Garda Siochana in Shell to see session shocker.

Lando Griffin

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-deny-gas-firm-gave-them-alcohol-worth-35k-29491139.htm

GARDAI have rejected claims that officers policing the Corrib Gas protests were given alcohol worth €35,000 by the company building the pipeline.

An oil services company has claimed it delivered the alcohol in an unmarked van to Belmullet garda station in Mayo at Christmas 2007 following instructions by Shell E&P Ltd.

And OSSL, based in Bangor Erris, also claims it was charged with providing "accommodation services" to local residents, including home improvements, tennis courts, donating kitchen appliances and paying school fees.

The company, which worked with Shell since 2002, had its contract terminated in 2010, and claims it is owed money by Shell E&P Ltd.

Owner Desmond Kane told a British newspaper that Shell had "failed to reimburse" the alcohol bill, but has since settled with the company.

Neither Mr Kane nor Shell could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But Mr Kane told the 'Observer' newspaper that in Christmas 2007, his company delivered alcohol worth €35,000 to Belmullet garda station, where the policing operation was based.

The alcohol was purchased in Northern Ireland, and delivered in an unmarked van.

Fair play to them for giving a bit of a party.
In a statement, the Garda Press Office rejected the claim, saying it had investigated the allegation but no evidence was found to

slavetothegrind

if it's in the independent i'm sure its true......and thoroughly investigated

kneemos

You're talking about a large truck load of booze there op.

Frank Black

Even if this is true - I'm not sure what the issue is.
It sounds more like it was given in recognition of the difficult job the Gardai were doing in terms of policing the protest.

Czarcasm

Lando Griffin wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/gardai-deny-gas-firm-gave-them-alcohol-worth-35k-29491139.htm


Fair play to them for giving a bit of a party.
In a statement, the Garda Press Office rejected the claim, saying it had investigated the allegation but no evidence was found to

Sure they drank it all! What evidence did they expect to find? Still a lot of money to shell out on a drink, unless they were drinking like fish, in which case I'm fairly certain they were glad to see their sea beds that night!

OT: thread titles a tongue twister three times fast!

MugMugs

Isn't this the norm?

Gardai take delivery of booze more or less every year from local companies, don't they?

Lando Griffin

kneemos wrote: »

You're talking about a large truck load of booze there op.

In an unmarked van; how clever not to hav ALCOHOL printed on the side.

danniemcq

Frank Black wrote: »

Even if this is true - I'm not sure what the issue is.
It sounds more like it was given in recognition of the difficult job the Gardai were doing in terms of policing the protest.

I think the issue could be with if they were given as gifts. I'm open to correction but I think this is not allowed to make sure they don't pick sides

Nitochris

Frank Black wrote: »

Even if this is true - I'm not sure what the issue is.
It sounds more like it was given in recognition of the difficult job the Gardai were doing in terms of policing the protest.

The issue is that it creates an opening for the perception that Shell acting through their agents are influencing the Gardai.

Allyall

Frank Black wrote: »

Even if this is true - I'm not sure what the issue is.
It sounds more like it was given in recognition of the difficult job the Gardai were doing in terms of policing the protest.

It sounds more like it was given to the Gardaí to make sure that they do the difficult job. I don't think the Gardaí are allowed to take payments/donations off anyone..

Not that it matters a toss. Fair play to the Garda, hope they squeezed as much as they could out of them, and the residents probably did too, it seems every other cnut in the Country is doing it..

Jester252

So a company, with a not so good past with Shell, claims Shell gave alcohol to the gardas. Smell a bit like they just what to stir up sh1t for Shell.
I guess the protesters will love this.

Geomy

Nitochris wrote: »

The issue is that it creates an opening for the perception that Shell acting through their agents are influencing the Gardai.

Kinda like how the native Indian's were influenced by the white man lol

Look at it from Shells point of view. ..im a leftie but surely you can't begrudge the guards a few drinks. ...

It's no big deal. ..

