Garda want to ban people

taking and sharing their

pictures
Sergeants and inspectors also want obligatory high-vis
clothing for cyclists, pedestrians
Mon, Apr 10, 2017, 01:00 Updated: Thu, Apr 20, 2017, 16:37
Conor Lally

Members in Mayo want Agsi to lobby Commissioner Nirn OSullivan to

extend more protections from online harassment to members of force:
Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
Photographing or videoing Garda members without their
consent and then sharing the images online in a way that
identifies them should be criminalised, Garda sergeants
and inspectors believe.
Some members of the Association of Garda Sergeants
and Inspectors (Agsi) are also calling for new legislation
that would make it obligatory for cyclists and
pedestrians to wear reflective clothing.
And they also want helmets made compulsory for
cyclists.
The proposals are set to be debated at the Agsi annual
 delegate conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, which gets
under way on Monday.
The issue of Garda members being photographed and
videoed is a contentious one, especially at flashpoint
policing events such as emotive demonstrations.
Agsi and the Garda Representative Association (GRA)
have both previously said their members were being
videoed, sometimes for hours, while being taunted in the
hope it would provoke a reaction.
) Garda to rebuke Garda Commissioner at Agsi conference
) Garda managers claim relationship with public remains
intact
) Garda scandals: Force dogged by controversy over
number of decades
Should it be illegal to record
garda
Yes 18%
No 81%
No opinion 1%

The associations believe very selective segments of video

were then published, leading to the members being
identified by social media users.
Garda sources with experience of policing protests aimed
at blocking the installation of water meters, for example,
believe certain members of the force were selected for
targeting repeatedly, both online and when policing a
protest.
Agsi members from the Dublin Metropolitan Region
(DMR) West division have proposed the motion seeking
the creation of a new criminal offence in this area.
Online harassment
Their colleagues in Mayo want Agsi to lobby Garda
Commissioner Nirn OSullivan to extend more
protections from online harassment to the members of
the force.
Separately, the call for new legislation to make
compulsory hi-vis clothing for pedestrians and cyclists
has been tabled by sergeants and inspectors from the
Sligo-Leitrim division.
And their colleagues in DMR South Central say that
while they do not want the hi-vis clothing for
pedestrians, they are seeking it and helmets to be made
compulsory for cyclists.
The Road Safety Authority has already dismissed the
idea that all pedestrians be forced to wear hi-vis
clothing, saying the Republic was not a police state.
Also set for discussion at the Agsi conference over the
next three days are calls for higher expenses and more
media training for sergeants and inspectors.
Delegates from the Donegal division are calling for better
storage facilities in Garda stations for evidence exhibits.
And their colleagues in DMR East want facilities in every
Garda station to download and view CCTV.
DMR East delegates want an end to the Garda Sochna
Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc)informing Garda
members a complaint has been made against them, but
not specifying the nature of it.
They say when Gsoc informs members a complaint has
been made but a decision has been taken by the
complaints body not to pursue it, the members are never
told what the complaint was.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda%C3%AD-want-
to-ban-people-taking-and-sharing-their-pictures-1.3042615

Garda scandals: Force dogged by controversy over number of

decades
We list the big controversies to hit the Garda since the 1970s
Thu, Apr 6, 2017

NickyKellyafterhewasfreedfromprisonin1984.Photograph:TomLawlor/TheIrishTimes

AddThis Sharing Buttons

Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to Email App

TheGardahasbeendoggedbycontroversyandscandaloverthelastnumberofyearsinparticular.
However,controversyhasnoteverbeenfarfromtheforce.Herearesomeofthemainreportsand
debaclesdatingbackasfarasthe1970s.

Sallins train robbery:

OnMarch31st,1976,theCorktoDublinmailtrainwasrobbednearSallinsinCoKildare,withabout
200,000stolen.FivemembersoftheIRSPgroupwerearrested:OsgurBreatnach,NickyKelly,Brian
McNally,MichaelPlunkettandJohnFitzpatrick.DuringinterrogationbytheGarda,allexceptPlunkett
signedallegedconfessions,andalldisplayedinjuriestheyclaimedwereinflictedbygarda.

