Are there suggestions that the first incident was a publicity stunt? Yes, the arrest does seem strange, not least because they took him to the Garda station rather than a psychiatric unit. Taking the children in the middle of the night seems especially odd, unless there was no other adult in the house. The children are now with their mother. Perhaps there's some history there that we aren't aware of but may have caused the Guards to be concerned for the children's safety. Best not to speculate. I expect the court will sort it out and if the Guards overstepped the mark, he can take an action against them for wrongful arrest. They need to find out the identity of the person who made the complaint, especially if she pretended to be his deceased mother.
Dolores, My family are in the legal business and they will tell you that we basically live in a police state. Tusla have huge power and its all done in secret. The identity of a complaint does not have to be identified. I know of a case where the children were with the father. The mother was not capable of looking after them. He was struggling to manage and a child wandered out onto the road. The Gardaí arrived and took the children and put them into care with Tusla. He didn't know where. He was allowed see them under supervision once a month. At Christmas he was allowed to give them one present each which had to be handed to a social worker to give to the child. If the mother of these children just taken had been capable and wanted to care for them she would have been first choice of the Courts. The guards and Tusla can do more or less what they like. I could give you many examples.
That's shocking, Mary. I didn't know such a thing could happen. I know there are some rogue Guards but I'm reluctant to paint them all with the same brush because I also have known very honest Guards. I have been stopped at checkpoints many times and they have always been courteous to me. That broad brush tarnish has been used against our clergy far too often. I'm also a bit wary that political activists could be using devout Catholics to raise their own profile. I think you know the type I mean - rebels in search of a cause. (I'm not suggesting that Gemma is such a person although she does seem to have more than the average acrimonious experiences with the Gardai). I wouldn't be surprised if there are people around the country going to Confession and receiving Communion on the quiet. That's more likely to happen where locals are known to the priest and it's done on the QT. They wouldn't be sending out the word for someone to travel from Dublin to Athlone for Confession, especially when there's an SSPX church in Dun Laoghaire. They're more likely to be low profile enough not to attract attention. Anyway, possible political stunts aside, what you say is very troubling indeed.
I wouldn't necessarily blame the Guards. They are only obeying orders from a merciless system. I also know someone with legal involvement in these matters, who would 'swing' for social workers. These social workers are all educated through a warped, cultural Marxist, feminist view of life, so far as I can see.
The guards as individuals are in most cases OK but the system is corrupt. The children's referendum some years back gave huge powers to Tusla and the Gardaí so if a complaint is made by anyone irrespective of who the complaint is from the powers are exercised and secrecy under threat of contempt of Court has to be mantained. The identity of the person making the complaint is protected all the way.
That's appalling. The way society is trending here, powers like that could be used in the not too distant future to remove children from their homes simply because the parents are passing on the Catholic faith. Haven't there been cases like that in some European countries? Very worrying indeed. If that man has been the victim of police harassment and wrongful arrest, all credit to those supporting him.
Exactly, they have the power. At the moment it's exercised against the ordinary Joe Soap, probably socially disadvantaged and maybe a poor education. The rights of parents are severely impared. The majority of the public don't care as they probably think children are better off without strict religious ethos.
There are enormous resources devoted to preventing young people from accessing and using narcotics. Yet many get their hands on them. Human nature being what it is, the suppression of religion among the young might backfire on the authorities as their natural curiosity might lead them to investigate the forbidden fruit. This phenomenon can be traced back to the Garden of Eden. It would be delicious irony if it rebounded on the devil himself.
This is what happened in the soviet union. Solzinitzyn's wife spoke of this. To the young what is forbidden becomes intriguing. Also she spoke of the hunger inside to know God even without being given any religious upbringing at all.
The guards arrived at his house as 3.30 AM, the Irish police are run by a 33 degree mason who clearly hates the catholic church. I reckon the time of night is a signal to his mason buddies.
Yes it seems the kids are returning to their mother in France. There was a dispute as he didn't want them to go back because of mandatory mask wearing for young kids. He had apparently appealed the case but wasn't successful but its definitely very strange that guards raided his house and arrested him on a mental health act. Also they didn't have a social worker with them. It looks like a vindictive action by the guards.
Well, the police might technically be legal in their actions, but if so, Ireland is not far from being a police state. Outrageous! Interestingly, it is small countries like Ireland and Israel that have initiated such draconian measures! I remember police actng similarly in Victoria, Australia last year. I don't know if things are as bad there, now? Lord have Mercy!
Isn't it amazing that the Gardai albeit with the law behind them, took an interest in placing the children with their mother via social services AFTER the father videoed the Gardai in church?