Columns - Irish Examiner

Mick Clifford

Justice minister should proceed with caution as shine fades on bright new era

In May, the justice minister stood in the Dáil and said the new system of reporting wrongdoing in the force was going well. Keith Harrison begged to differ. Yet his disclosures to the minister were not acted on, writes Michael Clifford

Fri, 07 Oct, 2016

Commissioner talks the talk but status quo rules

Clare Daly’s account of the isolation of whistleblowers and the listing for promotion of bullies within their stations shows nothing has changed, writes Michael Clifford

Wed, 05 Oct, 2016

Claims suggest worse-than-imagined ‘whistleblower reprisal’

Today’s revelations about two disclosures alleging Garda whistleblower maltreatment suggest little change in the force, says Michael Clifford.

Tue, 04 Oct, 2016

Family fights a long battle to get answers from State bodies over their sister’s death

Michael Clifford examines the case of a Tipperary family who claim both the health service and the gardaí failed their sister when she needed their help — a failure which, they say, ultimately led to the loss of her life

Mon, 03 Oct, 2016

Garda whistleblower’s life irrevocably changed

This week, we reported that an investigation into a Garda whistleblower’s complaint has been stalled for two years because of a failure by the force to hand over documents to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. But the background to this episode stretches back much further than that, writes Michael Clifford.

Sat, 01 Oct, 2016

The taxing problem of pay restoration

WHAT do we want? Pay restoration. When do we want it? Yesterday.

Sat, 01 Oct, 2016

Gerry Adams is a politician without a past

VIEWED in isolation, the accusations against and attacks on Gerry Adams this week were unfair. 

Sat, 24 Sep, 2016

Fianna Fáil think-in: Don’t be fooled.... this isn’t the usual suspects

Meet Fianna Fáil Supernova, a breath of fresh air blowing through the body politic, and not to be mistaken with the gang in power when the country collapsed, says Michael Clifford 

Tue, 20 Sep, 2016

Jack O’Shea: How New Street turf lit my fire

TOMORROW, the pinnacle of the GAA season is reached, but it’s an occasion about much more than a game of football between two hyper-trained teams, writes Michael Clifford.

Sat, 17 Sep, 2016