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DELEGATES WILL BE arriving at the Malton Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry this evening for the annual Garda Representative Association conference which starts tomorrow morning.
The conference for the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) two weeks ago touched on issues like protection for whistleblowers and further provisions of tazers for gardaí. Just like the AGSI conference, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter will not be attending the GRA’s in Kerry – but this time it’s because he wasn’t invited.
He’ll be missing out on discussions of old favourites like pay and conditions under the Haddington Road Agreement, resourcing and recruitment, and garda morale after the GSOC controversy.
Apart from the obvious ones, here are some of the other key topics on the agenda for the two day conference that we’ll be keeping an eye on.
Guns: There will be a motion calling for members to receive tactical training in how to deal with various firearms incidents and familiarisation training in a range of weaponry that they might encounter.
Driving: A review of the driving course allocation policy will be discussed and there will be a debate on the use of personal driving licences on duty.
Uniforms: The need for rigid-style handcuffs and an operational summer shirt (so they don’t have to wear a tie on hot days) will also be discussed.
Protest: Remember the clashes between gardaí and students at that protest in 2010? The GRA will be debating GSOC’s report which criticised An Garda Síochána’s handling of it and accused them of providing misleading and inaccurate information.
Safety: There will be a motion to highlight assaults on gardaí and demand that the Department of Justice publish statistics every year on numbers of assaults as well as action taken.
Drunks: Delegates will also debate the legal implications of detaining intoxicated prisoners in garda stations.
Recording: A motion is on the agenda to seek a change in legislation to remove the need for interviews to be written down when they’ve been electronically recorded.
We’ll be bringing you the latest news from the conference in Killarney over the next couple of days so keep your eyes peeled. You can also follow @michellehtweet for updates throughout the day.
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You’d think after the exposition of the horrifyingly widespread child abuse carried out (and covered up) by those in the church they’d have a bit of humility.
Sadly, all we’re seeing is a cover-up by the Vatican. This disgusting behaviour by Rome has surely resulted in many pedophiles facing no consequences for the lives they’ve ruined.
I applaud this woman for even engaging with the Church in the first place after what she went through – that must’ve been so hard. The Vatican betrayed her attempts to seek justice. It’d make you sick to your stomach.
Never mind humility, just a basic concept of humanity.
Only the other week they were praising the virtues of the late cardinal as practically been instrumental in reforming child abuse. It didn’t really pull much weight though, and today’s article goes so far as say the same.
I’m not surprised by this news. If the church have any hope of maintaining their faith let alone growing it, they much be seen to be proactive moving forward. The fact that this is not happening really demonstrates the denial of the church about the sincerity of the situation. They have have created their own downfall and I for one have no sympathy for them.
However I do have massive sympathy for those that had to suffer at the hands of these twisted vile people. There are many that had to suffer in silence. Those voices will never be heard.
Not surprised,
The Vatican only care about one thing…them, nothing more.
They don’t really care care about children and most certainly not abuse children or those sold by the church, they only care about money and the Vatican.
Fair play to her for trying, but what did she expect. They know what they did and they know what they are still doing. The voice one person (particularly a woman) in a chauvinistic religion was never going to make a difference.
Having read and bookmarked this after the Murphy report, I can see where she is being stonewalled. As hard as it is to accept the reality, this is not new and it isn’t going to change if the church can help it. I think the victims deserve better. This was the American Catholic experience; https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/tom-doyle-addresses-priest-sex-abuse-survivors
As a practising Roman Catholic, I am so frustrated and disgusted by the attitude which says canon law before people. It goes against everything that Christ taught.
@Thomas McGilly: Then leave… oh wait you cant. The’ve removed that option too.
Don’t be such an ass
@Thomas McGilly: Really? The religious culture he was a part of wedded girls at puberty to men without their consent and he went as far as to validate such unions by banning divorce and saying whoever marries a divorced woman is an adulterer. Culture is no excuse for violation of a child nor is religion. You cannot expect senior clerics to care about the victims of abuse when the Bible condones it.
I am closer to dying than looking forward to a long life but without fear I have abandoned all interest in or affiliation to the Church. My conscience simply would not allow me to respect such an organisation. If there is a God I truly believe He , She, or It, would understand and agree. Unfortunately, since this decision I am drawn towards observing the pomp and ceremony and elaborate and no doubt expensive dress within the Church with growing disdain and I regret not having seen through the facade throughout my life of allegiance to and respect for this organisation. It makes me feel bad every time I reflect on it. Wasted years living with a Lie
I agree wholeheartedly. My faith was eroded until there was nothing. After all this lady has been through and the fact that she dedicated three years of her life to putting right disgusting abuse of innocent children, must be frustrating beyond measure. What can be done? I would not know where to start.
@Ann Carroll: Everybody has faith even if it is just a vague hope that motivates you to do good for yourself and others. Religion merely tries to direct faith to suit itself. Look for faith and live it and you won’t need religion or anybody. Faith is natural.
When paedophiles and their protectors get walled up safely in the Vatican, it’s obvious that SFA will be done to purge rapists from the ranks of the catholic church. Francis is supposed to be running the shop and it’s seems he’s more impotent than infallible.
Still, I suppose, god’s will and all that!
They made a safe house of the Vatican for the most vile type of humans, SS murderers, at the end of WW2 and facilitated an escape to South America.
No perpetrator of crime that they’d condone, especially in vile human behaviour would surprise me.
Just to clarify.
Marie Collins had high praise for Pope Francis’s efforts in dealing with issues of child abuse affecting the Church.
I think we can all agree that Francis is demonstrating true leadership qualities on this matter.
