house and Mr
Donaghy was cautioned before being brought to Tallaght
garda station where he was interviewed.

Mr Donaghy told garda he was a member of the Anti Austerity

Alliance. He said he had been in the area getting petrol and
had not known there was a protest going on.
He said he had stopped, joined in a peaceful protest and had
been there for a few hours. He said that all he remembered
was taking part in a sit down protest and sitting down with
others behind Ms Burton's car until the garda came and
pulled them away.
It was a sit down protest. People have been doing it for years.
I think it's fairly legitimate, he told garda. Garda asked him
what his intention was and he told them that he did not recall.
He told garda that the atmosphere was peaceful and said he
felt safe. He said garda had tried to pick someone up from the
back of the car and that's when the trouble started.
He described that people came from everywhere.
Garda asked him to describe the trouble and he said it was
people pulling and pushing and shouting, adding I forget
most of it really.
The garda agreed during cross examination by defence
counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, that it was never suggested
during questioning that Mr Donaghy had directly stopped Ms
Burton and Ms O'Connell leaving the car.
He agreed with Mr Dwyer that Mr Donaghy, who has no
previous convictions, had been up front, frank and gave
complete explanations about how long he was there, what he
did there and when he left.
Mr Dywer said the bottom line thrust of Mr Donaghy's position
had been that he did not think he had done anything wrong by
joining a sit down protest.
The garda agreed rights of personal liberty and security
outlined in the Irish Constitution and the European Convention
of Human Rights had been put to Mr Donaghy during interview
but that there were also rights to associate and hold and
express opinions.
He agreed with Dwyer that he was aware rights often compete
and have to be balanced.
Paul Murphy (aged 34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (aged 39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy
(aged 53) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Ken
Purcell (aged 50) of Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks (aged 46)
of Brookview Green, Tallaght; Scott Masterson (aged 34) of
Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght and Mr Donaghy have pleaded not
guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser Karen
OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without their
consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
A garda has told a jury that she feared for her safety and the
safety of the then-Tnaiste Joan Burton and her aide as she
escorted the women through a crowd at an anti-water charges
protest in 2014.
Garda Fionnuala Whelan was giving evidence in Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court on day 19 of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul
Murphy and six other men, all of whom deny falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and her aide Karen O'Connell during a
water charges protest in Jobstown in November 2014.
Paul Murphy and six others deny falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her aide
Karen O'Connell.

She told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting that the

atmosphere on the day was very hostile and extremely
volatile.

She said she was there from the time the Tnaiste moved from
the graduation ceremony in An Cosn adult education centre
to a nearby church and was later present when the unmarked
patrol car and subsequently a garda jeep, which Ms Burton
and Karen O'Connell were in, was surrounded by protestors.
Gda Whelan said when the protestors surrounded the
unmarked garda car, they were banging on the bonnet and
shouting abuse at Ms Burton. She said she tried to remove a
number of people who were behind the car, preventing it from
reversing.
She identified the defendants Paul Murphy, Scott Masterson,
Frank Donaghy and Kieran Mahon as being among the group
who were sitting down.
She tried to move Mr Murphy but she said she was obstructed
by others.
Mr Murphy resisted my attempt to remove him and he was
also held down by others by his arms and legs. They pushed
me away from him, Gda Whelan said.
Sean Guerin SC, defending Paul Murphy, put it to the witness
that after the protesters surround the car the situation became
stable and that this stability was upset when she went to
manhandle his client.
Gda Whelan said she had not manhandled the TD and also
rejected the description that the situation was stable. She
again said it was extremely volatile and that she was fearing
for her safety.
Mr Guerin showed the jury YouTube footage showing the
witness attempting to physically pull the TD up off the road.
Unidentified voices on the footage said: That's a TD you are
mishandling. This was a peaceful protest until you started
dragging people out of it.
Asked by Mr Guerin what she had done about the fact that the
TD's shirt was pulled off him during the struggle she said she
didn't do anything because her priority was her safety and the
safety of the two alleged victims.
She said the defendant's safety was not in jeopardy at that
time and the stripping of his shirt was certainly not the worst
thing that happened that day.
She told Mr Guerin that it didn't stand out for her. She said that
what stood out for her from the day's events was being pushed
and pulled and kicked and verbally abused.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy of
Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy (71) of
Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of Kiltalown Green;
Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green, Tallaght and Scott
Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have pleaded not
(NOT) guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without
their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
< ENDS >

The witness told Mr McGillicuddy that at one point her garda

cap was taken from her head. She tried to grab it back off a
man but he pulled it from her grip and she almost fell on some
protestors. She said the man then threw the garda cap on the
ground and stamped on it.
Gda Whelan said there were a number of children present at
the time and told the jury that they were placed in front of
protestors to obstruct garda. She described one woman, who
was there with two children aged about five and six years old,
repeatedly trying to place the young girl on top of the
protestors.
She said the defendant Michael Murphy was jeering the
Tnaiste and riling up the crowd. She heard him say that's
the first hour gone and only four more to go, before he said
they would beat Mary Lou McDonald's record.
Gda Whelan said she also heard Michael Murphy saying a
number of times that the Tnaiste should take sanctuary in the
church and it would be the only place where she would be
safe.
She said Michael Murphy appeared to be in control of events.
When it became abusive he advised them to stop and said
they didn't want any negative publicity. When he issued a
request it was followed.
The Tnaiste and Ms O'Connell were then moved to a garda
jeep. We formed a chain along their path. The protestors
were extremely aggressive.
I was being pulled and dragged and shoved all over the
place, Gda Whelan said before she added the protestors then
gathered around the jeep.
The atmosphere was very hostile. They were abusive and
aggressive and it was completely out of control. She said she
was pinned up against the front of the jeep at one point and
was unable to move.
She saw one man assaulting a garda and assisted her
colleagues in restraining him. She said they were pelted with
branches, coins, bottles and placards and eggs hit her on her
temple and the back of her head.
Gda Whelan said the Garda public order unit was deployed
and she heard Paul Murphy on a loud speaker suggest to the
protestors that if the unit was withdrawn they would let her
go. She heard someone shout back keep the bitch here and
said Mr Murphy was met with both support and opposition.
She said an agreement was reached that they would slow
march the jeep down the Fortunestown Road to where it met
the N81 but said at various points some protestors had to be
physically moved.
She described Michael Murphy as making feeble attempts to
move the crowd but said it didn't seem to have an affect.
Gda Whelan told the jury that when she first arrived at An
Cosn, a number of protestors had gathered. She described
them as shouting tell her not to come out, traitor and asking
why the Tnaiste had been invited.
She said a woman came out to try and reason with the
protestors but they continued to shout and chant.
The graduates then began to emerge along with Ms Burton
and Ms O'Connell and the protestors continued to shout, jeer
and follow them.
She described one male as shoving a phone in Ms Burton's
face and recording them while she could hear people shouting
bitch, cunt, traitor and other verbal abuse.
A woman screamed abuse in my face asking why I was
protecting that bitch. She said she had to pay for water that
she couldn't drink and I should be ashamed of myself and my
family should be ashamed of me. She asked me who I was
going to turn to when my wages were cut, Gda Whelan said.
She said while making their way to the church an egg and a
water balloon were thrown at Ms Burton's face but she didn't
see who had thrown it.
The Tnaiste went into the church and Gda Whelan remained
outside. She described a man in a blue hoodie running to an
entrance at the church, referring to Ms Burton and saying he
was going to block her escape.
She said the number of protestors began to increase and soon
after she noticed that many of them had ran around to the
other side of the church. She followed and discovered the
Tnaiste and Ms O'Connell were in an unmarked patrol car.
A garda at the trial of seven men charged with falsely
imprisoning TD Joan Burton and her aide said she genuinely
felt she was going to be crushed by a crowd of water
protestors in Tallaght two-and-a-half years ago.
Garda Marion Power was giving evidence at the trial of
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men, all of whom
deny the offences alleged to have taken place in Jobstown on
November 15, 2014.
Mr Murphy (aged 34), together with South Dublin Councillors
Kieran Mahon (aged 39) and Michael Murphy (aged 53) and
four other men, are charged with falsely imprisoning Ms
Burton and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their
personal liberty without their consent at Fortunestown Road,
Jobstown, Tallaght.
Gda Power told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that she had her
arm around Ms Bruton to shield her from the crowd as the
former Tnaiste and her assistant Karen OConnell were
escorted through a human cordon of garda from an
unmarked garda car to a jeep.
I heard a man say, Lets just petrol bomb them all out of
here, Gda Power told Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting.

