Law « Thurles Information

Man Arrested After Drugs & Cash Seized In Co. Tipperary.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested following a drugs seizure at a house in the Bansha area of Co Tipperary.

Gardaí from the Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit, the Crime Task Force and the Limerick Dog Unit carried out an operation at the property yesterday, Thursday, 22nd January.

During the search, gardaí seized suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of €8,400, a kilo of benzocaine valued at approximately €2,000, a quantity of cannabis herb, and 3,570 alprazolam tablets with an estimated value of €7,140.

More than €2,000 in cash was also recovered, along with electronic items and paraphernalia allegedly associated with the sale and supply of controlled substances.

The seized items are expected to be forwarded for analysis, with Investigations continuing.

25 Non-Irish National Sex Offenders Removed From Ireland.

The Irish government welcomes progress on ‘Operation Moonridge’, latter a Garda operation to remove non-Irish national sex offenders from the Irish State

The Irish government has today welcomed the progress of Garda ‘Operation Moonridge’ which is successfully identifying and deporting non-Irish nationals convicted of sexual crimes.

‘Operation Moonridge’ commenced in 2025 targeting highly dangerous non-Irish nationals in the State. The operation involves identifying and locating convicted sex offenders of interest to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) for consideration for an EU Removal Order or deportation.

To date, a total of 25 sex offenders have now been removed from the State. This consists of 14 non-EU nationals and 11 EU nationals who are now all subject to exclusion from Ireland.

The government has welcomed the significant progress of this ongoing Garda operation, whereby using information provided by these bodies, GNIB identifies, targets and removes individuals who have committed sexual offences and do not have a lawful basis to remain within the State.

Operation Moonridge remains ongoing.

Irish Government To Strengthen Lawful Interception Powers.

Communications (Interception and Lawful Access) Bill will update and replace the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993
Legislation to provide for principle that lawful interception powers to address serious crime and security threats apply to all forms of communications
Legislation will include new legal basis for the use of covert surveillance software as an alternative means of lawful interception
Provision for the use of electronic scanning equipment which can locate and record identifier data from mobile devices when deployed in specific areas
Robust legal safeguards, including judicial authorisation of interception requests, to provide assurance
Structures to be included for the maximum possible degree of technical cooperation between state agencies and communication service providers

The Irish government has given their approval to develop strengthened legislation on the lawful interception of communications. This legislation is needed to ensure that the law in this area is up-to-date and can yield intelligence that is vital for dealing with serious criminality and threats to the security of the State.

Officials in the Department of Justice will now work with the Attorney General’s Office, other Departments and State agencies to develop the General Scheme of the new legislation.

Key Features of Proposed Reform of Lawful Interception Legislation.

(1) A new Communications (Interception and Lawful Access) Bill to update and replace the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993, which predates the telecoms revolution of the last 20 years.

The 1993 Act provides for the interception of postal packets (opening, delaying or preventing delivery) and telecommunications messages (listening or recording in the course of transmission) for the purposes of both criminal investigation and in the interests of the security of the State.
At present, the Act allows for interception applications to be made to the Minister for the purpose of criminal investigation (applications from the Garda Commissioner or the Police Ombudsman) or in the interests of the security of the State (applications from the Garda Commissioner or the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces). The need for an overhaul of the 1993 Act has long been identified, including in the annual reviews of its operation by Designated Judges under section 8 of the Act. These concerns relate to outmoded nature of the Act (only applicable to traditional landline and mobile communication) and the need to replace it with a modern legal framework that encompasses all forms of digital communications now in use.

(2) A clear statement of the general legal principle that lawful interception powers needed to address serious crime and security threats are applicable to all forms of communications.

The government proposes an updated legal framework which is flexible and includes comprehensive principles, policies and definitions to allow for lawful interception powers to be applied to any digital devices or services which can send or receive a communications message e.g. the “internet of things” and email / digital messaging services. The legislation will provide for a clear statement of general principle that lawful interception powers apply to all forms of communications, whether encrypted or not, and can be used to obtain either content data (the substance of a communication) or related “metadata” (data that provide information about a communication but not its content, such as phone call or email time and date, the sender / receiver of a communication, the geolocation of an electronic device or the source and destination IP address). The legislation will also apply to parcel delivery services.

