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VIDEO: John Gilligan speeds away from Portlaoise Prison

The 61-year-old was released this morning after serving 12 years in the midlands prison.

http://youtu.be/313U0szb0dA

(YouTube: SineadOCarrollTJ/courtesy of Midlands 103)

AT 9.35AM TODAY, a metallic grey Ford Mondeo sped out of the gates of Portlaoise Prison.

Heading for Dublin, the vehicle was carrying one of Ireland’s most infamous crime bosses. Sixty-one-year-old John Gilligan sat in the backseat of the car, speaking on his mobile phone with his trademark grin on his face.

He was enjoying his first moments of freedom following a 17-year jail term.

Gilligan was originally given a 28-year sentence for drug offences but this was reduced to 20 years on appeal. The time served was shortened further because of remission and he eventually served a total of 12 years.

While behind bars, the notorious criminal was found on two separate occasions to be in possession of a mobile phone, and received extra six- and eight- month sentences for those offences. The Ballyfermot native has also served extra time in prison for assaulting a prison officer.

In the video, members of the media on motorbikes can be seen driving after the car.

Although the convicted man led the gang responsible for killing journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996, he was acquitted of the murder.

Video courtesy of Michael Dunne and Midlands 103.

Pictures: John Gilligan walks free from Portlaoise Prison

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45 Comments
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    Mute Darren Martin
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:37 AM

    What happened to Castletown? I grew up there, and it was always nice and quiet, but now there are toe-rags galore, and 4 cars stolen in the last 2 months, Including my Dad’s sexy Merc that I was allowed to borrow sometimes… (Heartbreaking)..

    Do we know where in the estate this happened?

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    Mute Stephen Church
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:25 PM

    Unfortunately its not a nice place, fair few rough estates in celbridge now , huge drug problems there aswell.

    121
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    Mute Damien James Murray
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:35 PM

    Drugs were a problem along time ago. Castletown gate was we’re you went for drugs and prostitution back in the 80s. I was only a kid back then and even knew it.

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    Mute Matt Casey
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 12:49 AM

    Hahaha prostituion never happend in celbridge hahah!

    8
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    Mute Irish Mule
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:44 AM

    Fantastic and what will be done NOTHING. The car wont be replaced for donkeys years and when Celbridge/leixlip/maynooth/kilcock/straffan etc are rife with burglaries like most satellite towns. Another valuable car off the fleet.

    209
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    Mute John Tierney
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:48 AM

    I believe the garda are deploying segways to the scene. They should arrive early saturday morning. Normal patrols to resume once fully recharged.

    277
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    Mute Matthew Fitzpatrick
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:47 PM

    If 700 years of oppressive colonialism are anything to go by, we have a history of putting up with a lot of shit.

    49
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    Mute Gerard
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:39 AM

    Let’s see what our top class justice minister has to say about this one.

    165
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    Mute Rob Hunt
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:45 AM

    Ah come on, it’s Halloween, there’s always going to be destructive stuff like this happening. I doubt there are any measures any minister could introduce to stop something like this… There’ll always be THAT group of kids that think this kind of thing is funny.

    59
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:47 AM

    Seriously Rob, they’ll probably grow up thinking setting a house on fire or robbing is funny too!

    218
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    Mute Garry Fitzgerald
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:48 AM

    Gerard
    You have a funny idea about the duties and responsibilities of Government Ministers. Nowhere does the Constitution say that the Minister for Justice is obliged to get involved on the operational functions of the Gardai in dealing with mindless young thugs who were involved in this activity.
    I love Germany! In this progressive country parents and grand parents are held accountable for the unlawful actions of their genetically flawed offspring.
    Any ensuing Court case involving theses kind of crimes could see the jailing if the offender and the parents or compensation being paid by the latter.
    Yep you’ve guessed correctly…..there isn’t much of this mindless thuggery in Germany.

    179
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:56 AM

    Why aren’t I surprised, that Germany knows how to do it right. We’d go out and riot and behalf of the quinns, or say Sure they’re only having fun! what a basket case of a Country, a banana repbublic!

    144
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:11 PM

    Rob do you not think it is an attitude of acceptance like yours that has our society destroyed.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:20 PM

    Right so Rob, how about your car being burned?!

