The Garda Press Office and their Smoke Machine...

jetsonx

Ever since the press started writing articles which have intimated that the the Gardai commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan should resign (after she tried to destroy a man's life by spreading false rumours), in the last month there has been a steady drip-feed of media-friendly news items coming from the Garda Press Office pertaining to other unrelated issues.

It started with Trevor Deely and their "new" footage which they got enhanced. I believe they had this footage for at least a few weeks beforehand but happen to release it at an opportune time.

Once this went out of the headlines, the next story they had lined up was "Roadside Drug" testing.

Then, it was how the Gardai are going to protect us from "Lone Wolf" terrorists.

And now we're getting stories about how they are struggling to cope with
"social media" crimes.

Meanwhile in the midst of this smokescreen we are getting the real news about how the Gardai and how "killings" were "wrongly recorded" as "assaults" are being released. The Gardai Press Office have now pressed the turbo button on their smoke machine to keep this one out of the media. It is sickening...all these media games to protect Noirin the Queen Bee of a deeply corrupt hive.

Discodog

I totally agree. You can feel the closing of ranks & the digging of dirt in case they need it later.

We will never have a proper police force until a total outsider is appointed & given absolute carte blanche . That will never happen because the politicians have too much to lose.

jetsonx

Discodog wrote: »

We will never have a proper police force until a total outsider is appointed & given absolute carte blanche . That will never happen because the politicians have too much to lose.

Sad but true.

Jawgap

You do know there's other stuff going on in the country and regardless of the shenanigans going on in senior managment the country still has to be policed?

gramar

Maybe it's just other news.

jetsonx

This is a concentrated drip-feed of "news" stories released at within very short intervals of each other. A bit like what they do in China, Russia and North Korean when trying to cover some corrupt minister's ass.

Jawgap

jetsonx wrote: »

This is a concentrated drip-feed of "news" stories released at within very short intervals of each other. A bit like what they do in China, Russia and North Korean when trying to cover some corrupt minister's ass.

Oh my God.....a press office issuing press releases........somebody call the cops, oh wait:D

OP, they are a press office, that's what they do - issue press releases, answer press queries, manage the force's media profile. They are not the Commissioner's personal press office, they're the press office for the whole of AGS.

jetsonx

Discodog wrote: »

OP, they are a press office, that's what they do - issue press releases, answer press queries, manage the force's media profile. They are not the Commissioner's personal press office, they're the press office for the whole of AGS.

who just happen to release a flurry of unrelated press releases in the wake of one of the force's biggest scandals.

I've never seen so many Gardai "news items" in the press as I have in the last month. Funny that.

suicide_circus

LOOK OVER HERE

gifted

Kinda getting tired of every type of press releases...if it isn't the garda it's the GRA...If it's not them it's the teachers unions...if it's not them it's the nurses union..if it's not them it's the bus drivers unions...honestly, every second day some type of union is issuing a press release






Anyway...that's my press release for today lol lol

Jawgap

jetsonx wrote: »

who just happen to release a flurry of unrelated press releases in the wake of one of the force's biggest scandals.

I've never seen so many Gardai "news items" in the press as I have in the last month. Funny that.

So you're attribtuing my post to @discodog while complaining about fake news

btw, read up on confirmation bias and you'll see why you've suddenly start noticing things you've only started consciously looking for - the stories have always been there - they've just not been very interesting.

Jawgap

gifted wrote: »

Kinda getting tired of every type of press releases...if it isn't the garda it's the GRA...If it's not them it's the teachers unions...if it's not them it's the nurses union..if it's not them it's the bus drivers unions...honestly, every second day some type of union is issuing a press release






Anyway...that's my press release for today lol lol

.....because their conferences are on over Easter, I'm guessing

gifted

Jawgap wrote: »

.....because their conferences are on over Easter, I'm guessing

Easter is for the eggs...lol lol

smelly sock

Jawgap wrote: »

You do know there's other stuff going on in the country and regardless of the shenanigans going on in senior managment the country still has to be policed?

The issus is with rank and file also.

The whole force is a shambles.

Like something out of a carry on movie.

The Rape of Lucretia

A press office is not there to tell you what you want to know - it is there to tell you what the organisation wants you to know.

Jawgap

gifted wrote: »

Easter is for the eggs...lol lol

It's also for teachers' conferences and Garda representative bodies' conferences and the Labour Party conference......

