As Minister, Shatter protected Judge Fennelly from corruption charges.
Now the Fennelly Report returns the favour
Shortly after taking office, refugees' corruption complaints against former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter were ignored by all relevant powers-that-be. No one did anything. No one investigated. (As discussed on this blog below.)
Illegal deportation papers were issued by Minister Shatter, to prevent a fair hearing and suppress evidence in corruption matters, implicating himself, judges of the Superior Courts, previous Justice Ministers & staff; and concerning thousands of cases of risk to human life, torture, war crimes, and genocide.
Such actions should have disbarred him. By law, no one culpable in suppressing evidence & preventing fair hearings can ever practice law again. Let alone be Minister for Justice!
But the system has been structured to be soft on Ministers; and to silence refugee voices. Many legislators, NGOs, and press who knew about the charges remained silent. Perpetrators kept their jobs and walked; while their victims lived in hiding, in fear for their lives.
Yet, as Martin Luther King said, "The moral curve of the universe is long; but it bends toward justice."
Over two years later, Shatter's corruption caught up with him. In a high-profile scandal, he was obliged to resign. The case concerned secret taping of conversations at Garda stations; and the controversial fall from office of the Garda Commissioner.
Mr Shatter had a suggestion, how to sort this out fairly. Let's have a judge examine the facts.
Interestingly enough, the judge chosen was one Shatter had protected from corruption charges, as one of his first acts of office, in 2011. It is alleged that Shatter acted illegally, and endangered human life, to cover up corruption a Complaint against Judge Niall Fennelly.
Now we're supposed to accept Fennelly's Report, as the end-all, be-all explanation of just what went wrong with the two highest law enforcement officers in the country (the Minister For Justice, and the Garda Commissioner.)
What does Judge Fennelly say?
Well, if you've ever had trouble getting the Minister for Justice' attention, don't feel bad. Apparently, even the head of the Gardaí can't get a hearing.
According to Judge Fennelly, no one was aware of the Garda Commissioner's letter to the Minister for Justice (about secret taping at Garda stations.) It laid about in the Minister's office for two weeks. And he couldn't be bothered to read it.
Apparently no one payed any attention to it! A letter from the head of the Garda Siochana! To the Minister for Justice! Between them, they're only responsible for all safety and law enforcement issues in the country. Why should the Minister for Justice be expected to read the Garda Commissioner's letters?
And this is their defense . . . ??!? This is their excuse. . . ??!?
Now, does that make you feel safe ??
CONTACT YOUR TD / SENATOR:
DEMAND ACTION ON CORRUPTION COMPLAINTS AGAINST
FORMER MINISTER ALAN SHATTER AND JUDGE NIALL FENNELLY
