Law « Thurles Information

New legislation, Criminalising Grooming Of Children Into Crime, Approved By Government.

* Up to five years in prison for grooming children into a life of crime.
* Minister Harris determined to break the link between gangs and youths they try to recruit.
* New legislation will give An Garda Síochána and other State agencies a mandate to intervene at a local level to disrupt and prevent this harm from taking place.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, has today secured Cabinet approval to publish the Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023.

The Bill will, for the first time, create specific offences where an adult compels, coerces, induces or invites a child to engage in criminal activity.

Minister Harris is determined to protect children and teenagers from being coerced into a life of crime and the penalty on conviction is up to five year’s imprisonment.

The new offence will be a separate, prosecutable offence on top of the provisions in current law where an adult who causes or uses a child to commit a crime can generally be found guilty as the principal offender – meaning they can be punished as though they committed the crime themselves.

This will ensure the law will specifically recognise the harm done a child, by drawing them into a world of criminality.

In welcoming this approval, Minister Harris said: “The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and breaking the link between gangs and the vulnerable young people they seek to recruit.
This legislation is aimed at preventing criminal networks from exploiting children to commit crime. Some children and teenagers are being deceived by criminal networks into believing crime can bring wealth, bling and a party lifestyle, but in reality, it brings debts, fear and potentially worse.
Criminal behaviour and conviction can alter the course of a child or a person’s life – damaging employment, education, travel prospects, damaging social connections and overall leading to more negative life outcomes.
Children and teenagers can be more vulnerable to coercion or encouragement to get involved in crime and we need to protect against this.
This Bill will outlaw the grooming of children into crime by making it an offence for an adult to compel, coerce, direct or deceive a child for the purpose of engaging in criminal activity, or for an adult to induce, invite, aid, abet, counsel or procure a child to engage in criminal activity.”

Minister Harris believes that one of the main benefits of this new legislation will lie in the ability it will give to An Garda Síochána to intervene locally to prevent offences taking place.

It will also be a significant contribution to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s drive to tackle child poverty and disadvantage and his ambition to make Ireland the best country in Europe in which to be a child.

Today’s Cabinet approval follows Minister Helen McEntee progressing the draft law in recent years, including commitments in Minister McEntee’s Justice Plans to break the link between gangs and the children they try to recruit into crime.

Minister Harris added: “This legislation will send a strong message to communities that grooming children into criminal activity is not acceptable and can be tackled, and I hope to enact it by the summer recess.”

The Bill will provide an effective tool to help break that link between these children and the adults who control their offending, which in turn is likely to reduce offending by children in these circumstances.

The legislation has also been informed by the Greentown Project, which is being implemented by the University of Limerick in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The aim of the project is to investigate the involvement of children in criminality and to establish interventions to tackle the problem. The Greentown Report showed that criminal networks in many areas operate coercive control over young children.

Gardaí Warn Against Purchasing Fake Driving Licences.

Gardaí are warning motorists with regards the purchasing of fake driving licences for considerable sums of money.

They warn that while the proposition of buying a fake licence may be appealing to those persons finding difficulty with passing their driving test; same is illegal and warrants a serious criminal fraud offence.

Gardaí claim that an increasing number of fake driving licences are currently being identified, particularly in counties bordering on the east side of Co. Tipperary. Gardaí are also aware of online posts across social media, which currently offer these fake licences.

Gardaí warn that same fake licenses even if they appear to be of superb quality; the driver number cannot be matched on the National Driver Licence Service, (NDLS) system. Gardaí now routinely scan all licenses on a mobility device, which immediately highlight such imitations thus leading to an arrest.

If you drive with a fake driving license, or indeed with no license; you are driving without insurance, latter in itself a serious offence, on top of the no driving licence offence.

Suspected Edibles Containing Synthetic Cannabinoids Seized By Nenagh Gardaí.

Yesterday, Gardaí in the Nenagh area of Co. Tipperary, carried out a series of searches, which resulted in the confiscation of a large quantity of Cannabis edibles; same suspected to contain synthetic cannabinoids. This was the second such known seizure in recent days, within Co. Tipperary.

Often labelled “not for human consumption” for liability defence; Synthetic cannabinoids are designed to be similar to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and are a class of designer drug molecules which attempt to avoid legal restrictions on cannabis use.

