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Updated 12.45pm
GARDA COMMISSIONER Martin Callinan has resigned.
TheJournal.ie learned of the resignation this morning and an official statement dropped before lunchtime.
There was no immediate response from a government spokesperson or the Department of Justice and it is understood the surprise development is being discussed at Cabinet.
Deputy Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan will take over the role in the interim.
The embattled chief has been under fire over the ongoing whistleblower controversy, which is being discussed at Cabinet level today.
Callinan had been criticised for comments made at a Public Accounts Committee hearing in January, where he described the actions of Sergeant Maurice McCabe and retired garda John Wilson as “disgusting”.
Both men had come forward with allegations about the mishandling of cases and inappropriate cancellation of penalty points.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar reignited the row last week, calling the actions of the whistleblowers “distinguished” and urging Callinan to withdraw his earlier remarks.
He was backed up by Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, Social Protection Minister Joan Burton and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.
The dispute has also increased the focus on Justice Minister Alan Shatter, who has been silent on the matter this week.
Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins told Pat Kenny this morning that the Minister “still has to owe up to the gross injustice he carried out”.
He said that his party had lost confidence in the Taoiseach, as well as Shatter. According to the justice spokesperson, the pair had “shown no leadership” and the country is at a “complete loss”.
In a similar vein, Deputy Shane Ross – who sits on the PAC – warned that the “row is far from over”.
And fellow Independent TD, Luke Ming Flanagan, suggested his replacement.
Fine Gael Senator Deirdre Clune has called for the next chief to be hired externally.
The right thing
Speaking on Today with Seán O’Rourke, Deputy Mick Wallace – who has been consistently vocal on the whistleblower issue – said he was not shocked by this morning’s announcement.
“It was getting more difficult for him to stand over how he has run the police force,” he said.
The question now hangs over Alan Shatter. He has not dealt well with the policing side of his ministry at all.
“He has overseen a totally dysfunctional police force.”
Sinn Féin’s Pádraig MacLochlainn said his party’s focus will be on the “necessary changes” required in Ireland’s policing.
He cited the need for an Independent Policing Authority, accountable to an Independent Policing Board, similar to what is in place in the North of Ireland and increased powers for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC).
PAC Chairman John McGuinness also pointed to other cracks within An Garda Síochána.
He told Newstalk that the resignation comes as the “administration within the force was not up to scratch”.
The Fianna Fáil chair also expressed concern over last weekend’s revelations in the Sunday Times that Traveller children have been put on the Garda PULSE system. He said that the issue had not been properly discussed.
With reporting by Paul Hosford and Nicky Ryan
First published 9.44am
Take Sh1tter with you
Should have being fired
Likely to be reshuffled or demoted to merely Defence. On balance, an intelligent hand at Justice but too much baggage and oddness tbh.
Getting out before the real story comes out!
Alan Shatter had the potential to be the greatest Justice Minister in the State’s history. He is a legislation machine and some of it is badly needed and legally brilliant.
Flawed genius and his own worst enemy.
Spot on
Seanie, shatter has been in the Dail for decades and achieved nothing. By the way, do fine gael pay you well for posting here?
Seanie is FF
Ciaran, Seanie is probably the biggest Fianna Fáil supporter on this site, he is no FG supporter.
You’re on the mark, Seanie. Well put.
Absolutely no loss. I watched the footage of him at the PAC and found him to be arrogant and belittling and treating his so called ‘subordinates’ with disdain. No wonder there was no morale in the force with this man as they’re leader.
SeanieRyan
He is not suited to power by temperament or personality. He abused his post and showed bad judgement in supporting a disgraceful Garda Commissioner Callinan. He must go too.
The senior Gardai officers who stood by Callinan and advised him must not get appointed to the most senior Garda post. Otherwise the culture will not change.
Maith thú Mary Lou
Achieved nothing Ciaran? Whatever you think of the man did you even do the most cursory research before posting? He has published more private members bills than anyone in the Oireachtas and has seen several critically important pieces of family law legislation drafted by him while in opposition actually passed into law which is virtually unprecedented.
Moreover, how do you define or measure achievement? The Oireachtas should largely be about debating ideas and policies and then passing legislation to reflect those ideas and policies. I suspect however that many people would regard that as achieving nothing. So many of our deficiencies as a society come back to a failure to debate and think things through. We have been for most of our existence an anti-intellectual society with decision based more on the gut than the head. Shatter is the antithesis of this approach but he is human like all of us.
I knew Callinan would have to be the fall guy and be the one to take the rap.