A large group of people were shouting abuse, banging on the

car, pushing bars in on the car.

The protestors were pushing in on top of us, spitting on us. I

felt like I was being crushed. Joan said shed lost her shoe; I
told her we had to keep moving to maintain our safety, I
genuinely thought we were going to be crushed, said Gda
Power.
Gda Power said she was standing at the front passenger side
of the jeep where there were two men continuously forcing
themselves in on top of me, one of whom kept rubbing his
body against her and punching the window of the jeep until it
cracked.
Gda Power said there was constant abuse and horrendous
language the whole time.
She accepted that the man who broke the jeep windscreen
was not one of the accused, and said this man continuously
put his foot behind the wheel of the jeep and alleged that his
foot had been run over and shouted for an ambulance.
Under cross-examination, Gda Power did not accept that the
mans foot had indeed been injured and was subsequently
placed in a cast.
If he was injured, it didnt happen on that date. I know exactly
the character of that man, I had to deal with him, she said.
Superintendent Daniel Flavin told the court that he decided in
the interests of safety to transfer the Tnaiste and Ms
OConnell from an unmarked garda car to a jeep.
It was 1:30, a winters evening. I felt I was going to have
darkness about half five, I didnt want a siege situation, he
said, describing a very hostile, tense environment with a lot
of pushing of garda and abusive comments.
Superintendent Flavin said he recognised Deputy Paul Murphy
on the loudhailer addressing the crowd and heard him saying,
Will we let her go, or will we keep her here all night?
The superintendent said he told Mr Murphy that whatever his
political motives were, this had gone on long enough and that
there were two women trapped in the car who were entitled to
go.
Mr Murphy said he had no control over the protesters, said
Superintendent Flavin.
He said matters became more difficult after the TD asked the
crowd would they keep her there all night because the
response was in effect, to keep her here.
Superintendent Flavin also pointed out that not all of the
protesters were involved in blocking the garda car or the jeep
and that some members of the public in fact tried to help
garda to move people who were sitting down.
He said some protesters held up placards so that coins that
were being thrown would not hit garda.
Superintendent Flavin told the court that Mr Murphy said: If
you remove the Public Order Unit, Ill allow the jeep to move,
or words to that effect, so he pulled the Public Order Unit
back and the jeep duly started to make progress along the
road.

Paul Murphy of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran Mahon of

Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy of Whitechurch
Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy (aged 71) of Alpine
Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (aged 50) of Kiltalown Green;
Michael Banks (aged 46) of Brookview Green, Tallaght and
Scott Masterson (aged 34) of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have
all denied the charges.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury of
seven men and five women.
Earlier today, a sergeant told the court that there was no
manual for ordinary members of the force who trained in the
Garda Public Order Unit.
Sergeant Brian Boland, who was a member of the Public
Order Unit who attended the Jobstown protest, said he had
never read a manual but that he had seen instructors referring
to one at training courses.
All our training is operational and tactical, its not class-room
based, its out with the gear on, in derelict buildings, on the
groundusing simulated exercises and demonstrations, he
told defence counsel Michael OHiggins SC.
Sergeant Boland said there was an overarching document
about the use of force, and that the deployment of the Public
Order Unit was always a last resort when uniformed
members were no longer able to police by consent.
He said on that day it was futile to try and remove the
protestors because of the sheer volume of people; there were
so many of them and not enough garda. For every one we got
off the road, three or four more sat down. It takes two of us to
get one of them off the road ,he said.
The last thing we want to have to do is engage in force, but
thats what were there for at the same time, we cant be a
blunt instrument, he said, but added that the majority of the
time, its sufficient for the Public Order Unit to just arrive. Its
amazing the power of that, the effect, said.
Sergeant Boland said it was perfectly lawful for garda to
press on peoples pressure points when they were interlocking
arms to make them release their grip, saying, some pain
might be necessary, to get a desired lawful outcome.
A garda witness has said he was called a woman beater, a
disgrace, a uniformed scumbag and a coward after he helped
a woman who fell over during the Jobstown water charges
protest, reports Isabel Hayes.
Garda Jonathan Ryan took the stand on day 22 of the trial of
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men who are accused
of falsely imprisoning former Tnaiste Joan Burton and her
aide Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty
without their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Tallaght on November 15, 2014.
The men have denied the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal
Court.

Gda Ryan told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting, that he

arrived at the scene to see Ms Burton and Ms OConnell in the
back of a car that was surrounded by protesters. He said he
recognised Paul Murphy among the protesters.

Gda Ryan said some of the protesters were banging on the

car, which was shaking. It wasnt a nice situation at all, he
said.
Gda Ryan said he was at the scene about three-quarters of an
hour when a decision was made to move the women to a
garda jeep. He described garda forming a cordon of two lines
to protect the women, but it dissolved in a matter of seconds.
She was protected by the guards and then she was swarmed
by protesters, Gda Ryan said of Ms Burton. He described the
situation as extremely hostile and aggressive.
Once the women were in the jeep, Gda Ryan described how a
bottleneck formed among the crowd, causing him to fear for
the safety of those present.
People very deliberately stationed themselves in front of the
jeep to make sure it couldnt move even though people were
being caught up in the squeeze, Gda Ryan said. Protesters
who sat in front of the jeep were creating a very dangerous
situation, he added.
Gda Ryan said at one point, a woman fell over and he helped
her up. He said one of the defendants, Michael Banks, then
called him a woman beater, a disgrace, a uniformed scumbag
and a coward. Gda Ryan said Mr Banks had seen what
happened and was just trying to goad him.
Gda Ryan went on to describe how later when the jeep had
made its way onto Fortunestown Rd inch by inch, he saw
Paul Murphy hold a vote among protesters as to whether Ms
Burton should be kept there or marched out of the area.
He said there was a unanimous decision to keep her there
and that Paul Murphy appeared very very pleased with this.
He appeared to be enjoying himself, Gda Ryan said of Paul
Murphy. He was smiling and chuckling away.
Under cross-examination from Sean Guerin SC, representing
Paul Murphy, Gda Ryan was shown video footage of the vote
being taken by protesters.
The footage, which has been played several times in court,
showed Paul Murphy and Michael Murphy voting to march Ms
Burtons car out of the area. The majority of the crowd voted to
keep Ms Burton there.
Mr Guerin put it to Gda Ryan that his evidence was wholly
incomplete and misleading. He said his recollection of events
was such to portray Paul Murphy in the worst possible light.
I dont remember everything that happened, Gda Ryan
replied. He said he did not hear everything that was said on
the day, but he reiterated that he saw Paul Murphy smiling
and laughing during the vote.
The court heard that in his statement, Gda Ryan described
Paul Murphy as being in charge. Mr Guerin put it to Gda
Ryan that he toned down his evidence by not saying this to
the jury.
Youre a dishonest witness to whom terrible things may have
happened that day, but who made a false statement that Mr
(Paul) Murphy was in control of the crowd that day which you
have not been willing to confirm under oath to the prosecution
and only done so reluctantly when put to you by the defence in
the teeth of evidence to the contrary, Mr Guerin said.
Gda Ryan denied this, saying his evidence to the jury was
honest.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon (39) of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy (53)
of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy (71)
of Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of Kiltalown Green;
Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green, Tallaght and Scott
Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have pleaded not
(NOT) guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without
their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
Meanwhile, a South Dublin councillor told garda there will be
no issue explaining that to any judge when shown video
footage from the Jobstown anti-water charge protests, his trial
has heard.
When arrested and interviewed by garda in February 2015,
Councillor Michael Murphy repeatedly told garda the video
footage speaks for itself and he said the rights of both sides
were balanced on the day of the 2014 protest, Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court heard today/yesterday (MON).
Mr Murphy's garda interview transcripts were read out on day
22 of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy who, along with
Michael Murphy and five other men, are accused of falsely
imprisoning former Tanaiste Joan Burton and her aide Karen
O'Connell by restricting their personal liberty without their
consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
The men have denied the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal
Court.
Detective Garda David Connolly told Sean Gillane SC,
prosecuting, that garda went to Michael Murphy's Ballyboden
address at 6.45am on February 9, 2015, where they found him
sitting in his car. He was arrested and cautioned.
During two interviews that day, garda played video footage
from the protest, including footage in which a vote was held as
to whether to keep Ms Burton there or march her out of the
area. When garda asked Michael Murphy if taking a vote
implied that Ms Burton was not free to leave, he replied: The
video speaks for itself, the court heard.
When asked if that was him walking alongside the jeep
containing Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell, Michael Murphy
replied: Whoever that is has his hands in his pockets walking.
The video speaks for itself. It's quite clear, the court heard.
When asked if that was him banging on the jeep, Michael
Murphy once again replied: The video speaks for itself.
When garda asked who he was speaking to when he made
comments about bringing Ms Burton back to the church as
that was the only place she would be safe, Michael Murphy
replied: Who brought her out of the church is the answer to
that. The video is quite clear. There will be no issue explaining
that to any judge.
When questioned about the rights of Ms Burton and Ms
O'Connell, Michael Murphy said: There's also the right to
protest. These videos would suggest both rights were
balanced on the day.
A garda has told a court he was hit in the head with a can of
Red Bull while moving former Tanaiste Joan Burton through
the crowd at an anti-water charges protest in 2014.
On day 18 of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six
other men, Sergeant Michael Phelan described how garda
were hit with missiles thrown by the crowd at the protest in
Jobstown.
Mr Murphy (34) together with South Dublin Councillors
Michael Murphy (53) and Kieran Mahon (39) and and four
other men, are charged with falsely imprisoning Ms Burton
and her adviser Karen OConnell by restricting their personal
liberty without their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Tallaght on November 15, 2014.

