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GSOC bugging report expected to be discussed by Cabinet tomorrow

The Cooke report was commissioned in February following reports of “unlawful surveillance”.

THE REPORT INTO the bugging of the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is expected to be debated by Cabinet tomorrow.

The Cooke report was commissioned in February following reports of “unlawful surveillance” of GSOC.

Retired High Court Judge John Cooke was tasked with conducting an independent inquiry into the matter by the then  Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.

Bugging

The controversy centres around GSOC employing a security firm to undertake a security sweep of its headquarters in Dublin.

Signals were picked up on a phone in the offices and wifi anomalies emerged.

Shatter told the Dáil the suggestion that gardaí were in involved in the potential bugging of GSOC was “baseless innuendo” while GSOC Commissioner Kieran Fitzgerald said there was no “definitive evidence” of bugging at its headquarters but, it could not be definitely ruled out.

The former Garda Commissioner also released a statement at the time saying that he was “entirely satisfied” that no members of the Garda Síochana bugged GSOC.

Under the terms of reference, Judge Cooke was to undertake an investigation and “establish a chronology and identify the sequence of events and facts leading up to and relating to the Public Interest Investigation pertaining to security concerns” at GSOC.

He was also asked to review and assess any evidence of a security breach or attempted security breach at the GSOC, and if appropriate, make recommendations regarding measures to “improve the existing security arrangements of GSOC for the purpose of addressing risks to data and communications”.

Cooke was also asked to make any other recommendations that may be deemed appropriate arising from the review.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed on Friday that he had received a final copy of the report.

Read: Taoiseach’s office has GSOC bugging report but he hasn’t seen it yet>

Read: GSOC: Report about gardaí illegally recording calls not sent to Shatter – but did go to Commissioner>

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7 Comments
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    Mute tom McCormack
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    Oct 20th 2017, 7:21 AM

    What kind of pollution in Ireland kills 1800 people per year..
    Air pollution is non existent in Ireland.
    Water pollution does not kill anyone here.
    Does anyone know..

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Oct 20th 2017, 8:31 AM

    Ah….noise pollution?

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    Mute John Newman
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:14 AM

    @tom McCormack: The journal wont listen to people who talk since and look for answers. Thats why the remove comments, only use what serves there agenda.

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    Mute Brian Carroll
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    Oct 20th 2017, 11:57 AM

    @tom McCormack: What, if you can’t see it it doesn’t exist? Plenty of gases are colourless and odourless Tom. Anyone who’s every had the misfortune of cycling behind a Dublin Bus would strongly disagree with you there.

    The Japanese won’t touch diesel for anything because of the amount of carcinogenic hydrocarbons in it…it makes up a tiny % of US road transport fuel as well. The links between diesel emission bi-products (PM 2.5, PM 10, SOx, NOx) and illness are pretty well established at this stage. I’d love to see a study of upper respiratory illness rates since 2008, when the road tax system was changed and diesel really took off.

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    Mute BlueSkyThinking
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:29 AM

    1,800 deaths caused by pollution in Ireland? If only there was some sort of agency for protecting the environment….

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    Mute Éamonn Flynn
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    Oct 20th 2017, 4:17 PM

    @BlueSkyThinking: If only when they suggest something to help the problem, people would support it.

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    Mute Christine o'donnell
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    Oct 20th 2017, 7:27 AM

    Can you name one?

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    Mute William Grogan
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:22 AM

    Read up on the science behind Nuclear Power, understand it, support it or you’re part of the problem. It’s the only practical solution to air pollution and Climate Change.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:48 AM

    @William Grogan: The poker table was never a good place to find solutions to problems.

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    Mute Monty Donotno
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:50 AM

    @William Grogan: hazardous stockpile capable of making environment uninhabitable at a time when terrorism is rife hardly the answer. Contraception and liberalising women globally is as important as looking at energy.

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:21 AM

    Nature’s way of looking after itself and over population of its panet

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    Mute Tom Newnewman
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    Oct 20th 2017, 9:30 AM

    Patriotic citizens consider it proper that they pay to provide for waste and sewage water disposal as it is a serious health issue.

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    Mute Neuville-Kepler62F
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    Oct 20th 2017, 2:01 PM

    Bonkers Fine Gael … no action on removing the tax incentives on purchase of new diesel cars and still penalising all of us pre-2008 car owners with bonkers annual motor tax of €580 for a modest 1.6 car v €280 for a new diesel Merc! … €300 annual tax penalty ….bonkers!

    800,000 Irish pre-2008 car owners should bring their brains to the polling booths ..next time.

    https://www.change.org/p/unfair-car-tax-law

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    Mute iMoan Brutal
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    Oct 20th 2017, 2:34 PM

    Thank you for calling it pollution and not climate change.

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    Mute Ray Muller
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    Oct 20th 2017, 5:15 PM

    @iMoan Brutal:
    Its only a matter of time!

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    Mute Ray Muller
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    Oct 20th 2017, 5:14 PM

    Approximately 56 million, innocent human beings are killed by abortion, worldwide each year! That’s 45 million more than this alleged “pollution”. Given Ireland has virtually no air pollution should we have a referendum next year to introduce some?

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    Mute Finn Mc Cool
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    Oct 20th 2017, 10:23 PM

    Something has to be put on the death cert I suppose…pollution is as good as any.

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