The real culprit here is Shatter. But they are all terrified of him
The minister should now make a public to the whistleblowers, or resign also.
As much as I dislike Shatter I hope he stays and sees through his reform agenda.
Shatter and his house of cards!
Resignation is about 3 weeks to late. He has done huge damage to the position of commissioner. Hopefully Shatter will follow his lead but I guess that would be to much to expect.
You’re spot on Sean , his arrogance has overshadowed his undoubted talant
The best thing now would be appoint someone from outside the state as commissioner. Not going to happen though
Time now to tackle the legal profession seeing that the gardai were being liberal with the truth and knowing that the judges are independent of wrong doing .This is a rotten to the core country with the few dictating to the common people
Both the above are secret societies and have failed common law
Seanie is FF, does that mean F ing fool and no difference between FF/FG. Both cheeks of the same arse.
In the words of the Garda Confidential recipient – ”If Shatter thinks you’re screwing him, you’re finished”
These words tell us everything we need to know about this scandal.
People are afraid. That is not a healthy environment for any organisation.
The whistleblowers must have been terrified. – But they have done a service to the state.
False testimony under sworn oath. If you start going after Guards for that then there will be countless resignations. It is not an exception.
Exactly !! How come he gets to waddle off with his pension?
No right to life conflation needed in this thread Zoe. ?
Good riddance to the man.
There was nothing honorable about his retirement.
Guys, I’m really starting to worry.
Has anyone seen Richie Rodgers lately?
I miss his spurious comments!
jason @are you a garda
I agree entirely with you, Edna should also walk the plank
He is just a big an ass as the rest of our Government all a bunch of ass holes.
Genius indeed Seanie. His political genius is matched only by his literary genius.
As someone above said, he’s been on the landscape for decades and never made much of an impact.
These reforms he’s pushing through would have happened anyway.
todays Independent have also reported on a story – where Shatter was refused a private government plane to attend a meeting in Brussels.
He went ahead & took it anyway. The arrogance & cynicism is unbelievable. This story is just the tip of the iceberg. Callinan went just to stop other information coming out into the public domain. He was only the scapegoat.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/alan-shatter-took-government-jet-after-being-refused-use-30121737.html
I think it was probably Mick Clifford at the Examiner that simply kept picking away at Callanan and Shatter week after week. He would’t stop in fairness to him. Everyone else had given up at times.
I’d also say Callanan watched VB last night and finally said that’s enough.
Very flawed indeed!
Shatter should follow him.
He took the bullit fot Shatter.
You get it all right Michael , go to the top of the class. Politics ha !
About time too
And hopefully Shatter will now have some sense of honour and follow Callinan?
A General Election would properly clear the air and rid ourselves of these parasites in Dáil Éireann too !
I was beginning to wonder whether public opinion had any influence in the corridors of power. His resignation is a good thing for democracy and accountability. Perhaps his successor will realise that his office serves the people of this country not their political and social equals and betters.
A good day for Ireland but more to do……
I wonder where ritchie rogers is to defend fg?
He did nothing for his ordinary men and women on the ground. I am sure he won’t be missed by the rank and file Gardai. The problem is that from Superintendent are politically appointed. This needs to end and become completely independent…
Fine Gael and especially Labour local election candidates were getting massive stick on the doors about this. That would have been fed up to TD’s. Leo’s decision would have been to reflect the lower ranks concerns, after all if he wants to be boss they are the future.
My golly Kris – what a transformation has befallen you a Chara ?
It’s the first time that I can truly say that I agree wholeheartedly with one of your comments !
Comhghairdeachais on joining us common people and becoming agreeable – look at all the green thumbs you are getting too ?
Ciarraioch – +1, agreed, one green thumb!
No transformation Ciarrioch. I’m all for law and order and supporting those men and women on the frontline. Martin Callinan was no friend of the rank and file. He was a political lapdog. This was evident 18 months ago prior to the Haddington Rd agreement where he was willing to hang his members completely out to dry financially by supporting slashing their salaries. That’s the angle I’m coming from, not any other. He made a schoolboy error with the “disgusting” remark in a public forum, one which has ultimately forced him to resign. Of that I’m glad. He was in my opinion no addition to An Garda Siochana.
