Crime « Thurles Information

Increased Funding For Organisations Supporting Victims Of Crime.

€4.6 million in funding across more than 60 organisations providing supports and services across the country.
Funding will provide support, information and advice on the rights of victims, as well as counselling services, court accompaniment and other accompaniment.
Training and awareness raising of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence also funded.

The Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD has announced funding totalling €4.6m for more than 60 organisations to support victims of crime.
The €4.6m is an increase of over 20% on the previous total fund of €3.8m which was made available in 2021.

It also builds on separate, additional funding announced last November under the ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’ plan for areas of the country or categories of victims not currently fully covered by support services for victims.

The allocations cover:
National and larger organisations such as Barnardos, Women’s Aid and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

A range of local organisations working with victims across the country, such as Women’s Aid in Dundalk, Wexford Rape Crisis and Letterkenny Women’s Centre, General victims support organisations such as the Crime Victims Helpline, Specialist organisations including the Irish Tourist Assistance Service and Dignity 4 Patients.

Minister McEntee TD, said:
“So many organisations across the country are doing outstanding work for victims. I am pleased to announce this funding to increase their ability to provide supports and services as victims engage with the criminal justice system.
I am working to build a victim centred criminal justice system where victims know they will be treated with respect and dignity when they come forward to report what happened to them.
A fear of the system, or how someone in it might treat you, should never stop a victim seeking justice.
I believe that many of the reforms I am introducing, such as preliminary trial hearings and training for frontline staff in the legal system, will help victims.
But increased funding for organisations that offer services such as court accompaniment and helplines for victims, as announced today, is also vital.”

In particular, €250,000 has been allocated to a number of organisations including Doras and Men’s Development Network for training and awareness raising of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Late last year, the Department of Justice invited applications for funding from registered charities, voluntary community groups, and other organisations which provide services – or plan to provide services – supporting victims in the criminal justice system.

Applicants included organisations that provide support, information and advice on the rights of victims, as well as counselling services, court accompaniment and other accompaniment.

Budget 2022 includes €4.9m allocated to the Department of Justice specifically for Victims of Crime, and other projects will be funded later in the year.

Minister McEntee added,
“This week, we also held our inaugural Victims’ Forum, which will provide further opportunities to engage closely with frontline organisations who support victims.
I have established the Forum to facilitate information exchange and examine avenues of improvement in relation to victims’ rights, and I think it will be another important element in improving the system.”

Tipperary Garda Searches Identify Animal Cruelty, Stolen Property & Cocaine.

Today, March 16th, 2022, Gardaí in the Clonmel District assisted by the Regional Dog Unit, carried out a total of 10 searches in Clonmel and surrounding areas.

Various items which Gardaí suspect as having been stolen, such as lawnmowers, bicycles, chainsaws and power tools, were seized along with fuel syphoning equipment.

A search in the Old Bridge area of Clonmel resulted in the seizure of suspected cocaine, with an estimated street value of €7,000 (pending analysis).
A man aged in his 20’s was arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Clonmel Garda Station.

During a search in the Powerstown area of Clonmel, a caged wild rabbit was located which had been badly injured by hunting dogs.
The wild animal was removed from the scene and brought to a local Veterinary clinic, where sadly it had to be put down, such was its condition.
Further investigations are ongoing in relation to this latter incident.

New Members Of An Garda Síochána Congratulated At Templemore Training College, Co. Tipperary.

70 Gardaí attested at Templemore today
Newest members join the force 100 years after the first ever Gardaí.
Minister encourages people interested in joining An Garda Síochána to apply before upcoming deadline.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has welcomed the attestation of 70 members of An Garda Síochána at the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary, today.

The Minister said: “I wish to congratulate our newest members of An Garda Síochána. It is always a proud day when recruits join the ranks of An Garda Síochána, but this is a special year. We are 100 years on from the establishment of our police service when the very first members of An Garda Síochána, led by the first Garda Commissioner, Michael Staines, passed out at a ceremony in Dublin’s RDS on 21 February 1922.
The men and women whose attestations have taken place today carry on the fine work of those very first recruits, in protecting communities and citizens all over the country.”

Today’s attestations bring the total number of members of Garda rank to 11,773. A further 158 trainees are currently in training.

There is currently a recruitment competition underway for applications to join An Garda Síochána. Budget 2022 has provided for the recruitment of up to 800 Gardaí and 400 Garda staff this year and many of those recruited will be drawn from this competition.

The Minister added:
“There has never been a better time to join the Gardaí as we work towards a policing service for the future that is valued for the essential public service it provides. Both the Government and the Garda Commissioner are committed to increasing diversity within An Garda Síochána and ensuring that all communities can see themselves reflected in our police service.
The deadline for the recruitment campaign is next Wednesday, March 16th. I urge anyone interested, particularly members of new Irish communities, women and people from minority groups to consider a career in An Garda Síochána.”

The newly attested members have now completed their training and will be placed in Garda Divisions throughout the country.

Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested In Tipperary Town.

A male aged in his 30s, has been arrested and detained by Gardaí, following a search of a property in Tipperary Town undertaken earlier today.

Cannabis with an approximate street value of €3,500 was seized, together with €4,450 in cash.

We understand that the initial search was undertaken by members from Tipperary Town Drugs Unit, assisted by the Cork Garda Dog Unit and the Divisional Crime Task Force.

We also understand that the suspected dealer has since been released and a file will now be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, (DPP).

International Women’s Day – “We All Have A Responsibility To Change Attitudes”.

Ministers Naomi Long MLA and Helen McEntee TD have marked International Women’s Day by emphasising the importance of working together to challenge and change public attitudes on consent and rape myths.

Minister Naomi Long said, “Whilst sexual crime can affect anyone, we recognise that women and girls are disproportionally affected. We want to use the platform of International Women’s Day to highlight these issues, but also to encourage people across our society to have the conversations that could contribute to increasing understanding and knowledge of sexual consent and to tackle the rape myths that exist in society.

I am committed to continuing to work collaboratively to share learning and research, and to ensure we do everything that we can to raise awareness of these issues. But society also has a huge role to play.

Starting to educate our children and young people at an early age about healthy relationships, boundaries and appropriate behaviour is also key to changing cultural and societal attitudes to both women and sexual violence.”

Minister Helen McEntee said, “Minister Long and I share a deep commitment to ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in every community across the island of Ireland. As part of our work to deliver this we are committed to ensuring there is zero tolerance for violence and abuse against women.

I was pleased to update Minister Long on the development of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence which will be built on four pillars – Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Policy Co-Ordination. A public consultation on the draft Strategy is currently open, following which I will bring it to Government.

An important focus of the prevention pillar of this new strategy will be looking at how we continue to work across Government and across society to change attitudes so that unacceptable behaviours are rejected in all settings and a positive shared understanding of the meaning and importance of consent is promoted. I look forward to continuing working closely with our colleagues in Northern Ireland to advance this shared aim.”

Ministers Long and McEntee meet regularly to discuss cross border co-operation on criminal justice matters. Work ongoing to tackle these issues includes the implementation of recommendations arising out of the review of Sir John Gillen and Supporting a Victim’s Journey.

The findings of a recent survey on rape myths carried out by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice received 2,400 responses. Over 87% of respondents said that rape myths were either very or somewhat prevalent in Northern Ireland. The results of the survey will inform work to raise awareness in this area, as recommended in the Gillen Review.