......and as tends to happen at these events things get said to get the organisation in question get noticed - it's not really that big a deal, just don't read the articles reporting about them if you're not interested.

theoneeyedman

gifted wrote: »

Kinda getting tired of every type of press releases...if it isn't the garda it's the GRA...If it's not them it's the teachers unions...if it's not them it's the nurses union..if it's not them it's the bus drivers unions...honestly, every second day some type of union is issuing a press release






Anyway...that's my press release for today lol lol

It works though....
Turn on radio any morning and the news agenda is set by press releases. A minister is going to announce something or other, a company is going to announce X jobs somewhere, an estate agent website has a survey trumping up house prices etc etc..... Media companies swallow these whole and feed them on unchallenged.

The Garda are going full on BTW. Found it amusing during the week when the ability to react to a terrorist incident was questioned, Longford and behold the following day there was a raid on a so called 'terrorist cell' in Waterford. Very convenient...

Discodog

Jawgap wrote: »

So you're attribtuing my post to @discodog while complaining about fake news

btw, read up on confirmation bias and you'll see why you've suddenly start noticing things you've only started consciously looking for - the stories have always been there - they've just not been very interesting.

He doesn't mind :pac:

I believe that they are corrupt to the core.

By the way, how the hell is that huge new headquarters building in Renmore Galway justified when there is another one 3 miles away in Oranmore ?

McCrack

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

A press office is not there to tell you what you want to know - it is there to tell you what the organisation wants you to know.

Of course

tomwaits48

Doing a good job so.

Jawgap

Discodog wrote: »

He doesn't mind :pac:

I believe that they are corrupt to the core.

By the way, how the hell is that huge new headquarters building in Renmore Galway justified when there is another one 3 miles away in Oranmore ?

One's a Regional/Divisional HQ, the other is a district station, I'd imagine

Discodog

Jawgap wrote: »

One's a Regional/Divisional HQ, the other is a district station, I'd imagine

The one being built in Renmore is huge.

Jawgap

Discodog wrote: »

The one being built in Renmore is huge.

I refer you to the answer I gave some moments ago.....

......a district station needs to be able to meet the needs of the district in which it is located......a regional HQ has to meet the needs of the region so all the support services, specialist detective units etc go there.....

.....seriously, the press office posts about this stuff all the time, maybe take time to read it

Discodog

Jawgap wrote: »

I refer you to the answer I gave some moments ago.....

......a district station needs to be able to meet the needs of the district in which it is located......a regional HQ has to meet the needs of the region so all the support services, specialist detective units etc go there.....

.....seriously, the press office posts about this stuff all the time, maybe take time to read it

Meanwhile you won't see a Guard in Galway after about 10 pm

Jawgap

Discodog wrote: »

Meanwhile you won't see a Guard in Galway after about 10 pm

no, they'll all be in SuperMac's :rolleyes: - Galway's great contribution to western civilisation.....oh sorry, this is the thread for lazy generalisations about Guards, not fast food.

Discodog

Jawgap wrote: »

no, they'll all be in SuperMac's :rolleyes: - Galway's great contribution to western civilisation.....oh sorry, this is the thread for lazy generalisations about Guards, not fast food.

The reason why anyone could see that the drink drive test figures were wrong is that you rarely see Guards at closing time. It's nothing about lazy generalisations. Galway has a very active checkpoint warning facebook & twitter. There are checkpoints throughout the day & then often nothing at night. They are prioritising revenue like car tax, speed etc above drink drive.

Jawgap

Discodog wrote: »

The reason why anyone could see that the drink drive test figures were wrong is that you rarely see Guards at closing time. It's nothing about lazy generalisations. Galway has a very active checkpoint warning facebook & twitter. There are checkpoints throughout the day & then often nothing at night. They are prioritising revenue like car tax, speed etc above drink drive.

Hmmmm.....decent sized city, with a large student population and lots of tourists.....

......I wonder what could the Guards possibly be doing at chucking out time if they are not on checkpoints :rolleyes:

Victor

I have reason to occasionally contact the press office. Like any contact with the Garda, responses vary. **If** you get a response and it is from a sergeant it is usually polite and reassuring, otherwise ...

Garda press releases: http://garda.ie/PressReleases/Default.aspx - most of the press release material is missing persons, road traffic collisions, requests for witnesses. Additional material is carried on the front page of the website. There seems to be a media list that gets additional material - especially serious crime material. Journalists will no doubt follow up with their own questions.

Jawgap wrote: »

They are not the Commissioner's personal press office, they're the press office for the whole of AGS.

Yes, but sometimes there is a failure to distinguish between the force and its individual members, so if the Commissioner wants to put out a personal view, that is facilitated, e.g. http://garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=19879

jetsonx wrote: »

who just happen to release a flurry of unrelated press releases in the wake of one of the force's biggest scandals.

