Law « Thurles Information

2025 Garda Recruitment Campaign Announced.

The 2025 Garda recruitment campaign will open for applications on February 6th, 2025, for a 3 week period.
New trainees eligible for increased training allowance of €354.00 per week.

The provision of more than €2.48 billion in Budget 2025, will support the recruitment of new Garda members, Garda staff and Garda Reserves. The Programme for Government also commits to providing funding to recruit at least 5,000 new Gardaí over the next five years.

Recruitment into An Garda Síochána has accelerated following the forced closure of the Templemore, Co. Tipperary, Garda College during the pandemic. The 2024 Garda recruitment campaign received a strong response, with almost 6,400 applications, one third of which were from the 35-49 age group. That was the first time that those aged over 35 could apply.

The new Programme for Government outlines a number of measures intended to strengthen An Garda Síochána; expand the organisation’s resources and modernise support to tackle crime.
These include:

A reform of the Garda recruitment and training processes to increase capacity.
Examining the introduction of an accelerated graduate entry programme to An Garda Síochána.
Implementation of a new Garda Capital Plan to deliver modern, well-equipped Garda stations across the country.

Prospective candidates can visit publicjobs.ie in the coming days, hopefully, for more information on how to apply.

Drugs With A Street Value Of €200,000 Seized In Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

One man has been arrested after the seizure of approximately 10kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated street value of some €200,000, in the town of Cashel, South Co. Tipperary.

This seizure was conducted following a joint operation undertaken by Revenue’s Customs Service, the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) and the Tipperary Divisional Drugs Unit.

Following an intelligence-led operation Gardaí arrested a man, understood to be aged in his 30s, in connection with this incident.

He currently remains detained at a Garda Station in Co Tipperary, held under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

Garda investigations are continuing.
This seizure is part of ongoing joint investigations involving organised crime groups and the importation, sale and supply of illegal drugs.

Independence Day.

The Independence Day song tells the sad story of a mother and daughter living with an abusive husband, told through the eyes of a young girl.
On July 4th, [Independence Day (United States)] the child walks down to the fairgrounds and while she is out, her mother burns down their house, with herself and her husband inside, thus achieving her own “Independence Day.”

Lyrics: Retired American singer and songwriter Gretchen Peters.
Vocals: Powerful voice of American country/pop singer and songwriter Martina Mariea McBride.

Independence Day.

Well, she seemed all right by dawn’s early light,
Though she looked a little worried and weak.
She tried to pretend he wasn’t drinkin’ again,
But daddy left the proof on her cheek,
I was only eight years old that summer,
And I always seemed to be in the way,
So I took myself down to the fair in town,
On Independence Day.

Well, word gets around in a small, small town,
They said he was a dangerous man,
But mama was proud and she stood her ground,
She knew she was on the losin’ end.
Some folks whispered, some folks talked,
But everybody looked the other way,
And when time ran out there was no one about,
On Independence Day.

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing,
Let the whole world know that today,
Is a day of reckoning.
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong,
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay,
It’s Independence Day.

Well, she lit up the sky that fourth of July,
By the time that the firemen come.
They just put out the flames,
And took down some names,
And send me to the county home.
Now I ain’t sayin’ it’s right or it’s wrong,
But maybe it’s the only way.
Talk about your revolution,
It’s Independence Day.

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing,
Let the whole world know that today,
Day of reckoning.
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong,
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay,
It’s Independence Day.
Roll the stone away,
It’s Independence Day.

END.

Loss Of Life On Island Of Ireland Roads Reaches 242 in 2024.

A total of 174 people lost their lives on roads in the Republic of Ireland in 2024, while 68 people died on Northern Ireland’s roads during this same period. This is according to statistics published by the Road Safety Authority and based on statistics from operational data supplied by An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

This figure of road death victims in the Republic of Ireland is down by 7 (4% decrease), from the figure of 181 reported in 2023, according to An Garda Síochána supported data.
The counties that recorded the highest number of deaths were Dublin (23), Cork (19), Mayo (19) and Donegal (17); same accounting for 45% of all fatalities last year. In 2023, the highest number of road deaths was in Tipperary (16).

In the Irish Republic these deaths were as a direct result of 160 fatal collisions, and include 39 pedestrians; 71 vehicle drivers; 35 passengers; 4 E-Scooters/passengers, and 17 motorcyclists.

Analysis of the figures further reveal a high proportion of male fatalities, with a year on continued increase of young fatalities amongst those aged 25 years old or less, with a high number of same fatal collisions taking place between the hours of 4:00pm and 8:00pm.

In February of 2025, the default speed limit on rural local roads is expected to be reduced, following the recommendation of the 2023 Speed Limit Review.

New Hate Crime Legislation Comes Into Force.

Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 increases prison sentences for certain crimes motivated by hatred.
Law will protect people targeted because of certain characteristics including race, colour, sexual orientation, gender, and disability.

An order has been signed, which will come into force today (Tuesday 31 December), under the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024, which increases prison sentences for certain crimes motivated by hatred.

This new legislation provides for crimes, which are proven to be motivated by hatred, or where hatred is fully demonstrated. For example, the legislation ensures that assault aggravated by hatred, or damage to property aggravated by hatred, will attract higher prison sentences. Where hatred is not proven, a person can still be charged with assault or damage to property.

This legislation will protect people targeted because of certain identity characteristics namely – race; colour; nationality; religion; national or ethnic origin; descent; disability; gender; sex characteristics and sexual orientation. The Act creates new, aggravated forms of certain existing offences – i.e. hate crimes – where they are aggravated by hatred of one or more of these protected characteristics.

Ireland has faced criticism from the Council of Europe and other International Human Rights bodies, which had, until now, highlighted that there was no specific or statutory provision for hate-aggravated offences in Ireland.

Incitement to hatred and hate speech are criminalised separately under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989, which continues to remain in force.