The health effects from using synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable and harmful; even life threatening. Anyone who has a serious reaction to synthetic cannabinoids should call 911 or go immediately to their hospital emergency department.
Synthetic cannabinoids can cause severe illness including:- Heart Attack, Strokes, Kidney Failure, Breathing Problems, Seizures, Gastrointestinal Problems, Rapid Heart Rate, High Blood Pressure, Muscle Damage and sadly even Death.

A quantity of suspected cocaine was also seized, following these searches.

One male has now been arrested and detained at Nenagh Garda station.

Further investigations are continuing into the sale and supply of these products.

Commissioner Drew Harris Warns Of Sinister Agenda Causing Fear In Communities.

Attestation Of New Garda Members Welcomed At Templemore Co. Tipperary Training College.

24 Gardaí – 6 women and 18 men – attested in Templemore today.
Further recruitment campaign to be launched in the coming months to build stronger, safer communities.
1,000 new Gardaí to be recruited this year under Budget 2023.
200 recruits to enter Garda college every 11 weeks from next month.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, has welcomed the attestations of 24 members of An Garda Síochána at the Garda College, Templemore today, ahead of a significant acceleration of recruitment this year.

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

Minister Harris said: “I want to congratulate the recruits passing out in Templemore today. Their commitment to the security of the people of Ireland and to building stronger, safer communities is something which is to be commended and which we are all grateful for.
An Garda Síochána works tirelessly to ensure that people all over the country can go about their daily lives safely and securely. Much of this Trojan work goes unseen, and occasions like today’s attestation ceremony are important opportunities to recognise and acknowledge the efforts of our Gardaí.
In return, it is the role of Government to support the work of An Garda Síochána and my Department is committed to providing that support by way of unprecedented funding and strong legislation.
I particularly welcome that, from next month, we will see 200 recruits enter the college every 11 weeks to meet our target, funded in Budget 2023, of recruiting 1,000 new Gardaí in 2023.
In the coming months, we will launch a new recruitment campaign for An Garda Síochána to ensure we have a steady pipeline of recruits entering Templemore over the coming years.
I wish the new recruits every success in their careers.”

Budget 2023 reflects the commitment of Government to ensuring that our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources required to operate effectively.
The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €2.14 billion for 2023.
In recent weeks, Minister Harris also announced an additional capital allocation of €21.5 million to support significant investment in a replacement helicopter and fixed wing plane for An Garda Síochána.

While recruitment was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s group of new recruits is one in a steady stream of groups which will continue to join the ranks of An Garda Síochána regularly throughout this year and the years to come.
The first recruits from the 2022 recruitment campaign will begin their training in Templemore soon and a new recruitment campaign will launch in the coming months.

Of the 24 attesting today, 18 are men, 6 are women, with 4 of the new recruits born outside of the Irish State.

Far-right individuals causing fear and concern within Irish communities.

Also in attendance and speaking at the garda graduation ceremony in Templemore, Co. Tipperary was the Garda Commissioner Mr Drew Harris. Speaking on RTE News this evening and referring to a number of demonstrations which have taken place recently, against the housing of refugees and asylum seekers in Dublin; Commissioner Harris confirmed that inquiries are ongoing into what he described as “a small number of far-right individuals”, who have and are using public protests to pursue their own sinister agendas, thus through misinformation are disrupting and causing considerable fear and concern within certain communities.

Commissioner Harris said that while most protests remain peaceful, Gardaí have become strongly aware of what is actually happening on the ground and also in the background. Gardaí are continuing their inquiries into these protest groups, who are known to have alternative motives. He further stated that such motives were being driven by prejudice and have a sinister agenda, adding that Gardaí will act when there is a breach of the criminal law.
Video footage of these protests, randomly shared on social media by individuals, regrettably, fails to explain what is truely going on behind the scenes.

Thefts Of Home Heating Oil In Tipperary.

Gardaí in Tipperary are appealing to the public to be vigilant following a number of thefts of home heating oil in the past number of days.

Gardaí advise householders to check the oil levels in their tanks on a regular basis and where possible, arrange for smaller deliveries.
Security perimeter lighting should be increased around homes and shrubs or fencing erected where possible to screen the view of any oil tanks from the public road.

If you notice any suspicious vehicles in your estate or in the vicinity of your land, please note the registration plates and contact your local Garda Station as soon as possible.

Tipperary Town Garda Station, where thefts have been already reported, can be contacted on Tel No: 062-80670 or alternatively any information can be given to the Garda Confidential Line Tel No: 1800-666-111.