I've never seen so many Gardai "news items" in the press as I have in the last month. Funny that.

Because the Garda is under greater scrutiny and the media smell blood.

theoneeyedman wrote: »

The Garda are going full on BTW. Found it amusing during the week when the ability to react to a terrorist incident was questioned, Longford and behold the following day there was a raid on a so called 'terrorist cell' in Waterford. Very convenient...

What happened in Longford?

Discodog wrote: »

By the way, how the hell is that huge new headquarters building in Renmore Galway justified when there is another one 3 miles away in Oranmore ?

Can you share details for those that aren't in the locality?

please helpThank YOU

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

A press office is not there to tell you what you want to know - it is there to tell you what the organisation wants you to know.

Keep the Irish people in the dark like Mushrooms feed us Horse ****.

Jawgap

please helpThank YOU wrote: »

Keep the Irish people in the dark like Mushrooms feed us Horse ****.

Seriously?

If you have a question, email them......don't like the answer? FoI or DPA them or the Policing Authority......have a concern? GSOC or the Garda Inspectorate......still worried......ask your TD to put down a question to the MoJ.......have information, make a protected disclosure.....

If you are in the dark being fed horse sh1t, it's because you want to be there or you're too lazy to climb out.....

.....honestly, the laziness of the average Irish citizen is bewildering, we've never had more and easier ways to find out about what the organs of the state are up to and people are just too lazy to go find out.

please helpThank YOU

Jawgap wrote: »

Seriously?

If you have a question, email them......don't like the answer? FoI or DPA them or the Policing Authority......have a concern? GSOC or the Garda Inspectorate......still worried......ask your TD to put down a question to the MoJ.......have information, make a protected disclosure.....

If you are in the dark being fed horse sh1t, it's because you want to be there or you're too lazy to climb out.....

.....honestly, the laziness of the average Irish citizen is bewildering, we've never had more and easier ways to find out about what the organs of the state are up to and people are just too lazy to go find out.

Very well said.:cool:

Cee-Jay-Cee

The garda press office is piss poor at the best of times. Along with appointing a commissioner from outside AGS they also need to employ an external PR agency to handle news releases and to comment on current issues. They need to take a lead out of the uk police book and start giving more information on crimes and cases they are investigating rather than the usual stupid 'AGS do not comment on individual cases' They also need to start defending themselves against negative press, there are two sides to every story yet AGS have NEVER defend themselves in cases where they've been ridiculed or insulted or otherwise. Staying silent makes people believe they are guilty.

During the water protests, lies and propaganda were reigned down by various groups and not once did AGS come out to defend their members. They simply said nothing and let the water protestors say what they wanted.

They need to move into the 21st century and like alread said, getting rid of Noirin has to be first step of that process. She is nothing but a mouthpiece who spews out silly buzz words and claims yet hasn't actually done anything since she took office.

Discodog

Victor wrote: »

I have reason to occasionally contact the press office. Like any contact with the Garda, responses vary. **If** you get a response and it is from a sergeant it is usually polite and reassuring, otherwise ...

Garda press releases: http://garda.ie/PressReleases/Default.aspx - most of the press release material is missing persons, road traffic collisions, requests for witnesses. Additional material is carried on the front page of the website. There seems to be a media list that gets additional material - especially serious crime material. Journalists will no doubt follow up with their own questions.

Yes, but sometimes there is a failure to distinguish between the force and its individual members, so if the Commissioner wants to put out a personal view, that is facilitated, e.g. http://garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=19879

Because the Garda is under greater scrutiny and the media smell blood.

What happened in Longford?

Can you share details for those that aren't in the locality?

http://www.thejournal.ie/garda-regional-headquarters-galway-building-2393321-Oct2015/

Discodog

Jawgap wrote: »

Seriously?

If you have a question, email them......don't like the answer? FoI or DPA them or the Policing Authority......have a concern? GSOC or the Garda Inspectorate......still worried......ask your TD to put down a question to the MoJ.......have information, make a protected disclosure.....

If you are in the dark being fed horse sh1t, it's because you want to be there or you're too lazy to climb out.....

.....honestly, the laziness of the average Irish citizen is bewildering, we've never had more and easier ways to find out about what the organs of the state are up to and people are just too lazy to go find out.

Or people believe that GSOC & the Garda Inspectorate are ineffectual so they don't bother. Maybe when they see corrupt officers getting long jail terms,no more hounding of whistle blowers, faking of figures, etc etc this might change.

