Garda Commissioner Refuses to Go.

Mr. Incognito · 27-03-2017 5:05pm #1

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/garda-commissioner-indicates-she-won-t-step-down-regardless-of-d%C3%A1il-vote-1.3026290

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has indicated she will not stand down, even if the Dáil votes no confidence in her next week.

At a press conference in Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park on Monday evening, Ms O’Sullivan said she is determined to see through the reform of An Garda Siochana that has been in train since she took up her role in an acting capacity in 2014.

Ms O’Sullivan has said the force has heard the “disquiet” about the controversy over the recording of one million breath tests that never took place.

Ms O’Sullivan said the issues had been identified with the fixed charge penalty system a number of years ago.

“It is gives us no comfort to say we identified these issues,” she said. “We have heard very, very carefully . . . the disquiet around the issues.”

She said there will be a “radical restructuring” of roads policing, adding: “This is a matter of real cultural reform.”

“I have a journey of work that I have to do and I have to make sure I see through that commitment,” she said. A review into the controversy, she said, should produce initial results within three months.

“We have to get to the bottom of where this problem is,” she said, adding that goes all the way down the organisational structure of An Garda Siochana. “Who has done what and what has been done. We have to get to the bottom of this.”

I respectfully suggest that to get to the bottom of the problem they start at the top!

archer22 · 27-03-2017 5:08pm

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/garda-commissioner-indicates-she-won-t-step-down-regardless-of-d%C3%A1il-vote-1.3026290

I respectfully suggest that to get to the bottom of the problem they start at the top!

"Perfect"

Laois_Man · 27-03-2017 5:09pm

I wouldn't have any confidence that they'd replace her with anybody any better anyway!

27-03-2017 5:10pm

Better for her to stay and sort the mess out. At least she's not covering it up.

WoollyRedHat · 27-03-2017 5:14pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Better for her to stay and sort the mess out. At least she's not covering it up.

They released the news on the day of MMcG's funeral and on a day when the London attacks were dominating the news. Opportunistic and cynical at every turn.

Shurimgreat · 27-03-2017 5:15pm

Clearly Noireen O'Sullivan inherited an almighty mess from her predecessors.

The more I learn about it the more I think she should be kept on. It will take a long time to uncover all the corruption and nonsense that went on, and at least some of what went on before has been uncovered on her watch.

A lot of previous commissioners retired from the job smelling of roses, when clearly there was a lot of nonsense going on in the background. So you can either cover it all up and look great or uncover it.

At some stage there needs to be a huge restructure of the Gardaí. Keep O'Sullivan in place until a proper structure has been agreed on and implemented and then she can step aside.

Shurimgreat · 27-03-2017 5:16pm

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

They released the news on the day of MMcG's funeral and on a day when the London attacks were dominating the news. Opportunistic and cynical at every turn.

There is never a good day to release bad news. Every day something dominates the headlines, such as the helicopter crash.
MMG's death and funeral went on for several days. If you are waiting for a quiet news day to release a story, you could be waiting.

Pat Mustard · 27-03-2017 5:20pm

This reminds me of when Dave Chappelle was stoned at a gig and was "booed off stage":

If you saw it, I wasn't drunk. I had smoked some reefer with some rappers," Chappelle said of the performance on April 23, 2015. I don't know if you know anything about hanging out with rappers, but their weed is very strong. Stronger than I was accustomed to.

The article goes on to say I was booed off stage, which is also incorrect," Chappelle said. "I was booed. I did not leave. It was a long bomb.

Mr. Incognito · 27-03-2017 5:24pm

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Clearly Noireen O'Sullivan inherited an almighty mess from her predecessors.

The more I learn about it the more I think she should be kept on. It will take a long time to uncover all the corruption and nonsense that went on, and at least some of what went on before has been uncovered on her watch.

A lot of previous commissioners retired from the job smelling of roses, when clearly there was a lot of nonsense going on in the background. So you can either cover it all up and look great or uncover it.

At some stage there needs to be a huge restructure of the Gardaí. Keep O'Sullivan in place until a proper structure has been agreed on and implemented and then she can step aside.

