Bus contractor allegedly lost route because he wouldn't pay bribe

bigblackmug · 14-04-2014 11:59am #1

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0414/608781-corruption-claims-at-bus-eireann/

He wouldn't contribute to a holiday for a bus inspector.

He was expected to offer free taxi services to bus eireann staff too when they were socialising at night.

@Mod; please correct spelling; loses not looses.

dublinman1990 · 14-04-2014 12:18pm

Are you serious? RTE are only reporting on that now? :mad: A really poor effort on this corruption story from them IMO.

It was reported on the Journal many hours ago that the schoolbus contract that was negotiated on was worth €166 million euro per year. The three ministers (Varadkar, Kelly and Cannon) are now having the cheek to say to the public who reports "any accusations of wrongdoing; they will report the corruption to the Gardaí".

http://www.thejournal.ie/transport-minsiters-response-gardai-bus-eireann-whisteblower-bribery-1413017-Apr2014/

http://www.thejournal.ie/whistleblower-bus-eireann-affidavit-1414145-Apr2014/

http://www.thejournal.ie/bus-eireann-kickbacks-1413835-Apr2014/

I'll say Fat Chance. That will never happen in this country by a long shot.

bigblackmug · 14-04-2014 12:23pm

That's a different report of corruption. Please try to keep up!

hfallada · 14-04-2014 12:24pm

Reported by Irish times yesterday at 10PM.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/claims-of-school-bus-tender-corruption-should-be-reported-to-garda-say-ministers-1.1761011

LXFlyer · 14-04-2014 12:30pm

I'd suggest people might need to be rather more careful in what they are posting in terms of their phraseology.

It is a report of an allegation of corruption.

There is a big difference between an allegation and fact.

bigblackmug · 14-04-2014 12:38pm

You know all the personal information has been redacted so the individual who is accussed of wrongdoing has no grounds to take a legal action against anyone?

dublinman1990 · 14-04-2014 1:00pm

bigblackmug wrote: »

That's a different report of corruption. Please try to keep up!

They are the same reports of corruption. I think the fact of the matter is your not reading them properly to even state them being different.

When the links from the journal say that the contract was rewarded for on the same schoolbus contract, it says that they were negotiated on a holiday fund for bus inspectors from a gift of €900 from doing a "whip around" from 12 to 16 operators to fund holidays in Spain being in the same affidavit as well as providing free transport for BE officials without doing any extra pay; you are stating those as different allegations????

Why may I ask what is so different about these allegations?

bigblackmug · 14-04-2014 1:16pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

what is so different about these allegations?

None, just reported differently which led to my confusion. Mea Culpa.

reading on another forum that the redaction is imperfect allow one to figure out the gender of the inspector.

Muahahaha · 14-04-2014 1:22pm

Makes you wonder how many private bus operators there are out there who did pay Bus Eireann bribes to get selected for routes

LXFlyer · 14-04-2014 1:22pm

bigblackmug wrote: »

You know all the personal information has been redacted so the individual who is accussed of wrongdoing has no grounds to take a legal action against anyone?

Whether it has or hasn't is beside the point - your posts read as if this is a statement of fact, rather than an allegation.

bigblackmug · 14-04-2014 1:29pm

I can state or allege whatever I please against unnamed persons without fear.
If I said Una Kelly from Baile Beag received bribes then I'd be guilty of something.
You are not a moderator so stop trying to moderate.

BuffyBot · 14-04-2014 2:28pm

I'd have some fear. And certainly don't feel you have free hand to do it here. Be careful with your thread subject lines too. I've edited it for you.

As for the irony of your "not a moderator" comment, please heed your own advice.

corktina · 14-04-2014 4:59pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Makes you wonder how many private bus operators there are out there who did pay Bus Eireann bribes to get selected for routes

I don't think anyone has suggested that BE accepted bribes have they?

StreetLight · 14-04-2014 5:15pm

Bus Éireann has issued a statement to the media this evening, stating that it has been aware of allegations made by a former contractor since September 2013, yet no complaint has been made to the Gardaí.

Seems a case of sour grapes, with some people quite quick to point the finger.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/bus-eireann-corruption-allegations-not-substantiated-by-any-evidence-627866.html

cdebru · 14-04-2014 5:32pm

Second thread on the same subject with the same op, Axe and grind come to mind.

Reading the BE letter to the PAC it seems that the "affidavit" is unsigned and unsworn and the person in whose name it was supposedly written denies they said large parts of it and apparently accepts they lost their contract in a fair open tender.