The Guards are where the UK Police were 30 years ago. The UK sorted it out & every copper fears a complaint. Line of Duty may be fiction but it very real. We show no sign of wanting to fix our problem. The Guards are still like some pseudo military force.

goose2005

gifted wrote: »

Kinda getting tired of every type of press releases...if it isn't the garda it's the GRA...If it's not them it's the teachers unions...if it's not them it's the nurses union..if it's not them it's the bus drivers unions...honestly, every second day some type of union is issuing a press release






Anyway...that's my press release for today lol lol

Reprinting press releases is much easier than writing actual news

please helpThank YOU

Garda press office have a must have a little alcove in north Korea send us garda patrol.

Victor

Jawgap wrote: »

If you have a question, email them......don't like the answer? FoI or DPA them or the Policing Authority

FoI or DPA have only limited application with the Garda.

diomed

In fairness they are good about making non-statements about non-investigations they might be about to start sometime.

Are Am Eye

Jawgap wrote: »

Seriously?

If you have a question, email them......don't like the answer? FoI or DPA them or the Policing Authority......have a concern? GSOC or the Garda Inspectorate......still worried......ask your TD to put down a question to the MoJ.......have information, make a protected disclosure.....

If you are in the dark being fed horse sh1t, it's because you want to be there or you're too lazy to climb out.....

.....honestly, the laziness of the average Irish citizen is bewildering, we've never had more and easier ways to find out about what the organs of the state are up to and people are just too lazy to go find out.

The inspectorate were hand picked. They do nothing. What has been their activity in the last six months during which there has been a new fiasco with ags every single week. Nothing.

GSOC are powerless. They were cleverly set up and made to be powerless. On the surface Morris' recommendations for an independent oversight body had been met. But in reality nothing had changed. AGS itself still investigates 90% of complaints made against it. GSOC is just a forwarding post. Make a complaint to them - it will be side passed to a superintendent or inspector in the division in which the complained of activity took place.

More importantly in the small number of cases in which gsoc actually investigate they are completely obstructed by ags who basically refuse to correspond with them or release any information, documents or evidence for their perusal. No disclosure.
And why would ags give disclosure to gsoc. They are not legally obliged to. They can and do ignore them. There can be no consequences. In this area as in all others they cannot be held to account.

Basically these oversight bodies of which you speak are either powerless or a rubber stamp. There is no oversight. The worry is that the two main political parties appear to be happy with this situation and there is no prospect of change.

jetsonx

Can anyone predict some Gardai Press Office releases for next week?

They must make for eye-catching headlines and more importantly they must keep Noirin and her cover-ups out of the news.

Some ideas include:


Gardai Prepare for Nuclear Threat - could mention North Korea and Trump - at least a week of good distracting headlines.

French Elections - The Gardai plan for riots at French embassy if Le Pen wins.

Madeleine McCann - Gardai issue advice how you can prevent your child being kidnapped this summer.

Jawgap

jetsonx wrote: »

Can anyone predict some Gardai Press Office releases for next week?

They must make for eye-catching headlines and more importantly they must keep Noirin and her cover-ups out of the news.

Some ideas include:


Gardai Prepare for Nuclear Threat - could mention North Korea and Trump - at least a week of good distracting headlines.

French Elections - The Gardai plan for riots at French embassy if Le Pen wins.

Madeleine McCann - Gardai issue advice how you can prevent your child being kidnapped this summer.

You find child abduction funny?

Stay classy........

Jawgap

Are Am Eye wrote: »

The inspectorate were hand picked. They do nothing. What has been their activity in the last six months during which there has been a new fiasco with ags every single week. Nothing.

GSOC are powerless. They were cleverly set up and made to be powerless. On the surface Morris' recommendations for an independent oversight body had been met. But in reality nothing had changed. AGS itself still investigates 90% of complaints made against it. GSOC is just a forwarding post. Make a complaint to them - it will be side passed to a superintendent or inspector in the division in which the complained of activity took place.

More importantly in the small number of cases in which gsoc actually investigate they are completely obstructed by ags who basically refuse to correspond with them or release any information, documents or evidence for their perusal. No disclosure.
And why would ags give disclosure to gsoc. They are not legally obliged to. They can and do ignore them. There can be no consequences. In this area as in all others they cannot be held to account.

Basically these oversight bodies of which you speak are either powerless or a rubber stamp. There is no oversight. The worry is that the two main political parties appear to be happy with this situation and there is no prospect of change.

couple of vacancies just advertised, if you're up for the job, apply.