However,theywereconvictedafterthelongestcriminaltrialinIrelandatthetime,heardbeforethe
nonjurySpecialCriminalCourt.
AfirsttrialwasabandonedwhenoneofthethreeSpecialCriminalCourtjudges,CircuitCourtJudge
JohnOConnor,diedmidtrialafterconstantlyfallingasleepincourt.

Breatnachreceiveda12yearsentence,asdidKelly(whohadjumpedbailandfledtoAmerica).
McNallygotnineyears.

InMay1980,theCourtofCriminalAppealquashedtheconvictionsofBreatnachandMcNally.Inthe
samemonth,theIRAclaimedresponsibilityforthetheft.

NickyKellyhadreturnedfromAmericainJune1980butdisappearedintoajudicialandcustodial
blackholewhichhedidnotbreakfreeofuntilJuly1984.

Thiswasbecausethecourtsruledhemustserveoutthesentence,thesameonejustsetasideforhisco
convicted,because,technically,thetimeduringwhichhecouldappealhisconvictionhadpassed.

Hewasfreedonhumanitariangroundsin1984andlaterreceivedapresidentialpardon.Allthreewere
alsocompensatedwithsumssaidtobebetween400,000and750,000each.

Heavy Gang
ThemonikerwasappliedtoagroupofGardamemberswhowereallegedtohaveassaultedand
threatenedsuspectsandusedotherformsofpressureonthemduringthe1970s.

Allegationsofcoercionlitteredmurdertrials,withlengthylegalargumenttakingplaceregularlyabout
theadmissibilityofevidence.

Atthetime,especiallywiththeTroublesworseningintheNorth,somegardabelievedtheyhad
licencetoextractconfessionsbyforce.Andbecauseforensicswereonlyintheirinfancy,confessions
wereheavilyreliedupon.

A1977AmnestyInternationalreportallegingilltreatmentofprisonersbygardalookedat28cases
involvingsuchallegationswhileinpolicecustody.Theywerebackedupmedicalandotherevidence.

ItfoundthenamesofcertainGardamembersappearedrepeatedlyincaseswheretheyweredispatched
fromDublintoseriouscrimeinvestigationsnationwideandwhereconfessionswerethensecured.

Theabusesrangedfrompushingandshovingtoseverebeatings,andfoodandwaterdeprivation.

TheCriminalJusticeAct1984andtheregulationsmadeunderitintroducedacodetoensurethe
appropriatetreatmentofpersonsdetainedinaGardastation.Italsoprovidedforvideorecordingof
interviewsandcomplaintsifmaltreatmentbegantostop.

Kerry Babies
InApril1984anewbornbabyboywasfoundonabeach,WhiteStrand,Cahersiveen,CoKerry,
stabbedtodeath.Awomanwholivedlocally,JoanneHayes,wasarrested.Shehadbeenpregnant
aroundthattime.Confessionsweresecuredfromherandherfamilyoverthemurderofthechild.

However,theconfessionswerewithdrawnandthefamilysaidtheyhadbeenbeatenandcoercedbythe
Garda.TheysaidJoannehadgivenbirthtoababyonthefamilyfarminAbbeydorney.Theyaddedthe
babyhaddiedafterbirthandhadbeenburiedinsecretonthefarm.
Testsonremainslaterfoundonthefarmsupportedtheirversionofaccounts.Thebabyfoundonthe
farmwasfoundtohavebloodtypeAthesameasHayesandJeremiahLocke,themarriedmanwho
fatheredthechild.ThebabyfoundonthebeachhadbloodtypeO.

WhilethechargesagainstJoannaHayesweredroppedshewassubjectedtoverystrongcross
examinationatthesubsequentKerryBabiesTribunal.

Joanne Hayes at the Kerry Babies Inquiry in 1985. Photograph: Tom

Lawlor/The Irish Times
GardaadvancedthesuperfecundationtheorythatJoanneHayeshadbeenimpregnatedbytheman
withwhomshehadbeenhavingarelationshipandanothermanaboutthesametimeandhadgiven
birthtotwinswithdifferentfathers.

MrJusticeKevinLynchclearedtheGardaofcoercingtheconfessionsbutneverexplainedhowthe
falseconfessionswereobtained.Themurdersquadwasdisbandedintheaftermathofthecontroversy.

