Appeal lodged against sentences over Seán Rooney murder
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The Journal
23 minutes ago
- The Journal
Why have underperforming traffic cops' supervisors let them away it?
Lauren Boland AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA has a big problem: some of its members tasked with policing Irish roads aren't carrying out their jobs properly, and their supervisors aren't pulling them up on it. The question of safety for people using Irish roads has been at the fore of public attention in recent years as numbers of collisions and fatalities climbed upwards, reaching a high of 182 road deaths in 2023. In June of that year, the Garda Commissioner's office received an anonymous letter detailing failures in how gardaí were policing the roads. An external review was commissioned to look into the matter. The final report was published today , and it shines a bright light on poor practices by some rank-and-file gardaí and their supervisors when it comes to enforcing road safety legislation. Not pulling their weight The inquiry, which was conducted externally by Crowe , gathered information about productivity levels in six sample garda divisions, including through data analysis, one-to-one meetings with gardaí, group discussions, and 'direct observations' by members of the inquiry team while accompanying gardaí on duty. It found that many roads-policing gardaí are highly productive, professional, and dedicated to their jobs. However, some others are doing far less work. Some may regularly have shifts where they issue no fixed-charge notices, make no arrests, seize no vehicles or record no incidents – the metrics by which productivity statistics are gathered. Could the variance in productivity be down to different gardaí being assigned different tasks? In small part, potentially. Operating a checkpoint, for instance, may have a low return and therefore influence productivity figures, the report said. However, it was apparent through speaking with gardaí and observing patrols that members who were working at low productivity levels were doing so as a 'matter of personal preference'. The report was finished earlier this year but released to the public for the first time today. An Garda Síochána An Garda Síochána It was known within divisions that some gardaí in road policing units were deliberately ignoring offences and passing their shifts with little to show for them. There was a sense of 'resignation' that while many gardaí were 'dedicated, professional and productive', there was a 'significant cohort of officers who are disinterested and whose productivity is comparatively low'. Advertisement The report's findings have sparked concern among senior garda management and will necessitate internal changes to ensure that the issues are rectified. After years of mounting public concern about the number of people dying or being seriously injured in collisions on Irish roads, attention will be on An Garda Síochána now. How will the force respond to the report's revelations? Role of supervisors And it's not only the actions of ordinary garda members patrolling the roads that will be under scrutiny, but also those of their supervisors. Frontline garda supervisors and managers have been 'shying away' from proactive management or confronting poor performance in roads policing, the report outlines. The main reason given for this reluctance to pull people up on poor work standards was a policy document from 2017 that said garda members' Performance and Learning Portfolios would not include numeric targets focused at an individual level, with targets instead set at a district level. This document was 'frequently cited' to the inquiry team as to why the performance of individual members was not routinely monitored or evaluated. Supervisors and managers also said that they believed any attempt to take a more proactive to performance management 'would create difficulties with the Garda Representative Association'. The report notes there was an 'inability (or unwillingness) of supervisors and more senior ranks to proactively supervise and manage the performance and productivity of Roads Policing Unit members'. Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman and Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon at the report's launch today Lauren Boland / The Journal Lauren Boland / The Journal / The Journal Speaking to media at a press conference in Garda Headquarters this morning, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon said that supervisors may have been reluctant to move straight to disciplinary procedures for poor-performing members but had little other recourse available to them – something which, she said, needed to change. She said it will be 'helpful' to provide a 'suite of options in front of supervisors who may have felt that moving to discipline was too harsh'. Outstanding questions There are several questions arising from the report that remain to be answered. It highlights, for instance, that RPU gardaí observed by the inquiry team appeared to have a higher tolerance for motorists driving above the speed limit than other types of gardaí. Related Reads Major traffic policing report: Inquiry team 'shocked' by lack of interest in job of some gardaí Roads-policing gardaí who were observed during the course of the inquiry tended to allow a speeding margin of around 20 kilometres per hour above the limit before they would arrest a driver for speeding. In contrast, the report says, observations at a District Court session indicated that motorists who had been stopped by 'regular' garda patrols were stopped and issued fines for speeding at much lower thresholds. Why the discrepancy? 'It was unclear to us why some RPU members appear to enforce speeding laws with a much higher level of tolerance than their 'regular' colleagues,' the inquiry team says in the report. Presenting the report to media at the press conference this morning, senior garda members detailed that the number of driving offences detected has risen in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year. But the question that remains, of course, is how many have been missed due to some officers' poor work ethic. A question was put to the senior gardaí from media present about whether poor performance by roads-policing members has cost people's lives. In response, Coxon said that roads policing is something that is 'taken quite seriously across the organisation' and that there was a reduction in the number of road fatalities last year compared with the previous year. 'Having said that, I don't think about it in the terms that you're asking,' Coxon said. 'If the number [of deaths] was one, I would still be concerned. They are life-altering to families and we're very well aware of that, so we are determined to move forward with respect to the recommendations in the report and make improvements.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Man, 44, dies from injuries after falling off electric scooter as cops confirm ‘no other vehicle involved' & plea issued
