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THE CHAIRMAN of the Smithwick Tribunal submitted his interim report to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter today, as letters from the judge accusing Shatter of attempting to interfere with the inquiry were released.
The tribunal is investigating claims of garda collusion in the IRA murders of two RUC officers in 1989. Though set up five years ago, the tribunal only recently began hearing evidence from witnesses.
The BBC reports that while Judge Peter Smithwick’s interim report was submitted today, correspondence between Smithwick and Minster Alan Shatter was also submitted to the Dáil.
In the letters, Smithwick accused Shatter of attempting to interfere with, and compromise, the tribunal’s proceedings by imposing a “wholly inappropriate” end of June deadline on the report, the Examiner writes.
Having earlier recorded that the tribunal suffered delays because of its inability to compel witnesses to return from beyond its jurisdiction to give evidence, Smithwick said in his letters that the deadline could encourage reluctant witnesses to hold out for just a bit longer until the tribunal was believed to have run out of time.
RTÉ reports that Shatter rejected the judge’s claims and said the tribunal could have extra time if needed.
Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin said in a statement this afternoon that today’s revelations suggest that the Dáil was misled when asked to vote on proposals to impose a deadline on the tribunal.
Said it yesterday that it wouldn’t be long before she issued an apology. I wonder is she truly sorry or is she just apologising because of the backlash? My money is firmly on the latter.
@Rachel O’ Meara: probably but sure you can’t be expected to have an opinion these days without someone telling you it’s wrong and ruining your career
@David Daly: She’s a celebrity and was happy to make her fortune and fame from her positive contributions to society, she can be equally accepting of her ruin and infamy for harmful, toxic actions.
@David Daly: There’s having an opinion and then there’s what she said, not so much of an opinion but the ramblings of a deranged and sick mind. She single handedly united people of all political sides, cultures and beliefs in repulsion of what she said. That takes some doing but she managed it. I have yet to see one person defend her remarks.
@Rachel O’ Meara: yeah nobody is saying she is right. It’s just her opinion, totally wrong but sure let her on and ignore it. Why do people have to get so offended over it?
@David Daly: she said his sexual desires were his his sexual desires…. Like paedophilia isn’t wrong in every way…. How can that not be offensive????
@David Daly: she said she believed the victims but rationalized Jackson’s actions by talking about his “needs” as if that should evoke sympathy. If you now want to jump on the fact that she’s walking back that weirdness so you can have a moan about “political correctness” then you’re an eejit
@David Daly: so Streisand walks back incredibly weird defenses of Jackson while saying she believes his accusers – and you want to use it to moan about political correctness? Or what is your point? Are you sorry she apologized?
@As the fella says: let me make this clear in case your still struggling. I do not agree with her and what she said was completely wrong and also odd. I’m not Letting it ruin my day however as some people tend to do. A lot of folks get a little bit too excited about what people say and call for their heads. Can they not just let it go instead of having to look for some sort of action to be taken? Yes she’s wrong, yes she’s strange to say that but at the end of the day who is really going to care by next week?
@Rachel O’ Meara: agreed it is more serious than the usual nonsense they spout but at the same time nothing illegal has been said or done. It’s just a has been oul one not being able to use her filter.
@David Daly: she was basically condining or justifying the actions of a peodophile. Her career is based on her public persona and she is rightly being judged on the things she said.
Im sure if i went on national newspapers condining sick acts such as jacksons my employer would have something to say about it.
Of course she has to clarify/take accountability for what she said.
@David Daly: Hhhmmn seems my third comment was removed, not sure why…wierd.
@Rachel O’ Meara: *weird*
@David Daly: In this case she was totally wrong!! You cannot say what she did and not expect a backlash.
@David Daly: this is so true. The PC police are watching every word. 1984 arrived long ago. George Orwell was right.
@David Daly: bravo. If we ignored such people and got on with life their opinions would just die . The public outcry will only send paedophiles underground.
The worst part was when she justified his alleged actions by saying his “sexual needs were his sexual needs”
@MaeVic: That justification of MJ’s actions were the worst thing that she said in that whole interview. Forget who she was talking about for a moment – she, in her warped mind, attempted to justify why a child sex abuser abuses children.