This seems to be mostly spinning connected to an ongoing court case over the schools transport contract.

Going Forward · 15-04-2014 11:04am

cdebru wrote: »

Second thread on the same subject with the same op, Axe and grind come to mind.

Reading the BE letter to the PAC it seems that the "affidavit" is unsigned and unsworn and the person in whose name it was supposedly written denies they said large parts of it and apparently accepts they lost their contract in a fair open tender.

This seems to be mostly spinning connected to an ongoing court case over the schools transport contract.

How is any evidence going to exist?

The incidents of alleged bribery will hardly have a paper trail of cheque stubs and receipts for any alleged special treatment received?

It could be very difficult to prove!

Interesting timing all the same.....

AlekSmart · 15-04-2014 11:17am

Going Forward wrote: »

How is any evidence going to exist?

The incidents of alleged bribery will hardly have a paper trail of cheque stubs and receipts for any alleged special treatment received?

It could be very difficult to prove!

Interesting timing all the same.....

I quite impressed at Bus Eireann's response here too....

The relevant exchanges and documents are on the website.....

http://www.buseireann.ie/news.php?id=1471&month=Apr

The involvement of Tim Doyle and STS,and whatever relevance they have to this claim has to be considered before applying for planning permission for a Gallows or Gibbet outside Broadstone.

Of particular note also,from BE CEO Martin Nolan's letter to the PAC, the use of electronic mail format allowed Bus Eireann to circumvent the "Redaction" process thereby laying bare the dramatis personae in all their glory.

Wonder will the Supreme Court think it any more than a hill'o beans ?

Banjoxed · 15-04-2014 11:35am

AlekSmart wrote: »

I quite impressed at Bus Eireann's response here too....

The relevant exchanges and documents are on the website.....

http://www.buseireann.ie/news.php?id=1471&month=Apr

The involvement of Tim Doyle and STS,and whatever relevance they have to this claim has to be considered before applying for planning permission for a Gallows or Gibbet outside Broadstone.

Of particular note also,from BE CEO Martin Nolan's letter to the PAC, the use of electronic mail format allowed Bus Eireann to circumvent the "Redaction" process thereby laying bare the dramatis personae in all their glory.

Wonder will the Supreme Court think it any more than a hill'o beans ?

My first instinct was to run the Vested Interests yardstick over this report. PR and Journalism are so closely intertwined in the Republic that until the courts decide anything in this case I remain skeptical.

cdebru · 16-04-2014 5:09am

Going Forward wrote: »

How is any evidence going to exist?

The incidents of alleged bribery will hardly have a paper trail of cheque stubs and receipts for any alleged special treatment received?

It could be very difficult to prove!

Interesting timing all the same.....

Well I guess you would start with a sworn affidavit, and someone willing to stand over it. Other than that there doesn't seem to be much to go on at the moment, and BE seem to have investigated it nonetheless and came up with nothing that could be substantiated.

n97 mini · 16-04-2014 11:26am

Just read both documents. Very fishy stuff.

OsterHase · 19-04-2014 10:20pm

curiouser and curiouser

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Page1-copy.jpg

Busted Flat. · 19-04-2014 10:29pm

lxflyer wrote: »

I'd suggest people might need to be rather more careful in what they are posting in terms of their phraseology.

It is a report of an allegation of corruption.

There is a big difference between an allegation and fact.

That is the foundation of the state. Brown envelope's was the currency that built this corrupt state. Anything that was connected with the government and state offices, you had to pass the envelope to gain access to the circle. Otherwise you were outside trying to piss into the tent, it was waterproof.

cdebru · 20-04-2014 5:11pm

OsterHase wrote: »

curiouser and curiouser

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Page1-copy.jpg

Indeed it is, why would you set up an account to post that one post and then close your account ?

easterhare · 20-04-2014 5:45pm

A question more pertinent to the thread would be why would 5 separate people make claims of irregulatities in the manner in which contracts for bus/taxi hire were being awarded by officials in Bus Eireann.

AlekSmart · 20-04-2014 6:15pm

easterhare wrote: »

A question more pertinent to the thread would be why would 5 separate people make claims of irregulatities in the manner in which contracts for bus/taxi hire were being awarded by officials in Bus Eireann.

Indeed,or at least a 4 man reserve to be deployed after the first runner fell at the first fence.....;)

BuffyBot · 20-04-2014 6:38pm

..and we're done

Bus contractor allegedly lost route because he wouldn't pay bribe

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