It comes following a fatal crash in Co Limerick this morning ROAD TRAGEDY Man, 44, dies from injuries after falling off electric scooter as cops confirm 'no other vehicle involved' & plea issued A MAN has died after falling from an electric scooter in Co Antrim last weekend. The 44-year-old died from his injuries following the collision, which did not involve any other vehicles, in the Ravernet Road area of Lisburn last Saturday evening. Members of the PSNI rushed to the scene after receiving a report at around 6.45pm that a man had fallen from an electric scooter. He was rushed to hospital to be treated for his injuries but has since sadly passed away. Roads Policing Inspector Cherith Adair, from the Police Service Collision Investigation Unit, said: "Sadly, he has since passed away in hospital from these injuries. "Our officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the collision, and would like to hear from witnesses or anyone who may have captured dash-cam or other footage which could assist with our enquiries. 'Please call us on 101, quoting reference CW 1437 09/08/25, or submit information online." A statement from the PSNI said: "The Police Service of Northern Ireland can sadly confirm a 44-year-old man has died from his injuries following a single-vehicle collision in Lisburn on Saturday, 9th August. "Police attended after receiving a report at approximately 6.45pm that a male had fallen from an electric scooter in the Ravernet Road area. No other vehicle was involved. "Officers attended, alongside colleagues from partner emergency services, and he was taken to hospital." Separately, a man has died and a woman has been rushed to hospital following a horror crash on a busy road in Co Limerick this morning. Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads The horrific collision, which involved two cars, took place on the N20 at Ballyouragan in Croom, Co Limerick at around 7:25am. A man, aged in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman, aged in her 30s, was rushed to hospital for treatment of injuries believed to be serious. Gardai confirmed that no other injuries have been reported. WITNESS PLEA In a statement this morning, cops confirmed that they are looking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward. A spokesperson for the force said: "Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. "Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 7:00am and 7:30am this morning are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. "Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station." So far this year, 103 people have lost their lives on Irish roads. A total of 111 people died in collisions on our roads during the same period in 2024.
The Irish Sun
41 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Coleen Rooney revives Wagatha Christie skills as a detective investigating Man City charges in hilarious Paddy Power ad
In 2019 Coleen accused Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories about her. In 2019 Coleen accused Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories about her. COLEEN ROONEY revived her epic super sleuth skills to investigate Man City's Financial Fair Play case in a hilarious new Paddy Power sketch. The 39-year-old aka 'Wagatha Christie' has teamed up with the Irish betting company to announce its record-breaking 'Justice Refund'. 2 Coleen Rooney has teamed up with Paddy Power to announce its record-breaking 'Justice Refund' Credit: Paddy Power 2 Coleen Rooney stars in the latest Paddy Power advert Credit: Paddy Power Advertisement In the clip, no-nonsense Coleen, who is married to Wayne Rooney, is the boss of a parody 'Investigation Department' tackling a number mock cases. In a mock office she examines joke complaints including whether "nothing beats a Jet2 holiday" and the "latest refereeing conspiracy theories" by Arsenal fans. She then uncovers a suspicious phone call from a 'Mr Howard Wobb' heaping praise on VAR and hailing referees. But the sketch reaches its crescendo when she has to crack the case of the ongoing FFP saga. Advertisement City were slapped with a whopping 115 charges over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules back in February which then went up to 130. She gives her verdict saying that Paddy Power will sort it out once and for all if the game's bigwigs won't. The Paddy Power 'Justice Refund' is a payback scheme giving money back to all punters who backed a team that finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League since 2011. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Advertisement It covers eight seasons, meaning Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool fans who placed title bets in those years will have their stakes returned. More than 100,000 punters are set to benefit - including those who backed United in 2011/12, 2017/18 and 2020/21, Liverpool in 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2021/22, and Arsenal in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Rebekah Vardy LOSES bid to have Coleen Rooney's Wagatha Christie court costs slashed & faces £1.6m bill An official verdict on City's alleged 115 financial charges are still pending after the hearing concluded last December. City have vehemently denied the charges and have been fighting their corner at London's International Dispute Resolution Centre since mid-September. City have been accused of failing to accurately report their finances over a nine-year period from 2009-10 and 2017-18. Advertisement It's also alleged they failed to provide all the details about former manager Roberto Mancini's pay packets between 2009-10 and 2012-13. The charges also relate to their alleged failure to disclose full player salaries between 2010-11 and 2015-16. In addition to their alleged financial wrongdoings, City have been accused of failing to co-operate with the Prem's investigation. If found guilty, City could be hit with huge financial penalties and a points deducation. They could also be RELEGATED if they're found to have committed the most serious charges. Advertisement The club will likely appeal any verdict which doesn't go their way, meaning the final decision may not be made until the end of NEXT SEASON. The Wagatha Christie saga involved two former friends - Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy - and resulted in a High Court libel battle. Coleen shared a lengthy Instagram post accusing her pal of leaking stories about her. In 2022, three years after Coleen's initial accusation, Rebekah launched a libel case against her, which she lost.