She's under investigation as the whistleblowers who are Senior Guards have named her as directing leaks to the press. Brendan Howlin brought this up in the Dail under privilege

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/garda-chief-denies-spreading-sex-crimes-allegations-against-whistleblower-35434756.html

She has been allowed to stay on the logic that she is innocent until proven guilty.

I cant see how someone who is under investigation could be allowed to lead the guards who are providing material and evidence to Supreme Court Charleton investigating the matter or if she is allowed stay how the outcome could be credible.

http://www.thejournal.ie/judge-charleton-tribunal-3260975-Feb2017/

Surely she should step aside until the matter is determined. And to say that she wont step aside even if the Dail were to vote no confidence in her? Where's her mandate coming from in that scenario.

WoollyRedHat · 27-03-2017 5:24pm

Shurimgreat wrote: »

There is never a good day to release bad news. Every day something dominates the headlines, such as the helicopter crash.
MMG's death and funeral went on for several days. If you are waiting for a quiet news day to release a story, you could be waiting.

But as every press officer knows there are certain days where there are optimum times to do a news dump. Besides if they thought they could bury it completely they would have.

Ridiculous that people think this person should stay on in her role. She inherited a mess? She is an emblem of the whole rotten state of AGS and indeed the political system as a whole.

Your Face · 27-03-2017 5:28pm

Nice aul pension regardless.

Laois_Man · 27-03-2017 5:37pm

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Clearly Noireen O'Sullivan inherited an almighty mess from her predecessors.

The more I learn about it the more I think she should be kept on. It will take a long time to uncover all the corruption and nonsense that went on, and at least some of what went on before has been uncovered on her watch.

A lot of previous commissioners retired from the job smelling of roses, when clearly there was a lot of nonsense going on in the background. So you can either cover it all up and look great or uncover it.

At some stage there needs to be a huge restructure of the Gardaí. Keep O'Sullivan in place until a proper structure has been agreed on and implemented and then she can step aside.

Can't get over this

Noirin O'Sullivan has been at o Superintendent level of the Gardai for 17 years and Chief Superintendent since 2003. Between Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Acting Commissioner and Commissioner, she has been there for a decade. It's now MORE than 3-years since she replaced Martin Callinan. She has done her best to destroy the reputations of anyone who has tried to "uncover all the corruption and nonsense" you seem to think she played no part in creating and should be given time to clean up. You're 4uckin unbelievable!

Skatedude · 27-03-2017 5:38pm

I wonder is is this the usual issue of management telling staff "I dont care what you do, Just get it done" And then is surprised that It got done that way.

Probably happened many time to us in the work place.

27-03-2017 5:40pm

Mary Lou was just on Newstalk. Apparently O'Sullivan "was in power when this story broke" so she must go.

Great. If this is the standard, I look forward to the Yank who is currently Minister for Children resigning because she was in power when the Tuam story broke.

buried · 27-03-2017 5:44pm

Would love to know what dirt she has on the establishment. This wan could probably blow herself up doing a terrorist attack and both FF and FG would still say they still have confidence in her

RustyNut · 27-03-2017 5:45pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Better for her to stay and sort the mess out. At least she's not covering it up.

She has known about the breath test figures since 2014,she is only addressing the issue in 2017 since it has been brought to public attention by people outside of AGS. How is that not a cover up headed up by her management team.

AlekSmart · 27-03-2017 5:45pm

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has indicated she will not stand down, even if the Dáil votes no confidence in her next week.

Wow...just WOW !

This is rapidly heading into Constitutional Crisis territory,something which,I suspect N O`S is very well aware of.

Ms O'Sullivan did'nt just walk into The Phoenix Park Depot one sunny day and commandeer an office,she had a long and very thorough introduction and guidance procedure which brought her to the Leather Backed Commissioners Chair.

The suggestion that she "Inherited" the current crises out of the blue are simply untrue,her inheritance is one in which she herself played a major role in fashioning.

This fact is the one over-riding reason why Commissioner O'Sullivan MUST stand aside whilst these enquiries are continuing.
Her position at the top of the Force is rather comprehensively untenable,and is impacting significantly upon both Internal Morale and Public Confidence in the force.

The reality now is one where the position of An Garda Siochana,as the Irish State's universally accepted Civil Police Force is seriously threatened by the Intransigence of a coterie of Senior Officers.

It really is a simple issue of........ "Who's In Charge ?"

_Kaiser_ · 27-03-2017 5:47pm

Saw this come up on my phone earlier and it struck me as a sinister turn. She's effectively saying she'll ignore the democratic decision of our national parliament (one of whose ministers appointed her) if the result doesn't suit her, and is going nowhere if they vote she should.

All this stuff about investigations and reform is spin and nonsense. You only need to read the details of the allegations in the McCabe saga to see that. As pointed out above, she's been senior enough for long enough to know what was going on and indeed it's been alleged that she had a hand in directing the campaign too.

If she DIDN'T know about what was going on (or indeed this latest scandal given the apparently national scale it was going on at) then she's just incompetent and should go on that basis.

27-03-2017 5:49pm

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

the whistleblowers are suspended with pay pending the outcome.

No they're not?

Cee-Jay-Cee · 27-03-2017 5:53pm

She really should go as she is the last of the government appointed commissioners who was part of the old regime. A new outside commissioner needs to be put in place, it should no longer be possible for a Garda to work their way up to the position. It needs to be independent and free from the garda mind set which is instilled and bred in to so many of those currently climbing the ranks. If it is allowed to continue then there will never be any change.

All the current bad press relates directly to middle and upper management yet it is the poor garda on the street that bears the brunt of the publics anger. Get rid of the dead wood at the top and change will be possible.

Yamanoto · 27-03-2017 5:54pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Better for her to stay and sort the mess out. At least she's not covering it up.

She herself is under investigation.

Worth remembering her predecessor decided to shred 10 bin bags full of personal papers immediately prior to vacating his post. Supreme Court Justice Niall Fennelly said the commission could “only speculate” as to whether any information of value was lost because of such actions. Not only should she have the good grace to stand aside for the duration of the investigation, she should most certainly not be in a position to access information pertinent to that investigation.

It's bloody Arlene Foster all over again.

cml387 · 27-03-2017 5:55pm

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Saw this come up on my phone earlier and it struck me as a sinister turn. She's effectively saying she'll ignore the democratic decision of our national parliament (one of whose ministers appointed her) if the result doesn't suit her, and is going nowhere if they vote she should.

But...I thought we were getting away from the days that the Gardai were accountable to politicians. Otherwise we are "pint and a transfer" territory.

Mr. Incognito · 27-03-2017 5:57pm

bubblypop wrote: »

No they're not?

You are right. The gentleman was suspended on another matter according to the Article.

Have edited the post.

SEPT 23 1989 · 27-03-2017 6:15pm

Have you ever heard such a shower of gombeens as at that press conference?

jojofizzio · 27-03-2017 6:32pm

She's on the news now ...why does she always look like she's smirking??

diomed · 27-03-2017 6:39pm

We need a new police force.

JupiterKid · 27-03-2017 6:39pm

I wouldn't be surprised if O'Sullivan and her predecessors have some pretty serious dirt on some very senior politicians in power so as to make them effectively be irremovable via the inference of exposing them. Utterly rotten but I just wouldn't be surprised.

The days of appointing AGS commissioners as political appointees from within the ranks must go if the Gardai are to be properly reformed. It should be an outside appointment from other police forces. The best person for the job and not some sleveen manipulative careerist.

twinytwo · 27-03-2017 6:39pm

Except this is Ireland - where no one in power is responsible for anything. Even though they are "fully worth" their massive salaries and pensions.

Its always someone else' fault... and why would they step aside.. its not like any charges would ever be brought against them anyway.

Zebra3 · 27-03-2017 6:46pm

Why step down when you can just hang around for the pay off?

Ireland is a country where you can bribe a government minister to win a hugely important contract and instead of going to jail and having your assets seized instead you end up owning a huge chunk of the media and your businesses keep getting state contracts.

A great little nation indeed.

27-03-2017 6:52pm

So it's going to take three months - to get to the bottom of this??? Remind me again how long she has known about this.. please.

BoatMad · 27-03-2017 6:54pm

cml387 wrote: »

But...I thought we were getting away from the days that the Gardai were accountable to politicians. Otherwise we are "pint and a transfer" territory.

accountable to a parliament and accountable to politicians are entirely different.

Osullivan either goes or is simply fired for incompetence

Garda Commissioner Refuses to Go.

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