Morris Tribunal
ThetribunalinvestigatedallegationsofwrongdoingandcorruptionintheDonegaldivisionandran
from2002to2008.ItconcludedthatsomegardainDonegalhadfabricatedexplosivesfindsandhad
plantedfirearmsinordertojustifythearrestsoftargetedpeople.

Italsofoundsomemembershadfabricatedinformantsandintelligencereceived.Ingeneraltermsit
concludedsubordinationwasrifeintheGardaanddisciplineintheforcewasbreakingdown.

TheGardaComplaintsBoardwasheldineffectiveindealingwithcomplaintsfromthepublicabout
wrongdoingbyindividualgarda.
 M
embers of the public viewing a video link to the hearing of the
Morris Tribunal in Donegal. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
TheStatesresponsewastheGardaSochnaAct.ItprovidedfortheGardaSochnaOmbudsman
Commission(Gsoc)andtheGardaInspectorate.Gsocisanindependentagencythatinvestigates
allegationsagainstGardamembers.Theinspectorateexaminesareasofpolicingandadvisesonreform.

AnumberofotherreviewswerealsocarriedoutincludingintohowtheGardahandlesinformants,
witharegisterofinformantsintroduced.Anumberofmeasureswerealsoimplementedtomakeit
easierforGardawhistleblowerstocomeforwardincludingthecreationofaconfidentialrecipientto
receivecomplaintsinconfidencefromgardaaboutmalpracticeintheforce.

Shooting dead of John Carthy

ThetribunalofInquiryintothesiegeandshootingofJohnCarthyinAbbeylara,CoLongford,was
knownastheBarrtribunalafteritschairman,MrJusticeRobertBarr.

JohnCarthy(27),whosufferedfrommanicdepression,wasshotbytwomembersoftheGarda
EmergencyResponseUnit(ERU)outsidehisAbbeylarahomeonApril20th,2000,followinga25
hourarmedstandoff.

TheBarrTribunalfoundthatGardanegligenceanddefectivemanagementledtohisdeath.TheGarda
wascriticisedforitslackofpreparednesstorespondtoandmanagementarmedsieges.

However,thenministerforjusticeMichaelMcDowellwascriticalofwhathesawastheTribunals
failuretotackletheeventsthatresultedinJohnCarthybeingclearedbyamedicalprofessionalto
possessafirearm.

TheTribunalresultedinanoverhauloftheGardastrainingandequipmentforarmedincidents,
includingtheintroductionofnonlethalweapons.AndwhentheGardaInspectoratereviewedtheBarr
ReportitrecommendedpeppersprayandstabproofvestsforallGardamembers.
 Me
mbers of the Garda ERU at seige of a house in Abbeylara, Co
Longford where John Carthy was shot. Photograph: David
Sleator/The Irish Times
ItalsosaidanumberofRegionalSupportUnitsminiERUsbasedaroundthecountryshouldbe
establishedtofasterrespondtospontaneousarmedincidentsratherthanunarmedgardawaitingforthe
ERUtoarrivefromDublin.Therecommendationswereacteduponwiththelastarmedunitrolledout
lastyear.

Smithwick Tribunal
TheSmithwickTribunalwassetupbythegovernmentin2005inresponsetoallegationsofcollusion
betweenmembersoftheGardabasedinDundalkandtheProvisionalIRAinthe1989killingoftwo
RUCofficers.Itranfrom2006to2013.

ChiefSuptHarryBreenandSuptBobBuchananwereshotdeadbytheProvisionalIRAshortlyafter
leavingameetingatDundalkGardastationinMarch1989atanambushpointinsouthArmagh.

JudgeSmithwicksaidhewassatisfiedtherewascollusioninthemurdersandthattheevidence
pointstothefactthattherewassomeonewithintheGardastationassistingtheIRA.Butitdidnot
specifywhatformthecollusiontookorwhowasinvolved.
The bullet-riddled car belonging to RUC officers Harry Breen and Bob
Buchannon. Photograph: Pacemaker
Thereportwasalsocriticalofwhathedeemedacollegiatesenseofloyaltyamonggarda,sayingtwo
earlierGardainvestigationsintothekillingswereinadequate.

