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Pádraig Mac Lochlainn Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

This TD says gardaí charged €4k to police a community event - and he's NOT happy

Gardaí made €4.7 million from policing events in 2014.

PÁDRAIG MAC LOCHLAINN has criticised the fact gardaí charge to police community festivals and sporting events.

“It is not acceptable that local community, voluntary and charity groups are expected to foot the bill for policing services at events and festivals.

“These groups are made up of committed and hardworking volunteers who plan and organise events and festivals to benefit local communities and businesses. Such groups often have to fundraise to make such events happen and to require them to pay for the work of the Gardaí on top of this is unfair.”

“Such groups often have to fundraise to make such events happen and to require them to pay for the work of the Gardaí on top of this is unfair.”

The Donegal North–East TD made his comments after a local festival committee in his home county, which did not want to be identified, was charged €4,000 by gardaí to provide security at an event.

Mac Lochalainn said many committees across the country face similar charges – noting some cannot afford the additional cost.

Cutbacks

“Charity events, community fairs and annual parish festivals are the lifeblood of rural communities. Such events encourage tourism and contribute to community spirit.

“It is vital that these events are supported by government, as opposed to being made jump through the loopholes to pay for the effects of cutbacks to Garda resources,” Mac Lochlainn said.

A spokesperson from the Garda Press Office said local Garda management “closely monitors the deployment of resources, to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public”.

They said they were “not in a position to discuss comments made by a named third party”.

In 2014, gardaí receeived €4.7 million for policing private events.

Section 30 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 allows the Garda Commissioner, as Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote, to charge for police services on a non-public duty basis for commercial events such as sports fixtures and concerts.

Read: Gardaí received close to €5million for policing private events this year

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77 Comments
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:47 AM

    My local festival always hires a private security company with experience of festivals and crowd control. Everything costs and has to be paid for.

    255
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:42 AM

    Does Siteserv pay An Garda, for providing massive backup to them , while they are trying to impose their Irish Water Meters on the Citizens of Ireland ???

    165
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    Mute Gabbi Johnson
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:02 AM

    @ciarraioch – every day with your verbal diarrhea you do a great disservice to a great county.

    169
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    Mute Protect Democracy!
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:24 AM

    Ciarri- what about the massive costs associated in the search for the disappeared ? ( the people murdered by so called republicans and not even given dignity of a funeral!)

    117
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    Mute Glenn O'hAilpín
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:27 AM

    Does Journal know how many gardai were needed and for how long on the day? All services require payment, fundamental economics. Though I’m sure this TDs constituents will vote him in again for fighting for the Parish!

    67
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    Mute Peter Grimes
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:51 AM

    FG Gabbing look in the mirror,

    21
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    Mute MK76
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    Jun 27th 2015, 12:49 PM

    Hi Comical Ciarrai. What outlandish republican propaganda have you for us today or are you just going to stick with whataboutary to deflect attention?

    37
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    Mute Search Eagle
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:46 PM

    Believe it or not, “Siteserv” isn’t actually at the root of every (perceived or otherwise) problem with the country.

    43
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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 27th 2015, 2:16 PM

    Bit rich for SF to be saying this and asking the Orange order to pay the PSNI for policing their marches.

    SF again saying one thing for the North & another for the South (something Jammin even confirmed) Don’t forget they have no problem with Water charges in the North. A great little cult is SF.

    54
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    Mute Eamonn Hughes
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    Jun 27th 2015, 3:04 PM

    Except they successfully prevented water charges in the North. But sure don’t let the truth get in the way of a good lie.

    And there is a big difference between local community events and sectarian Orange marches.

    22
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    Mute MK76
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    Jun 27th 2015, 3:37 PM

    There it is from Comical Ciarrai…

    “There is only one person in the world who opposes the Republican movement. That person uses thousands of fake accounts to try and make people think there is real opposition to our 32 County Utopian Republic. Everyone else agrees with us. The polls lie. I think it is the same person who runs the polls, as descents on these forums”

    You’re a great source of entertainment to be fair.

    17
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    Mute v39e84kK
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    Jun 27th 2015, 7:24 PM

    So…what are taxes for if you have to pay the Guards for this service of community protection?

    7
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    Mute David G
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:32 AM

    Surely this is what we are we paying taxes for?

    175
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    Mute David G
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:33 AM

    Sorry my mistake, we’re actually paying taxes to pay back the gambling debts of speculators.

    199
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    Mute Search Eagle
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:40 PM

    Should you have to pay a fare when you use a bus, after all, surely that’s what we are paying taxes for?

    20
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    Mute FlyB
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:38 AM

    Oh look let’s kick the Gardai again might keep the spotlight off the Cork East fiasco.

    163
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    Mute selfsustainable
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:45 AM

    Well if an event takes gardai away from their day to day duties and most probably e requires extra gardai who wouldn’t be normally rostered on these specific days to work, then I think it’s only fair that these groups pay. Who should pay for this extra service? Taxpayers? I think we pay enough thanks.

    126
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    Mute John Moylan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:51 AM

    This is day-to-day policing: it’s what you pay taxes for.

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    Mute Search Eagle
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:42 PM

    No it isn’t. Festivals are not “day to day” events.

    19
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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:40 AM

    If you don’t like it hire a private security company for your event.

    130
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    Mute John Lennox
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:53 AM

    Agreed, it would be different if they were paid out of the public purse.