The men deny the charges at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

advertisement

The two woman were allegedly trapped in a car outside a local

church and subsequently in a garda jeep for up to three hours
by a crowd of water charge protestors after they had attended
a local graduation ceremony.
Under questioning from Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, today,
Sergeant Phelan said a crowd of protesters ran at Ms Burton
and Ms O'Connell as they left the church following the
graduation service.
It happened so quickly, he said. He said the crowd then
surrounded the Avensis car containing the women and started
banging it with placards, shouting and chanting. He said he
saw one of the accused, Scott Masterson, striking the boot
with two open hands.
Sergeant Phelan said the crowd was jostling and shoving
garda as officers tried to provide cover for the car doors and
windows. He said he issued cautions to the crowd to cease
and desist a number of times to no effect.
He said when garda tried to move protesters who were sitting
on the ground he saw a female colleague being shoved from
behind, he said. She fell on people sitting on the ground, the
court heard.
Sergeant Phelan said garda then formed lines in an
attempted to protect the two women as they moved from the
Avensis car to the jeep. The two lines just disintegrated he
said, adding garda were shoved together by the crowd.
We just had to force our way from the car to the jeep, he
said, adding there were a number of missiles being thrown,
including a cigarette lighters, branches and twigs.
I was struck in the back of the head with a can of Red Bull
that burst open on impact and landed near my feet, he said.
Sgt Phelan said he remained by the jeep as it moved inch by
inch through the crowd. Everywhere I looked, garda were
being struck with items, he said.
Defence counsel Roisin Lacey SC, representing Mr
Masterson, told the court her client accepts that he was there
for a peaceful protest that day, that he was at the rear of the
Avensis car, that he was chanting political slogans and that
he sat down beside the car.
He emphatically denies that he, at any stage, struck the boot
of the car or any part of the vehicle, Ms Lacey said. The court
was then shown footage of Mr Masterson at the rear of the
car, in which he had his phone in his hand.
Ms Lacey said none of the extensive video footage from that
day corroborated Sgt Phelan's account of Mr Masterson
striking the car.
That's what I personally witnessed on the day, Sgt Phelan
said.
Paul Murphy of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran Mahon of
Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy of Whitechurch
Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy (71) of Alpine Rise,
Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of Kiltalown Green; Michael Banks
(46) of Brookview Green, Tallaght and Scott Masterson (34) of
Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have all denied the charges.
Earlier, Judge Melanie Greally told the jury she was
discharging a female juror who was absent, and that the trial
will now proceed with 11 jurors.
The trial later finished early for the day after it emerged one of
the jurors was feeling unwell. It is expected to resume
tomorrow.
A garda has told a jury that she feared for her safety and the
safety of the then-Tnaiste Joan Burton and her aide as she
escorted the women through a crowd at an anti-water charges
protest in 2014.
Garda Fionnuala Whelan was giving evidence in Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court on day 19 of the trial of Solidarity TD Paul
Murphy and six other men, all of whom deny falsely
imprisoning Ms Burton and her aide Karen O'Connell during a
water charges protest in Jobstown in November 2014.

Paul Murphy and six others deny falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her aide
Karen O'Connell.

She told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting that the

atmosphere on the day was very hostile and extremely
volatile.
advertisement
She said she was there from the time the Tnaiste moved from
the graduation ceremony in An Cosn adult education centre
to a nearby church and was later present when the unmarked
patrol car and subsequently a garda jeep, which Ms Burton
and Karen O'Connell were in, was surrounded by protestors.
Gda Whelan said when the protestors surrounded the
unmarked garda car, they were banging on the bonnet and
shouting abuse at Ms Burton. She said she tried to remove a
number of people who were behind the car, preventing it from
reversing.
She identified the defendants Paul Murphy, Scott Masterson,
Frank Donaghy and Kieran Mahon as being among the group
who were sitting down.
She tried to move Mr Murphy but she said she was obstructed
by others.
Mr Murphy resisted my attempt to remove him and he was
also held down by others by his arms and legs. They pushed
me away from him, Gda Whelan said.
Sean Guerin SC, defending Paul Murphy, put it to the witness
that after the protesters surround the car the situation became
stable and that this stability was upset when she went to
manhandle his client.
Gda Whelan said she had not manhandled the TD and also
rejected the description that the situation was stable. She
again said it was extremely volatile and that she was fearing
for her safety.
Mr Guerin showed the jury YouTube footage showing the
witness attempting to physically pull the TD up off the road.
Unidentified voices on the footage said: That's a TD you are
mishandling. This was a peaceful protest until you started
dragging people out of it.
Asked by Mr Guerin what she had done about the fact that the
TD's shirt was pulled off him during the struggle she said she
didn't do anything because her priority was her safety and the
safety of the two alleged victims.
She said the defendant's safety was not in jeopardy at that
time and the stripping of his shirt was certainly not the worst
thing that happened that day.
She told Mr Guerin that it didn't stand out for her. She said that
what stood out for her from the day's events was being pushed
and pulled and kicked and verbally abused.
Paul Murphy (34) of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght; Kieran
Mahon of Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght; Michael Murphy of
Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin; Frank Donaghy (71) of
Alpine Rise, Tallaght; Ken Purcell (50) of Kiltalown Green;
Michael Banks (46) of Brookview Green, Tallaght and Scott
Masterson (34) of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght have pleaded not
(NOT) guilty to falsely imprisoning Ms Burton and her adviser
Karen OConnell by restricting their personal liberty without
their consent at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, Tallaght on
November 15, 2014.
The trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.
< ENDS >

