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Whistleblower: Maurice McCabe

Sycamore Tree

RTE are doing a two part documentary on Sgt Maurice McCabe. I think it should be a must watch for people. This honourable man was nearly destroyed by a corrupt Garda management for trying to do the right thing.

His courage and bravery should be rewarded by the state but I think any future whistleblowers will think twice before trying to highlight bad practice in the Gardaí.

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givyjoe

tretorn wrote: »

He wont be employed again in a hurry.

What employer would be happy for someone who is such a stickler for rules that he would be reporting every breach right left and centre.

At the end of the day there is a job to be done and for the most part the Garda Siochana does a very good job and the vast majority of people who signed up arent corrupt.

If the Guards around him weren't such a fcuking shambles, there wouldn't be breaches to report left, right and centre. Absolutely astonishing post. Were you watching with your fingers in your ears last night, when it was detailed exactly what McCabe was reporting on?:eek:

Whatever about most not being corrupt, most doing a good job is extremely debatable. I don't consider anyone partaking in falsifying records on a grand scale (breatalyser tests) to be doing a good job, and remember the assistant commissioner declining to sanction these folks simply because there were too many who had taken part. Fantastic bunch altogether.

Alf Veedersane

tretorn wrote: »

He wont be employed again in a hurry.

What employer would be happy for someone who is such a stickler for rules that he would be reporting every breach right left and centre.

At the end of the day there is a job to be done and for the most part the Garda Siochana does a very good job and the vast majority of people who signed up arent corrupt.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/garda-tony-golden-was-shot-in-the-back-as-he-helped-assault-victim-inquest-told-1.3470901

This very brave man represents what I feel about the Gardai and most people who have needed the Gardai would feel the same.

So what kind if dereliction of duty do you let pass?

The drink driving in an unmarked car? Or the not turning up for duty. Or being drunk at the scene of a suicide?

The entirety of the guards should not be tarred with the one brush based on the likes of the scumbags in Bailieboro but the ones that break the rules to the degree they have should be disciplined appropriately.

cursai

givyjoe wrote: »

If the Guards around him weren't such a fcuking shambles, there wouldn't be breaches to report left, right and centre. Absolutely astonishing post. Were you watching with your fingers in your ears last night, when it was detailed exactly what McCabe was reporting on?:eek:

Whatever about most not being corrupt, most doing a good job is extremely debatable. I don't consider anyone partaking in falsifying records on a grand scale (breatalyser tests) to be doing a good job, and remember the assistant commissioner declining to sanction these folks simply because there were too many who had taken part. Fantastic bunch altogether.

Nobody is that selfless though. There has to be an agenda.

tretorn

As I said I waited to see what the penalty points issue was about as I thought that was a shambles.

The facts were 95% of the points werent cancelled so that was reassuring. Do you believe everything the media report, I take most of it with a pinch of salt.

The child abuse allegations were outrageous but that leaks back to Callinan, the vast vast majority of Gardai are excellent people and we are very lucky to have a Garda force we can trust. Noirin O Sullivan brought a wonderful CV to her new job in the UN and I am delighted for her, she was hounded by the media from the first day she took office.

Lets just stand back from the mudslinging now and stop judging the entire organisation because there were a few bad apples. I have never met a bad apple in the Gardai, the young Gardai I have met are a credit to the force, highly educated intelligent people who made this career choice because they value what the Garda Service offers.

Alf Veedersane

cursai wrote: »

Nobody is that selfless though. There has to be an agenda.

Is that it?

He has an agenda because you don't think he could be selfless?

Speaks volumes.

MrMusician18

If I recall correctly wasn't the penalty points scandal found to be a non-scandal in the end? And although McCabe was found to be well meaning in his disclosure, was ultimately incorrect.
I thought that the vast majority of penalty points were found to be applied correctly and those that were quashed were done so on reasonable grounds. There was no evidence found of widespread or systematic corruption in relation to penalty points.

Correct me if I'm wrong?

tretorn

MrMusician18 wrote: »

If I recall correctly wasn't the penalty points scandal found to be a non-scandal in the end? And although McCabe was found to be well meaning in his disclosure, was ultimately incorrect.
I thought that the vast majority of penalty points were found to be applied correctly and those that were quashed were done so on reasonable grounds. There was no evidence found of widespread or systematic corruption in relation to penalty points.

Correct me if I'm wrong?

That was my understanding too.

givyjoe

cursai wrote: »

Nobody is that selfless though. There has to be an agenda.

Did you miss the part where he said, if he knew what would happen to him, he wouldn't have started all this?

He had no idea what was going to happen, I mean who in their right might would have envisaged what unfolded re: smear campaign etc.

nice_guy80

MrMusician18 wrote: »

If I recall correctly wasn't the penalty points scandal found to be a non-scandal in the end? And although McCabe was found to be well meaning in his disclosure, was ultimately incorrect.
I thought that the vast majority of penalty points were found to be applied correctly and those that were quashed were done so on reasonable grounds. There was no evidence found of widespread or systematic corruption in relation to penalty points.

