Shannon Garda House calls

Our man in Havana

I write with reference to stories that the Gardai are visiting every house in Shannon looking for names of people living in the house, their age, car details etc.

Do the Gardai have any statutory power to demand these details of people who have not commited or involved in the commision of a crime?

Could a person refuse them the info?

Any views would be welcome.

aidan_walsh

Technically, they could, unless the Gardai appear on your door with a warrent demanding you give the information, its up to you to decide to co-operate with them. Personaly, I find this outrageous. My gf lives in Shannon, the idea of her having to answer for herself simply for living in a town is preposterous.

I wonder will everyone in Dublin be subjected to the same when Bush goes there? What about Washington? Not a hope in hell...

spongebob

Originally posted by Bond-007
Could a person refuse them the info?

Any views would be welcome.

Yes, this sort of fishing went on Nationwide when Tidey was kidnapped or that bloody horse some 20 years back.

Anyone who refused them information was then searched under a warrant issued by a tame judge , if you refuse them the info be prepared for a search warrant to be executed (maybe not a real one .. hint, hint, ) on spurious grounds of course .

If you object to what they are doing then ask the Superintendent to come down personally to you to explain the statutory law behind this. Of course you will give the Super the info if he explains it clearly .

They are fishing because Bush is allegedly visiting Shannon, he will not actually fly in there at all I hear. The door to door checks are a decoy as well as being an intrusive nuisance.

M

sceptre

Originally posted by Muck
Yes, this sort of fishing went on Nationwide when Tidey was kidnapped or that bloody horse some 20 years back.

I vaguely remember our house being searched, presumably along with everyone else's. I do hope it was for Tidey or even McGlinchey when he went on his famous round Ireland charity run by night as Shergar wouldn't have fit into my small bedroom wardrobe, even diced.

spongebob

They threatened to search everybodys house. There was a furore over it because they switched them around so that an Ennis guard was sent to Tuam and so on, leaving the Tuam guards to deal with the consequences when they arrived back from Longford, etc.

There was a major breakdown of trust in the police among the older generation who were most indignant at the whole thing so they have not done it since.

Ask any respectable 60 year old woman who was a 40 year old housewife in 1980 about the whole episode.

Some characters I know (in the days b4 caller ID) used ta ring random numbers and claim to be Pat down the Station about to go raiding neighbour x up the road looking for McGlinchey so would ye all lie on the floor till we tell ya the shooting was stopped. They were believed of course !

M

Wrestlemania

To be honest even looking from a Military perspective, it is an overkill and will achieve what??

Again appeasement and to be honest Bush is going to be nowhere near 97 year old Mrs.Bloggs....

Berties boys trying to look professional hmmmmmmm

seamus

My cousin is stationed in Shannon. He won't enjoy having to do that....

Villain

Simply being done becasue Bush is landing there??

Is that right??

If so McDowell could have his force doing a lot better things, there underpowered already without wasting resources like this.

Those officers should be on the roads helping to save lives!!

just my 2 cents