Translate

Blog Archive

Featured Post

Theresa May’s brand of inequality | Blog | Class: Centre for Labour and Social Studies

Theresa May’s brand of inequality | Blog | Class: Centre for Labour and Social Studies

html/javascript

Search This Blog

Friday, September 6, 2013

Indo journalist Gemma O'Doherty forced out after Garda Commissioner penalty points doorstep

Indo journalist Gemma O'Doherty forced out after Garda Commissioner penalty points doorstep: 16 year Indo veteran Gemma O'Doherty recently achieved the distinction of being the only Independent journalist to be made redundant compulsorily.
According to this week's Phoenix her sacking was linked to her coverage of the penalty points story earlier in the year.
As the penalty points scandal rumbled on in April it seems that O'Doherty went to Garda Commissioner Callinan's house to check that he had been issued with penalty points that had been cancelled. Callinan's wife confirmed that the address was correct and the Commissioner lived there.
O'Doherty was quickly hauled in by management and given a dressing down, in particular by Stephen Rae, former editor of The Garda Review and recently promoted Editor in Chief of the combined Independent titles.
The Commissioner's penalty points story remained in limbo for a week until TV3 got wind of it and the Indo decided to publish the story. ?
However, O'Doherty some weeks later was offered voluntary redundancy and was then sacked after refusing to take the offer.
Her single minded pursuit of the cover up behind the Father Niall Molloy murder probably didn't endear her to the Garda Siochana either.

No comments: