Sandyford Informer Niall Gormley

Vstorm

I know you should not expect much from a free newspaper but really... Niall Gormlly in his current"comment box " is astounding.In his haste to defend smuggler and convicted Criminal Paul Begley he displays a alarming ignorance of the role of Customs duties in protecting Irish business and farmers from dumping of goods below cost.However he goes on to say " if you ever come into contact with any one from the Irish state be ie Garda revenue......never ever co-operat".

Realy? If you witness bank robbery ,rape , murder do not co-operate?

Even a free newspaper can do better then Niall Gormley's standerd of reporting.

Niall Gormley

Vstorm,

You say that customs has a role in protecting Irish businesses and farmers from below cost selling. I haven't heard any evidence that Chinese garlic is being imported into the EU at below cost.

The duties on Chinese garlic are a scam to protect EU garlic farmers and EU consumers are the victims. Why should garlic farmers be protected? When Dell moved from Limerick to Poland, workers in Limerick received no such protection. When Fruit-of-the-Loom moved from Donegal to Morocco, where was the protection for Donegal workers? Why, indeed, are duties not imposed on British newspapers to protect Irish journalists like me.

The reason is, in the long run, protectionism doesn't benefit anyone.That's the whole idea of the EU. And lots of other trades and industries have to deal with Chinese imports.

In this case garlic farmers have received special protection from the EU. There's no moral imperative. It's pork barrel politics. As I said in the article, the duties are not meant to be paid - it's a straight forward piece of protectionism, so Paul Begley didn't cost the state a penny.

The point of the article is that Paul Begley has been very badly treated by the Irish state. The original sentence was ridiculous and the appeal court said as much when it cut the sentence by two thirds. My point is that the lesson from this case is that you can't trust the state. I wasn't talking about witnessing crimes, I was talking about being accused. The lesson is: do not co-operate, call a lawyer and keep your mouth shut.

I did say in the last line that this is a sorry situation. But the fact is that, in the light of subsequent events, Paul Begley would have been better off not to supplied evidence to the courts. And justice would have been better served.

Niall Gormley

IRE60

Regardless of my views on your take on the case, I do give you the "hat tip" for writing your defense of the article.

We have to many skulkers here and elsewhere.

C