Barry Cowen sacked

The Tetrarch

Auguste Comte wrote: »

He said that
"I did not evade, or attempt to evade, a Garda"
And as you said, these guys chose their words very carefully.

Was it twenty Gardaí?

Muahahaha

Auguste Comte wrote: »

He's not even saying that he didn't evade a checkpoint, in fact he never mentioned a checkpoint.

He said that

"I did not evade, or attempt to evade, a Garda"

And as you said, these guys chose their words very carefully.

So he still has the option of claiming to have turned back from the checkpoint for XYX reason, definitely not because he knew that he was sailing close to the wind in relation to the drink and when persued by the guards he stopped and so didn't attempt to evade them.

I'd like at hear him answer the following question "were you pursued by the Guards before you were brethalised?

Because he is attempting to put out the story that he didn't turn back from the checkpoint.

Yeah they are definitely weasel words.
To summarise the Sunday Times allegation was that the Garda record states he pulled a U turn at a checkpoint and was pursued by Gardai
Cowens response to that allegation is "I did not evade a Garda", there is zero mention of a checkpoint or him doing a U turn. In his solicitor prepared statement he has answered an allegation that was never actually alleged whilst ignoring the actual allegation of the U turn. Its an obvious cover up.

RandomViewer

hotmail.com wrote: »

Catherine Martin wants some answers.

Cowen is saying no more about it, apparently upon legal advice.

This is dragging on into a second week of controversy for the government and for the new Taoiseach. Difficult to see how Cowen will survive now.

It's keeping Humphreys and Tatchells fan out of the headlines,surprised they sacrificed someone so high profile or was that necessary?

McMurphy

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah they are definitely weasel words.
To summarise the Sunday Times allegation was that the Garda record states he pulled a U turn at a checkpoint and was pursued by Gardai
Cowens response to that allegation is "I did not evade a Garda", there is zero mention of a checkpoint or him doing a U turn. In his solicitor prepared statement he has answered an allegation that was never actually alleged whilst ignoring the actual allegation of the U turn. Its an obvious cover up.

He's no Shatter anyway, as soon as he got his car pointed in the Dublin direction, he should have just asked the gards if they didn't recognise who he was, claimed he on his way to the Dail, and driven off on his merry way.

Hashtag amateur.

seligehgit

Am I missing something but the Sunday Times article which I've in front of me clearly states "Our client did not turn or attempt to turn his car as he approached a garda" ( solicitor's letter issued on Barry Cowen's behalf )?

swampgas

seligehgit wrote: »

Am I missing something but the Sunday Times article which I've in front of me clearly states "Our client did not turn or attempt to turn his car as he approached a garda" ( solicitor's letter issued on Barry Cowen's behalf )?

I'm no expert, but that sounds like weasel words to me: "as he approached a garda" might mean within 10 meters of one. So by pulling a u-turn (say) 20m back, he wasn't "approaching a garda". The contorted nature of the sentence simply invites more questions.

Cute Hoor

seligehgit wrote: »

Am I missing something but the Sunday Times article which I've in front of me clearly states "Our client did not turn or attempt to turn his car as he approached a garda" ( solicitor's letter issued on Barry Cowen's behalf )?

If you see a Garda 100m in the distance and you turn or attempt to turn your car you could reasonably argue that you didn't turn or attempt to turn your car 'as you approached a garda', it's a bit like 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman'.

PosterX

If it was Clint Eastwood chasing back after Brian Cowen


He used to to call it "reasonable suspicion"

Former Former

The addition of "that's a crime and I was never charged with such a crime" struck me as odd too.

Like, if it never happened, just say it never happened, and leave it at that, why the need to qualify it like that?

Snow Garden

Leo was kicking to touch on the Cowen story today on Radio1. He was hiding behind the Garda investigation. Typical FFG tactic.
He had phrases like 'in due course' and 'I will wait to see'.
Of course this means that the Garda investigation that should take a day will last until the summer recess.
I think he did mumble that Cowen would answer any questions afterwards. Nonsense.

CrankyHaus

Snow Garden wrote: »

Leo was kicking to touch on the Cower story today on Radio1. He was hiding the Garda investigation. Typical FFG tactic.
He had phrases like 'in due course' and 'I will wait to see'.
Of course this means that the Garda investigation that should take a day will last until the summer recess.
I think he did mumble that Cowen would answer any questions afterwards. Nonsense.

You'd think he would have learned from the Maria Bailey fiasco.

BonnieSituation

Snow Garden wrote: »

Leo was kicking to touch on the Cowen story today on Radio1. He was hiding behind the Garda investigation. Typical FFG tactic.
He had phrases like 'in due course' and 'I will wait to see'.
Of course this means that the Garda investigation that should take a day will last until the summer recess.
I think he did mumble that Cowen would answer any questions afterwards. Nonsense.

Where's the Taoiseach eh?

DellyBelly

Jeez Martin certainly not getting any honeymoon period. I'd say he is furious with Cowan...

Snow Garden

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Where's the Taoiseach eh?

He is busy polishing the picture of Dev. He might be some time.

Auguste Comte

DellyBelly wrote: »

Jeez Martin certainly not getting any honeymoon period. I'd say he is furious with Cowan...

If he hid this, from the boss, what else is he keeping under his hat?

HildaOgdenx

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah they are definitely weasel words.
To summarise the Sunday Times allegation was that the Garda record states he pulled a U turn at a checkpoint and was pursued by Gardai
Cowens response to that allegation is "I did not evade a Garda", there is zero mention of a checkpoint or him doing a U turn. In his solicitor prepared statement he has answered an allegation that was never actually alleged whilst ignoring the actual allegation of the U turn. Its an obvious cover up.