The governments view is that effective lawful interception powers can be accompanied by the necessary privacy, encryption and digital security safeguards.

In June 2025, the EU Commission published a “Roadmap for lawful and effective access to data for law enforcement”, which stated that terrorism, organised crime, online fraud, drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, online sexual extortion, ransomware and many other crimes all leave digital traces. Around 85% of criminal investigations now rely on electronic evidence. Requests for data addressed to service providers tripled between 2017 and 2022 and the need for these data is constantly increasing. The Commission paper includes proposals to deliver a “technology roadmap” on encryption issues with expert input and emphasises the need to reconcile technology and lawful access concerns through industry standardisation activities. This EU initiative complements the Minister’s proposed approach to reforming the law on interception in Ireland and will inform the development of the General Scheme.

(3) Improved international cooperation and meeting Council of Europe requirements.

The development of a modern interception framework will enhance the State’s capacity for international legal cooperation with other States. Ireland is a signatory to the EU Convention on Mutual Assistance, adopted in 2000. Under this regime, mutual assistance can only be approved if it would be authorised in a similar national case. Including all forms of communications in an updated interception framework in Ireland will ensure the State can both support and benefit from an increased range of interception requests under this Convention.

The proposed General Scheme will also allow the State to meet its legal obligations under the 2001 Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention). Article 20 of this Convention requires States to have the ability to collect or record traffic data associated with specified communications and Article 21 requires that States can intercept content data, in real-time, of specified communications transmitted by a computer system.

(4) The inclusion of a new legal basis for the use of covert surveillance software as an alternative means of lawful interception to gain access to electronic devices and networks for the investigation of serious crime and threats to the security of the State.

The government also proposes to provide a legal basis for the use of covert surveillance software as an alternative means of lawful interception to gain access to electronic devices and networks for the investigation of serious crime and threats to the security of the State. This is used legally in other jurisdictions for a variety of purposes when necessary, such as gaining access to some or all of the data on an electronic device or network, covert recording of communications made using a device or disrupting the functioning of a personal or shared IT network being used for unlawful purposes. The government proposes to take into account a 2024 report from the European Commission for Democracy through Law to the Council of Europe (the Venice Commission) on this subject, “Report on a Rule of Law and Human Rights Compliant Regulation of Spyware”.

(5) Provision for the use of electronic scanning equipment which can locate and record identifier data from mobile devices when deployed in specific areas.

The government proposes to include provisions in the General Scheme to allow for the use of scanning equipment in specific locations that can locate and record identifier data on mobile devices (International Mobile Subscriber Identifier and International Mobile Equipment Identifier) in use by individuals suspected of involvement in serious crime or threats to the security of the State. The use of such equipment can be of particular value in specific defined locations (e.g. outside a single property) in providing the technical information necessary to identify individuals of concern and the persons they are associating with from a crime or security perspective.

(6) Robust legal safeguards, including judicial authorisation of interception requests, to provide assurance that lawful interception can only be permitted where lawfully authorised in specific cases and only where the circumstances meet a test of being necessary and proportionate to deal with issues relating to serious crime or threats to the security of the State.

At present, the government has responsibility for authorising interception requests under the 1993 Act. It is proposed that the General Scheme will maintain a role for the government, but will also introduce judicial authorisation of interception requests for the first time.

In addition, it is proposed that agencies making an application under the new legislation will be under an explicit statutory obligation to outline any issues that may arise with regard to privileged material. The aim is to ensure that the authorising Judge is on notice of the possibility of such issues and in a position to consider whether any conditions or directions might be needed in such cases.

The General Scheme will also confirm the role of the Independent Examiner for Security Legislation (already established under Part 7 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024) in providing ongoing monitoring and oversight of the proposed new legislation, on the same basis as currently applies for the 1993 Act. Provision will also be made for an independent complaints procedure for the use of all the legal powers concerned, similar to Complaints Referee process in section 9 of the 1993 Act.