The witness told Mr McGillicuddy that at one point her garda

cap was taken from her head. She tried to grab it back off a
man but he pulled it from her grip and she almost fell on some
protestors. She said the man then threw the garda cap on the
ground and stamped on it.
Gda Whelan said there were a number of children present at
the time and told the jury that they were placed in front of
protestors to obstruct garda. She described one woman, who
was there with two children aged about five and six years old,
repeatedly trying to place the young girl on top of the
protestors.
She said the defendant Michael Murphy was jeering the
Tnaiste and riling up the crowd. She heard him say that's
the first hour gone and only four more to go, before he said
they would beat Mary Lou McDonald's record.
Gda Whelan said she also heard Michael Murphy saying a
number of times that the Tnaiste should take sanctuary in the
church and it would be the only place where she would be
safe.
She said Michael Murphy appeared to be in control of events.
When it became abusive he advised them to stop and said
they didn't want any negative publicity. When he issued a
request it was followed.
The Tnaiste and Ms O'Connell were then moved to a garda
jeep. We formed a chain along their path. The protestors
were extremely aggressive.
I was being pulled and dragged and shoved all over the
place, Gda Whelan said before she added the protestors then
gathered around the jeep.
The atmosphere was very hostile. They were abusive and
aggressive and it was completely out of control. She said she
was pinned up against the front of the jeep at one point and
was unable to move.
She saw one man assaulting a garda and assisted her
colleagues in restraining him. She said they were pelted with
branches, coins, bottles and placards and eggs hit her on her
temple and the back of her head.
Gda Whelan said the Garda public order unit was deployed
and she heard Paul Murphy on a loud speaker suggest to the
protestors that if the unit was withdrawn they would let her
go. She heard someone shout back keep the bitch here and
said Mr Murphy was met with both support and opposition.
She said an agreement was reached that they would slow
march the jeep down the Fortunestown Road to where it met
the N81 but said at various points some protestors had to be
physically moved.
She described Michael Murphy as making feeble attempts to
move the crowd but said it didn't seem to have an affect.
Gda Whelan told the jury that when she first arrived at An
Cosn, a number of protestors had gathered. She described
them as shouting tell her not to come out, traitor and asking
why the Tnaiste had been invited.
She said a woman came out to try and reason with the
protestors but they continued to shout and chant.
The graduates then began to emerge along with Ms Burton
and Ms O'Connell and the protestors continued to shout, jeer
and follow them.
She described one male as shoving a phone in Ms Burton's
face and recording them while she could hear people shouting
bitch, cunt, traitor and other verbal abuse.
A woman screamed abuse in my face asking why I was
protecting that bitch. She said she had to pay for water that
she couldn't drink and I should be ashamed of myself and my
family should be ashamed of me. She asked me who I was
going to turn to when my wages were cut, Gda Whelan said.
She said while making their way to the church an egg and a
water balloon were thrown at Ms Burton's face but she didn't
see who had thrown it.
The Tnaiste went into the church and Gda Whelan remained
outside. She described a man in a blue hoodie running to an
entrance at the church, referring to Ms Burton and saying he
was going to block her escape.
She said the number of protestors began to increase and soon
after she noticed that many of them had ran around to the
other side of the church. She followed and discovered the
Tnaiste and Ms O'Connell were in an unmarked patrol car.
"He told garda that the atmosphere was peaceful and said
he felt safe. He said garda had tried to pick someone up
from the back of the car and that's when the trouble
started.
He described that people came from everywhere.
Garda asked him to describe the trouble and he said it
was people pulling and pushing and shouting, adding I
forget most of it really.
The garda agreed during cross examination by defence
counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, that it was never suggested
during questioning that Mr Donaghy had directly stopped
Ms Burton and Ms O'Connell leaving the car.
He agreed with Mr Dwyer that Mr Donaghy, who has no
previous convictions, had been up front, frank and gave
complete explanations about how long he was there, what
he did there and when he left.
Mr Dywer said the bottom line thrust of Mr Donaghy's
position had been that he did not think he had done
anything wrong by joining a sit down protest.
The garda agreed rights of personal liberty and security
outlined in the Irish Constitution and the European
Convention of Human Rights had been put to Mr Donaghy
during interview but that there were also rights to
associate and hold and express opinions.
He agreed with Dwyer that he was aware rights often
compete and have to be balanced.""
good old jobstown humour in the face of a sustained state
and garda onslaught----Asked to comment on Ms
OConnells statement to the garda that the events of that
day were the most terrifying she had ever experienced in
her life, Mr Banks responded: She hasnt had much of a
life.There was no-one preventing her [Ms OConnnell]
from leaving unless she was planning getting out through
the boot, Mr Banks said in his statement.
frank donaghy During his interview in Tallaght Garda
station, the 71-year-old former construction worker and
Solidarity member was told the legislation governing false
imprisonment allows for penalties of up to life in jail. That
wouldnt be long for me, he responded.
Joan Burton could easily have have left Jobstown
protest on foot, court told
Accused told garda the cars were detained by
protesters, not the people in them
Paul Murphy (right) and six other men are charged with falsely imprisoning
former tnaiste Joan Burton during an anti-water charges protest three years
ago. The other men (clockwise from top left) are: Scott Masterson, Michael
Murphy, Kieran Mahon, Frank Donaghy,
Joan Burton could have easily left the Jobstown
protest by getting out of the Garda car she was in and
leaving on foot, one of those involved in the 2014 protest
later told the garda.
It was the cars that were detained by the protesters on
the day, not the people in them, Michael Banks said
during an interview in Crumlin Garda Station on
February 12th, 2015.
Mr Banks, who declined to speak with a solicitor prior to
the interview, confirmed that he sat behind an unmarked
Garda Avensis at Jobstown in 2014 in which the then
leader of the Labour Party, Joan Burton, and her then
assistant, Karen OConnell, were being protected by
garda.
Asked to comment on Ms OConnells statement to the
garda that the events of that day were the most
terrifying she had ever experienced in her life, Mr Banks
responded: She hasnt had much of a life.
Between 40 and 50 water charges protesters were
preventing the car from reversing out from where it was
parked by sitting on the ground behind it, the court
heard.
There was no-one preventing her [Ms OConnnell] from
leaving unless she was planning getting out through the
boot, Mr Banks said in his statement.
Asked if he accepted that Ms OConnell felt afraid and
intimidated during the events, he told the garda he
could not comment on how she felt.
When it was put to him that the two women spent three-
and-a-quarter hours inside the car and, subsequently, a
Garda 4x4, Mr Banks said that the two women were free
to leave at any time they wanted to. They refused to.
The contents of Mr Banks statement were confirmed to
the court by Garda John Tuthill, when asked by Sean
Gillane SC, for the prosecution.
Seven defendants have pleaded not guilty to the false
imprisonment of Ms Burton and Ms OConnell, by
restricting their personal liberty without their consent on
November 15th, 2014, at Fortunestown Road, Jobstown,
Co Dublin.
They are: Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, of Kingswood Heights, Tallaght:
Solidarity councillors Kieran Mahon, Bolbrook Grove, Tallaght and
Michael Murphy, Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden; Scott Masterson, a self-
employed courier, of Carrigmore Drive, Tallaght; Ken Purcell, a precision
operative, of Kiltalown Green, Tallaght; Frank Donaghy, of Alpine Rise,
Belgard Heights, Tallaght, and Mr Banks, of Brookview Green, Tallaght,
whom the court was told does not have an occupation that brings him into
contact with the public.

Mr Banks, the court heard, told the garda in Crumlin Garda station that
the crowd would not let the Avensis leave because Ms Burton was refusing
to get out of it and answer questions. He said that if she had got out of the
car, nothing would have happened to her physically. The car was blocked
but she was never in any danger.

He said people sat on the ground behind the car to show it was a peaceful
protest and because the garda had come on the heavy.

He said the tnaiste of Ireland would not have been visiting Tallaght to give
out diplomas [to graduates of the An Cosan continuing education centre] if
she did not have an agenda. Now were seeing the backlash, with this fake
investigation, he said in his Garda statement. Joan Burton came for a
story and she got it.
He said that when Ms Burton got into the Avensis she refused to get back
out and answer questions that were being put to her by the protesters. So
they refused to let the car leave.

The court heard that another of the defendants told the garda he believed
sit-down protests were a legitimate form of protest.

Frank Donaghy told the garda when interviewed that the protest at
Jobstown was peaceful but also said that all the trouble started when
the garda tried to remove the people who were sitting on the ground
blocking the Avensis.

During his interview in Tallaght Garda station, the 71-year-old former

construction worker and Solidarity member was told the legislation
governing false imprisonment allows for penalties of up to life in jail. That
wouldnt be long for me, he responded.

He asked the interviewing garda how a protest can be false

imprisonment? He declined his right to have a solicitor present for the
interview.

The court heard that the two women were in an unmarked Garda Avensis
car for 71 minutes and subsequently in a Garda Jeep for 124 minutes. Mr
Donaghy said he saw Ms Burton in the back of the Avensis.

She was sitting in the back seat playing with her iPhone and laughing, Mr
Donaghy said of Ms Burton. He said that he had not known there was a
protest planned for that day and had been out getting petrol for his car
when he came upon it. I stopped and went over and took part in what was
a peaceful protest.

Mr Donaghy told the garda, when arrested on the morning of February

12th, 2015, that all he could remember was taking part in a sit-down
protest and people coming from everywhere. He was sitting behind the
Avensis for five or 10 minutes, he said.

Padraig Dwyer SC, for Mr Donaghy, said that for most of the protest, which
lasted a number of hours, his client was carrying a banner saying No way,
we wont pay.