Frank Black

Nitochris wrote: »

The issue is that it creates an opening for the perception that Shell acting through their agents are influencing the Gardai.

Perhaps - but a van full of alcohol is not how I would imagine a company like Shell would go about influencing the Gardai.

Chinaman666

That's a quare skinfull. 35 large worth ****ing hell..

eireannBEAR

MugMugs wrote: »

Isn't this the norm?

Gardai take delivery of booze more or less every year from local companies, don't they?

100% correct,i used to work in a kildare hotel and we often dropped the gardai over crates of free booze.

Coillte_Bhoy

They havent actually denied it, they said they found no evidence. Subtle difference

Frank Black

Is it possible to fit €35K of booze in a van?
I'm not sure what the main drink of choice for Gardai are, but I'm going to speculate that the top brass drink malt whisky and the ordinary members drink alcopops and cans of Harp.

MajorMax

So I'm assuming that OSSL will quickly be settling up their import and duty bill foe all this booze with the exchequer?

El Inho

Back in the day this was normal. Complaining about it makes us look American. So wisht

kneemos

eireannBEAR wrote: »

100% correct,i used to work in a kildare hotel and we often dropped the gardai over crates of free booze.

Why?would they not respond to a call if they didn't get the booze?

Potential-Monke

Frank Black wrote: »

cans of Harp.

Ah heyor! No one in their right mind would drink Harp!!

kneemos wrote: »

Why?would they not respond to a call if they didn't get the booze?

It's a thank you. It happens in every job, the higher ups get gifts at Xmas as a thank you.

Allyall

Frank Black wrote: »

Is it possible to fit €35K of booze in a van?
I'm not sure what the main drink of choice for Gardai are, but I'm going to speculate that the top brass drink malt whisky and the ordinary members drink alcopops and cans of Harp.

They all drink Midleton 1973 Whiskey (10 bottles fit in the van), and free cans of Fosters/Harp/Dutch Gold/Cider that they take from underage drinkers every now and then.

Frank Black

Could the issue be more to do with the fact that Shell have (allegedly)imported the alcohol from NI - surely VAT would need to be paid on this?

JoeyJJ

Jaysus you would think they would buy the booze in O'D's, EuroSpar, Cuffes etc, wonder are you allowed carry that much booze over the border.

eireannBEAR

kneemos wrote: »

Why?would they not respond to a call if they didn't get the booze?

I dont know,but it was common practice in 99,when i was dropping over the cigarettes and crates of booze they would leave them in a backroom already full of beer. yup the kildare town gardai used to have a very merry xmas indeed!

Uriel.

kneemos wrote: »

Why?would they not respond to a call if they didn't get the booze?

Nah, sure when I was purchasing manager in my company, I used to get loads of free stuff every year. I had to buy relatively little booze for Christmas. I'd get wine, whiskey, beer, food hampers etc... from suppliers and service providers I did custom with - it was a thank you for the custom and the service provision in the year gone by.

I moved over to sales manager afterwards and the shoe was on the opposite foot, I'd be given a budget to get gifts for customers to thank for their custom.

But, in fairness some customers provided gifts for me also as recognition and thanks for providing particular products and/or services. All of it a show of appreciation. But also, if a customer gave me a €200 hamper and a different customer gave nothing, I know who I would go the extra mile for or who would take priority. It's a degree of marketing.

Pretty Polly

Unfortunately I am no longer shocked by anything that happened during the boom years. I'm sure a lot more of this kind of thing happened but it isn't public knowledge.

Nemeses

Why bring up an event back in 2007? Silly Newpapers... got nothing to report today..

Can we not worry on the issues that are currently affecting us now?

kneemos

Nemeses wrote: »

Why bring up an event back in 2007? Silly Newpapers... got nothing to report today..

Can we not worry on the issues that are currently affecting us now?

The media in general really struggles during the Dail holidays.

TheLastMohican

It now seems that it was delivered while the whole West Mayo brigade of the Gardaí were at an AA meeting in Seamus Henry's pub in Bangor. And as it was at night nobody saw anything Sir.
NEXT!