(7) Mechanisms to promote technical cooperation and sharing of best practice.

The government notes that this new legal framework will require technical expertise to ensure that its design is guided by practical co-operation and best practices. The General Scheme will include structures to promote the maximum possible degree of technical cooperation between state agencies and communication service providers, including for the drawing up of statutory guidance, Codes of Practice, and regulations which will inform and guide the operation of the legislation in practice.

Suspected Cocaine, Cannabis & Alprazolam Seized In Tipperary Town Search.

Gardaí attached to the Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit, assisted by the Limerick Dog Unit, have seized suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of over €10,000 during a search at a premises in Tipperary Town this week.

**Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit – Drugs** **Seizure**

During the search, Gardaí also recovered alprazolam tablets and a quantity of suspected cannabis, with a combined estimated street value of €940, along with €2,200 in cash. Items believed to be associated with the sale and supply of controlled substances were also confiscated.

A male in his 20s was arrested at the scene and questioned at Tipperary Town Garda Station. He has since been charged and is due to appear before the courts in the coming weeks.

The suspected drugs will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis, and investigations are ongoing.

Irish Government To Publish International Protection Bill 2026.

Most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the Irish State.

The government has given approval to publish the International Protection Bill 2026, legislation that will lead to the “most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the State” in line with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.

The Bill will put in place a new EU framework to manage migration and asylum for the long-term and will ensure Ireland’s policy aligns with other EU countries.
The overall objective of the Bill is to provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure that is consistent with how asylum laws operate across the EU.

The Bill introduces faster processing of asylum claims with a much more efficient decision-making system. Faster processing will mean that applicants spend less time in IPAS accommodation, and it will significantly reduce the cost of the asylum system to the State. Faster decision-making will also mean that successful applicants will be granted international protection sooner, and those whose applications are refused can be returned to their country of origin sooner.

The International Protection Bill 2026 will replace the International Protection Act 2015.

In July 2025, the Department launched the first phase of pilot pact implementation programme. The first phase aimed to test the ability to process cases end-to-end within the time frame of the future Border Procedure. This requires a first and second-instance decision, with a return order where appropriate, delivered within 12 weeks, and a return effected within a further 12 weeks. During this first phase, the implementation team also mirrored some elements of the screening process as well as parts of the future border procedure that are permitted under current legislation.

Phase one was conducted from July 1st to October 7th 2025 and included applicants from three designated safe countries of origin, Georgia, India and Brazil.

During the initial three months, pilot applicants were successfully processed within the 12 week timeline permitted for first and second instance decisions under the Border Procedure. On average, cases took less than 60 days from application to final decision being issued.

This represents a significant shift from the current median processing times in the IPO and IPAT, and therefore a significant reduction in costs for accommodation and other supports.

On October 8th 2025 the second phase of the transition pilot was launched with the addition of the remaining 12 designated safe countries of origin. Early this year future phases of the pilot will be implemented, in advance of the Pact coming into effect in June 2026.

The government and the Attorney General are developing provisions for inclusion in the Bill to give effect to the proposals, approved by Government on November 26th 2025, that adults who are beneficiaries of international protection will not be entitled to seek family reunification for a period of three years following their grant of international protection.

They must also demonstrate that they are financially self-sufficient. This will be assessed by reference to appropriate income thresholds to be prescribed by the Minister. They will also have to show financial self-sufficiency and not be in receipt of certain social welfare payments or owe money relating to International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) payments.

The Government proposes to bring forward amendments at Committee Stage to address Material Reception Conditions, Restrictions of Movement, Detention, Special Reception Needs and Labour Market Access, as required by the EU Reception Conditions Directive.
Other matters to be dealt with by amendments to the Bill during the legislative process include legal counselling, legal advice and legal aid, and matters relating to data sharing.

The Bill will now be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas and follow the standard parliamentary process over the coming months with a view to enactment in the Spring session, so that it can become operational as required by EU law by June 12th 2026.

The pre-legislative scrutiny report on the General Scheme, including 92 recommendations, was published on December 1st. Some recommendations have been given effect in the published Bill, and others will be considered as the Bill proceeds through the legislative process.