Healsofoundtheforceinthecurrenterawasonethatvaluedloyaltytoacolleagueabovetellingthe
truth.

Kieran Boylan case

InMay2013,theGardaSochnaOmbudsmanCommission(Gsoc)saiditwasunabletosubstantiate
allegationsthattheGardapermittedconvicteddrugdealerKieranBoylantoselldrugsandhaddropped
seriouscriminalchargesagainsthimbecausehewasaGardainformer.

ItsaiditsinvestigationhadbeenblockedforyearsbyadeliberatelackofcooperationfromGarda
headquarters.

ThethenGardaCommissioner,MartinCallinan,vehementlyrejectedthecharges.Ministerforjustice
atthetimeAlanShatterwasforcedtointervenetoendapublicwarofwordsbetweenMrCallinanand
Gsoc,sayingitunderminedpublicconfidenceinboth.

MacLochlainn Commission
RonanMacLochlainn(28)fromBallymun,northDublin,wasshotdeadduringanarmedrobberybya
RealIRAgangonaSecuricorvanatCullenmoreBendsnearAshford,CoWicklow,onMay1st,1998.

ACommissionofInvestigation,underMaryRoseGeartySC,wasestablishedbytheGovernmentin
July,2014,afterthedeadmanspartnerGrinneNicGibtookhercasetotheEuropeanCourtof
HumanRights,whichruledMacLochlainnsshootingdeadwasneverproperlyinvestigated.

Thegangwasundersurveillanceatthetimeandwhenittriedtoambushthevaninbusytrafficjust
after5pmontheFridayofthebankholidayweekend,membersoftheNSUandemergencyresponse
unitmovedin.

MacLochlainnhadhijackedaMazdacaratgunpointfromacouplewhowerepassing.Ashetriedto
driveoffwhilepointingagunatgarda,hewasfatallyshot.
Theothergangmemberswerearrestedatthesceneandweresubsequentlyconvictedandjailedfor
theirrolesintheincident.

A colour party forms a guard of honour at the funeral of Ronan

MacLochlainn. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh/The Irish Times
ThecommissionisyettoreportandwhileitsfindingsmaybeunfavourablefortheGardainrelationto
howwellpreparedorotherwisetheforcewasatthetime,thepassageoftimeislikelytosoftenthe
impact.

However,anycommentbythecommissiononhowcooperativeandforthcomingtheGardaforce
provedduringtheprocesswillbecloselywatched.

Initial reports into Sgt Maurice McCabe allegations

AreportbytheGardaInspectorateintothemotoringpenaltypointssystemwaspublishedinFebruary
2014.

ItwasrequestedbyformerministerforjusticeAlanShatterfollowingallegationsbywhistleblowerSgt
MauriceMcCabe,amongothers,thattherehadbeenwidespreadquashingofpenaltypoints.

AreportbySeanGuerinSCwascarriedoutonfootofotherallegationsbySgtMcCabethattheGarda
mishandledcasesofmurder,assaultandabductionintheCavanMonaghandivisionwhereheworked.
Sgt Maurice Mc Cabe arriving for a Public Account Committee
meeting in Leinster House.Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
ItalsoexaminedhowclaimsbywhistleblowerswerehandledbytheDepartmentofJustice.Itsfindings
ledtotheresignationofMrShatterfromCabinetin2014.

In2017,however,theCourtofAppealfoundthatthereporthadmadeseriouslydamaging
conclusionsinamannerthatbreachedMrShattersconstitutionalrights.MrShatterhassaidhewas
forcedtoresignbyTaoiseachEndaKenny.

Bugging of Garda Ombudsman

TheCookeReportinJune2014investigatedtheallegedbuggingoftheofficesoftheGardaSochna
OmbudsmanCommission(Gsoc).ItconcludedtherewasnoevidenceofsurveillanceatGsocsoffices.

TheallegationsfirstaroseinTheSundayTimeswhichsecuredpartofaninternalreportpreparedfor
GsocbyaUKbasedsecuritycontractorVerrimus.

InhisreportpublishedbytheGovernmentinJune,2014,JudgeCookefoundtherewasnoevidenceto
suggesttheofficesofGsocwerebugged,letalonethatgardawereinvolved.