Kris, I find your comments quite incredible but typical of a certain view that the Garda Síochána should be immune from the deprivations inflicted on everyone in society. Every public servant has had their salary cut. Cut three times in fact. This includes police, nurses, doctors, teachers, paramedics, civil servants, Judges etc etc. Many persons in the private sector have lost their jobs and have reduced salaries. But the Gardaí should be immune and the Commissioner should defy the Government and the Dáil in determining how public funds are allocated and spent? Should he also take decisions on taxation or is he to be accountable at all? The Garda Commissioner doesn’t get to make those decisions, politicians do and they are accountable at the next election. A Government is elected to take and make decisions especially on taxation and spending. At the end of the day elected politicians make policy on taxation and the allocation of expenditure. If every senior management public servant actively worked to sabotage Govt policy as you appear to suggest the Commissioner should have then we would not have democracy at all. If the Gardaí did not have their salaries cut like everyone else then the money would have to found out of someone else’s salary or taxes. The Commissioner gets paid a good salary to do a job and this does not include doing the job of trade unions and staff associations. Agree about the “schoolboy” error though!
His successor will pull the exact the same shite, sure look how long callinan got away with his shinanagans and as for democracy where all angela merkels and the european parliments bitches now, so forget democracy, its dead !!!
Great news, now we want Mr.Shatter to follow then the rank and file garda that do a marvellous job can move on.
He wasnt corrupt just incompetent. The sooner we have a police force that can act independently of political agendas and focus on the needs of the force tge better.
Incompetent and arrogant
Unfortunately sarah that will never happen as once you go past the rank of inspector all promotions are political.
The man was quite obviously corrupt. He released confidential information to the Minister of Justice about political rivals, the same minister who just so happens to be the guy who decides whether he has a job to go to tomorrow or not. He led a force which was quashing penalty points for those who were well connected along with god knows what else while shouting down anyone who would dare bring it to the public eye.
Past openly taking brown envelopes, I don’t know what more you need to show that the guy was corrupt.
I believe he said that to minister as a joke ya know close relationship the way you talk with someone about Steven from accounts. Not corrupt.
He was not writing off points. System had cracks. But sure I love the over the top journal police.
His mistake was only not being media savy that’s all.
“I believe he said that to minister as a joke ya know close relationship the way you talk with someone about Steven from accounts. Not corrupt.”
Did the Minister of Justice or did he not use confidential information released to him by Commissioner Callinan in the Dail as political ammunition in a debate? Did Callinan or did he not release information which he should not have released to Shatter?
“System had cracks”
So that report which showed that writing off penalty points was widespread doesn’t exist according to your viewpoint?
Hopefully, he’ll be the last Commissioner in it’s current form of office. It needs an overhaul.
Callinan should now release Shatters file, im sure he has a copy of it in his bedside locker for situations like this, the one where Shatter feigned asthma in order to get out of a breathalyser test at a road side checkpoint.
That would be very unprofessional so it just might happen.
Seanie, how do you feel about this latest FF appointee and another arrogant crony?
So he retired rather than apologise? Wow, stubborn man. I’m sure the pension eased his decision
He already got the pension when he retired before taking up the post of commissioner …so he won’t get anything. Hopefully a new era in Policing is ahead and will lift morale off the floor.
You may be watching a little bit too much of “Blue Bloods” but here in Ireland to the best of my knowledge the Commissioner rank is a continuation of the Garda rank structure and so doesn’t require resignation to go from one rank to another . So his current retirement is his first and only resignation.
Good.
One down! At least 5 more to go.
Most senior Guards need to go as well, the incompetent and unprofessonal management culture needs to be finished. Good men and bad are used to think that it is the norm.
Like every institution in this country the Gardai are no different in their culture of coverup and lack of transparency. It would take a real revolution to change this and its not going to happen here. I am sure many rank and file gardai are tired of what been going on in the gardai for years with the political appointees to top mgt. positions and the status quo being maintained to suit the political establishment of the time. The commissioner will be well financially fortified for his retirement.Shatter is a reforming minister for justice and its a shame that his arrogance and rather flawed personality has led to this . Unfortunately this govt. is now feeding us the same bullshit as the previous one. Plus ca change???
Will shatter go 2?? Really hope so
Of course he won’t, what would be the right thing to do.
Be Jaysus !
The people are the winners,transparency , accountability
The Leftie creeps are the winners.
It must be particularly galling for Commissioner Callinan to have to listen to the insincere comments from that creepy ghoul Wilson. He did f all for anyone, except lick the arse of people who presided over the murder of his former colleagues. Shame on you Mr Wilson. You’re a real beaut.
I’m sure you’ve made your new pals very happy.
Shatter has to be next.He’ll need to be sacked though,pity he has so much on kenny the liar.