He asked Garda Chris Moylan if at any of the Garda case conferences he

had attended, there had been any discussion of people being charged with
other offences, such as under the public order legislation? The witness said
he could not, but he was not at all the case conferences.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/jobstown-trial-hears-
defendant-asked-gardai-how-could-protesting-be-false-
imprisonment-791892.html

The Smoking Phone

Bodger at 11:57 am May 29, 2017

Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan at the Policing Authority last November

You may recall the Disclosures Tribunal, led by Supreme Court judge
Peter Charleton, which is investigating allegations of a smear campaign
against Sgt Maurice McCabe and claims made by Garda Keith Harrison.
In yesterdays The Sunday Times. John Mooney reported that a phone
used by Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan during 2013/2014, the
time of the alleged smear campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe has
gone missing.
Mr Mooney reported:

It was one of a number of smartphones sought by Peter Charleton, the

Supreme Court judge who is investigating whether there was a
conspiracy among senior gardai to smear McCabe after he exposed
abuse of the penalty-points system and raised concerns about policing
in Cavan/Monaghan.

A phone used at the time by Martin Callinan, the former commissioner,

has also gone missing as have mobile handsets used by other garda
witnesses.
Charleton sought possession of the phones in an order his tribunal
served on Garda headquarters. The judge also sought possession of
Sim cards, copies of call logs and data, text messages, emails and all
documents concerning a number of garda whistleblower
controversies.

The missing mobile phones and Sims are unlikely to be found, according to
sources in Garda headquarters.
No one knows what became of them, one source said. There is no record
or log to clarify if they were destroyed, recycled or fitted with new Sim
cards and given to other officers. There is no central log showing what
becomes of official phones.

Emails that OSullivan would have sent from her phone using a private Gmail
account would have been automatically deleted every 30 days, and so no
record of them is likely to be found either.

Garda chiefs phone missing in smear probe (John Mooney, The

Sunday Times)
In addition.

Readers may recall a report about Garda Keith Harrison by RTs This
Week two weeks ago.
It reported that Garda Harrison only recently became aware that garda
had created a Garda profile report on him shortly after he raised
concerns about Garda management.

This came to light after Garda Harrisons legal team was sent a large
volume of documents, following a data protection request by his team.
The tranche of documents that Garda Harrisons team received did not
include the actual profile but it included a heavily redacted email from
September 1, 2014, which was sent to a series of garda, up to and
including one at the rank of chief superintendent. Their names were all
redacted.

The only unredacted line in the email stated: I refer to meeting on 18

August I now attach profile concerning Garda Keith Harrison while at
attachment was named keith harrison profile.doc.
Further to this.

Francesca Comyn, in yesterdays Sunday Business Post, reported that

the High Court has ordered Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan to
release the suspected surveillance profile on Garda Harrison following
further discovery sought by Garda Harrisons solicitor Trevor Collins.
Ms Comyn reported:

The court order is in itself unusual in that it requires an affidavit of compliance

to be personally sworn by Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan , rather
than another member of the force. OSullivan has been given ten weeks to
comply with the ruling, which seeks a number of further records.

Noirin OSullivan ordered to hand over whistleblower surveillance

file (Francesca Comyn, The Sunday Business Post)
Garda created profile report into whistleblower, new documents
reveal (RTE, May 14, 2017)
Meanwhile
 Commissioner OSullivan and Canadian ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers
In yesterdays Irish Mail on Sunday.
Sam Smyth, in his column, hinted that Ms OSullivan might be headed
for Canada

He wrote:

The Mounties in the Rockies are calling Nirn OSullivan to Canada, Im told.
Word is the embattled Garda Commissioner may be taking up a position there;
both academia and security have been mentioned.

The Canadian ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickers, is understood to

been helpful through her recent crisis and other friends think Nirn
would be well advised to quit before a new taoiseach is in place.

Hmm.

Liz Howlin in the dpps office is also claiming her phone has
gone missing/destroyed in recent months covering up
corruption and the truth yet again by the corrupt dpps
office
Very corrupt senior people in Justice, on extremely
high salaries phones are destroyed, it seems by
senior gardai in N.B.C.I , the section Noirin O
Sullivans husband Jim McGowan is running, these
corrupt senior gardai should be sacked and
prosecuted , but how can this happen when the
dpp's office is colluding with them and protecting
them ?
Francesca Comyn, in the Sunday Business Post,
reported that the High Court has ordered Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan to release the
suspected surveillance profile on Garda Harrison
following further discovery sought by Garda
Harrisons solicitor Trevor Collins.
Ms Comyn reported:
The court order is in itself unusual in that it requires
an affidavit of compliance to be personally sworn by
Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan, rather than
another member of the force. OSullivan has been
given ten weeks to comply with the ruling, which
seeks a number of further records.
A phone used at the time by Martin Callinan, the
former commissioner, has also gone missing as
have mobile handsets used by other garda
witnesses.
The Mounties in the Rockies are calling Nirn
OSullivan to Canada, Im told. Word is the
embattled Garda Commissioner may be taking up a
position there; both academia and security have
been mentioned.

TD Shane Cassells has said that from the information

coming to light today that it seems like "the swinging
sixties have been kept going" at the garda college.
"If Austin Powers had shown up in his time machine in
Templemore he wouldn't have known it was a different
time period," he said.

Templemore: PAC hears 'if Austin Powers had

shown up... he wouldn't have known it was a
different time period'
IRISHEXAMINER.COM
Wednesday, May 31, 2017

The head of internal audit in the Garda says he does have

confidence in the current Commissioner Noirn O'Sullivan
and Deputy Commissioner Dnal O'Cualin.

However, Niall Kelly has told the Public Accounts

Committee he has been thwarted in the past by senior
Garda management in investigating financial irregularities
at the training college in Templemore.

Being questioned by Shane Cassells at the Committee, Mr

Kelly outlined some of those whom he felt were trying to
keep information from him.

"There's sufficient evidence before this Committee to say

that the Office of the Director of Finance... the Office of the
Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Change Management,
did not forward information - the college itself did not
forward information to internal audit," he said.
Update 1.15pm: TD Shane Cassells has said that from
the information coming to light today that it seems like
"the swinging sixties have been kept going" at the garda
college.

"If Austin Powers had shown up in his time machine in

Templemore he wouldn't have known it was a different
time period," he said.

Update 12.03pm: Two senior civilians in the Garda have

told the Public Accounts Committee they cannot express
full confidence in all senior management of the force.

Head of internal audit, Niall Kelly and head of human

resources John Barrett are among a number of witnesses
before the committee on financial irregularities at the
Garda training college.

The executive director of finance today withdrew his

previous assertion that the draft audit report was
"unprofessional, misleading and mischievous".

Mr Kelly and Mr Barrett then told Labour's Alan Kelly they

could not express full confidence in the senior
management team.
"I have some reservations Deputy... I'm very concerned
about what I learned this morning, truthfully it's quite
shocking to me," said Mr Barrett.

"I would concur with Mr Barrett, there are some

questions," Mr Kelly said.

You can watch live here.

Update 11.02am: The head of internal audit in the

Garda has revealed in detail how financial irregularities at
the training college in Templemore were kept from him.

Niall Kelly is appearing before the Public Accounts

Committee over his interim report on how taxpayers
money was used for entertainment and gifts, and how up
to 50 bank accounts were in his existence.

He has told the committee he is not convinced the cover-

up culture has changed in the Garda.

"I am convinced that there was, and there may still be in

some parts of An Garda Siochna, a culture of not
admitting to problems.

"When these problems persist - trying to keep them in-

house and away from transparent public scrutiny," he
said.

Earlier: The Public Accounts Committee is to hear how

senior Garda allegedly tried to block a probe into their
training college at Templemore.

Members will grill seven civilian officers over the claims

later.

Among them is the head of the force's internal audit unit

who will tell them information was deliberately withheld by
his 'direct superiors'.

Niall Kelly will also say there has been attempt to

undermine him since his report revealed public money
was being spent on private clubs and entertainment.

