Irish (Banks) Mafia

Last night, RTE Television broadcast a Prime Time Special on the subject of ‘overcharging’ by Irish banks.

Over the last couple of decades, Irish banks have robbed millions from their customers and the State. Despite this, neither the State nor police have ever shown any serious interest in bringing those responsible to justice.

Take for example, Allied Irish Banks, the biggest financial institution in the State. This bank is permitted to carry out its own investigations into itself. It also operates its own court system whereby AIB ‘citizens’ who are found guilty of infringing bank ‘laws’ are appropriately punished. The State plays no part in this ‘justice’ system.

Incredibly, AIB also operates its own quasi police force ‘The Irish Business Ethics Unit’. The following is taken from the Sunday Business Post reporting on the latest scam being investigated by this ‘police force.’
(Do the tactics employed by this unit bring any particular historical era to mind?)

The new inquiry (conducted by AIB) relates to claims that AIB branches deliberately changed FX rates on a daily basis during the 1980s and 1990s at customers’ expense.

The Sunday Business Post has learned that AIB compliance officers from its Irish business ethics unit have conducted interviews at its headquarters in Bankcentre in Ballsbridge, Dublin, in recent weeks.

Former senior executives and current staff members were quizzed for up to two hours last month and were warned that any future tribunal of inquiry could use the evidence gathered as part of the investigations.

Those questioned were sworn to secrecy and were not offered union or legal representation. Staff and former executives were urged during the interviews to identify managers who allegedly encouraged the altering of FX rates. They were shown pieces of paper and asked if those named were responsible for the practices.

The so called Financial Regulator plays only a peripheral role in dealing with these activities. To date, the regulator has shown no interest whatsoever in taking effective action against criminal activities in the Irish banking sector.

Victory for corruption

“I think the idea of some group of citizens setting themselves up with absolutely no justification, to enquire into others, is something that I always thought was quite sinister and inappropriate.”

(Mary Harney, RTE News, 8th December-2nd item).

This quote is not directed at a terrorist group, mafia organisation or an organised crime gang. It is aimed at the Centre for Public Inquiry (CPI) whose mission statement is;

“To independently promote the highest standards of integrity, ethics and accountability across Irish public and business life and to investigate and publicise breaches of those standards where they arise.”

The centre is facing closure after the so-called Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell convinced Atlantic Philanthropies, the trust founded by Irish-American millionaire Chuck Feeney, to withdraw funding.

The decision was made because of the alleged connections of CPIs chief executive, Frank Connolly to the IRA. But the real reason for the attack on CPI is the fear of how effective it may be in exposing corruption.

If the centre is forced to close, it will represent the single greatest victory for those who are determined to prevent effective investigation into corruption in Ireland.

According to the ‘police state’ polices of Harney, McDowell and Ahern this website could be described as ‘sinister and inappropriate because it is maintained by, to quote Harney –

“A small group of self-appointed citizens.”

Are we to soon expect a ‘knock on the door’ in the middle of the night?

I copy below the complete letter from a Prof Dermot Walsh in today’s Irish Times. I think he provides a good explanation of the damage that this Government is doing to Irish democracy.

Madam, – One of the hallmarks of a police state is the extent to which the government of the day uses police intelligence to undermine any source of opposition to its hold on power. A standard example is declaring political opponents guilty of serious crimes on the basis of “reliable” police evidence which is available only to the government.
That, of course, is exactly what the Minister for Justice did some months ago with his allegations against the Sinn Fein leadership.
His current allegations against journalist Frank Connolly are even more sinister. This goes much deeper than a move to derail any attempt by Sinn Fein to replace the PDs in power. It is a direct attack on investigative journalism that has exposed deep-rooted corruption in government. It will also have the effect of undermining an independent body working to expose corruption, to promote the highest standards of transparent, democratic government and, by implication, to prevent the current slide into a police state.
This is not the first occasion on which a Minister for Justice has used Garda intelligence or resources in a manner that has curbed investigative journalism. It is a first, however, for the use of Garda intelligence to smear individuals with serious criminal allegations as if they were fact. Not only does this deny the individuals in question the fundamental right to have criminal allegations against them determined in accordance with due process, but it also blurs the distinction between police intelligence and judicially proved fact.
The folly of this approach is vividly illustrated by the growing number of individuals who have been at the receiving end of serious criminal allegations on the basis of Garda intelligence which subsequently proved defective.
That the Minister should use Garda intelligence in this manner is a disturbing indication of the extent to which this country is assuming the mantle of a police state. This is a development which should be of concern to everyone, irrespective of political creed, who values basic principles of transparency in government, independence in the administration of justice and a person’s right to due process before being declared guilty of a criminal conduct. – Yours, etc,
Prof DERMOT WALSH, Newgarden North, Lisnagry, Co Limerick.

Solicitor intimidation

The murky events continue in the solicitor’s theft case. On last Monday’s Liveline

Noel Barry of the survivors group Right of Place related how some solicitors are intimidating clients who made complaints against them. The solicitors are putting pressure on their clients to say that they only made an enquiry rather than a complaint regarding “overcharging’.