He was just stonewalling to protect those behind the points scandal. Now that he’s gone, we will hopefully pursue those who originated the practice and drive them from their jobs as well.
Dominic – therefore , based on your analysis , there must be about 99% of the population that are “lefty creeps” as you refer ?
This is a good day for people power and Democracy , a Chara.
More to follow including that ultimate creep – Shatter et al !
Shut up, egg.
Dominic, would you say the same for Pat Rabbitte’s comments concerning Patrick Nulty?
With no doubt a big fat golden handshake to boot.
Thats just DISGUSTING that it took so long to happen…
Good Riddance…
But where is the apology for his remarks??
I would have thought it would be a given that he would apologize, but apparently not… That’s what you call a brass neck…
Decency is seen as weakness for these people. To take responsibility and apologize to the lower plebs is too much for these people.
Seanie it’s a pity you don’t hold the same view of your buddy’s in FF
Where there has been clear conviction of a FF person I have always been clear in my condemnation of them.
I however do not take my opinions from innuendo.
AlanFox – I’m guess he was given two options: a withdraw the disgusting comments or resign.
Seanie seanie seanie :) you must be a student still. Full of misplaced ideals and warped logic. When your old enough you will get some sense.
I still love you seanie. Do you love me?
Arrogant piece of shit
About time
Good
Happy days …now if shatter could do the same we can all move on
Small wonder that people assume that the Gardai were bugging GSOC given to failure of Callinan to concede the possibility of any wrongdoing in what he termed “my force”. I hope his replacement is brought in from outside the State to restore some confidence and to weed out questionable practices in the Gardai. Off he goes into the sunset with a nice fat lump sum too. Can anyone be fired anymore?
His replacement will be another political elite lackey. Until they change how all senior officers are appointed then what’s the difference?
The hunter becomes the hunted…
Hope Enda Kennedy feels particularly foolish, the vast majority of the public thought this arrogant man was wrong yet Kenny stood by him when he should have shown the type of leadership and change to the system that his government promised. Right result in the end but Kenny gets no kudos for it now. I hope the whistle blowers feel further vindicated, all they need is an apology from Enda now but I think we all know that wont happen. I wonder how the members of “his force” feel this morning?
2 months too late. He should of been sacked in January.
It is great that he felt that he had to resign. It should not have been at his own timing though – fired.
Good news for Kenny, he was an embarrassment, HIS FORCE he had a high opinion of himself
Who’s disgusting now, ex-Commissioner?
2 months too late. He should of been sacked in Jan.
Shattter next weasel
Shitweasel
Resigned with a big payoff no doubt. If anybody else resigns they get no golden handshake.
Shatter must go also.
About bloody time! All eyes now on Shatter……
Hope he blows the whistle on Shatter now he’s free to say whatever he wants…..
You live in a bubble
Shattered!
Oh thank God – what an arrogant fecker he was.
He was the architect of his own downfall.
That took too long
Disgrace that it took so long for this to happen shatter needs to go now
Yes! About time to. Shatter next ? I’m so pleased. It was the only way it could play out.
He won’t apologise, had he done his job in the first place and sorted out the points issue this would not have arisen.
I wonder if he fell on his sword or was he pushed onto it.
Either way this needed to happen.
It’s not shame it came to this and things went so far.
I hope the new commissioner role is filled by someone with a bit of cop-on (pardon the pun)
He’ll be appointed by shatter.
And there is the problem political appointed. Its no wonder all the cases of penalty points dropped comes back to political influence.
While the Garda whistle blowers deserve enormous credit for highlighting the scandal of alleged Garda malpractice and manipulation of the penalty points system, let’s not forget the principled TDs who fearlessly raised these issues at a time when the main political parties maintained a stony silence. Deputies Clare Daly, Luke Flanagan, Mick Wallace, and Joan Collins were the members of our national parliament who first gave a voice to the brave Gardai who called time on the alleged shady goings on within the force.
They used Dail Eireann in the way it was intended to be used by the founders of our democracy: To represent the interests and concerns of the people who elected them. The government and, until very recently, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein, nimbly fudged the issues and are only now addressing them because the truth is staring them in the face and can no longer be plausibly denied.
The four TDs have had to contend with ridicule, excoriation, and unrelenting hostility from certain media outlets for their stand, and also because they happen to differ in their approach to politics and their mode of political expression from the conventional nod and wink “have it every way” style that has got us into so much grief as a nation.