Zebra3

Nemeses wrote: »

Why bring up an event back in 2007? Silly Newpapers... got nothing to report today..

Can we not worry on the issues that are currently affecting us now?

If it happened, it's corruption.

Grumpypants

The tax payer can't win, we get no tax revenue from the oil and now the bribes for the cops are being purchased up north cutting out that tax revenue too. That shell crowd are crafty.

wazky

Its certainly a slippery situation.

FanadMan

They do a hard job and deserve any wee benefit they can get like cheap/free coffee or booze. They try and protect us and our homes from the scum of the earth....normally in the hardest of conditions and facing criticism at every turn. Fair play to them and hope they enjoyed the booze

Dostoevsky

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

They havent actually denied it, they said they found no evidence. Subtle difference

Hehe. You're going places!

mcwinning

Good for them. Generally no fan of AGS but the guys and girls down there have to put up with so much crap from those obnoxious Luddite 'protesters' that they are more than deserving of a few cold brews or bottles of whiskey.

tommy2bad

Well as this story broke in the Observer,I'm sure the dail break is really taxing them for stories.
It's not the gratuity thats the issue it's the sises of it! 35k is a lot of booze. Not the same as sending a hamper at xmas by way of appreciation. This is corruption and bribery.
Do you think the protesters sent any 'gifts'? You can be sure they didn't because unless it topped 35k the gardai would have arrested them for attempted bribery.

jester77

Nice alliteration.

eireannBEAR

tommy2bad wrote: »

Do you think the protesters sent any 'gifts'? You can be sure they didn't because unless it topped 35k the gardai would have arrested them for attempted bribery.

Very well said,it would of ended in one of two ways arrest or refusal of the goods by the gardai.

But id imagine arrest.

hfallada

Its corruption went you want something in return. What did the Gardas do in return, nothing as Shell was only giving gifts.Like Im sure the local petrol station would send in a few bottles.

Irish people dont know what real corruption is as it never seen in day to day life. Real corruption is being stopped by a policeman checking if your lights work, your cars papers and other random **** until you give him a back hander. Or having to send in a brown envelope for your planning to be approved. Yes corruption exists in Ireland, but also exists in every country in the world. But it only affects a very small amount of Irish people.

eireannBEAR

hfallada wrote: »

Its corruption went you want something in return. What did the Gardas do in return, nothing as Shell was only giving gifts.Like Im sure the local petrol station would send in a few bottles.

Irish people dont know what real corruption is as it never seen in day to day life. Real corruption is being stopped by a policeman checking if your lights work, your cars papers and other random **** until you give him a back hander. Or having to send in a brown envelope for your planning to be approved. Yes corruption exists in Ireland, but also exists in every country in the world. But it only affects a very small amount of Irish people.

Ok fine then,lets just allow corruption once it doesnt effect us(at the minute),thats what we did with the banks and look what happened there.

tommy2bad

It isn't even that big an issue for the gardai who according to posters here get stuff all the time.
This is about Shell who have form in this kind of thing. Make you wonder how much booze the minister got to grant them a free licence in the first place.
Shell could be responsible for the state we are in now, keeping the whole cabinet drunk for the last 10 years

Earthwalker

FanadMan wrote: »

They do a hard job and deserve any wee benefit they can get like cheap/free coffee or booze. They try and protect us and our homes from the scum of the earth....normally in the hardest of conditions and facing criticism at every turn. Fair play to them and hope they enjoyed the booze

I can't believe some of the crap (such as the above) that has been posted on the thread so far. No wonder the Burke & co got away with what they did for so long.

You say they have a tough job and you are right, they do, but they bloody well get paid to that job. A job might I add which is in the mean supposed to be carried out in an impartial manner, not where you have taken a sweetener from one side and so therefore would be comprised if anyone suggested conflict of interest.

Think i'm starting to see the battering of protesters in a somewhat different light.