One of the complainants, Mary, who was robbed of €10,500 a year and a half ago, got her money back but her request for interest on the sum was refused. A very interesting aspect of this case is that Mary got her money back through the Law Society and was given no explanation of why it was taken in the first place.

It seems, therefore, that in addition to acting as judge and jury on solicitors found guilty the Law Society is also acting as a kind of buffer between the accused and their victims.

This, of course, is related to the fact that the Law Society operates in a conflict of interest environment. It represents solicitors while at the same time making the regulations that they must abide by. It is obvious from Mary’s case that the Society favours its members over their victims.

There are some other “interesting’ aspects of this case that should be kept in mind.

1.The allegations against the solicitors amount to very serious criminal charges yet the Law Society is allowed to conduct its own “court’ behind closed doors, in secret. A spokesman for the Law Society in England informed me that in a similar situation it would be unlikely his society would be granted such powers.

Under the 1994 Solicitors Amendment Act, it is illegal for a solicitor to deduct a percentage of any damages awarded to a client by a court. There is evidence that this law has been repeatedly broken by solicitors and could amount to the theft of millions from clients. Despite this there is no interest whatsoever from the Law Society or the Government in conducting an investigation.

There are dozens of so-called regulators in Ireland that cost the taxpayer millions every year. None of them are effective in doing their jobs. Practically every incidence of corruption revealed in the last twenty five years has been by the media, by error or in recent times by whistleblowers.

Magic Ireland

Anyone still worried that the assurances given by the Foreign Minister, Dermot Ahern, regarding the CIA rendition flights (See previous post) did not fully clarify the Irish position will surely be happy to read the following statement from the great Ayatollah of Irish self deception himself, Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, on RTE last night.

‘The fact is that the American government is a friendly state and is hugely friendly and supportive of everything that happens in Ireland, has given an unqualified assurance that they have not, do not and will not use Irish airports for the transfer of prisoners other than in accordance with Irish law, and I accept that.’

What these foreign feckers don’t understand about Ireland is that it’s a magic land.

So, if the banks rob millions from the State and their customers – that’s ok, just say ‘It didn’t happen’and hey presto – it never happened.

If solicitors rob tens of thousands from their most vulnerable clients – Why, all you have to do is allow the Law Society deal with the case in their secret valley where a large number of solicitors who would be considered criminals in the real big bad world are magically transformed into a small band of spirited leprechauns who got over-excited on coming across a pot of gold.

If there is strong evidence from the international community, Amnesty International and various other human rights groups that Shannon is being used as a transfer point for prisoners – then all you have to say is – ‘we don’t search the aircraft and the US Government have denied it, therefore it isn’t happening – Magic

Dodgy Foundations

Anyone who doubts that the Irish economy is built on some very dodgy foundations should listen to RTEs This Week programme last Sunday.

TCD economist Antoin Murphy explains how multinational companies are using Ireland as a giant money laundering operation. Countless billions in profits, generated in other countries, are being “washed’ through our economy as if they originated here.

The Government and IDA are happy with this manipulation of profits but the US Government is not at all happy and is threatening to take action. Shane Ross writes about the situation is last Sunday’s Independent.

‘These excesses should not blind us to the dependence of the Irish economy on US multinationals. We desperately need them to stay. Such an admission is unfashionable. We like to pretend that we created our boom on our own. We didn’t.

Ask Irish politicians what caused the boom and they will nominate ‘social partnership’ as the font of our prosperity – a reason carrying an unsubtle implication that they themselves had a hand in it.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our Celtic Tiger is multinational-conceived, created and christened. ‘

Irish (secret) Law Society

Constitution of the Republic of Ireland
Article 34 (I)

Justice shall be administered in courts established by law by judges appointed in the manner provided by this Constitution, and, save in such special and limited cases as may be prescribed by law, shall be administered in public.

The above constitutional provision does not apply to Irish solicitors. They are allowed to conduct their own private justice system, in secret, behind closed doors. In addition, if the Law Society finds any of its members “guilty’ it will be allowed to dispense justice as it sees fit according to its own rules.

Of course, to maintain some semblance of accountability, the society will disclose some details but its principal concern will be to protect its members. How do we know this?

Firstly, the Law Society operates in a conflict of interest environment. It is responsible for regulating but at the same time representing its members. Secondly, it effectively operates as a secret society. I have spent the last two weeks emailing and phoning the society asking some very basic questions. For example: How many solicitors have been struck off, reprimanded or fined in the last five years? I have been met with a stone wall of waffle but no answers.

We can already see how the society is carefully “managing’ information in order to minimise damage to its members. Here is what Ken Murphy, president of the Law Society, had to say about the victims of his society on RTE News on November 2nd ‘

‘A great many of these will not turn out to be complaints about overcharging fees, they will turn out to be amounts that were deducted from the awards cheque for unpaid medical certificate charges which is really quite legitimate.”