Fair play to Clare Daly for her dogged pursuit of the disgraceful penalty points debacle, and for her courage in coping with the savage media backlash and assorted botched attempts to silence her.
Luke Flanagan may have called himself after Ming the Merciless, but he has displayed more mercy and understanding in his Dail contributions towards the Garda whistleblowers than senior Gardai and certain politicians who ought to known better and care more about upholding the integrity of the force.
Joan Collins was one hundred percent justified in naming under Oireachtas Privilege some of the high profile people who had their penalty points wiped.
And Mick Wallace’s Garda Siochana Amendments Bill (2013) aimed to strengthen the powers of the Garda ombudsman many months before the present tidal wave of revelations and allegations concerning the need to have more effective monitoring of Garda activity. Fianna Fail joined the Government in voting down that Bill.
So after all the vitriolic attacks on the independent TDs who had to plough their lonely furrow in the pursuit of transparency and justice, they’ve been vindicated. I think the acerbic commentators who sought to outdo each other in their attempts to rubbish those Deputies now owe them an apology. They saw Clare, Luke, Mick and Joan as soft target to poke fun at in their columns.
Who’s laughing now?
Hey, “brave Gardai” are the ones out putting their necks on the line fighting crime and protecting the citizens of this state.
Not the creeps who go around spying on their colleagues.
Maybe some lazy journalist might take a closer look at these type of people. I wonder what they might find. Sure nobody is perfect !!!!!
Tell that to the ‘creeps’ the midwives whistleblowers in Drogheda hospital will ya ,,and have the guards a harder job than our overworked nurses?. I think you should resign.
On second thought ,do a ‘Clare Daly’ job on McCabe and Wilson,are you a superintendent ?
But most of the whistle blowers stuff is pule of doo doo. Now it would be evident to anyone and that includes judges court staff and even journos that to get out of points you say in court never got notice. Hardly hidden.
The problem was superintendents who canceled tickets as they had powers to do but did so for silly reasons and no system to check if points were previously cancelled. Bad system really and maybe I’m totally blind on this but ya know commissioner goes on what his told he got the o Mahoney report and would trust that. What’s going to happen to author of this report he needs to go too.
These whistle blowers raise other issues are crave spot light. I saw Wilson on news with shell to sea which speaks volumes happy out then days later in paper going on about cancer. The real whistle blowers drop the bomb and then stay out of the limelight and follow through with complaint not in circus fashion. No I still believe they have other motives. That being said it was FF pushing it that brought it to the head where labour came out and Leo came out calling for withdrawal. Nothing to do with Daly or Wallace or Luke or Shane. They tend to be an to everything for shake of it and these whistle blowers choose them. Personally I’d choose main opposition who did take up the torch on it that lead to today.
Mind you the brave guards are as the gent above said the lads out taking on the dissentents the violent yobs and the worst if humanity on a daily basis
Always had highest respect for paramedics. Firemen, RNLI and the guards all are selfless jobs.
Just unfortunately for the guards the top needs clean out
I’d rather resign & collect my massive state pension than to say sorry ! Disgraceful behaviour
Those TDs that supported him throughout this mess should be gone too
Martin Callinan had already passed the mandatory retirement age but was granted an extension so that he could act as a safe pair of hands to oversee a police force that was tired of being mistreated. I believe that extension was due to expire shortly and that is why no politician was screaming for his resignation. Mr Callinan knew he was on borrowed time, that he could resign or the Government wouldn’t grant a further extension. Either way he was going to be forced out.
The thing that irritates me is that the penalty points controversy has been ongoing for the last few years , yet as we approach election time, our top politicians suddenly realise the seriousness of the matter and speak out.
Cynical?
Jim welcome to world of policitcs. It ain’t moral it ain’t honest and it ain’t ethical.
But your dead right above in what you say.
Stand by for his statment,get out your hankies!
Jaysus, Fellas would do anything to avoid saying sorry!
bet he will get a nice pension and a lovely handshake to go with it.
usually people dont resign they are told your all done here shatter wont be pushed he is too well in with our dear leader enda .most people are trying to survive .we dont have to put up with this crap ,
Thank god, now the government needs to implement an action that stops this belittling arrogant boys club ideology that grows up from grass roots of the gardai.
You also live in a bubble
Typically baffling resignation statement from the Commissioner:
“Batman is the hero Dublin deserves, but not the one it needs right now…So we’ll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he’s not a hero. He’s a single guardian, a watchful protector. The Dark Knight.”
Shattered.
To misquote Oscar: “To loose on Commissioner is unfortunate but to loose two looks like carelessness!”