    57
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    Mute Max Power
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 2:47 AM

    Stephen Murphy.
    I agree with both of your comments. Ireland has been an unfunny joke for ages, it has now entered the realm of shit hole too. Whatever ‘system’ we had is not, has not and will not work

    5
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    Mute ManOnTheStreet
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:11 PM

    This is what happens when people don’t get punished for their crimes.
    A small fine, few hours community service or a few weeks in a cushy prison. It’s no deterrent.
    They need the shit kicked out of them. And before the PC brigade start, I don’t care.

    153
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    Mute Paddy Fagan
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:28 PM

    Does America not severly punish? It really seems to work over there!

    27
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    Mute Joe Walshe
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:43 PM

    america’s penal system does not work.
    They have one of the World’s largest prison population and a serious crime rate.

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    Mute ManOnTheStreet
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:11 PM

    America punishes with long prison sentences. I didn’t say that’s what we need.
    Nobody can deny that anti social behaviour is worse now than ever before. So what’s changed?
    When I was younger, parents were not afraid to punish their own kids.
    Parents would always side with the guards. Not any more. Nowadays kids get away with murder.

    60
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    Mute Ciarán Ó Broin
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    Nov 1st 2012, 4:00 PM

    America has one of the World’s largest prison populations because America is one of the World’s largest countries.

    31
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    Mute John Roche
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:30 PM

    There should be a mandatory minimum 10 year jail sentence for any attack on gardai, fire service or any emergency service. Judges should be given no discretion in this matter.

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    Mute Aidan Cahill Snr
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    Nov 1st 2012, 5:58 PM

    ah but you are forgetting about the do gooders!

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Nov 1st 2012, 9:54 PM

    Give the do gooder fckwits 10 years as well, sharing a cell with the filth.

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    Mute Red Ed
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:54 AM

    The people in celbridge should be looking for this thug because of this incident the Garda response will be a lot slower. This car will not be replaced. I only hope this thug is in need of a Garda car sometime soon.

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:20 PM

    And hopefully whoever did this will be in the back of a Garda car very soon But then what will he get a slap on the wrist ???

    83
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    Mute Daniel O'Sullivan
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:56 AM

    I take whoever set the car on fire doesn’t pay taxes ?

    106
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    Mute Rob Zombie
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:56 AM

    I bet Shatter has made more calls this week to check on his property empire in the states than he has to garda bosses to check the local crime stats.

    We need a new goverment and fast.

    96
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    Mute Garry Fitzgerald
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:05 PM

    Hey Zombie

    Did you not read my posting above. This is down to parents in Castletown Estate in Celbridge rather than the Minister for Justice. Use your brain and stop blaming everybody but the right people. Furthermore this wasn’t one kid on his own. There’s no entertainment value in doing this stuff without an audience so there are lots of people in that middle class estate who know exactly who is responsible and none of their names sound like Shatter.

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    Mute Nuffsaid Thatsall
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:51 PM

    While I agree with you mostly Gary, and that Shatter, as minister, should stay out of meddling in Garda Operational matters, the force needs more support badly!! Garda numbers should be swelled drastically with recruitment and patrol car numbers and their fleet standards improved significantly!! If that were the case there might have been backup there and the crowd could be better monitored where they wouldn’t have had the chance to torch the car!! Shatter’s all too quick to provide the TV / radio press soundbite to further his own agenda when it’s not appropriate but wont back the Guards where it counts!!

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    Mute John Scully
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:31 PM

    Rob, You are so correct.

    9
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    Mute John Ward
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:16 PM

    I would say that any attack upon members of the emergency services should be treated in law as a form of treason. It is nothing less than an offence against the state. An attack upon the security of our country.

    90
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    Mute John Ward
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:42 PM

    It’s definitely time for a bigger and better Spike Island for these criminal morons.

    89
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    Mute George L Rockwell
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 12:48 PM

    Only this time with more spikes

    8
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:45 AM

    Justice has gone soft, the last 20 years or so. He’ll just condemn it, It’s probably insured?

    48
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    Mute Ashley Killeen
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    Nov 1st 2012, 11:49 AM

    State vehicles don’t have insurance as its covered by the government!

    85
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:12 PM

    I think state vehicles are subject to the same laws, we must obey!

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    Mute Ashley Killeen
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:28 PM

    Yeah same laws but in terms of insurance it’s the state that insures them same as other emergency vehicles and ministerial vehicles.

    66
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    Mute John Ward
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:47 PM

    This will give Shathead an excuse to close Celbridge garda station!

    48
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    Mute Garry Fitzgerald
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:50 PM

    John
    Do you think a Garda Station being present or absent had anything to do with this thuggery. The local Garda station is a mere stroll from the Estate where this happened.