Correct me if I'm wrong?

that was an internal garda report

MrMusician18

tretorn wrote: »

That was my understanding too.

So what corruption did he uncover? That Bailieborough Garda station was a shambles?

cursai

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Is that it?

He has an agenda because you don't think he could be selfless?

Speaks volumes.

Grow up. Stop trying to insult people because you haven't matured enough to be rational or to follow through on a story.

cursai

givyjoe wrote: »

Did you miss the part where he said, if he knew what would happen to him, he wouldn't have started all this?

He had no idea what was going to happen, I mean who in their right might would have envisaged what unfolded re: smear campaign etc.

He must have known the price of his actions. As irresponsible as these people behaved towards him.

Alf Veedersane

cursai wrote: »

Grow up. Stop trying to insult people because you haven't matured enough to be rational or to follow through on a story.

I haven't insulted you.

You're the one casting baseless aspersions on the man.

cursai

nice_guy80 wrote: »

that was an internal garda report

Probably the only report in the whole fiasco that had any legitimacy and one that had a concrete paper trail.

givyjoe

cursai wrote: »

Probably the only report in the whole fiasco that had any legitimacy and one that had a concrete paper trail.

Sooooo, where are you stationed?

The only report with any legitimacy.. hmmm, is that the one which the senior investigating Garda apologised to McCabe on?

mattser

Katie Hannon on Morning Ireland this morning gloating about the camerawork. It was more like something from Trainspotting ffs.

Then she goes on about the massively positive reaction on social media overnight.

I don't recall RTE talking about the massive reaction on SM to the LLS treatment of P. Casey.

Absolute hyprocrisy.

PS....Before anyone jumps the gun where I stand on M.Mc, I feel for the family, and wish them the best.

Plumbthedepths

I see the attacks on McCabe are ongoing here. What's wrong lads/lasses did he expose ye for what ye are?

Plumbthedepths

cursai wrote:

Nobody is that selfless though. There has to be an agenda.

Reading your comments leads me believe you have an agenda. Would you like to spell it out?

cursai

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Reading your comments leads me believe you have an agenda. Would you like to spell it out?

Ive clearly stated I have no agenda. Except the truth and not to be jumping on the media bandwagon. I can't believe people are so trusting of Rte and the Irish tabloids.
I work with this agency as a contractor and have seen a lot of media stories which were ill informed and self serving. Time and time again.

cursai

givyjoe wrote: »

Sooooo, where are you stationed?

The only report with any legitimacy.. hmmm, is that the one which the senior investigating Garda apologised to McCabe on?

Yep. That's the one

MrMusician18

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I see the attacks on McCabe are ongoing here. What's wrong lads/lasses did he expose ye for what ye are?

I don't really see anyone attacking McCabe, but they are going after the group think hero worship.

McCabe was ultimately shown to be wrong about the allegations of systemic abuse of the penalty points system (in the O'Mahoney report)and the **** show in Bailieborough garda station was really a local matter, not a national one.

The scandal (and it is a scandal) was how he was treated after he made his well meaning but incorrect allegations in relation to the penalty points, but I don't see how that makes him a national hero.

irish_major

This man is without doubt a national hero - missed last nights episode but will be watching tonight for sure.
I actually laugh at all these reports which state that the penalty points cancelling issue isn't as bad as it was made out to be - shows how the Gardai have journalists in their pocket. Penalty points being 'wiped' means a Guard has removed them from the pulse system, they have been proven to do that in some cases and that's stupid by them, however there is a simple 'official' way which they can ensure the driver doesn't have the points added. Accept the summons to court and a guard sits on the stand and has to say one simple word when your case appears before the court 'withdrawn'. No reason has to be given to the judge for these withdrawals and I have first hand experience of this!! I was in court one time and I would say approx 90% of cases for penalty points which came before the court were withdrawn without reason. You won't find a journalist reporting this as these are the loopholes which the guards now exploit. It's all who you know in this country and that corrupt force will never be fixed. I'd say McCabe highlighted a very small % of the corruption in the force.

Sycamore Tree

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Any sign of those 5 mobile phones and laptops?

You know, the ones possibly with information about policing and security in the state? At the highest levels of An Garda Siochána

Considering they went after McCabe for a laptop he never even had....

I believe it was 12 mobile phones that went missing.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/12-mobiles-phones-used-by-senior-garda-have-gone-missing-tribunal-hears-840985.html

Wheety

Whatever about the penalty points being a non-scandal as some here are saying (and a small few points were removed for no valid reason. Probably for mates).

He also thought that Gardai not turning up for work, pressuring a victim to drop a case so the investigating Garda would not look bad and off duty Gardai driving an unmarked Garda car while drunk were all worthy of being reported.

His reward for the last one there was for one of the Guards involved to make very serious allegations in retaliation. Then it just snowballed from there.

Plumbthedepths

MrMusician18 wrote:

I don't really see anyone attacking McCabe, but they are going after the group think hero worship.

