Crime « Thurles Information

Initiative On Law Against Female Genital Mutilation Taking Place In Dublin Airport.

A two day awareness campaign, raising initiative on law against female genital mutilation is to taking place in Dublin airport this weekend.

An Garda Síochána and the Border Management Unit at Dublin airport will this weekend run ‘Operation Limelight’ to raise awareness around the practice of Female Genital Mutilation in Ireland, including the law and the very serious risks to the long-term health of women and girls, subjected to it.

Operation Limelight originated in the UK and similar initiatives have been implemented in other countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.

The two day initiative will run on today Friday October 27th and tomorrow Saturday October 28th. in an effort to reach high passenger numbers travelling for the bank holiday weekend.

Members of An Garda Síochána and the Border Management Unit will provide information to passengers travelling to and from Dublin Airport, which will explain what FGM is, outline the law in Ireland, and inform people what they can do if they are worried that a girl may be at risk of FGM.

FGM (also known as circumcision or cutting) involves removing all or part of a girl’s external genital organs including the area around the vagina and clitoris. FGM is performed for cultural and not medical reasons and is totally illegal in Ireland.

Under the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012 it is a criminal offence for a person to attempt or perform FGM in Ireland and it is a criminal offence for someone resident in Ireland to take a girl to another country to undergo FGM.

FGM is mostly carried out on girls between birth and 15 years of age and it is a form of child abuse which comes under child protection regulations in the Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011.

It has also been recognised as a form of gender-based violence in the Third National Strategy on Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence and the current implementation plan for the Strategy contains actions focused on improving the supports and services available to those who have been subjected to FGM.

FGM violates a series of well-established human rights principles, including the principles of equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex, the right to life when the procedure results in death, and the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as the rights of the child.

Barbaric Sacrifice Of Harmless Animal In St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Thurles, Reiterated.

**Image of whippet/greyhound killing caged Hare in St. Patrick’s cemetery Thurles, Co. Tipperary**.

On July 25th 2023 last, Thurles.Info, together with the Mail On Sunday Newspaper, posted a story stating that local people had expressed anger over the fact that Thurles Municipal District Authorities were failing to introduce or indeed implement bye-laws.
Same story related to the barbaric sacrifice of a gentle, harmless, trapped, live Hare; all of which was permitted to occur in St. Patrick’s Graveyard, Moyne Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
A video posted on social media and shown HERE, has already been viewed, much to the embarrassment of Thurles residents, on almost 75,000 occasions.

Garda at Thurles, having been made aware of the barbaric incident, which actually took place during a funeral service; and having viewed the social media video; undertook a criminal investigation into the issue.

This morning in St. Patricks Graveyard, the image now shown above, which met those visiting the final resting place of their loved ones, were appalled to view a 50.8cm x 76.2cm (20in x 30in) image of a greyhound sniffing a dead hare, which had been sacrificed as part of this funeral ceremony; during which, also, saw large quantities of alcohol consumed, as evidenced by the large amount of discarded bottles and cans left strewn about, for cemetery employees clean up and remove.

It would appear that the image together with a large amount of discarded wreaths was deliberately thrown in an area that would attract most attention and not in the area provided.

About time now that large plastic litter bins were positioned around this graveyard to dispose of waste matter, as is provided in other properly run graveyards.

Once again, we ask the Question; “What are we getting in return for increasingly rising Property Tax”.
It certainly is not being used in Thurles to fill potholes.

Man Accused Of Spate Of Bookmaker Robberies In Co. Tipperary Named.

The man accused of a spate of bookmaker robberies in Co. Tipperary, before being arrested in west Co. Dublin, on Wednesday, October 18th last; who appeared before Judge Miriam Walsh at a sitting of Cashel District Court yesterday afternoon, October 20th, has now been named as Mr Declan Murphy.

Mr Murphy who gave an address at No. 7 Church View, Kilmeague, Naas, County Kildare, stands charged with stealing €3,500 in cash from Ladbrokes bookmakers in The Square, Fethard, Co. Tipperary on September 28th last.
Mr Murphy also stands charged with an attempted robbery at Bar One Racing, Davis Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary on October 7th last; the theft of €800 from Ladbrokes in Bailey Street, Killenaule, Co. Tipperary, on October 12th, together with the theft of €3,000 from Bar One Racing Unit 2, Ballylynch, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, on October 15th last.

