Shell to Sea concerned over Garda overtime

by margaret Mon Mar 02, 2009 18:46

The fact that one GARDA earned over €80,ooo overtime in 2008 is obscene.It also explains why some gardai in ERRIS behave in such a provocative way to ensure that overtime continues,they try to criminalise protestors .Many of these gardai are reaching retirement age and know they will not have to answer for such misconduct.ITS the same old story guards protecting the banks and big business while the swindlers are on the inside.The theft of our GAS/OIL,the destruction of our environment all adds to this ABUSE of power.IF can nationalise the BANKS why not OUR GAS AND OIL.

by Shopkeeper Tue Mar 03, 2009 00:03

Terence/Maura says "when in fact no Shell to Sea supporter has been found guilty of assaulting or causing harm to any Gardaí”."
Did you forget about your comrade Pat O'Donnell, he was found guilty of assulting a garda, remember he was sentenced to 6mths a few weeks ago!

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/91170

"THREE North Mayo men have been given a six-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting a garda during a Shell to Sea protest two years ago. Father and son, Patrick and Jonathan O'Donnell, Porturlin Shore, Ballina; and Enda Carey, also of Porturlin, appeared before Castlebar Circuit Court to appeal a three-month prison sentence imposed at Belmullet District Court. Evidence was heard at a previous court sitting when Judge Raymond Groarke heard evidence of charges of assault causing harm to Sgt Donal Glennon and obstruction of a peace officer. At the conclusion of the appeal Judge Groake dismissed a charge of assault against Jonathan O’Donnell in relation to an alleged incident involving Gda Barry Byrne. However, he found the three men guilty of assault but not of the more serious charge of assault causing harm. The judge was also satisfied that the men, along with every other protestor, were guilty of obstruction."

by C Tue Mar 03, 2009 01:12

You are incorrect Shopkeeper. I was in court that day.

Pat and the 2 others were not found guilty of assault in the appeal. He was found guilty of obstruction (Section 19.3 of the Public Order Act) and it was for that charge that he received the 6 months suspended sentence. The DPP advised that the 3 couldn't be found guilty of the assault charge in their appeal as the Judge had previously found them not guilty of assault causing harm.

That article you link to is confusing and wrong. So the assertion that "no Shell to Sea supporter has been found guilty of assaulting or causing harm to any Gardaí” is correct.

Could you answer that other question posed

"How can the overtime to police the current Corrib project, whose only real merit is that it saves Shell money, be justified?"

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League Tue Mar 03, 2009 01:12

I was in attendance at the Appeal hearings in the Circuit Court, Castlebar.

The men were accused of Section 3 assault (assault causing harm). The judge couldn't find against any one of the three men on that charge. The judge then expressed the view that he would find against them on a lesser, Section 2 charge. It was pointed out to the judge by the prosecuting state barrister that ,in his opinion, the judge could not so find. After some discussion, which included the judge expressing his view that he may choose to ask for a Supreme Court opinion on the matter, he decided not to take that course of action and, accordingly, agreed with the STATE barrister's point.

The three men - Pat O'Donnell, Jonathan O'Donnell and Enda Carey - were NOT convicted of assault.

by Arm-aGedden Tue Mar 03, 2009 13:42

As the Shell-Topaz refinery is now near completion, there will be 900-1,000 workers who will receive their P45,s and who will have no where to go, except to join the now ever extending Dole Ques.

The overtime that the cops are now eagerly looking forward to receiving, in these harsh times that money would be put to better use by providing these scarce funds to the Social Welfare kitty.

When this project began it was all Boom, and now its all Bust.

Use, Abuse, Plunder, Scrapheap.

Shell-Topaz is not a very good neighbour.

by Arm-a-Gedden. Wed Mar 04, 2009 17:48

Not a lot unfortunately on this at the moment,Sub standard pipe perhaps!!!!!!!!!!

by Bailout Wed Mar 04, 2009 19:34

There's a bit more detail here
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story....html

I guess when recession really bites deep here and the economy finally collapses due to gross mismanagement and corruption and they cut social welfare to the bone, we might end up in the same boat as the poor destitute nigerians. I'm sure shell have thought about this.

I'll bet the last thing that gets cut will be garda overtime in erris!! The serfs must not only be robbed blind by their lords and masters, but also ironically, they must pay with taxes on their hard labour for the policing (against themselves) of their lords and masters stolen loot . Correct me if I'm wrong, that IS the way our system works isn't it? How clever it all is.

For instance, I didn't see them setting up a 7 Billlion euro small business direct loan / crisis mortgage relief fund after all, instead they just handed it all to the bankers and "hoped for the best". And we all just swallowed it. How absurd is that. Bare faced swindle of the century or what??

(and did you all see the prime time episode this week where the drug dealer got off scott free despite being caught red handed in possession of 1.5 million euro worth of heroin. Methinks confidence in the gardai and the justice system should be at an all time low right now)

It seems to me that we're not ever going to have a proportionate social reaction no matter what they do to screw us all over so I guess it's probably a good time for me to switch over to the other side and get that garda job in mayo I think!! Good luck suckers!

Meanwhile If anyone gets arrested protesting / taking action in erris, there is one consolation, as the poor Gazans found out. In OFFICIAL prisons, you don't have to fend for yourself as well. They give you free food and accomodation. And without the begrudgement and stigma evil social welfare recipients have to endure. Seems the only place a poor person gets that amount of respect in society these days. And if you are sent down, you don't have to endure filling out loads of intrusive forms or undergo soul destroying patronising interviews, then starving and living on somebody's couch if you are lucky for three or four months until somebody begrudgingly gives you enough to afford to eat and live in a dump (which is really all you can afford at todays still crazy rents). You might even get actual "free" education (no 1500 euro fee) in the clink. Or perhaps a free ps3 and sky subscription if you aren't that way inclined (I think the scissors sister got one!). Some people even get to avail of these wonderful social facilities for not paying their TV Licence on time. Meanwhile the bankers roam free. Great.

Hey, it seems to me being a corporate enforcer with your head in the trough in mayo or becoming a life choice incompetent criminal are the only rational ways to go for poorer people under this system of ours. For people with better addresses and connections, it's politics and banking. But when you think about it fundamentally is there really so much of a difference?.