    29
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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:54 PM

    Of course having an open Garda station has everything to do with catching crooks , but so does proper resources.
    Nice play on Garret Fitzgerald’s name. You are not fit to wipe his boots.

    17
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    Mute Reginald St Worthing
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    Nov 1st 2012, 12:54 PM

    @Garry. “…genetically flawed offspring.” What exactly do you mean by that? Anti-social behaviour has nothing to do with genetics, and everything to do with bad parenting.

    40
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    Mute Garry Fitzgerald
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:15 PM

    Aww Reginald

    It couldn’t be bad parenting. You must be wrong. It has to be genetics. Surely the bad parenting is also genetics?

    23
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    Mute Bang Bang
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    Nov 1st 2012, 3:03 PM

    Bastards to do that. They wouldn’t be long phoning the Gardai if their own or parents car was set alight.

    37
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    Mute Joe McDermott
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:56 PM

    Ara..the Garda fleet is knackered. Probably just caught fire on its own.

    33
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    Mute Louise Ni Riain
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:30 PM

    if that happened in Tallaght u wouldn’t hear a whisper

    25
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    Mute Ray Dawson
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    Nov 1st 2012, 2:13 PM

    Be grand sure plenty more Garda cars around don’t worrie about it

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    Mute Leah Tumilty
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 10:31 AM

    hahahah

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    Mute Reginald St Worthing
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    Nov 1st 2012, 1:38 PM

    @Garry. I think I’ve just isolated the bad parenting gene. You were correct after all.

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    Mute Brook Lurcher
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    Nov 1st 2012, 4:52 PM

    In fairness with the night that was in it they should not have left the car unattended. Just asking for trouble.

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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Nov 1st 2012, 8:38 PM

    Nonsense .

    15
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    Mute Joe McDermott
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    Nov 1st 2012, 10:50 PM

    Why is it nonsense? It was set on fire wasnt it!

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    Mute Eileen Gabbett
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    Nov 1st 2012, 10:58 PM

    It was set on fire , but we should be able to leave our cars unattended without them being interfered with .

    16
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    Mute Eye see all
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    Nov 1st 2012, 3:50 PM

    170 cars is nothing when you consider the size of a nationwide force. It’s really 3months worth of cars to last a whole year. The gra did say that I think it was one car a day little off road due to millage or damage. Don’t forget cars for detectives and drug units!!.

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    Mute Eye see all
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    Nov 1st 2012, 3:55 PM

    I’m wondering if the guards will do a blue flu over conditions. Could not really blame them. Oh interestingly I was informed by a friend of mine that when shatter gives the garda strenght numbers he inflates it Cos he includes reserves that can’t even for outside without a full time guard watching them and are very limited in how they can act. Shatter also includes civilian office staff in his numbers. So few guards few cars. Public really needs to support their police

    39
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    Mute Shem Maher
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    Nov 1st 2012, 7:02 PM

    sure the garda were stupid enough to have it parked near the forrest and then leave it there on halloween

    9
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    Mute Irish Mule
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    Nov 1st 2012, 9:12 PM

    very intelligent comment indeed, how would you deal with a call and not leave the car unattended. They cant drive through trees you know. why should anyone not be able to leave their car anywhere, these animals need to be tracked down and dealt with severely.

    24
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    Mute David Hannon
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    Nov 1st 2012, 8:31 PM

    What tripe are you spouting shem. You can’t expect the gardai to arrest people through the door of a car, disperse a rowdy crowd, call to a concerned elderly person without leaving the car behind them. It’s not a Segway their on.

    7
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    Mute Gary Saul
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    Nov 1st 2012, 7:23 PM

    So if Garda cars are covered by the government, what’s the point in taxing them aswell? I always thought they where taxed for insurance reasons. Massive loss/waste of man hours for the civil service and Gardaí.

    5
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    Mute George L Rockwell
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 12:53 PM

    We need to bring back the cat o’ nine tails, just three lashes of that, that’ll put manners on them in hurry!

    3
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    Mute barry greene
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 7:40 PM

    thats a bit harsh ,, all thay done was left it unattended,

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    Mute barry greene
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 7:37 PM

    Cute plan !!, if thay want one of the nice new garda cars

    1
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    Mute Matt Casey
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    Nov 2nd 2012, 12:52 AM

    They will be getting a new car anyway to replace it but still who ever lit it on fire and idiots say the gaurds were going on a mad one !

    1
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