Barry Cowen sacked

endacl

Padre_Pio wrote: »

Should every drink driver lose their job, even years after the fact?

Only if they’re ‘de gubbermint’.

Hurrache

endacl wrote: »

Only if they’re ‘de gubbermint’.

He can't even lose his job anyway until the next election. The worse that could happen is he loses a role within the government, still keeps his job and the perks that go with it.

Peter Flynt

Deleted User wrote: »

I have little time for FF or Barry Cowen for that matter but this is a guttersnipe by an alleged broadsheet. The man made a mistake, served his punishment. Several years ago. Leave him be. This is the sort of pettiness one can expect from a toilet rag, the Indo belongs in the nearest bin.

When it's FF or FG it's "guttersnipe".

When it's SF, the "hard left" etc... it's headline news.

The Phantom Jipper

Remind me wrote: »

Don't think anyone has disagreed with the fact he was wrong and it is not the right thing to do.

That's why he was dealt with at the time and dealt with in line with what he had consumed.

Dealt with from a court perspective.

Perhaps it's just me but my issue would be that people seem to treat being a TD as something Barry Cowen is entitled to, as if it's a hardship for him not to be a TD and to have to return to his former profession. Being a TD is an honour, if you drink and drive there should be accountability there when you potentially put lives at risk like this.

whisky_galore

is_that_so wrote: »

Cowan story - 2016 and he was punished accordingly, SF story this week apparently flouting health guidelines in the middle of a pandemic.

So did the BLM crowd, nothing said. As did crowd at Garda funeral, nothing said.

meeeeh

It was wrong, he was caught and punished. This is a non story.

Way more interesting part is if this is internal jostling in FF or SF scrambling to divert attention from their imbecile actions.

meeeeh

whisky_galore wrote: »

So did the BLM crowd, nothing said. As did crowd at Garda funeral, nothing said.

That's different. At least two officials stepped down in UK and third should because they broke the rules. SF are like Tories, one rule for them and different rules for the plebs.

yosser hughes

The Phantom Jipper wrote: »

Dealt with from a court perspective.

Perhaps it's just me but my issue would be that people seem to treat being a TD as something Barry Cowen is entitled to, as if it's a hardship for him not to be a TD and to have to return to his former profession. Being a TD is an honour, if you drink and drive there should be accountability there when you potentially put lives at risk like this.

Well being in politics is more lucrative to Barry than anything he would earn in his former 'profession' Barry doesn't have many qualifications. The main ones being his Daddy was a TD and his big brother was Taoiseach.
Despite a private school education.

McMurphy

meeeeh wrote: »

It was wrong, he was caught and punished. This is a non story.

Way more interesting part is if this is internal jostling in FF or SF scrambling to divert attention from their imbecile actions.

Story broke in the independent..... I think you can safely rule out Sinn Feins Involvement.:D

Bass Reeves

Do not have too much time for FF they have broke the country twice in my lifetime so far and may do it again sometime. However here are the facts

He was on a learner/ new driver permit it seems limit is 20milligrams not 50. He was at a match and had two pints before match. He had a bite to eat after match. I do know professional drivers( truck and taxi drivers) are very wary of this limit.

However he may not have been as aware of it as they are. He was driving home and was caught. Most people who had 2 pints before a match would presume they be below the limit for driving and any alcohol would be gone out of there system. As well if he had a full licence he be deemed on to drive. Even if the facts were not as above it was four years ago he served his sentence for what is a penalty point violation actually.

On Claire Daly what happened to her was wrong and it was Garda misbehaviour due to the penalty points scandal. A lot of politicians of different parties parties were not happy with the Garda behaviour

Bass Reeves

whisky_galore wrote: »

So did the BLM crowd, nothing said. As did crowd at Garda funeral, nothing said.

The crowd at Garda Harken funeral were people at a funeral in a private capacity. There was working Gardai doing ceremonial duties that may not have been able to do social distancing. The Minister of Justice and Gardai commissioner attended in an official capacity but we saw no photos if them congregating in a group for photo opportunities. Garda Harken was murdered in the line of his duty. Mr Storry was a former terrorist who died of natural causes that SF decided need a send off and to mark the occasion

McMurphy

Bass Reeves wrote: »

The crowd at Garda Harken funeral were people at a funeral in a private capacity. There was working Gardai doing ceremonial duties that may not have been able to do social distancing. The Minister of Justice and Gardai commissioner attended in an official capacity but we saw no photos if them congregating in a group for photo opportunities. Garda Harken was murdered in the line of his duty. Mr Storry was a former terrorist who died of natural causes that SF decided need a send off and to mark the occasion

Because the virus gives a shIt the cause of, or the reason for either of the two mass gatherings?

Both the mourners at the Garda funeral and that of Storey's funeral were wrong in breaking the health guidelines. Trying to excuse one over the other is a load of nonsense tbh.

There wasn't a word about Horkans funeral until certain politicians and the media tried to score points of the mourners at the Sinn Fein funeral though.

thebaz

eviltwin wrote: »

It was 4 years ago. People make mistakes and if he has learnt from it and changed his behaviour then it’s time to move on.

I'm no fan of Fianna Fail , but fully agree - the Independent trying to be our 21st Century moral compass - its become a rag, doing anything to sell a cheap story.