Marie Collins also criticised Pope Francis for the “mercy” he showed recently to pedophiles in the church, deciding to reduce their punishments in a bizarre push for clemency for convicted child abusers. He even went back on defrocking an Italian priest, Mauro Inzoli – who despite his proven sexual abuse will remain a member of the priesthood.
Marie had absolutely no time for this nonsense from Pope Francis. Let’s get all the facts out there, shall we?
@Emmet O’Keeffe: do you think Pope Francis doing this is good leadership qualities. I don’t think so. This has recently been done….
Pope quietly trims sanctions for sex abusers seeking mercy..
Pope Francis has quietly reduced sanctions against a handful of pedophile priests, applying his vision of a merciful church even to its worst offenders in ways that survivors of abuse and the pope’s own advisers question.
One case has come back to haunt him: An Italian priest who received the pope’s clemency was later convicted by an Italian criminal court for his sex crimes against children as young as 12. The Rev. Mauro Inzoli is now facing a second church trial after new evidence emerged against him, The Associated Press has learned.
The Inzoli case is one of several in which Francis overruled the advice of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and reduced a sentence that called for the priest to be defrocked, two canon lawyers and a church official told AP. Instead, the priests were sentenced to penalties including a lifetime of penance and prayer and removal from public ministry.
Hi there “Emmet”.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: How can he demonstrate leadership when his leadership isn’t followed by his own people? It demonstrates failure and impotence. As usual the PR pope is all talk and no action.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: I was going to post a question here asking how Breda O Brien will spin this into a pro church position. Your post answers the question for me.
Much like O’Briens recent IT article where she offered an opinion on Desmond Connell as “general consensus is now that he was a good man” you offer the equally farcical “I think we can all agree that Francis is demonstrating true leadership”. Think again Sir.
Marie Collins:
‘”However, despite the Holy Father approving all the recommendations made to him by the Commission, there have been constant setbacks,- They have been directly due to the resistance by some members of the Vatican Curia to the panel’s work” she said in her letter of resignation.
https://www.rte.ie/documents/news/resignation-from-the-pontifical-commission-for-the-protection-of-minors.pdf
And remember, this is the same Vatican Curia which has been opposing many of the progressive reforms set forth by Pope Francis since his ordination.
@Jason Maguire:
Hi Jayo.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: so no comment on what Pope Francis has recently done? . If he was genuine.. then why do this?
Pope quietly trims sanctions for sex abusers seeking mercy..
Pope Francis has quietly reduced sanctions against a handful of pedophile priests, applying his vision of a merciful church even to its worst offenders in ways that survivors of abuse and the pope’s own advisers question…..
@LITTLEONE:
Loo, I’m just clarifying Marie Collins position regards the role of Pope Francis in this commission.
Take it or leave it.
“progressive reforms set forth by Pope Francis since his ordination”
Do you mean the way he’s backsliding on punishing child abusers in the Church? Those progressive reforms?
Sorry, you’ll have to be more specific. I personally don’t think giving “mercy” to pedophiles is progressive, but what can I say.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: Because he approved the reccomendations doesn’t mean he genuinely was behind them. He is the face of the Catholic church after all , so looking like your genuinely behind something doesn’t mean you are . I am pointing out if he was genuine to which you claim he was then how could he grant clemency to priests quietly.. doesn’t add up. Happens all the time. Here great example be fully behind a commission and it’s reccomendations but deep down your not genuinely interested in it so behind the scenes, it’s different story…
As for your take it or leave comment Emmet. I will take it that Pope Francis pretends to the public , Catholic faithful he is genuine in regards to child abuse priests but privately and quietly he offers them clemency.. Because it’s exactly what’s happened…….
Emmet – he gave a child rapist priest a lifetime of prayer as punishment:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/pope-francis-reduces-penalties-paedophile-priests-lifetime-prayer-1608591
Emmet O’Keefe. Is this a joke to you? Shame on you.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: No if Collins had hope the pope was going to do anything at some point she would not walk away. Don’t imply she was walking away from the problem just to defend that Francis.
@Paul Fahey: Ironic of him when he claims prayer is just a joyful relationship with God! Its a reward virtually if the priests are believers who do get addicted to prayer and love it.
@Malachi: If I do something terrible and somebody tells me that a God has forgiven me and I feel great then and feel holy again that is condoning if there is no God. Forgiveness from a non-existent God or one who has not forgiven at all amounts to risking condoning the evil – condoning is virtually rewarding evil.
I think she should be ordained a deacon and maybe they’d listen to her then
Pope Francis is insincere and only pays lip service. The Pope’s sole agenda is the protection of the power, wealth and influence of the institution of the Roman Catholic Church. That’s his real job.
“Chist’s Vicar on Earth” should be doing something real but that description is only a cover for the real job.
@Tony Daly: He’s into your leftie green craic
Global CEO of Roman Catholic Church Inc protects his profitable and powerful corporation
The strategy of institutions is to hope it away, attrition, etc, one person passes away so cases fall down as they fail to reach the burden of proof, time is the best ‘cure’ - Church, Gardai, Tusla, Banks, Politicians, Regulators, etc - all doing what they are supposed to prevent and directed from the top.
Solicitors are the root of it all as they advise them to deny, and they themselves are self regulated so they hear their own confessions.
Ireland is rare in that we are the only developed country where this rules – Brazil locked up a fella over tickets yet we have suspects ruling over us – Current Garda Commissioner would be a good example. These comments are not allowed in The Indo -ah sure those who control it were condemned in The Tribunals too, a new club forming, for those who act with impunity we now pay hundreds of millions so they remain immune to prosecution, while us they continue to persecute! Where would you get it?
Anyone read, Windswept House by Fr. Malachi Martin… Evil spoilt mad gits.
I can’t believe the church can have such a Pope. He’s a leftie green monster
have your say