Documents seen by the Irish Examiner are due to be

discussed at a special day-long Dil public accounts
committee meeting today, writes Fiachra Cionnaith and
Juno McEnroe, Irish Examiner.And while the files will be
countered by a senior officers emails showing they were
open to examining the issue from as early as 2008, they
highlight the growing divisions in the force.In a written
statement to the PAC, Garda internal audit chief Mr Kelly
one of seven civilian officers due to be questioned
today without the presence of Garda management will
claim his investigations were repeatedly blocked and
undermined.Mr Kelly will tell the cross-party committee
between 2008 and 2011 he believes some people did not
want the newly appointed and very independent internal
auditor [Mr Kelly] to look too critically into the Garda
college, and that these people included my direct
superiors. The audit chief will say that when he sought
information it was withheld from me, and will claim he
was misled in September 2015 about whether he could
examine the case.I was informed legal issues were being
advanced in regard to the land and employee status and
until they were resolved it would be unwise to commence
an audit, he will say.I now know that I was misinformed...
[Garda head of legal affairs] Ken Ruane was advising from
July 2015 onward that internal audit should be requested
immediately.Mr Kelly who confirmed two new audits
into Garda college EU funding since 1998 and current
controls of cash have been launched and are due in July
will also claim that his motives, professional integrity,
and competence were questioned in two letters sent in
October 2016 and February 2017 by senior management.
However, despite alleging there was and may still be a
culture of keeping problems in-house and away from
transparent public scrutiny, the claim will be staunchly
rejected by another civilian officer.In records provided to
the PAC and as part of his own evidence, head of Garda
finance Michael Culhane will reject any suggestion that
management failed to address what happened.Mr
Culhane, who was finance officer throughout the Garda
college controversy, will provide management emails from
January 7, 2008, to March 4, 2011, confirming he,
assistant commissioners and the chief administration
officer all sought to allow and act on an investigation.Mr
Culhane will tell the PAC it has significant gaps in its
information and that whistleblower garda HR executive Mr
Barrett who will also attend the meeting provided it
with partial and inaccurate representations. However, Mr
Culhane is also expected to be questioned over an
October 24, 2015, letter to management in which he
suggested Ms OSullivan should consider setting up an
investigation into Mr Barrett over concerns his private
records key to the case could breach the Official
Secrets Act as his intent may appear to be to cause
damage to the garda.Meanwhile, during an unrelated
Dil leaders questions debate Taoiseach Enda Kenny said
reports a phone belonging to Ms OSullivan had gone
missing will be probed by the Charleton tribunal. Mr Kenny
was responding to Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry, who
asked was that phone officially reported missing, if so,
when exactly and suggested that Ms OSullivan may have
a second phone.
The head of the gardas internal audit unit has said his
direct superiors tried to block a probe into the Garda
college scandal, withheld information and tried to
undermine his position when the inquiry began.
Enda's legacy will be his failure to act on Garda scandals...
May 31, 2017
Clare Daly TD questions the Taoiseach on his poor record with dealing with Garda
scandals

Leaders Questions
Motion on Caranua
May 24, 2017
Clare Daly speaking on the private members motions put forward by i4c TD
Catherine Connolly to overhaul the organisation Caranua which has failed in its
remit to meet the needs of survivors of industrial abuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gywwymA6ys

I bet ya any money twas a Nokia phone that Sullivan and

callinan disposed of!!
Dangerous phone NOKIA----------
CONNECTING PEOPLE!!

Hand over your phone and get lost Noirin O

Sullivan. You must think we are stupid !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB-
asPIB07E&feature=youtu.be
The claims will be made by Niall Kelly today at a meeting
in which it will also be alleged a senior officer urged Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan to investigate
whistleblower John Barrett because his private record-
keeping of what happened may have breached the Official
Secrets Act.
Documents seen by the Irish Examiner are due to be
discussed at a special day-long Dil public accounts
committee meeting today.
And while the files will be countered by a senior officers
emails showing they were open to examining the issue
from as early as 2008, they highlight the growing divisions
in the force.
In a written statement to the PAC, Garda internal audit
chief Mr Kelly one of seven civilian officers due to be
questioned today without the presence of Garda
management will claim his investigations were
repeatedly blocked and undermined.
Mr Kelly will tell the cross-party committee between 2008
and 2011 he believes some people did not want the
newly appointed and very independent internal auditor
[Mr Kelly] to look too critically into the Garda college,
and that these people included my direct superiors. The
audit chief will say that when he sought information it was
withheld from me, and will claim he was misled in
September 2015 about whether he could examine the
case.
I was informed legal issues were being advanced in
regard to the land and employee status and until they
were resolved it would be unwise to commence an audit,
he will say.
I now know that I was misinformed... [Garda head of legal
affairs] Ken Ruane was advising from July 2015 onward
that internal audit should be requested immediately.

Mr Kelly who confirmed two new audits into Garda

college EU funding since 1998 and current controls of cash
have been launched and are due in July will also claim
that his motives, professional integrity, and competence
were questioned in two letters sent in October 2016 and
February 2017 by senior management.
However, despite alleging there was and may still be a
culture of keeping problems in-house and away from
transparent public scrutiny, the claim will be staunchly
rejected by another civilian officer.
In records provided to the PAC and as part of his own
evidence, head of Garda finance Michael Culhane will
reject any suggestion that management failed to address
what happened.
Mr Culhane, who was finance officer throughout the Garda
college controversy, will provide management emails from
January 7, 2008, to March 4, 2011, confirming he,
assistant commissioners and the chief administration
officer all sought to allow and act on an investigation.
Mr Culhane will tell the PAC it has significant gaps in its
information and that whistleblower garda HR executive Mr
Barrett who will also attend the meeting provided it
with partial and inaccurate representations. However, Mr
Culhane is also expected to be questioned over an
October 24, 2015, letter to management in which he
suggested Ms OSullivan should consider setting up an
investigation into Mr Barrett over concerns his private
records key to the case could breach the Official
Secrets Act as his intent may appear to be to cause
damage to the garda.
Meanwhile, during an unrelated Dil leaders questions
debate Taoiseach Enda Kenny said reports a phone
belonging to Ms OSullivan had gone missing will be
probed by the Charleton tribunal. Mr Kenny was
responding to Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry, who asked
was that phone officially reported missing, if so, when
exactly and suggested that Ms OSullivan may have a
second phone.
The Public Accounts Committee, examining a series of
financial scandals at the Templemore Garda College, are to
grill eight civilian members of the force next week
without Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan being
present.

The cross-party committee confirmed the move after

deciding that splitting civilian and Garda witnesses was
the only likely way to ensure transparency in the evidence
being provided.
At a three-hour private meeting of PAC yesterday, which
also heard concerns that garda are still failing to provide
all documents relating to the scandal, the committee
agreed that while it may ultimately not be able to uncover
what happened it must meet with those involved in the
coming weeks.
In order not to interfere with the existing work schedule of
the PAC, it was agreed to hold a series of special
meetings on Wednesdays only, with the first of these
scheduled for next week, and to focus solely on civilian
officials.
The PAC said next weeks witnesses will include
whistleblower John Barrett, internal Garda auditor Niall
Kelly, head of Garda finance Michael Culhane, chief
administrative officer Joseph Nugent, and Mr Nugents
predecessor Cyril Dunne.
Among others who will also attend are former audit
committee member Michael Howard who like Mr Dunne
has since left the force and, as such, can turn down an
appearance request and the gardas head of legal
affairs, Ken Ruane.
At a meeting next Thursday morning, the PAC will decide
in private session when to bring in senior garda to
respond to the issues expected to be raised by the civilian
officers.
However, it is widely expected among PAC members that
this Garda management meeting will take place within a
fortnight of next weeks Wednesday meeting, with Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan, and potentially former
commissioner Martin Callinan due to be told to attend.
A small number of PAC members, including Fine Gael TD
Alan Farrell, told the private meeting yesterday they
remain unconvinced a PAC investigation will uncover the
exact circumstances of what happened at the Garda
college.
However, the majority of the PAC continue to be of the
view that it is not plausible to delay any investigation.
Meanwhile, PAC members have raised concerns Garda
management have yet to provide them with the full
amount of documents relating to the college scandal, and
are due to formally request full transparency from the
force over the coming days. The concern was highlighted
by Labour TD Alan Kelly, Fine Gaels Alan Farrell and
others.
PAC members including unaligned Independent Catherine
Connolly, Mr Kelly, Fine Gaels Josepha Madigan and Sinn
Fins David Cullinane and Mary Lou McDonald have also
criticised alleged leaking of PAC files to the media after
garda college records were released on Wednesday night.
PAC chair and Fianna Fil TD Sean Fleming is to urge all
committee members, individually, to stop releasing
sensitive records.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/templemor
e-pac-hears-if-austin-powers-had-shown-up-he-wouldnt-have-
known-it-was-a-different-time-period-791830.html
Garda audit boss accuses
finance chief of attempt
to 'undermine' Training
College probe
Head of the Garda Audit Unit since 2007, Niall Kelly

THE head of the Garda internal audit unit has accused the force's finance chief
of an attempt to undermine his probe of the finances of the Templemore
Training College.