Cal4567

Bass Reeves wrote: »

The crowd at Garda Harken funeral were people at a funeral in a private capacity. There was working Gardai doing ceremonial duties that may not have been able to do social distancing. The Minister of Justice and Gardai commissioner attended in an official capacity but we saw no photos if them congregating in a group for photo opportunities. Garda Harken was murdered in the line of his duty. Mr Storry was a former terrorist who died of natural causes that SF decided need a send off and to mark the occasion

Both were wrong. Social distancing was not evident in both situations. To separate the two, is just blatant hypocrisy. We need to look at both, without emotion, with a clinical detachment.

That may be tough for some but may be easier for me. I have an audit background.

Hurrache

Hurrache wrote: »

Getting into a car after a few pints after Croke Park is not a mistake, it's intentional.

And it's not like he wasn't aware of the potential political fallout involving alcohol after his brothers infamous Morning Ireland interview.

Where did you get the “few pints”? He had 2 DRINKS BEFORE the match. A meal afterwards. How many hours had elapsed between last drink and him sitting into his car?

Not excusing drinking and driving, but let’s get a grip. It was FOUR years ago. He took his punishment. He’s learned a lesson. End of story.

McMurphy

Deleted User wrote: »

Where did you get the “few pints”? He had 2 DRINKS BEFORE the match. A meal afterwards. How many hours had elapsed between last drink and him sitting into his car?

Not excusing drinking and driving, but let’s get a grip. It was FOUR years ago. He took his punishment. He’s learned a lesson. End of story.

He said he had "two drinks" (of what? Naggins of Tullamore dew?) And "something to eat" (hunky dory buffalo crisps?)

Carefully crafted words.

Odd that the alcohol was still in his system hours after he consumed it.

I think Barry might be a tad economical with the truth in his tale tbh.

James Brown

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I’m pretty sure that it was in the media at the time, because it was known here in the wilds of Tipperary! It didn’t go to court, as the reading was so low.

“ The Fianna Fáil TD was on his way home from the All-Ireland football final. He had two drinks before the game and something to eat after it.

Mr Cowen was breath-tested on the spot, where alcohol was detected. He was again tested at a Garda station.

He was found to be over the limit.

Mr Cowen was punished with a fixed charge penalty notice, a €200 fine and he was disqualified from driving for three months.

The case did not go to court as the amount of alcohol in his system did not reach the level required for a prosecution.”
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/revealed-cabinet-ministers-drink-driving-ban-39338911.html

MM says he didnt know.
As pointed out the bigger issue is why the different treatment for Clare Daly who wasnt even guilty and why sit on Cowen's drunk driving ban until now?
Also, your comment suggests MM is a liar.

expectationlost

do you get a 3 month ban if you havn't already got points on your license? ( and the amount he was over the limit meant it didn't go to court)

expectationlost

McMurphy wrote: »

He said he had "two drinks" (of what? Naggins of Tullamore dew?) And "something to eat" (hunky dory buffalo crisps?)

Carefully crafted words.

Odd that the alcohol was still in his system hours after he consumed it.

Im sceptical too but it said that it takes 4 hours to process 2 pints. https://www.drinkaware.ie/tools-resources/drinks-calculator-results

Garibaldi?

It said on rte radio that he was on a learner permit at the time. I wonder did he get the license

ruwithme

osarusan wrote: »

Would a TD not have some obligation to notify their party of this kind of thing?

Either way, unlikely that Micheal Martin really was unaware until now.

Surprised it was not news at the time anyway.

Wee nuggets like this are often best kept for times like now.

Spanish Eyes

The most surprising thing to come out of all this is that he was on a Learner Permit. I suppose it's never to late to start, but that came as a surprise to me.

Dempo1

I'd be far more interested in another junior ministers missing court summons, Robert Troy also has questions to answer.

lawrencesummers

I know I would loose my job if I got convicted of Drink Driving. So would many civil servants
Its scary to think that he didn't notify the Party of his ban, thats shows a lack of judgement, or worse that we are to believe they didn't know.

He is a public representative. This is not acceptable, or at least it should not be.


I would be most interested to see his expenses claims for his time off the road, did he claim for driving during that time?

McMurphy

McMurphy wrote: »

He said he had "two drinks" (of what? Naggins of Tullamore dew?) And "something to eat" (hunky dory buffalo crisps?)

Carefully crafted words.

Odd that the alcohol was still in his system hours after he consumed it.

I think Barry might be a tad economical with the truth in his tale tbh.

It’s being reported now that he was on a Learner permit, which has a much lower limit than a full license.

ruwithme

Sure what would you expect when fianna fail are back in power

Charles Babbage

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It’s being reported now that he was on a Learner permit, which has a much lower limit than a full license.

His conduct on a learner permit might be an equally serious matter. How long was he on this permit and was he using it to drive around, as distinct from using it for driving tuition?

McMurphy

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s being reported now that he was on a Learner permit, which has a much lower limit than a full license.

Which might inadvertently open up a whole new can of worms for him.

How long was he on a learners permit?
Was he accompanied by a full license holder at the time?

Strumms

hotmail.com wrote: »

Are TDs obliged to inform the public/their party of criminal matters they're involved in?

I’d be surprised if it wasn’t in the party handbook of rules as relates to TDs something like... “ in the event of you being arrested by a member of the Garda Siochana, within 24 hours you must contact the party HQ either by phone or email, speak to X department, relating to them the details leading up to the arrest, the time, location and nature of the incident in as much detail as possible“.

ruwithme

Fianna fail party handbook of rules?? doubt such a thing exists.