Law - Thurles Information

Prison Staff Under Investigation For Alleged Fuel Card Misappropriation.

A number of employees, possibly 5 in total, within the Irish Prison Service are currently under investigation following allegations that they misused fuel cards registered to State vehicles for their own personal motor vehicles.

It is alleged that approximately some €3,000 worth of fuel was purchased and paid for, using fuel cards property of the Irish Prison Service Escort Corp (PSEC) and correctly used to buy fuel for vehicles independently providing prisoner escorting services.

The Prison Service Escorts Corps (PSEC) was established in 2005, on an independent basis within the Irish Prison Service, to provide a prisoner escorting service. PSEC is sub divided into three regional areas, namely Munster, Connaught and Leinster, headquartered in Cloverhill Prison in Co. Dublin. [Ulster is incorporated into area of Connaught and Leinster.]

PSEC is a dedicated corps of staff, whose task is to escort prisoners to and from court and to other scheduled and necessary engagements in the community. ie. Hospital Appointments. The profile of the unit includes 58 cellular vehicles of varying capacity which enables the corps to securely transport prisoners of all security categories, throughout the State.
The staff also man the dock in courts throughout the country and specialise in providing a highly efficient service as a support to prison operations.

The Department of Justice confirm that they have been made aware of the claims and have organised investigations into the allegations.

Drug Carrying Panamanian Registered Cargo Vessel Forcefully Impounded Of Cork Coast.

Gardaí have confirmed that they are fully satisfied that there is a substantial quantity of drugs located on board a Panamanian registered cargo vessel, forcefully impounded today by the Army Ranger Wing and Gardaí off the coast of Co. Cork.

Detained in Irish waters as it attempted to sail into international waters; the cargo ship was taken by force in a major military operation using armed Gardaí and trained members of the Army Ranger Wing, aided by the Naval Service.
Latter were forced to board the ‘MV MATTHEW‘, which is now being escorted into the port of Cork.
It is understood that the ship failed to stop and comply with directions to allow Irish authorities to board the vessel, hence military personnel were engaged to ‘fast rope’ on to the container ship’s deck, from the air.

Irish authorities believe that the ship is involved in trafficking cocaine across the Atlantic Ocean, before transferring it to smaller ships, for distribution to different European markets.

A second smaller boat, described as a fishing trawler, remains wedged on a sandbank since yesterday, positioned approximately 12km north of Rosslare harbour.

Originating from Latin America; today’s seizure represent a blow to the organised crime gangs and remains a part of Ireland’s continued investigation into international drug smuggling operations.
Today’s seizure is understood to have been destined for here in Ireland and other European markets and is a reflection of the amount of money willingly paid by drug addicts and casual drug users currently resident in Ireland and Europe as a whole.

Corroded 100 Year-old Grenade Located In Tipperary.

A badly corroded 100 year-old grenade located near the monument at Solohead in South West Co. Tipperary was removed to a safe location where it was destroyed in a controlled explosion on Friday last, September 22nd, by the Irish Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

**Corroded** ‘**Mills Bomb’, a fully intact ‘Mills Bomb’ and their inventor English engineer Sir William Mills**.

The corroded device located by Tipperary County Council staff carrying out road repairs, resembled an MK I time-fused fragmentation hand grenade, latter used during the early years of World War I.
The device, according to its original designer, was then the simplest, yet most fool-proof grenade ever manufactured and replaced the existing cast-iron canister, latter set on an 18-inch stick, which was dangerous to use because it often got caught on trench fronts, when lobbed.
However, the MK I was retired from active use before the war ended, and was replaced in 1918 with the improved Mk 2 grenade used through the period of World War II.

Known by a more popular name, the “Mills bomb”, this series of British hand grenades, were used by British and Imperial forces, having been designed by English engineer Sir William Mills, (24th April 1856 – 7th January 1932) who also gave us our aluminium golf clubs, known as Metallic Golfing Instrument Heads.
Some 75,000,000 of these World War I Mills Bomb grenades were manufactured, with their four-second time fuses, allowing the thrower to easily take cover before they exploded.