Internal Garda auditor Niall Kelly made remarks at the Dil's Public Accounts
Committee (PAC) which is examining financial irregularities at Templemore.

Mr Kelly said he consulted widely in his preparation of his interim report on

the College with people that could possibly be identified in the document.

He said he did this so that to ensure that fair procedures were observed.

Mr Kelly said two letters in response were from head of finance Michael
Culhane and he said he found their content totally unacceptable.

He said that this is because Mr Culhane questioned my motives and my

professional integrity and competence.

In one of the letters sent by Mr Culhane on February 20, 2017, he accused

Mr Kelly of effectively setting himself up as judge, jury and executioner.
Mr Kelly told TDs today: I can only view these letters as an attempt to
undermine the Report or an attempt to try and get me to change my audit
opinion, findings and recommendations".

The interim report by Mr Kelly's internal audit unit, published earlier this
year, showed that the Training College had a web of more than 40 bank
accounts. Some were used for purposes other than those for which they were
intended, including on entertainment and buying gifts.

Mr Kelly this morning told the PAC ;The findings and recommendations in
the report are robust and stand up to scrutiny.

Mr Culhane is also appearing before the PAC today.

PAC chairman Sen Fleming asked him if he accepts the findings of the
interim report and Mr Culhane replied: "I do".

Mr Fleming asked him if his remark in the letter about Mr Kelly setting
himself up as "judge, jury and executioner was fair and if he'd say the same
today.

Mr Culhane said that the financial arrangements at the Training College

developed over a long period of time would not not be considered acceptable
by modern corporate governance standards.

He also said: "You have to give people a reasonable change to defend their
reputations" adding that they were operating under a regime "that by today's
corporate governance standards are not acceptable".

Mr Culhane said he didn't object to the recommendations of the Internal

Audit Unit's interim report.

He said he accepts auditor Mr Kelly's independence.

During his opening statement Mr Kelly claimed that information on finances

at Training College was "withheld" from him as far back as 2008.

He was first appointed head of the Garda Audit Unit in 2007.

He claimed that between 2008 and 2011,"that some people did not want the
newly appointed and very independent internal auditor from looking too
critically into the Garda College".

Mr Kelly also claim that this included people he described as his direct
superiors in the force.

Mr Kelly said that when he made enquiries on the issue "information was
withheld from me" and that this is "apparent" from email correspondence.
Mr Kelly also said: "Having conducted this audit and gone through all the
discussions and analysis of the issues over the last two years I am convinced
that there was and there may still be in some parts of An Garda Sochna a
culture of not admitting to problems and when these problems persist, trying
to keep them in-house and away from transparent public scrutiny."

Mr Kelly claimed there is a culture in the force that thinks An Garda Sochana
is different from other Public Sector Bodies and that the normal processes of
financial procedures and transparent democratic accountability do not
apply.

Mr Kelly said that his unit's probe of the finances at the Traning College is not
yet complete

He says he plans a series of reports on aspects of the Garda College over the
next two years and said: I can assure this Committee that I will persist in
reviewing these issues until they are all satisfactorily resolved.

Mr Kelly said two new audits have begun in recent weeks.

The first is looking at EU-funded projects and programmes relating to the

College going back to 1998.

The second is on the current controls of cash in the College restaurant, shop,
vending machines and the bar as well as the current banking arrangements.

Mr Kelly is among a number of senior officials from the Garda to appear

before the PAC today.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-audit-boss-
accuses-finance-chief-of-attempt-to-undermine-training-
college-probe-35774454.html
People with these
jobs can get a
special Irish tax
refund - here's how
The flat rate expense allowances are set at different levels
based on ones area of employment

BYKEELEY RYAN
31 MAY 2017
The majority of PAYE workers are missing out on hundreds of euro each year
on a relatively unknown tax allowance.

These allowances, known as Flat Rate Expenses (FRE) can be claimed as a

deduction on your income solely based on a workers job description.

According to taxback.com, 571,000 people claimed allowable expenses in

2013 at a total cost of 70.9million - which is just one third of the total PAYE
workforce.
The flat rate expense allowances are set at different levels based on ones
area of employment.

Shop workers are granted a flat expense rate of 121 per year, while bar trade
employees get 97.

Nurses who are obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms can claim
733, while nursing assistants - including attendants, orderlies, and nurses'
aides - with the same obligation can claim 526.

Doctors, engineers, plumbers, civil service workers, journalists, waiters,

teachers, and members of the carpentry and joinery trades are also entitled to
deductions.
And the highest amount - a whopping 2,476 - can be claimed by
members of the R Here's how to find out if you're missing out

It's important to be aware that the flat rate expense deduction isn't automatic.

You have to get in contact with Revenue and ask about the FRE allowance .

But once you confirm that you're employed in an area that qualifies for the
deductions, you can get claim expenses back for the last four years.

TE National Symphony Orchestra and RTE Concert Orchesta.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/people-jobs-can-special-
irish-10535254

Go and get what you are owed people!

According to taxback.com, 571,000 people claimed allowable expenses in 2013

at a total cost of 70.9million - which is just one third of the total PAYE workforce.

THE CASE FOR A

PUBLIC BANK
GAVIN MENDEL-GLEASON MAY 31, 2017
Michael Noonan and Fine Gael have made it clear that
they plan to sell 25% of the shares in AIB to the private
market in the coming days. AIB is our bank. We bought it.
It was a terrible deal when we did, but now that weve
nursed it back to health, the government want to pass on
the winnings to the bankers who lent us the money to pay
the debts caused by our bankers losing all our money. Its
the epitome of Socialism for the rich, dog-eat-dog
capitalism for the rest of us.
The idea would be laughable if it wasnt such a serious
economic crime against the citizens of Ireland.
Some have said that AIB is not worth much anyhow, so we
might as well sell it. As if investors are fond of lining up to
buy things that arent worth anything. If its worthless,
nobody will buy it and there is no point in selling it. And if
its worth something, why are we selling it? Do you kill the
golden goose to have a one-time meal or do you use the
golden eggs? Noonan wants us to kill the goose.
In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, the state ended
up with 99.8% ownership of the AIB. This makes it ours to
control. And control it we should. Surely we can now use it
to perform the sorts of tasks that banks are good at. We
can have a bank that serves the needs of ordinary people,
instead of engaging in reckless financial speculation.
We have a housing crisis and a jobs crisis. Having a
publicly-owned bank gives us an opportunity to connect
the dots for once. To deal with the housing crisis we create
a national housing authority which is charged with building
houses for cost-rent for the general public. This will
provide houses, but the building of these houses will, of
course, provide jobs. AIB could invest in this new housing
authority, but also in a public construction firm and a public
apprentice programme to train people up in the best
techniques of all aspects of building.
With a public bank, we can get people off the dole and
back to work. We could make really well-built, quality
public housing while employing people who currently cant
find work.
But the real benefit of owning and democratically
managing a public bank is that it helps us to answer the
eternal question where will the money come from? A
public bank provides us with more options than any other
structure to finance and invest in what we believe is
socially important not just profitable for elites.
AIB already control pension funds or other low-risk
investments which can be used as seed funding for public
projects. To get really significant investment, this pool of
deposits can be expanded through the introduction of a
single, mandatory pension scheme, funded by employers.
This will mean that everyone will be taken care of in their
old age, but it will also mean that well have a lot of money
to invest in job creation now. AIB could then act as a
strategic investment bank, funding cooperatives and public
enterprises to make Ireland a player on the global market.
A mandatory pension contribution fund, similar to the one
that exists in Australia, would amount to an investment of
approximately 1.6 billion annually. This could directly
generate 30,000 jobs, reducing the number of people on
the live-register by 10%.
AIB also holds mortgages and one of the consequences of
this is that under-performing mortgages are being sold on
to vulture funds in preparation for privatisation. No account
is being made of how this will impact those who hold those
mortgages, or those who rent from the distressed
mortgage holders. Instead, a public bank could implement
a mortgage-to-rent scheme which offers homeowners
secure, lifetime tenure and increases the public housing
stock. This would help to keep the property market from
re-inflating, and would keep people in their homes.
If we attack the housing problem and the jobs problem
simultaneously, we also make products cheaper, and
easier to export, making our industries much more
sustainable. This is because the cost of living will be
reduced substantially, allowing investments in industry to
be more effective at creating jobs throughout the economy.
All of this is possible if we have publicly-owned financial
institutions which we run for the public benefit. The
possibilities outlined here are just scratching the surface. If
we start a serious conversation about the national
economy and what we want it to do for us, instead of the
other way around, it will become abundantly clear that we
cant get it without having public institutions.
We need a public bank. We have one. Lets keep it.
Some have said that AIB is not worth much anyhow, so we
might as well sell it. As if investors are fond of lining up to
buy things that arent worth anything. If its worthless,
nobody will buy it and there is no point in selling it. And if
its worth something, why are we selling it? Do you kill the
golden goose to have a one-time meal or do you use the
golden eggs? Noonan wants us to kill the goose."
The national debt is over 300 billion Euro.
Europe is beginning to relax its debt rules across the member states
Why the rush to hand over the 3 Billion?
Strange.
http://www.lookleftonline.org/2017/05/the-case-for-a-public-bank/