However,hesaidthereactionofalandlineintheGsocofficesinringingwhentestedforbuggingin
theearlyhoursofthemorningwasunexplained.

HealsonotedthatpersonnelfromUKsecuritycompanyVerrimuswhichcarriedoutthesecurity
sweepforGsocwereadamantwheninterviewedbyhimthattheanomaliestheyfoundsuggested
bugging.
The office of the Garda Ombudsman Commission on Abbey Street
Upper, Dublin 1. Photograph: Collins
WhenitemergedinFebruary,2014,thatVerrimushadbeenaskedtoconductthereviewandhadkept
thefindingsfromtheGovernmentandtheGardaitcreatedsignificantcontroversyinthatitsuggesteda
breakdownintrustbetweenthebodies.

AndwhenGsocreleasedareportsayingtherewasnoevidencetheGardawassuspectedofthealleged
buggingthethenGardacommissionerMartinCallinanwasirate,sayingthatstatementeffectively
appointedtheGardaaschiefsuspect.

PublicstatementswereexchangedbetweenGardaandGsoc,sinkinganalreadyturbulentrelationship
toanewlow.

Second wave of Sgt McCabe inquiries

TheFennellyCommissionwasestablishedinApril2014,primarilytoinvestigatethetapingofphone
callsatGardastationsbutalsotoissueaninterimreportontheresignationofMartinCallinanasGarda
commissionerinearly2014.ItsinterimreportconcludedMrKennydidnotintendtoputpressureon
MrCallinantoresign.ThefullreportpublishedinApril2017foundnocriminalcaseswerematerially
affectedbytherecordingoftelephonecallsinandoutofGardastationsaroundthecountry.

ThereportoftheOHigginsCommissionofInvestigationintotheCavanMonaghanregionofAn
GardaSochnawaspublishedlastyear.ItwasestablishedonfootofthefindingsoftheGuerinreport.
TheOHigginsreportfoundMrShatter,MrCallinanandtheDepartmentofJusticehandledcomplaints
madebySgtMcCabeinaprofessionalandappropriatemanneratalltimes.Itidentifiedseriousflaws
andfailuresincriminalinvestigationsintheCavanMonaghandivisionin2007and2008,butfoundno
evidenceofGardacriminalityorcorruption.

RetiredjudgeIarflaithONeillcarriedoutareportintoallegationsofasmearcampaignwithinthe
forceagainstSgtMcCabe.JudgeONeillrecommendedacommissionofinvestigationintotheissue,
althoughSgtMcCabeobjectedtothisapproach,asdidvariouspoliticalparties.Theinvestigationwas
upgradedintoafulltribunalofinquiry,whichhasnowbegunitsworkunderthechairmanshipofMr
JusticePeterCharleton.

TheGovernmentalsointendstocarryoutarootandbranchreviewofAnGardaSochnafollowing
concernovertheexaggerationofthenumberofdrinkdrivingbreathtestscarriedout.Itisanexpansion
ofapreviousreviewrequestedbytheIndependentAllianceintothemanagementandcultureofthe
force.Thepreciseapproachoftheinquiryhasyettobeworkedout,butMinistersatthisweeks
CabinetmeetingcitedtheexampleofthereviewofpolicinginNorthernIrelandfollowingthe1998
BelfastAgreement.

Phantom alcohol tests, wrongful convictions

InMarch2017,theGardawasforcedtoadmitthatofthetwomillionalcoholbreathtestsitclaimed
werecarriedoutonmotoristsbetween2012and2016,onemillionwerebogus.

TheyhadbeenrecordedontheGardasPulsecomputerdatabasebuthadneveractuallyhappened.

OnthesamedaytheGardaalsorevealedmajorproblemswiththefixedchargenoticesystemrelatedto
roadtrafficenforcementandpenaltypoints.

Itsaid1470,000hadbeenwronglysummonedtothecourttoanswercharges.Somehadbeen
summoneddespitehavingbeensentanFCNinthepostandpaidthefine.AndinothercasesnoFCN
waseversentandthecasewentdirectlytoasummons.

