Loophole extravaganza

Sizzler

Did anybody hear about the dude in donegal who was in court today for not paying his fixed fine of 80 yo yos for speeding? He asked for the penalty pts notification and they failed...went to court and it got thrown out. Result ! Chalk it down!

smashey

Was it something to do with the fact that the notification wasn't available in Irish?

Our man in Havana

any linkage to this event?

junkyard

Was that the clown who does everything in the Irish language?:rolleyes:

JohnCleary

junkyard wrote:

Was that the clown who does everything in the Irish language?:rolleyes:

I'd hardly call him a clown.. he just got off penalty points. Genius more like

junkyard

I'm surprised he has a car if he's still doing everything in Irish those guys usually ride bikes from my experiences. Judges still have jurisdiction to issue summons if they so wish even in cases like this but no doubt thats the end of this loophole. Tbh there are loads more loopholes out there just waiting to be found out. If you have a good enough legal representative they can work wonders.

Silvera

While I want to see the Irish language survive and thrive, it's ridiculous that somebody can get away with this.

In such a case why can't the fine/penalty point notification simply be re-issued 'as gaeilge' ?!

Our man in Havana

Too late now outside the 6 month limit.

Link to the story: http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0403/speeding.html

I note they wanted to kill off the judical review proceedings. Me being cynical, but if he won it would mean a big problem to the cops/M Cullen et al.

Anan1

junkyard wrote:

I'm surprised he has a car if he's still doing everything in Irish those guys usually ride bikes from my experiences.

What experiences?

junkyard

There are quite a few of those guys down my way who object to everything and everyone unless its said or done in Irish or they pretend they don't understand English. I'd say this guy is just a smart a**e tbh.

Our man in Havana

People will now take adavnatage of this fine loophole until it is closed off properly.

junkyard

Ni higim Garda. Ta me ag tiomant go mall.:D

Our man in Havana

junkyard wrote:

Ni higim Garda. Ta me ag tiomant go mall.:D

Leabhair liom as Gaeilge Garda!

Tipsy Mac

If Irish is the official language of the country then he was right end of story.

The fact that you currently cannot obtain the rules of the road in Irish as it's not currently being printed is another potential loophole where I would be of the opinion that someone could potentially hit the road unlicensed and then successfully challenge any fines imposed on them by the state.

Stephen

I've never met a single person who can speak Irish but not English. I find it hard to believe that any genuinely exist in this day and age.

maidhc

Stephen wrote:

I've never met a single person who can speak Irish but not English. I find it hard to believe that any genuinely exist in this day and age.

I dont think that is the point. Irish is the first official language, and it has already been held people are entitled to be heard in court and have the rules of the superior courts available in Irish. There is hardly much point in officialdom having irish as compulsory in the Leaving and not bothering sending out a notification in Irish when requested.

I would have thought this issue would have been covered under the Official Languages Act anyhow.

I dont think there is a loophole; they will now just have to print the notices bilingually, like they should have all along.

Ba$tard

Every official government document must be available in our native language, actually, English is "to be seen" as the secondary language in such documents. But that is merely a dream.
Whoever made this document (distrubution) screw up should be hung for treason*

*Maybe OTT slightly

I applaud the guy. Good man for putting up against the law, him for president/rambo.

Boggle

Whoever made this document (distrubution) screw up should be hung for treason*

Completely agree - half ass work appears to be the order of the day for a govt that seems to think they can take any shortcut they like that makes their life easier - regardless or not its legal! Expect this not to be the last of the loophole escapes!!

Our man in Havana

I expect that there still is the mother of all loopholes that will cause the whole points system to collapse.

phoenix_nights

Stephen wrote:

I've never met a single person who can speak Irish but not English. I find it hard to believe that any genuinely exist in this day and age.

Read somewhere that the last documented person who could not speak english but only the native language, died back in the '50's.

ciarsd

I think its pathetic...do the crime and all that....he was man enough to commit the offence so he should be man enough to accept the consequences.

I wonder would he still accept a lotto win even if he was only notified in English. This country is so backward when it comes to loopholes/court cases/judgements etc

Mortmain

The Gardai fecked up. He simply asked for the notification in Irish, it arrived outside the 28 days allowed to pay the fine and get the license endorsed so he was issued a summons - if the notification had been sent out to him in time it wouldn't have been an issue. How long does it take to type a friggin letter in Irish, in Gwee friggin' dore???

JohnCleary

I say fair play to him - He got away with 2 points...