12 BLUESHIRT
SUCCESSES IN 12
MONTHS
ADMINISTRATOR MAY 6, 2017

The Government has managed to make it to one whole

year in office and all anyone can talk about is what the
blueshirt-independent coalition supported by Fianna
Fil has failed at. But what about its successes?
1. Delaying the repeal of the 8th Amendment
Last month the Citizens Assembly recommended to
Government that abortion should be legally accessible in
Ireland without restriction as to the reason. It was a
welcome decision but not much help to the 9 women who
have had to leave the country each day to get basic
healthcare since the delaying tactic was announced in the
Programme for a Partnership Government in May 2016.
2. Maintaining Church control of education
Hopes for ending segregation, allowing decent sex
education, and kicking the Catholic Church out of our
public schools were dashed in June when Minister for
Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, announced his
preference for the Community National School (CNS)
model as the patronage model for new primary schools.
The CNS model is the compromise accepted by the
Catholic Church, with the Goodness Me, Goodness You
ethics course drawn up by the Church and children
segregated within the school based on religious
background.
3. Supporting warmongering
Hot on the heels of the EU Leaders summit in June which
endorsed closer ties between the EU and NATO, Minister
for Defence, Paul Kehoe, travelled to Poland in July to
attend the NATO summit, supporting the Cold War relics
continuation and intensification of the arms race.
4. Defending the rights of corporations to pay no tax
In August the European Commission announced that it
would be handing Apple a 13bn bill for unpaid Irish taxes.
The response? The Irish Government will fight it tooth and
nail. Who said class politics was dead?
5. Handing over public land to private developers
Last summer Dublin City Council passed a motion for the
public land at ODevaney Gardens to be developed for
100% public housing. No sooner had the motion been
passed than the council started making efforts for it to be
overturned. In September, Minister for Housing, Simon
Coveney, met with a select group of councillors (excluding
the Workers Party, which had originated the motion for
100% public housing) and the councillors voted later that
month to overturn a motion they themselves had voted for
and to privatise the land.
6. Enshrining austerity for generations to come
It wasnt much of a surprise that Budget 2017 chose tax
cuts for the wealthy over public services for the rest of us
but one point that will ensure continuing austerity was the
decision to aim for a debt to GDP ratio of 45% over the
next decade, which is predicated on the complete
falsehood that the economic crisis was caused by
overborrowing. The previous target of 60% was already far
below the EU average of 91%.
7. Locking out teachers
In November hundreds of schools were closed by
Government after ASTI members withdrew from
supervision and substitution duties, which were unpaid
following members decision to reject the Landsdowne
Road Agreement.
8. Protecting landlords
Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney, at it again. In
December he announced the new rental strategy and,
while the long-promised deposit protection scheme was
missing, landlords in areas worst affected by rent
increases over the last number of years now have a
guaranteed increase in rents of 4% each year.
9. Managing to successfully ignore rural Ireland
Realising Our Rural Potential: Action Plan for Rural
Development was announced to much fanfare in January.
The action plan flaunted itself as bringing new, shiny,
innovative solutions to rural Ireland when in reality the
majority of the action points were pre-existing.
10. Covering up the neglect of working class areas
Its not only rural Ireland thats got a new plan for a
makeover. In February, a report for the Taoiseachs
taskforce on Dublins north inner city proposed rebranding
the area instead of confronting structural issues like
housing.
11. Papering over racism
The Taoiseach received global recognition for lecturing
US president Trump on the value of immigration at the
annual St Patricks Day visit. Really, he should have been
commended for managing to keep a straight face
throughout his speech while overseeing Direct Provision
centres at home.
12. Handing over public land to private developers
(again)
Not to be outdone by Simon Harris privatising public health
(with the help of the nuns) and obviously buoyed up by his
own success in the ODevaney Gardens giveaway, Simon
Coveney announced in April that 800 sites owned by local
authorities and public bodies are to be offered up to the
private market. What a success.

HOUSING CRISIS
SPECIAL LOOKLEFT
25 IN SHOPS NOW!
RICHARD O'HARA APRIL 7, 2017
LookLeft 25 is in Easons stores and hundreds of
selected newsagents across the country now. Still
only 2.00, the highlights of this issue include:
Home Sweet Home Does the occupation of Apollo
House mark a new stage in the housing struggle? Eilis
Ryan reports.
Battle for the Heart of Dublin The battle over the future
of the ODevaney Gardens estate.
Homes for People, Not Profits Solidarity Housing, a
new policy mixed-income public housing provision outlined
by Gavin Mendel-Gleason.
People of No Property Rise Up The story of the Dublin
Housing Action Committee of the late 1960s.
Rise of the Nasty Nerds Angela Nagle on the rise of
the internet based extreme right movement from 4chan
and Tumblr to Trump and the Alt-Right.
Unquiet Graves How the Catholic Church profited from
decades of abuse.
Thoughts on Fidel Sen Garland and Brendan Ryan on
the life and legacy of Fidel Castro.
Classroom Division Justin OHagan examines the
failure to successfully tackle class division in the education
system in Northern Ireland.
The Pink Tide Recedes Gar Fitzpatrick discusses with
Barry Cannon, whether the so-called Pink Tide in Latin
America is receding and what that means for the Left
globally.
Debate: Basic Income Should the Left support a
Universal Basic Income?
Sport Against Racism Ireland Richard OHara talks to
SARI co-founder Ken McCue.
And much more.
STAND UP AGAINST
EVICTIONS
ADMINISTRATOR MAY 23, 2017

The Galway Traveller Movement walked out of the

Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative
Committee yesterday and has called for solidarity
against the eviction of families from the Cl Tra
halting site on June 5th.
The Galway City Local Traveller Accommodation
Consultative Committee is accused of having taken no
substantive action to address issues outlined by GTM in a
June 2016 briefing paper on solutions to Traveller
accommodation issues in Galway city.
GTM says that council meetings in February and March of
this year showed a complete disregard for the Councils
duty of care and legal obligations to the Traveller
community. Joanna Corcoran, Traveller representative on
Galway City LTACC, said: There is no political will to
address Traveller accommodation and no accountability
for eighteen years of failed targets. Within the LTACC and
Galway City Council meetings there is a strong anti
Traveller discourse and the Traveller communitys voice is
not valued.
Paddy Sweeney, also a representative on the Galway City
LTACC, added: The final straw came when Galway City
Council issued eviction notices to Traveller families in Cl
Tra halting site in Salthill. We are appalled by the Councils
approach to the chronic overcrowding on the site. Their
solution to the Traveller accommodation crisis is more
evictions.
Galway City Council has issued a notice to vacate the
halting site by 5th June and have offered no appropriate
alternative accommodation. GTM has said that it will work
with the affected families to resist the evictions. The group
is calling for solidarity from the Traveller and settled
community to attend a protest at the halting site on 5th
June.
"bloody bankers and their bonuses"
"bloody rich and their offshore tax havens "
"bloody politicians with their lying and second homes"
bloody corporations paying less tax than me
"bloody Establishment, they're all in it together
it'll never change, there's no point in voting