TheGardasaidjustover14,600ofthepeoplesummonedtocourtwereconvictedandsanctionswere
imposed.Anditmustnowcontactthosepeopleandhavetheirconvictionssetasideinthecourts.

TheGardamustalsorepaythefinesofthosemotoristsinvolvedandothercostsarisingfromallofthe
cases.

GardaCommissionerNirnOSullivanremainsunderextremepressureaboutthebreathtestingdata
inparticular.

Garda Commissioner Nirn OSuillivan, during a press briefing in

March 2017. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill/The Irish Times
ThePolicingAuthorityhadnotbeennotifiedaboutanauditintothedataanditsmembersreadofthe
auditsexistenceinTheIrishTimesinMarch2017.

MsOSullivanisunderpressurebecause,assuggestedbyFiannaFail,itappearsseniorGarda
managementdidnotmakefulsomeeffortstogettheaccuratebreathtestdatauntilafterastory
revealingtherewasaproblemwaspublishedinthisnewspaperonFebruary20th.
ThereisdissatisfactioninpoliticalcirclesofMsOSullivanshandlingoftheissueanddoubtsthatthe
Gardawouldhaveeverrevealedthenatureandextentofthebreathtestproblemsiftheissuehadnt
beenexposedinthemedia.

FiannaFailiscurrentlyconsideringamotionintheDilthatwouldexpressnoconfidenceinsenior
Gardamanagement.

Garda at a checkpoint in Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke / The Irish

Times

Garda want to ban people taking and sharing their

pictures
We already have laws to protect someone from being
harassed or intimidated like cameras and videos, as our
protection against garda aren't strong enough,
But lets not throw the baby out with the bath-water here.
People in this country have the right to take pics & video
of other people in public places. In the context of garda
activity, it helps keep Gardai from abusing their powers. If
they are acting lawfully, then surely they have nothing to
fear from being photographed in public. If somebody uses
those photos to harass a garda, well we can deal with this
under existing harassment legislation. If they want to
retain the right of Gardai to photograph people at public
protests etc, but don't want the public to have a reciprocal
right, that's a step in the direction of a police state
At the moment, we need more transparency from the
guards not less. When we know they are functioning
properly we can look into it, they need to earn back trust
before making themselves immune to being documented
on film
If I'm in public I have the right to record whatever I want
right?
TBH if they started using bodycams and it was required
for every interaction with the Gards then my confidence
would be restored in them almost overnight.
Assuming the 'faulty camera' lark didnt start happening
They have been using body-cams for a while now, they
started using them late into the water meter install
protests.
I would like to see a firm and open set of rules around
their use, and not rules the the Gardai themselves get to
define.
Bodycams also remove Garda discretion to throw a joint in
the bin and tell you to cop on
That's what I was thinking, like do they understand PR at
all??
Trust in the gardai is at a record low with scandal after
scandal, now they are looking to introduce a bill to stop
Gardai being recorded?? What a joke.
Smoke screen for the real issue that they want to bring
restrictions on the public filming the Garda at work.
They'll get everyone in an uproar over the high viz vests
for pedestrians and cyclists and shift attention away from
what they actually want, which is to reduce the chances if
them being filmed being absolute dicks to the general
public. Simple solution for this would be body cameras but
the guards would never allow that as god forbid the may
have to act with integrity and respect towards people.
Complete nonsense from the sergeants and inspectors
especially considering the revelations of the past few
weeks and the lies that have been pouring out around the
Garda crime figures.
If the really wanted change they'd be making the
reporting of those numbers an issues and try to restore
some confidence and credibility back into the force. But
no, their first major meeting since those damning
revelations is about preserving themselves without any
consideration for the state of the force at the moment.
Compete joke as usual.
I had a cop threaten me with public drunkeness charge
after I videoed him and his gang beat the shit out of a few
auld lads one night. He comes up with the "it's an offence
to video me in the discharge of my duties..." shite. I
studied a bit of law and know my rights, so he just goes,
"We're you out tonight? had a few drinks yeah? Don't be
getting smart now..." i just let him delete the videos and
he fucked off... so fuck them, if i'd my way I'd have them
strapped with bodycams.
Fuck the Gardai for being overpaid and not terribly good
at their job. They are and have been for decades fucking
terrible at what they do. They are decades behind best
practice on things like civilization. I don't care that much
about the breath tests, I care about wasting my money.
You seemed to entirely miss my point though. Which is
that people have for more local knowledge about what
works for them. Gardai have no expertise in the area, why
would anyone care what they think. Fuckers wouldn't
know a p-value if it jumped up and bit them in the ass.
but keep videoing yourselves and putting on facebook,
wink.
Its like their new prostitution laws designed so that Garda
can't be caught, named and shamed in the paper like they
want it for joe public.
They probably want mandatory helmets so they can put a
tracking number on them.
The Road Safety Authority has already dismissed the idea
that all pedestrians be forced to wear hi-vis clothing,
saying the Republic was not a police state.
As soon as its illegal to video them it is.
Taking videos / photos of them shouldn't be illegal but I
can see why they would want to stop
sharing the images online in a way that identifies them
Especially if that identification amounted to more than just
having their badge number shown.
What you carry on you in your possession is a mobile
telephone. This device is used for YOUR personal and
business use. It is not for the purpose of interfering with
the laws of the land. You do not have a right to interfere
with a member of An Garda Sochna.
I have no doubts Irish women are attracted to the
mystery of the quiet man in uniform. An Garda Sochna
would certainly make it feasible to apply to Store Street
for a selfie application form with which it would be
possible to have one single photograph with a selected
member of An Garda Sochna.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda-scandals-
force-dogged-by-controversy-over-number-of-decades-1.3039241
Even if it was a stunt , so what !! There is a section of our
society who have nothing more to do than Bitch about
what other people are doing. Vera and Paul have climbed
mountains for their child , they have knocked down walls
placed in front of them by this Government and Simon
Harris. The Facts are clear that Children like Ava need
medicinal Cannabis and are being denied it for no other
reason than gombeen politicians refuse to legislate. Lives
are left hanging in the balance because idiots refuse to
act. Stunt or no Stunt once again Vera has highlighted the
hypocrisy in this country when it comes to treating sick
children and for all those out there keyboard worriers out
there who spend their miserable lives moaning online.
Take a walk in Paul and Veras shoes you fucking quisling
cowards. These two have more backbone than the lot of
you. As a parent your job is to fight for your children,
these two are fighting a whole fucking government and
they will win !
Mum of poorly Ava Twomey denies seized cannabis
oil was stunt
A mother who had medicinal cannabis she purchased for her gravely
ill daughter seized at Dublin Airport last Friday has hit out at claims
that it was
IRISHEXAMINER.COM