Babs has been twittered into submission.
Delaney Out!
Remember her disastrous concert in 2007? People were fighting over seats. All over Liveline for days. MCD couldn’t really explain what happened. However one caller who had worked at the venue said traffic delays on the one access road meant huge areas of empty seats at start time so apparently (so this women undestood) loads of people were moved into the expensive front area so Barbara wouldn’t be faced with all the empty seats. (Apparently she’s a bit of a diva, allegedly hotel staff are told not to make eye contact with her). When the rightful ticket holders arrived during the gig chaos ensued. Anyway MCD said they would get a retired Garda Commissioner to do a report.
@Squiddley Diddley: I remember reading it months later. It said seats were rearranged for speakers or lighting towers at the last minute and some seats were supposed to be re-numbered “but for some reason that didn’t happen”. No mention was made of the very plausible allegation on Liveline. I was not that surprised.
Off topic I know, but may interest some Streisand fans.
@Squiddley Diddley: what is the point of that rambling report on an insignificant concert from over 10 years ago.
@roderick: Reminiscing for those Streisand fans who were there(she is the subject of the article, after all). It was quite a story at the time. Plenty others seemed to enjoy the comment. Don’t worry I didn’t fill up the internet.
You maintaining his innocence would sent shivers down the spine more than her words.
Take your blinkers off. Robson idolized his abuser that’s why he copied his pose. You’d understand that if you actually watched the documentary. MJ made out of court settlements with accusers to escape justice. Incidentally, Jimmy Saville wasn’t convicted either. Guess he must have been innocent too.
You’re an ass hat if you belive mj wasn’t a fiddler.
@Nial D: proof please,
“Their truth”
I’d say in 60 years time people will look back at us and say what vindictive spiteful gleefully judgemetnal the people in 2019 were. What animals. You know the same way we judge others .
@Dublin Northsider: They’ll look at people like you and wonder why their focus was on dismissing criticism towards child abuse enablers rather than on the victims of horrendous acts.
Friend of mj says she has some compassion. Internet goes into f ing meltdown and demands she be strung up from the nearest lamppost.
@Dublin Northsider: I’m sure if her words were just ‘”I have some compassion for MJ” the reaction would have been slightly different.
@Dublin Northsider: Yeah, that’s not what happened. People who think what she said was no big deal should never be left alone with children. Creeps.
@SidNolan: I’m fine with what she said.
@Dublin Northsider: “You can say ‘molested,’ but those children, as you heard them say [the grown-up Robson and Safechuk], they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them.” Creepy attitude to child abuse.
@Squiddley Diddley: did I miss the announcement when courts and juries and stuff were replaced with two part documentaries?
Well you missed the point.
@Squiddley Diddley: not really. You took a single quote out of the context in which it was written and held it up to judge me and me comments to it. I chose not to respond to a paragraph taken out of context and instead made the point that there had been a documentary. You missed the point.
@Dublin Northsider: You said you’re fine with what she said. That’s deeply troubling.
@Dublin Northsider: found the pedo!
Comments taken down again, why no comment on the allegations made by bishop Casey’s niece about him sexually abusing and raping her since the age of 5……
@Michael Byrne: see how long it stays up this time….
@Michael Byrne: It’s everywhere else now.
Interesting that the Redress Board was allegedly used to compensate another victim. From the Mail “This is the first time it has ever become public knowledge that Bishop Casey is among those named to the redress board. The Government is now proposing to seal those documents on alleged child abuse in religious institutions for a period of 75 years.
This controversial move by the State, under the Retention of Records Bill, is due to come before the Dail this week.”
Was a comment by Babs that is typical of those who after illustrious careers and the idolizations that comes with it feel that they can make these remarks about mere ” minions “and not be challenged about them .
Social media has turned into mcarthysim. Have you now or have you ever defended someone who has defended someone about whom a two part documentary was made? What ? I’m horrified. Throw my hands up in the air. The horror. Lol
Damage limitation
“The Streisand Effect”!
She never learns.
Technically she’s right they aren’t dead
Sorry depends on the public outcry after saying it???
Another prime example of a celebrity running their mouth of to protect their own
What’s the big deal …. the world is f#cked anyway ….
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