.......and out of interest, who puts the political parties in power? If people are so dissatisfied how come they don't vote in politicians and empower them to reform the system? Or put it another way, why are there more votes in keeping useless Garda stations open than there are in bringing policing in ireland into the 21st Century?

Maybe it's because for all their faults, we recognise that our citizens in uniform, that we've empowered, do a pretty good job most of the time?

jetsonx

Jawgap wrote: »

that we've empowered, do a pretty good job most of the time?

Well that's the exact problem.

Most the Irish public now perceive the Gardai as more of a revenue collecting body rather than a crime prevention or crime fighting force.

Jawgap

jetsonx wrote: »

Well that's the exact problem.

Most the Irish public now perceive the Gardai as more of a revenue collecting body rather than a crime prevention or crime fighting force.

.....and the evidence for that can be found where?

.....and yes they have a crime and security role, but also a sociological one.....and I'd imagine most of the daily interactions Guards have with citizens are positive......show me a public facing organisation of 10,000+ people that gets it right 100% of the time?

Are Am Eye

Jawgap wrote: »

couple of vacancies just advertised, if you're up for the job, apply.

.......and out of interest, who puts the political parties in power? If people are so dissatisfied how come they don't vote in politicians and empower them to reform the system? Or put it another way, why are there more votes in keeping useless Garda stations open than there are in bringing policing in ireland into the 21st Century?

Maybe it's because for all their faults, we recognise that our citizens in uniform, that we've empowered, do a pretty good job most of the time?

The people put the political parties in power. Obviously. What's your point?

I already remarked at how tragically there is no prospect of any imminent change. That is because FF and FG - the parties of government - have no interest in reforming the gardai. The people seem quiet happy with FF and FG - at least they continue to garner enough votes to be the parties that make up govt. So no prospect of change really.

jetsonx

41% dissatisfied with the services of the Gardai. That's a pretty high number. Certainly, a number which would be
untenable in the private sector.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0616/796018-garda-siochana-attitudes-survey/

Jawgap

jetsonx wrote: »

41% dissatisfied with the services of the Gardai. That's a pretty high number. Certainly, a number which would be
untenable in the private sector.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0616/796018-garda-siochana-attitudes-survey/

Ok, a sizeable minority of people dissatisfied with AGS doesn't really equate to.......

Most the Irish public now perceive the Gardai as more of a revenue collecting body rather than a crime prevention or crime fighting force

.....which is what I asked you about.

I'm dissatisfied with AGS because of their approach to road policing......it doesn't mean I "perceive the Gardai as more of a revenue collecting body rather than a crime prevention or crime fighting force."

Jawgap

Are Am Eye wrote: »

The people put the political parties in power. Obviously. What's your point?

I already remarked at how tragically there is no prospect of any imminent change. That is because FF and FG - the parties of government - have no interest in reforming the gardai. The people seem quiet happy with FF and FG - at least they continue to garner enough votes to be the parties that make up govt. So no prospect of change really.

Point is if people want reform, they'll vote in reformers......if they want the status quo, they'll vote the same mob back in again.....which to me suggests, that by and large people are not dissatisfied with AGS, or not dissatisfied enough to vote for anyone pushing a change agenda.

Are Am Eye

Jawgap wrote: »

Point is if people want reform, they'll vote in reformers......if they want the status quo, they'll vote the same mob back in again.....which to me suggests, that by and large people are not dissatisfied with AGS, or not dissatisfied enough to vote for anyone pushing a change agenda.

Yes people are content with their lot. Such as you seem to be. What you label a 'change agenda' is actually just those albeit a minority who have higher standards than you in life.

Jawgap

Are Am Eye wrote: »

Yes people are content with their lot. Such as you seem to be. What you label a 'change agenda' is actually just those albeit a minority who have higher standards than you in life.

Well you don't seem to know much about me or my politics......I'll happily vote for a "reform" candidate if a credible one is presented.

I think if you have a bit of an ol' look at some of my ramblings in politics you'll see I've held forth on both the need and my own ideas for change in various areas including the HSE, AGS, public administration, natural resource management, social and economic regulation and defence & security.

If you submit an FOI to the right agency you'll even get one or two reports I was involved in writing when I worked in the public service identifying changes in my own little teeny tiny piece of what was then my area of professional interest.

Sin1981

hi,
Just wondering, why is it that FG and FF don't want to reform the Gardai? Why is it better for them that the whole corrupt Gardai regime trundles on? I don't get why either party are afraid to tackle the issue.

if someone would kindly explain why this is i'd be grateful.

thanks,