Customs officials confiscated THC cannabis oil from Vera

Twomey after questioning her for an hour after she got off
a flight from Barcelona.
She voluntarily made customs officials aware of the fact
that she had the THC oil on her person as the product had
not been detected by sniffer dogs.
Ms Twomey, of Aghabullogue, Co Cork, went to Spain to
get a prescription from a consultant for medicinal cannabis
for Ava, 7, who suffers from a form of epilepsy called
Dravet syndrome.
Ava can experience multiple seizures every day and her
mother says her condition is worsening.
Speaking on the Neil Prendeville show on Corks Red FM,
Ms Twomey insisted she was only trying to legally obtain
THC for her daughter and that she was not in the business
of carrying out cheap stunts.
It shouldnt be a criminal act to bring it in, she said.
If I came through the airport with the THC and left the
airport that is an illegal substance that I have on my
person. Whether I was caught with it or whether I was not
caught with it.
"THC is there for people to be able to use it for their
families all over Europe. I wanted to bring the medication
back but I do not want to be charged as a criminal.
Ms Twomey refuted a suggestion by a caller that she had
failed her daughter by bringing the medicinal cannabis to
the attention of customs officials.
She said that Ireland needs to update its rules in relation
to medicinal cannabis and that doctors should work with
their international colleagues to learn more about THC.
Last month Vera walked from Cork to the Dil to highlight
her daughters plight.
THC-based cannabis oil is illegal in Ireland but is available
via prescription in many other countries. .
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has
recommended access to medicinal cannabis under a
monitored five-year programme for sufferers of severe
epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and intractable nausea and
vomiting associated with chemotherapy.