Hopefully the DAA will realise that they will be better off spending €99,999 on additional staff to work the security checkpoints this summer. It might even have the unintended consequence of being good for the travelling public.

I love Mr Shatters comment “A guard sitting at a desk for 3 hours a day is not the best way to tackle crime”… Granted walking the street might be better, but obviously closing these station’s and sacking 1000 Guards is in his eyes a better option… Am I missing something here ??……

I don’t normally defend the Government, but…
You have a Garda station in a small village. There are 3 Gardai operating at the station. One is on their day or time off, one is already out attending some minor incident such as a minor traffic collision. As it is during core opening hours, rules say that one Garda must always be available at the desk and keep the station open. No-one is on the beat, no-one is investigating the shop robbery that occurred the previous week. An emergency call comes in and the one remaining Garda cannot leave his/her post…..

Would it not be better that this village is served by a larger station in a nearby town? The rule on manning the desk can be upheld by one in thirty Gardai. The traffic incident can be attended by a member of of the Traffic Corps (with specialised training in such cases). The shop robbery can be investigated by a Detective with more skills in such cases.

These stations were originally opened when the Gardai were on pedal cycles. Now, a Gardai in a patrol car could reach an emergency from 30 miles away quicker than that Garda on his bike in same village 70 years ago. This is not just about saving on the Leccy bill, rental or other costs of keeping a small village station open. I do believe that we can have a better service when you have “critical mass”, something which you cannot have in a small village station.

If people vote in FF into govt nxt time even in coalition then as far as im concerned they are traitors and deserve every bit of pain they are suffering presently.

Direct Democracy Ireland is a new political party , funny that the mainstream media hasn’t mentioned them yet .

My sincerest sympathies to the Clarke family – I can’t begin to imagine what they were/are going through, but does anyone else think that was the wrong call to make? By covering up a suicide they’ve helped to reinforce the stigma attached. Maybe they were grief stricken and not thinking clearly, or maybe they were. But that’s not how I would have gone about it.

Re Andrew Clarke story:
Why did our press (examiner, IT, independent) report his death as an accident without qualification?
Where did he get the drugs?
According to Indo today:” traces of opiates, cocaine and benzodiazepines were found in his system, according to toxicology reports”
Will there be a garda investigation?