Of course, this is a ridiculous statement. We are being asked to believe that the cost of medical certificates amounted to the tens of thousands of Euros that have already been paid back to the victims.

But it doesn’t matter what waffle the Law Society come out with because the State is not interested in obtaining justice for the society’s victims and nobody else is allowed challenge this very well protected section of Irish society.

First rule – Always be covered

I think it’s very curious that the Government have decided not to publish the Ferns Report on the internet for “legal reasons’. The report is available from Government Publications only in hard copy. It is not available on CD.

A spokesman for the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Dept. responsible for the report told me

‘The report was not actually published. It was placed before the Houses of the Oireachtas and is therefore covered by Executive privilege.’

This is consistent with the way things are done in Ireland. No matter how serious the situation is, no matter what damage has been done to innocent citizens, no matter what loss has been suffered, the first rule is ABC – Always Be Covered.

Of much less importance but also curious is how difficult it is to contact the Government Publications Office. You would imagine that this service would be available on the internet for citizens to browse through the many publications.

Not only is it unavailable on the net but it is “invisible’ in the telephone directory. You must first be inspired to realise that this important office comes under the Office of Public Works (OPW).

The Ferns Report is on the internet, despite government shenanigans. It can be accessed at Ferns Report.

Government Publications – 01/6476879
Mail Order Section – 01/6476000

Theft in the army

In a unrelated story to that posted below:

In a separate development, MPs have begun an inquiry into allegations that a member of the Defence Forces at Rockhill Barracks, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, had been stealing diesel from military vehicles and replacing it with illegal, laundered fuel.

It has been alleged the fuel used to refill the vehicles at Rockhill had its origins in an illicit fuel laundering operation run by individuals linked to the Provisional IRA. Much of the laundered fuel operations in Border counties are controlled by paramilitary figures.

Mr O’Dea has confirmed that an allegation relating to the larceny of fuel is being investigated.

More nice language from O’Dea. It is interesting that this story features as a footnote to the story previous, it hints at collusion between the Provos and the Army in Donegal, a claim I have not read prior to this – besides perhaps the infamous Gardai.

Army fraud suspects may face Garda

Conor Lally writing in today’s Irish Times details the story of money going missing. I like the way the headline says may face Garda. (Gardai?)

Two members of the Defence Forces who were involved in an alleged 10-year misappropriation of funds may face a Garda investigation, Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea has said.

The Army last week stated that €70,000 had been recovered and that, because the personnel involved had not used other expended funds for their own personal gain, gardaa­ would not be called in.

However, Mr O’Dea has said he is not satisfied with statements on the matter made by the Southern Command, in whose area the matter took place.

“The final decision will rest with me as Minister for Defence to decide on what further action is needed . . . If I believe there was any form of criminal activity involved, I will ask outside authorities to investigate and I will make that decision once I study the Military Police (MP) investigation report this week.”

I like the word misappropriation, it sounds nice. It reminds me of Father Ted, the money was just resting in his account.

They were then allegedly paying the hotels by cheque for more meals than were consumed and allegedly had an arrangement with the hotels whereby the surplus money was kept on deposit for them. The money was then used during future visits.

It is alleged the men were also taking some cash sums from the money on deposit and using it to buy supplies such as stationery.

When the matter came to light, some €70,000 was being held on deposit by three hotels. This has since been recovered.

However, it is believed the alleged misappropriation took place for up to 10 years and that much larger sums were involved during the entire period.

Well as long as the money is recovered, no crime was committed right? And €70,000 pays for quite alot of meals. But wait:

However, it is believed the alleged misappropriation took place for up to 10 years and that much larger sums were involved during the entire period.

So this arrangement was a longstanding one, and a number of hotels turned themselves into banks. The question is where did all the money go, and what advantage was it to the hotels to hold on to the money, extra business from the army?

Call me cynical, but I can’t see any arrests arising from this.

Corruption comparisons

Not only is America the most powerful country in the world today but it is by far the most powerful country in history. Therefore, when we talk about those who are presently in power in the White House, we are talking about the most powerful people ever in the history of the world. Yet, we read that one of these people, Lewis Libby, the vice-president’s chief of staff, could be facing 30 years in jail and millions of dollars in fines.

His alleged crimes? Perjury, making a false statement and obstruction of justice. I mention this case because it is useful in strengthening my opinion that Ireland is not just a country that suffers from a degree of corruption but is, as an entity, a corrupt state. Making comparisons is a good method of confirming this.

Anyone familiar with corruption in Ireland in recent years will know that perjury, making false statements and obstructing justice are very common. This is especially true of the more powerful members of Irish society.

Charlie Haughey, for example obstructed the McCracken tribunal but a judge ruled that because he was so well known he would not get a fair trial. This, in effect puts him above the law, a position he shares with hundreds of other so called elites of Irish society.

If Lewis Libby was an Irish politician, he would be receiving standing ovations from his political party and high praise from the leader of the country.