Seán Ó Cuirreáin first now Martin Callinan! What kind of Government do we have?
Seán Ó Cuirreáin resigned because the Govt. ignored him. Callinan resigned but should have been told to feck off a long time ago.
Ní dóigh liom go mbeidh mórsiúil i gcoinne an rialtas an uair seo dé bhar éirí as an Coimisinéír.
To spell lose “loose” once is unfortunate, but to spell lose “loose” twice looks like carelessness.
Thanks for correction I should have written it in the National Language. I usually play fast and loose with English! ;-)
As should you Seanie ,
The political issue of what Shatter placed on the Dáil record remains.
Commissioner – Resigned (and rightly so)
Whistleblower liason – Fired by Shatter
Whistleblowers – Defamed by Shatter under dail privelege who refuses to apologise
Whistleblowers careers – Destroyed for doing the right thing
And the man who should have been removed long ago is still in his post, grinning arrogantly all the way, our Minister for Teflon, Alan Shatter.
He had planned to resign earlier this month and told Enda Kenny, hence Enda decided not to jump into his political pulpit and demand an apology like the rest of the self-serving attention-seekers trying to appease the sweaty masses.
Shatter next and that be two less fascist blue shirt parasites in power in our corrupt country
Hope that pig ignorant bollo**s Shatter follows suit. This scandalous carry on can only end with his resignation or preferably dismissal. Immediately please Kenny !!!!
Earth calling Shatter!!
A big ball of cash waiting for him, sher why wudnt he go. Its a great country!
This excellent news but it won’t be complete until sneaky Shatter is gone too!
Saving Shatter, arrogant man, he should resign also
What will Hyacinth say? I suppose he can always hang out with Onslo.
It appears he was right when he said that the pigeon had come home to roost.now shatter there is a person we will be waiting for hell to freeze over to withdraw the statement that whistleblowers did not co operate or will do the honourable action to resign
Problem is he was dead on and correct but not PR savy and dug a whole where he appeared arrogant. Right that he went.
After the Savage cuts he happily bestowed upon the force and not backing his own men on the matter. I very much doubt that any guard will be sad at this.
There are so many issues in the Guards at this stage that he obviously hadn’t the ability to run the force.
The force has a management crisis.
Are you a garda that want to subvert the state
eye_c_u, savage cuts he inflicted on the force? Are you a guard by any chance? His budget was cut as were all budgets in an attempt to balance the State finances. The entire Justice budget was cut, so was education and health! Callinan had no choice but to work with the budget he was given by the State and voted on by the Dáil. It’s called democracy. Public servants don’t get to choose whether or not they implement decisions of that nature which are taken through the democratic process. But you don’t appear to get this which his deeply worrying. The money has to come from somewhere and Callinan couldn’t spend what he wasn’t given. Nor could anybody else. Wait till a Board oversees the Garda Síochána and not the Department. You’ll harken back to the good old days but you’ll still have to work within your budget like everyone else!.
That is what these crises show. There is a sizeable group of Guards that are willing to pervert the course of Justice and the state to protect friends and advance their own careers.
It is as plain as that.
Harold :) hey seriously does he hurt?? All that empty space upstairs, ah must do really.
Funny thing for one seanie and you might want to take one of your funny screen shots of this. I half agree with you!!!!! I know I know who would have thought we would end up here in this moment. We are having a moment right??
I do see a management crisis. Maybe bit same reasons as you say but there is one. All of them were put there by FF the party of stupidity.
At long last Martin Callinan did the right thing
gone without a whisper……….suggest that he
drives carefully from now on……………….
Season 3 ” the wire” ( if you want to know what happens next) life imitating art .
Best show ever. I always wondered who is the guards jimmy McNulty
The ex – Commissioner is an obnoxious little man , thinking he is above reproach for his comments about the two very brave whistleblowers … The Taoiseach did not have the balls to put the ex- commissioner in his place about his disgraceful comment’s on the two whistleblowers , who have done this country a great service in reporting the unlawful cancelling of the penalty points of chosen family, friends and so called celebs… SHATTER MUST FALL ON HIS SWORD FOR HIS DISGRACEFUL SUPPORT OF THE EX- COMMISSIONER , ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS … RESIGN YOU KNOB …..
Come on now Shatter. Do the right thing and resign. You made a complete balls of how you handled this situation.
Good and about time. A great victory and vindication for the whistleblowers whose actions were anything BUT “disgusting”.
A great day for Ireland ,one bully gone . Now you are next Shatter ,just go .
