Police story February 13, 2017
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
Useful editorial in the SBP in relation to the Sergeant Maurice McCabe situation. And is situation even the best term because what has been revealed this last week – as the SBP says ‘Most people have been left dumb-founded with what they have heard in recent days – the stuff of the wildest conspiracy theories borne out by hard evidence.’
It is this reality, that saw, as the SBP notes ‘the might of two agencies of the state … combined to bring about, as [McCabe] sees it, destruction upon him’.
This is the story of how the apparatus of the state’s justice system, two bodies tasked with protecting the public instead combined – either by accident and design – to destroy an individual who was seeking to speak the truth. Rather than reassurance from government, all we have is infighting and disagreement about how concerns were handled.
What is most noticeable is how slowly the move to address the central concerns has been in this – with instead, and this point was made by people in comments on this site, a shift to a ‘he says, she says’ dynamic which while far from unimportant does not illuminate the processes that directly impinged on Sergeant McCabe. That that can happen given the sheer gravity of the unfounded and false allegations against him that the state presented him with is even in a time where the word is over used – shocking. And there are the ramifications in relation to others dealing with those bodies of the state. The implications of all that are near incredible.
And then there’s this… from this morning:
A spokesperson for Minister for Health Simon Harris has said he understands that the Health Service Executive is endeavouring to make contact with garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.
But who could not understand the feelings of the McCabes when yesterday…
Yesterday evening, Maurice and Lorraine McCabe told RTÉ News they have decided to have no further direct engagement with the HSE or Tusla in the wake of an apology over a file by the Child and Family Agency Tusla containing false allegations of sexual abuse against him.
At the very least one might expect any further engagement by the state with the McCabes to be on an entirely new basis given the dismal history that has come to light.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
No resignations by the Garda Commissioner yet? Or the head of Tusla.
Sorry – senior moment – I was confusing RoI with Usbekistan.
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Irlandistan
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No relation
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There’s a (long, detailed) summary of what happened here:
I’d like to think the left is not naive about just what power is prepared to do, but what was done to McCabe, and to Gemma O’Doherty to a lesser degree, was utterly foul.
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That Broadsheet timeline is very very interesting and well well worth a read to get a sense of matters. Some important questions on foot of it too (not least in relation to O’Doherty’s treatment as you say) about the media interface.
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Thanks to Michael for this profoundly interesting factual account. It is a fascinating read. I see the McCabes rejected the HSE apology:
‘We reject both the statement and apology. The HSE’s statement is wrong. And this is not good enough.’ ‘The file we have contradicts the statement and it is shocking that we have to, again, listen and deal with false information.’
That ‘file’ acquired by McCabe via a FOI facility surely has major significance which has gone unnoticed. Of course, McCabe had much leverage when he met with Martin. No wonder Fianna Fáil has come out in support of McCabe’s request for a public tribunal. And without a doubt it will come, despite FG’s previous line on a private commission of investigation. I’m more inclined to think that the situation is so volatile now anything could happen.
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Jawdropping stuff – I read it with a slightly sick feeling of familiarity.
And then tried to comfort myself that this happens in other parts of the world – it’s not something unique to Irish political culture.
But then the consequence might be a FF government… it is perhaps unique to Ireland how an electorate is able to forget what parties did only a few years ago.
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Agreed. But today I see FG and FF bending backwards to cut a deal. I suspect a FF government will still take some time. As to how Irish voters are ‘able to forget what parties did only a few years ago’: these memories had fallen somewhat into dis-use when confronted with what the Left has done to give them an alternative. The dismal failure to build left unity registers with voters and understandably they will support those who can be a factor in power. When I bang on about unity, I hear some people thinking Dream On! But if you start off from the point of view that unity is not possible, you will never get it. I’m hoping we get a breathing space now that enables us to get a Left Alternative movement or organisation that clearly marks it out against establishment parties. Otherwide, our prospects for a successful outcome are nil.
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It is very difficult to believe that the status quo on the left is going to offer any real rewards further down the line.
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“Mr Kenny was a TD for seven years when the first GUBU scandal unfolded so he knows how these things play out. This is his GUBU crisis and unless he leads a response far beyond the kicking to touch, the ignorance, feigned or otherwise, the moral-reservation obscurantism and the chilling air of stonewalling and conspiracy, he and his colleagues won’t need a poll to tell them what their future holds.
All around the western world liberal democracy is in retreat because governments underestimated the response required to scandals like the sordid McCabe affair. This is a stand-up-and-be-counted moment. So much at stake, so little time.”
http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/ourview/the-escalating-maurice-mccabe-scandal-enda-kennys-ship-is-heading-for-the-rocks-442735.html
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‘any further inquiry into these matters must be a public inquiry.
Now that the truth has emerged of the false and shocking campaign to vilify us and discredit us, there is no reason to have any secret or private inquiry under the 2004 Act.-McCabes.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/mccabes-release-new-statement-calling-for-full-public-inquiry-776969.html
“GARDA whistleblower David Taylor has been cleared of leaking information after an investigation that has lasted over 18 months, Independent.ie can reveal.
Mr Taylor, who is the former head of the Garda Press Office, was arrested in May 2015 in connection with the alleged leaking of material relating to a case involving two Roma children and their feared abduction….
Mr Taylor has alleged that Ms O’Sullivan knew about a smear campaign against Mr McCabe….
The special unit tasked with investigating the alleged leaking of material to the media is headed up by Ms O’Sullivan’s husband, Chief Superintendent Jim McGowan.”
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/garda-whistleblower-david-taylor-cleared-by-dpp-of-leaking-information-35447341.html
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