    39
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    Mute dmn
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:17 AM

    What else have the guards to do? Bar hiding in their barracks.

    12
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    Mute In The Name Of....
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:52 AM

    Do SF pay for paramilitary funerals? Guards busy on those days.

    73
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:41 AM

    In The Name Of – Pray tell me – when was the last Republican paramilitary funeral in Ireland ???

    23
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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:53 AM

    @In The Name Of….,
    I would assume that Sinn Fein didn’t ask for the Guards to be present.

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    Mute Crocodylus Pontifex
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:56 AM

    2012

    18
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    Mute Baz
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    Jun 27th 2015, 2:22 PM

    @an ciarreach Alan Ryan was only a few years back. Massive Garda presence.

    You are embarrassing yourself again

    14
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    Mute An Ciarraioch
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    Jun 27th 2015, 4:17 PM

    Baz – For the record , Alan Ryan was not a Member of The Republican Movement – I recall that he was associated with a Dissident Grouping of Gangsters, running protection rackets around Dublin , for various factions of Drug Dealers !
    Apparently , he was murdered by one of the Gangs involved , eventually.

    He could not of received an IRA or Sinn Fein or Republican Movement Funeral , as he wasn’t in any way connected to any Grouping , I’m informed .

    Now Baz – you should really check out you facts ?
    Your veracity has really suffered since the Letterkenny Bus / Irish Water porky stories by you !!!

    7
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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Jun 28th 2015, 10:22 PM

    Rory O’Bradaigh in 2013?

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    Mute Karl Carroll
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    Nov 13th 2015, 10:58 AM

    Alan Ryan in 2012

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    Mute William Clay
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:39 AM

    Any chance of finding our where that €4.7 million went?

    60
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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:43 AM

    Because policing doesnt cost any money…oh wait

    91
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    Mute sonny black
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:44 AM

    Escort Ireland and Copper Face Jacks.

    64
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    Mute fitzer
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    Jun 27th 2015, 11:01 AM

    It would be interesting to see a detailed garda invoice, is VAT included,

    7
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jun 27th 2015, 12:06 PM

    All this information is freely available, if you’re bothered to look for it.

    27
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    Mute Sandbag
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    Jun 27th 2015, 12:11 PM

    The by-line is extremely misleading. The gardaí did not ‘make’ money from these events, the money paid is the cost of providing the extra policing necessary. The author is implying that a profit is gained as a result of this.

    45
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    Mute {-_-}✌
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:51 AM

    So all those guards in estates at the moment (and nowhere to be found when called) …on the state books or on or someone else’s ?

    39
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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:16 PM

    states at the are policing protests… not specially organised events.. the gardai in estates are also on overtime. How many times have you called the gardai??

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    Mute Andrew Carroll
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:41 AM

    disgraceful. .we pay taxes for this shit…all d guards ended up in Coppers having a few sherrys on that bill

    38
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    Mute In The Name Of....
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:52 AM

    So the donegal Gardai go to coppers?

    90
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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:14 PM

    where do you expect to get all these extra free gardai for festivals??

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    Mute Karl Carroll
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    Nov 13th 2015, 11:00 AM

    And what do you spend your salary on? Gardai work, they get paid and they spend it on life. WTF is this comment about? Gardai arent allowed socialise?

    1
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    Mute Sternn
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:23 AM

    So why is it groups like Willie Fazers and his ‘Love Ulster’ hate brigade can come down and wreck the entire city of Dublin costing millions and not get a bill, and in fact get invited back again by our government yet when a small parish has a fun fair for school children they are hit with a bill for Garda services?

    32
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    Mute Charles Rex
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    Jun 27th 2015, 12:42 PM

    sternn, Willie is a headbanger but neither he nor his supporters wrecked Dublin.

    22
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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 1:17 PM

    this wasn’t a parish fun fair… it was a festival..

    10
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    Mute Franco
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    Jun 27th 2015, 10:13 AM

    DOB must have a huge bill so !

    31
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    Mute Joseph O'Regan
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    Jun 27th 2015, 4:18 PM

    Nope he owns the Gardai.

    6
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    Mute John
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    Jun 27th 2015, 12:50 PM

    Hotels pubs cafes shops etc make money out of these festivals so why shouldn’t the festival have to pay for the Garda.

    15
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    Mute Charles Rex
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    Jun 27th 2015, 2:52 PM

    maybe the selectively outraged td can donate the money himself. surely there must be a few quid left over from his 94k salary (even after the average industrial wage deductions we the tax payer give to sinn fein party coffers) if it means that much to him this’ll be simple. roughly 20k in expenses too. I’m sure he can find the money if he looks hard enough. good man padraig.

    14
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    Mute mcbab
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    Jun 27th 2015, 2:10 PM

    Pointless article unless you know what the festival was about. For instance if it was a flower arranging festival then it would be crazy for the guards to charge for providing safety and security for people attending. But if it was something more contentious then it would be understandable and why shouldn’t the organisers pay? So more information needed.

    12
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    Mute Ken Fallon
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    Jun 27th 2015, 9:16 PM

    Good to see he’s only complaining about their payment arrangements. Wasn’t long since his close friends in the IRA were murdering guards in cold blood. Progress, I suppose.

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    Mute von
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    Jun 28th 2015, 7:46 AM

    I love to hear TDs talk about getting money for something that was worth doing, when they take huge salaries themselves, but thats alright.

    3
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