Shatter next. Nothing but a bunch of cronies anyway. Disgusting the lot of them.
What a pointless resignation. It’s not like the next Garda Commissioner is going to be independent.
Bring in the next political appointee.
He’d rather resign than apologise. His arrogance continues till the end.
Shatter and Callinan were joined at the hip,Shatter must go too,to complete a great day for Ireland
Commisiner callinan is gone Not,for family reasons but for grose arrogance. You are full of your own self importance, you let yourself down more importantly the whistle blowers down. Rank and file gardai i find can be full of their own self importance, its a tuff job 99% of the citizens have respect for the gardai. Give respect back lads….
Shatter will never resign he’s to aragent
Nice pension I’ll bet.
If the new acting commissioner – Ms O’Sullivan – wishes to regain credibility of her office, she really needs to first publicly apologise to McCabe and Wilson. Secondly, withdraw the ‘disgusting’ statement and acknowledge her office failed the two Gardai! Now lets see Shatter’s head on a plate, please!!
The curse of Shatter strikes again.
Better late than never.
Lump sum of 300,000 euro plus 105,000 euro will no doubt ease the pain
Apology my axsre .
It will stick in his craw that he is the first commissioner since the notorious and very crooked Ned Garvey had to be got rid of in the 70′s to have to leave.
one down. one to go
Retired….with a big fat pension in his pocket
One he earned
Thats a matter of opinion Martin. One I think a lot of people here would disagree with you on.
Jacinta, the man worked 41 years in the same job. Educated himself and fought his way to the top by way of hard work and promotion. He might not have been a popular commissioner among the rank and file but anyone who says he doesn’t deserve his pension is just plain ignorant.
It’s amazing how those who resign their prominent positions are always people of great integrity, competence and ability.
Shatter should be fired now. Time for Kenny to man up!
While this is a good day for rank & file members of AGS as they still have no confidence in callinan as commissioner,
sadly for him his legacy will live long in the history of the job and all of his previous good police work is now forgotten.
And as long as shatter is justice minister things won’t get any better for gardai.
What’s needed is an independent civilian commissioner who has no ties to any political party and who can get on and do the job their paid to do. If this is not going to happen members need to be promoted on merit not which political party you favour.
I am sure we will have a kenny style statement in dail full of tears lump in throat thanking callinan.kenny is the rent a mourner at a country funeral crying and wailing in the grave yard.this will kill off the debate in dail over penalty points.
Ming has a good idea. Make Garda maCabe the commissioner
Somewhat agree, however, I feel McCabe would better serve on an independent body overseeing the gardai or perhaps taking over the Confidential reporting role, which failed him in the first place. He is familiar with the system and it’s failings, it would certainly regain a vast amount of credibility IMO.
Is that to take the lime light of shitter
give his job to one of the whistlers.
Are my penalty points safe now?
I can’t believe Vincente Del Bosque has resigned so close to the world cup!
Excellent!
Well holy god did you hear the news biddy.
it is past the point of apology for alan shatter Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan should not be the sacrificial lamb in order to save Alan shatter now shatter must go
The Garda needs to be run by a board of governers independently elected and non party affiliated.
HE is disgusting!
He should have been sacked!! Will he still get his huge pension???? And a nice brown envelope to keep him ticking over
Has the cat got Paul Williams tongue?
Hopefully the bush fire consumes Shatter as well, the sheer belligerant arrogance of these people is quite breathtaking.
Gerry Adams has just called on Alan Shatter to follow Callinan and resign-
Adams will still be about whilst the others fall-
Connolly…..gone, Callinan……gone, Shatter……?????
It’s time for a female commissioner I reckon.
There is already a female Commissioner. She has been in the job about 30 minutes.
Callian’s no. 2 in all of this. Seriously, how the frig can she be considered a change and a fresh start.
Agree seanie but FF put her there too.
So yeah you love FF don’t you. Rub nipples in excitement?
It is time for an overseas commissioner far from the Gadai Graft culture…gender irrelevant!
Im happy for the people on the front line. They needed protection from that monster. Done Geal need to go and very quickly. This really happened because of the upcoming local elections.
Not before time shows what the people are up against in this country where untruths and spin bullies the common people and i have been saying this on here for almost two years while the gardai hacks herein took my good name and tried to assassinate my good name ,i told then i would be here for my life was an open book . Shame on the gang and the group think that is so corrupt and has destroyed this country with its greed and self ruling and regulation for self .Power beyond justice under Oath when with spin and cover ups is perjury and treason against my country where are the gardai representative bodies now that was so vocal ,let the truth be in the first place and not in the second after the lie for therein is a cover up. People power must now restore common law to it proper place
Guards were things about you up here and some of it was the most vilest slander I have ever seen.