No application for bail was sought on behalf of Mr Murphy, who had remained unemployed since February this year, but had been working for 17 years prior to that occasion.

Mr Murphy was remanded in custody to appear before Clonmel District Court on Tuesday next, October 24th.

Man (50s) Arrested In Dublin Over Tipperary Armed Robberies.

A man, understood to be aged in his 50s, appeared before Cashel District Court at 4.15pm this afternoon; same charged regarding a series of armed robberies targeting bookmakers, here in Co. Tipperary.

As part of ongoing investigations into these armed robberies, the accused was arrested by detectives from the Clonmel District Crime Unit, following an operation conducted in west Co. Dublin, on Wednesday, October 18th last.

The arrest related to four incidents which took place in September and October, 2023. The ongoing investigations related to robberies at premises in Fethard on September 28th last, Killenaule on October 12th last, Carrick-on-Suir on October 15th last, and an earlier attempted robbery in Clonmel, on October 7th.

Following the arrest of the accused, he was taken to a Garda Station in Co. Tipperary and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

Limerick Female Prison Officially Opens Today.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, will today officially open the state-of-the-art Limerick Female Prison, marking a significant development in Ireland’s justice system.

The Limerick Female Prison has accommodation for a minimum of 50 female prisoners. It will increase capacity across the prison estate, as well as providing an environment that promotes rehabilitation, helps reduce reoffending and helps to build stronger, safer communities.

Designed with a focus on rehabilitation, the Limerick Female Prison aims to offer a range of educational, vocational, and therapeutic programs to equip inmates with the necessary tools for a law-abiding life after their release.

These initiatives include educational courses, vocational training, mental health support, addiction counselling, and access to healthcare services.

The accommodation comprises of a mixture bedroom units, some apartment style units and a mother and baby unit, all with individual en-suites.

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD said; “The opening of Limerick Female Prison marks an important step forward in increasing capacity across the prison estate and helping us build stronger, safer communities.
These additional spaces are necessary to ensure that we have the sufficient space and facilities to support those committed to serve a custodial sentence in an environment that is safe and has the space and capacity to focus on rehabilitation.
They also reflect our commitment to rehabilitating prisoners, reduce re-offending and put them on a path to leading law abiding lives.
This modern facility reflects our determination to provide an environment that enables prisoners to address the underlying causes of their offending behaviours and helps them reintegrate successfully into society”.

In addition the opening of Limerick Female Prison today, over 200 spaces were provided across the prison estate in the last year, with an additional 96 spaces provided with the reopening of the Training Unit in Mountjoy, an additional 90 cell spaces with the opening of new male accommodation in Limerick.

Minister McEntee also intends to prioritise 4 additional short-term capital projects at Castlerea, Cloverhill, the Midlands and Mountjoy that could provide accommodation for a minimum of 620 additional people over the next 5 years.

The Minister is engaging with the Minister for Public Expenditure with a view to progressing an agreed schedule of capital builds.
Budget 2024 provided an increase of €27 million in the Irish Prisons Service budget, including an extra €12.6m in pay to fund public sector pay increases and additional staff to cope with increasing prisoner numbers and services to prisoners.
The new staff provided for in this increased allocation will include extra staff to assist with a Rapid Prison Building Unit to drive the Government’s intention to provide of over 620 new prisoner spaces over the next 5 years.

In addition, the Department of Justice and the IPS continue to work together to identify short, medium and longer term proposals to help manage capacity.

Director General of the Irish Prison Service, Ms Caron McCaffrey said, “I am delighted to announce the official opening of the new Limerick Female Prison. I want to take this opportunity to commend all the staff who worked on this development but also ongoing the modernisation of the Irish Prison Service estate. I feel a huge sense of pride and this new prison will equip women who come into custody with the necessary tools to lead law-abiding lives after their release”.

The opening of Limerick Female Prison signifies Ireland’s dedication to transforming its prison system into one that prioritises rehabilitation, reducing the likelihood of reoffending and contributing positively to communities. The facility aligns with international best practices.
It is also essential that the prison estate is modern and fit for purpose and has the capacity to accommodate those committed to prison by the courts both now and into the future. The new Limerick Female Prison builds on the works that have been completed across the prison estate over the last number of years.