Wile E. Coyote

Allyall wrote: »

They all drink Midleton 1973 Whiskey (10 bottles fit in the van), and free cans of Fosters/Harp/Dutch Gold/Cider that they take from underage drinkers every now and then.

It must have been bottles of Midleton because they managed to fit it all into the back of a Ford Galaxy according to this receipt which was issued 5 years after the event....:rolleyes:

http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2013/03/28/shell-accused-of-corrupting-irish-police-force/

Cienciano

Earthwalker wrote: »

I can't believe some of the crap (such as the above) that has been posted on the thread so far. No wonder the Burke & co got away with what they did for so long.

You say they have a tough job and you are right, they do, but they bloody well get paid to that job. A job might I add which is in the mean supposed to be carried out in an impartial manner, not where you have taken a sweetener from one side and so therefore would be comprised if anyone suggested conflict of interest.

Think i'm starting to see the battering of protesters in a somewhat different light.

Was with you up to the last sentence. Any STS video about police brutality has either not been police brutality, or suspicious bits cut out so you don't see what happened before. If it's as bad as the STS protesters say it is, and the way they seem to video everything, youtube should be full of STS videos of clear cut police brutality. But it's not.
I'm not a fan of the police in ireland (too many experiences of them not giving a shíte), but from any video I've seen from Rossport, they have never done anything bad.

Cody Pomeray

Aside from whether or not there is corruption, it is an offence to make a gift of alcohol (or any refreshment) to a Garda, unless you first have the permission of a superior officer.

So you'd think there'd be some record.

Essentially you can't even sell an ice cream to an on-duty Garda. So it should be obvious to everyone why a €35k gift of free booze should be a problem. Are people that naive?

end of the road

Jester252 wrote: »

So a company, with a not so good past with Shell, claims Shell gave alcohol to the gardas. Smell a bit like they just what to stir up sh1t for Shell.

I guess the protesters will love this.

ah god love them, shur poor shell are squeaky clean and wouldn't do anything to anyone, they don't deserve this tarnishing of their good name, oh wait is this the same company i'm talking about, sorry, got it wrong there, must be the wrong company

joe swanson

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

It must have been bottles of Midleton because they managed to fit it all into the back of a Ford Galaxy according to this receipt which was issued 5 years after the event....:rolleyes:

http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2013/03/28/shell-accused-of-corrupting-irish-police-force/

That invoice looks very strange. Nice even numbers with a huge amount of detail so many years after. Bit sus i think.

Cienciano

Uriel. wrote: »

Nah, sure when I was purchasing manager in my company, I used to get loads of free stuff every year. I had to buy relatively little booze for Christmas. I'd get wine, whiskey, beer, food hampers etc... from suppliers and service providers I did custom with - it was a thank you for the custom and the service provision in the year gone by.

I moved over to sales manager afterwards and the shoe was on the opposite foot, I'd be given a budget to get gifts for customers to thank for their custom.

But, in fairness some customers provided gifts for me also as recognition and thanks for providing particular products and/or services. All of it a show of appreciation. But also, if a customer gave me a €200 hamper and a different customer gave nothing, I know who I would go the extra mile for or who would take priority. It's a degree of marketing.

The bit i highlited is exactly why it's wrong to accept gifts if you're the gardai. Throw the garda station a grands worth of booze and fags if you own a pub, blind eye can be turned to after hours drinking and a quick phonecall to the pub owner if a drink driving checkpoint is to be set up.
Gifts are effectively bribes.

Frank Black

Earthwalker wrote: »

Think i'm starting to see the battering of protesters in a somewhat different light.

What battering?

Any clips I've seen of the 'protests' seem to show large groups of people blocking the public roads or being deliberatively provocative in an attempt to get a reaction from the Guards.

Perhaps you could provide some evidence of these batterings?

Wile E. Coyote

joe swanson wrote: »

That invoice looks very strange. Nice even numbers with a huge amount of detail so many years after. Bit sus i think.

Yeah, nice round numbers, lots of detail, 5 years after the fact and a fake VAT number. It's more than a little sus.