Completely and totally unprofessional behaviour, straight from the Morris tribunal in to Garda corruption in Donegal.
Seanie thanks as i said i will be here like the whistle blowers for my life is an open book and i have had due respect for truth and honesty and as so have only the one conviction for defending my life my home and my property that is on its way to the the high court on appeal as was seen in the Sunday World some weeks ago
Delusions of persecution hey Harold. You were in Sunday world recently I believe. Sloppy out of them they should have dug bit deeper
faceless and hidden you have not tweeted yet you live as an impostar it would seem
Richie Rodgers, me thinks!
Your talking am out my scars Harry?? I’m very self conscious about how I got them.
Say. Did I ever tell you how I got these scars?
callinan is quite simply a LIAR…but a well paid LIAR
Good but he should have been fired. Now Shatter, Enda and company if you could all just follow suit please….
One down one to go
It says that Noirin O Sullivan will take over as deputy commissioner, but did she offer callinan the word disgusting when they attended the public accounts committee. Asking this as when i was watching vinb last night and he played the clip twice but before callinan said it was “disgusting” O Sullivan wrote one word on the notebook they had on front of them. If only there was a fly on the wall that could tell us the one word she wrote on the notebook ???
Well spotted Gerard. She was feeding him a script right through that afternoon.
To be fair to Callinan he was a man who served Ireland well but could not simply do his job due to political influence…..
The Garda Commissioner needs more of an independent role instead it’s more of a “PR” position which does exactly what politics asks?!?!
It is no coincidence that an MEP candidate for FG is calling for an outside Commissioner. They have been getting heaps at the door about this.
Not firing Callinan months or asking him to step down months ago was a foolish situation.
Haven’t been following this story, because it’s all too frustrating. Basically the commissioner doesn’t want people stirring the pot and not keeping the status quo.
It’s like a witch hunt, the poor man must be stressed
Not doing your job properly and knowing you can’t be fired is not a stressful situation.
And Seanie would know,he’s a Fianna Fail supporter.
Just listening to newstalk about the commissioner resigning and the PAC chairman is talking about travellers kids anybody know wats that about
Traveler kids were being put on the pulse system for no reason other than they were traveler children. It was discussed on Primetime last night.
Martin Callinan ran out of penalty points-
He’s gonna have to find another hat now to hide his baldy head :(
Who is Deirdre Clune???
Big fat pension…. I think I’ll buy a villa in Portugal… Happy days ahead for me…
Seanie,your half right,Shatter is flawed(aren’t we all) but he is no genius….
Shatter has to go too.No justice for these whistle blowers until he goes too.His position is untenable
I would say Fionnan Sheehan and Stephen Rea are upset, their lord and master is gone!! I wonder will they give Gemma o Doherty her job back? Of which STILL never a mention in Oirish “Media” of her sacking by the indo while in UK, Canada and EVEN US media still talk about it
Good. Too stiff necked.
Roderick Spode.
Paul Reynolds reports on RTE on the resignation are shocking; they could not be described as objective.
I cant watch it anymore for all the stuff they don’t cover, internationally there are just too many more credible sources. I dont feel like im watching a free press when watching rte
if shatter goes would it all get swept u der the carpet…just think for a minute…i hate the c–t but at least if hes there the opposition can force answers ????
I am shattered to hear this news
“Sorry” is the hardest word, isn’t that right Martin ?
I suppose you feel a little shattered now but not to worry
you have plenty time now to play golf and spend your pension
and have time now to “whistle” past the graveyard,…….
Cheers
What leadership role did Enda have in all this – eerrrrr none.
In any other juristiction he would have been fired and questions/charges of obstructing the course of Justice would be raised. Sadly one bad cop does not a cleanup make more need to “retire”
“In the best interests of An Garda Síochána and my family, I have decided to retire.” Quote from this statement… so he retires then not resigns…
Smart man, Mr. Callinan. You should now be able to avoid the sh it storm coming down the pipe over the garnering of information on traveller children on the PULSE system. Someone, somewhere ordered this – I wonder if it was in consultation with Madame Burton?
Thank God he at least had the decency to resign even if he did not have the decency or smarts to apologies in time. Let’s hope Shatter has the decency to resign now as well, but I would not hold my breath expecting decency from that man!
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