Of course you don't see anyone attacking McCabe why would you?......

irish_major

MrMusician18 wrote: »

I don't really see anyone attacking McCabe, but they are going after the group think hero worship.

McCabe was ultimately shown to be wrong about the allegations of systemic abuse of the penalty points system and the **** show in Bailieborough garda station was really a local matter, not a national one.

The scandal (and it is a scandal) was how he was treated after he made his well meaning but incorrect allegations, but I don't see how that makes him a national hero.

:pac:
I actually don't think there is anyone in the country who thinks his allegations were incorrect, I think a large portion of people wish he never brought them up though because their buddy who is a guard might have a more difficult time removing their points next time.

Plumbthedepths

cursai wrote:

Ive clearly stated I have no agenda. Except the truth and not to be jumping on the media bandwagon. I can't believe people are so trusting of Rte and the Irish tabloids. I work with this agency as a contractor and have seen a lot of media stories which were ill informed and self serving. Time and time again.

You pulling the proverbial? Even after several inquiries which have exonerated McCabe you are blaming everyone but the culture that existed in the guards and probably still does. You can claim you have no agenda if you wish. However imo your comments contradict you.

McMurphy

Callinan smeared McCabe with the most serious and disgusting allegations imaginable, that of being someone who sexually abused children.

Then an error was created by TUSLA.

It shows the sheer contempt that the powers that be have for us, that we were asked to believe that this file was simply an administration error, involving a copy.and paste.error.

Like of all the people in the country, and of all the random pieces.of text that could be accidentally copied, and then pasted into such a random persons file.

Get up the yard lads

It's like something from Uganda but with crap weather.

MrMusician18

irish_major wrote: »

:pac:
I actually don't think there is anyone in the country who thinks his allegations were incorrect, I think a large portion of people wish he never brought them up though because their buddy who is a guard might have a more difficult time removing their points next time.

Didn't the report into penalty points find that the allegations he made, although well meaning, were unsubstantiated? Open to correction here.

valoren

It always amazes me.

McCabe called out to investigate a suicide.
3 off duty cops who were pissed drunk were on the scene, they had no business there but then drove off in the unmarked car.

He reports this and there are quite rightly consequences for the people involved. How thick do you have to be to see that doing something like this was ok to do. They took it seriously but McCabe was a marked man. A tattle tale, a party pooper. If they weren't doing this there was a 100% chance they wouldn't have been reprimanded.

One of them loses their promoted position and decides to get revenge on McCabe by smearing his name and enabling a complaint to be made against him for sexual assault on one of his family members.

What amazes me is McCabe would not have done any reporting if that vindictive prick hadn't done what they had done. They can't take accountability for making a mistake and instead sought to destroy a man's reputation for doing the right and proper thing. Did they not know the reasoning behind reporting such incidents? To prevent it from happening again via disciplinary procedures.

That's the crux of this. One muppet got aggrieved because he'd been not only caught but got called out, couldn't let it go and wanted pay back. It's disturbing that someone like this would look to a sexual element to enable that, to exploit their own kid for revenge. People like that typically take something nobody else witnessed and manipulate it to a specific end. In this case it was to destroy McCabe for sexual assault. Small minds with small talk in a small town would have the desired effect of making him a pariah. Can you imagine what was going through his mind hearing that? His wife was worried he might kill himself.

There's plenty of innuendo flying here from posters with little concrete to back it up about McCabe e.g. "There's plenty of people who have had dealings with him". Plenty? How many? People? Who? Dealings? Be specific or GTFO. It's easier to smear than to complete due diligence, it's clear rumor and innuendo remain a powerfully destructive tactic.

Clearly they don't get the principles of what McCabe decided to do and are still pathetically slinging mud. They don't get it and seemingly they never will. When it came to the penalty points whistle blowing the hierarchy looked to everything and anything to besmirch his name and destroy his credibility even scrambling to use something he was completely cleared of to attempt to enable that. They got caught. And heads rolled. It bears repeating, if there was no problem then there would be no blowing the whistle.

He was a serious man who took a serious job seriously. Stickler for the rules? What a load of bull****. It's policing not a game of tiddly winks. Isn't the point of the Guards to enforce the rules? All of the time. Not some of the time. You expect that from anyone currently in the Gardai or anyone looking to become a guard.

(As a side note).
I used to do security in a city car park which used to have the Garda social club in the vicinity. In the summer of 2000, one night a car is leaving and an off duty and very drunk Guard get's out. There is another two in the car. He shoves his ticket at me and says 'Validate that". I put it into the machine to give the discount reducing it from €5 to a balance of €1.50. He thought it would be fully subsidized. He says write it off, get's into a petty argument and I am to clear it so they can leave, that he is "a guard". I say they need to pay the balance. He refuses. I am being a stickler for the rules myself here. He's clearly annoyed and they scramble for the coins to pay and I'm muttered at before they drive off. He's clearly in no condition to drive. But hey, he's a guard. He might be breaking the law but he's going to pay his fee, not me. That always stuck with me.