Numerous, similar devices are located every year here in Ireland, with one such grenade device located in the Rosemount area of Thurles, in February 2018.
On November 16th, 2017, two men, one from Cahir, Co. Tipperary and the other from Clonmel in Co. Tipperary, were arrested having in their possession two fragmentation grenades.
On the 14th of May 2020 a Mills bomb, dating back about 100 years was made safe by the Irish Army having been discovered at Harold’s Cross bridge in Dublin, while on Wednesday 6th of March 2015, a man located a grenade Mills bomb at his home while out gardening in Newtown Lawns, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
Earlier on September 22nd, 2009, a World War II ‘Mills Bomb’ was found in Cahir, Co. Tipperary.
In 2016 in the small village of Aughrim in Co. Galway another such device was located, and on Tuesday May 21st 2013 a Mills Grenade was discovered by people digging at their home in Crosshaven, Co Cork.

Most of these devices were brought smuggled home by Irish men who had joined the British Army to fight enemies on the front during World War I, and retained for intended use during Ireland’s fight for Independence, in the years 1916-22. Unused they were hidden away in private sheds or buried, to be located by future generations.

Security & Protection Review Announced For Oireachtas Members & Staff Working On Oireachtas Campus.

Security & Protection Review Announced For Oireachtas Members & Staff Working On Oireachtas Campus

The Garda Commissioner is to undertake a new security and protection review of TDs, senators, their staff and people working on the Oireachtas campus.

The chairs of the respective parliamentary parties and parliamentary groupings in the Oireachtas, and representatives of the staff and media working in Leinster House, will be asked to contribute to the review and will be met with, as part of this process.

This will allow those working in the Oireachtas to give their views on general security and protection, including their work in their constituencies, as well as on the security approach to parliamentary set days, such as Budget Day and the first sitting of Dáil terms.

This review will be concluded by the end of October and full details will be provided to the Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD .

Officials have been asked to examine whether existing legislation is sufficient to deal with intimidation centred on our democratic institutions, including consultation with the Attorney General on this matter.

The Commissioner’s review will also feed into other work being carried out under the auspices of the Oireachtas and elsewhere, such as:-

The Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life.
A review of security announced this week by the Ceann Comhairle.
The potential impact of the new security allowance for members of the Oireachtas, which was introduced earlier this year.

An Garda Síochána constantly monitors the security of elected representatives.

A recent assessment of security for office holders has led to increased protection over recent years and each Garda Division has a Crime Prevention Officer who is qualified and tasked to liaise with and provide advice to elected representatives.

Serious justifiable concerns have arisen in light of the recent incidents involving protests.

New Bill To Establish A Domestic, Sexual & Gender-Based Violence Agency.

New agency to drive and co-ordinate the Government’s response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, including refuge delivery
Position of CEO of new agency to be advertised within weeks
DSGBV Agency Bill to be taken in the Dáil by the end of the month
Agency to be up and running by January 2024

Government approval has been secured to publish a Bill to create a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and support victims and survivors.

Government approval of the new Bill should see the new agency set up and running by the end of January 2024, with the position of CEO of the new agency to be advertised by the end of the month. Candidates for the position will have three weeks to submit their application to the Public Appointments Service (PAS) following the opening of the competition.

The Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023 follows a Government decision that an agency should be established under the remit of the Department of Justice to deliver on commitments under Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV, with the Bill being introduced in the Dáil by the end of September 2023.

The new agency will bring the dedicated and expert focus that is needed to tackle the serious and complex societal problem of DSGBV. Its main functions as set out in the Bill include:–

Planning, coordinating and monitoring the development of refuge accommodation.
Providing support, including financial assistance, for the delivery of services to victims and persons at risk of DSGBV.
Developing standards for funded services, and monitoring compliance.
Co-ordinating the delivery of relevant Government strategies and plans.
Delivering public campaigns aimed at raising awareness of DSGBV and reducing its prevalence.
Carrying out ongoing research to support the development of future policies and programmes.

In carrying out its work, the agency will also be mandated to engage and consult appropriately with the DSGBV sector and other stakeholders.

The Bill has already benefited from constructive engagement with relevant Government Departments and State bodies, in particular with the Department of Children, Equality, Integration and Youth and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) in the context of the transfer of responsibility for funding of DSGBV services from Tusla to the new agency.

The agency will be led by a chief executive to be recruited by open competition, with strategic guidance and oversight from a non-executive board with expertise in relation to DSGBV, organisational management and governance, and other matters relevant to the functions of the agency.
The chief executive will be responsible to the Dept. of Justice for the performance of the agency.