Weasel words - exactly the phrase I thought of when I read - 'and I was not charged with such an offence'.

Gamma1

What about the full travelling expenses of €7000 he claimed when off the road. He has not explained this anomaly. The public service is encouraged to take the train for many reasons -cost saving, climate change. There is a good train service from Tullamore to Dublin. Mr Cowen and others need to show good example.

StackSteevens

Gamma1 wrote: »

What about the full travelling expenses of €7000 he claimed when off the road. He has not explained this anomaly. The public service is encouraged to take the train for many reasons -cost saving, climate change. There is a good train service from Tullamore to Dublin. Mr Cowen and others need to show good example.

No they don't! Cowen isn't one of the virtue signalling nutjob Green TDs.

And I really couldn't give a damn about the travelling expenses. He's entitled to claim the exact same amount whether he travelled up on a barge, a bicycle, a bus, a train, a car, a hovercraft, a Honda 50 or a helicopter. Or indeed if he hitched a lift with another Offaly TD.

It probably cost him significantly more in terms of both money and especially time to commute to and from Tullamore by public transport than it would have by car.

elperello

Gamma1 wrote: »

What about the full travelling expenses of €7000 he claimed when off the road. He has not explained this anomaly. The public service is encouraged to take the train for many reasons -cost saving, climate change. There is a good train service from Tullamore to Dublin. Mr Cowen and others need to show good example.

There is no anomaly. The allowance is not based on the mode of transport.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/parliamentary-standard-allowances/

Agree with you about the train service it is good.

Worth noting that Oireachtas members also have free parking at Leinster House which is another incentive to use the car.

Having said that the car gives them flexibility in the event of attending various functions and events and is also useful for late sittings.

BonnieSituation

elperello wrote: »

There is no anomaly. The allowance is not based on the mode of transport.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/parliamentary-standard-allowances/

Agree with you about the train service it is good.

Worth noting that Oireachtas members also have free parking at Leinster House which is another incentive to use the car.

Having said that the car gives them flexibility in the event of attending various functions and events and is also useful for late sittings.

It gives fully licenced drivers flexibility.

elperello

BonnieSituation wrote: »

It gives fully licenced drivers flexibility.

I see where you are coming from but there is no requirement for an Oireachtas member to hold any licence to claim the expenses.

Of course like everyone else they should comply with all relevant legislation if they are using a vehicle.

StackSteevens

elperello wrote: »

I see where you are coming from but there is no requirement for an Oireachtas member to hold any licence to claim the expenses.

Of course like everyone else they should comply with all relevant legislation if they are using a vehicle.

It was rumoured that a now deceased former independent Kerry TD used his free travel pass to get the train up and down from Killarney to Dublin, but it didn't seem to stop him from claiming the traveling expenses.

I wonder whether any of the free travel pass holders in the current Dail also avail of this facility. Has anyone ever spotted Roisin Shortall standing at a bus stop in Drumcondra? Because, to quote Gamma1, maybe she should be "showing a good example".

Muahahaha

McMurphy wrote: »

He's no Shatter anyway, as soon as he got his car pointed in the Dublin direction, he should have just asked the gards if they didn't recognise who he was, claimed he on his way to the Dail, and driven off on his merry way.

Hashtag amateur.

Snow Garden

Gamma1 wrote: »

What about the full travelling expenses of €7000 he claimed when off the road. He has not explained this anomaly. The public service is encouraged to take the train for many reasons -cost saving, climate change. There is a good train service from Tullamore to Dublin. Mr Cowen and others need to show good example.

Ask Dara Murphy of Fine Gael. He used to call into the Dail (allegedly) on his way from Cork to Brussels to maximize his dodgy expenses.

Cowen has so many questions to answers...

StackSteevens

Snow Garden wrote: »

Ask Dara Murphy of Fine Gael. He used to call into the Dail (allegedly) on his way from Cork to Brussels to maximize his dodgy expenses.

I would have thought that it was the claimant that was dodgy rather than the hapless expenses.

expectationlost

its not the scandal, its the coverup

Snow Garden

expectationlost wrote: »

its not the scandal its the coverup

The public know this. They truly do. And that's all that matters.

realdanbreen

So to summarise at this stage, McFadden snitched on Thomas Byrne, Byrne snitched on Cowen, Cowen was shall we say economical with the truth with michál martin, and martin is acting like a rabbit caught in the headlights!

All in all it's FF just as we knew it !

maestroamado

Snow Garden wrote: »

Leo was kicking to touch on the Cowen story today on Radio1. He was hiding behind the Garda investigation. Typical FFG tactic.
He had phrases like 'in due course' and 'I will wait to see'.
Of course this means that the Garda investigation that should take a day will last until the summer recess.
I think he did mumble that Cowen would answer any questions afterwards. Nonsense.

How will the Garda Commisioner deal with this...
It's seems clear that Cowan he did not drive to the checkpoint.
Was the recording of the incident accaurate...

I would think Harris in a difficult position.

NickNickleby

I've a bad feeling about all this...

I've a feeling its all just going to go away.

While I still think he's "done his time" so to speak over the drink thing, this new sh!te about the eh, non-u-turn, is enough to tell us about his character. He's GOT TO GO. I like MM, and he'll be in do-do whatever he does here, so he should go for the high moral ground and get rid of Cowan. My judgement may be clouded by the fact that I cannot abide Cowan, even his sleeveen photo makes me gag.