“Come and join us tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, May 28th, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm, for yet another lovely organic market day.
Truly a lively community space for all to meet for a coffee; listen to our talented buskers and shop for those special goods.
As always, we will have our usual familiar vendors; some new faces and surprises every week.
This week we have a voucher for the Shop & Tea Rooms at the “Cottage Tea Rooms” in Loughmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. [Tickets are available only on market day at the ‘Market Team’ table.]
We love to meet and greet you on market days and we extend our offer of assistance to anyone who may need our help in any way. Keep a look out for us on Facebook and Instagram and thank you for visiting us at the Holycross Village Market.”
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee, yesterday announced the appointment of Mr Mark Kelly as the new Inspector of Prisons. This appointment is made following the completion of a Top Level Appointment Competition held by the Public Appointment Service, which was launched on 29 October 2021.
Announcing the appointment, the Minister said: “The role of the Inspector of Prisons is an absolutely essential element of the oversight and evaluation structures within our penal system. The Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service constantly strive to develop and evolve in how we manage our prisons and the Inspector of Prisons plays a vital role in ensuring this work is carried out to the highest human rights standards and international good practice. I am extremely pleased that Mark will be taking up this important role. I am sure his human rights experience both in Ireland and abroad will be of great benefit to the work of the Office. He joins an excellent team in the Office of the Inspector of Prisons which under his leadership and guidance will only go from strength to strength”.
The Inspector of Prisons is a statutory officer appointed by the Minister for Justice under the Prisons Act 2007. The Inspector of Prisons is independent in carrying out this work.
The key role of the Inspector of Prisons is to carry out regular inspections of all prisons in Ireland and to present a report on each institution inspected to the Minister for Justice. In addition, under Part 5 of the Prisons Act 2007, the Inspector of Prisons is required to carry out investigations into any matter relating to the operation and management of a prison as requested by the Minister for Justice. The Inspector of Prisons may also, of their own volition, decide to investigate any matter they consider to be of concern. Further, since April 2012 all deaths in custody are subject to an independent investigation by the Inspector of Prisons.
Taking up the role Mr Mark Kelly said: “I’m really looking forward to joining the Inspectorate team and to building on the work of my predecessors to establish truly independent inspection of places of detention. Looking to the future, I especially welcome the plans to expand the role of the Office to include independent monitoring of detention across the criminal justice sector in Ireland, in line with the requirements of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture (OPCAT)”.
Mr Mark Toland served in the role of interim Inspector of Prisons while the Top Level Appointment Competition was being completed. During this time, Mr Toland also continued to serve in his position as Chief Inspector of the Garda Inspectorate and the Minister has also announced today his reappointment to that position, having received Government approval of the reappointment.
The Minister added: “I would like to thank Mark Toland, the interim Inspector of Prisons, for taking on this important role while the Top Level Appointment Competition was being completed. His appointment ensured the important work of the Inspector of Prisons, so essential in safeguarding the safety and security of prisoners, was able to continue uninterrupted. I would particularly like to thank him for his commitment and dedication to the work of the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and making sure this work continued to be carried out to the highest standards during his tenure.
I am also pleased to confirm that I have received Government approval for the reappointment of Mr Toland as Chief Inspector of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate. Mark has been working effectively in the position since 2017 and I have every confidence that his experience and hard work will continue to benefit both the Inspectorate and the wider policing system over the next crucial period as we bring forward the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill and the resultant combining of the existing functions of the Garda Inspectorate and the oversight function of the Policing Authority in the new Policing and Community Safety Authority”.
[NB: Due to C-19 virus fears; those attending will continue to observe strict adherence to social distancing, face covering, with no hand shaking.]
The extended Gooney family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
The EPA has published new radon maps for Ireland that update the radon risk assessment for the country.
170,000 homes in the country are now predicted to be at risk from radon. This is an increase of 45,000 homes from the previous estimate in 2002.
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas, and every year in Ireland 350 new lung cancer cases are linked to exposure to radon.
You can check if your home is at risk/the level of risk of your home through the new Eircode map search on the EPA website.
The EPA urges all householders and businesses, especially those in high radon areas, to test for radon.
Testing for radon is simple and fixing a radon problem will reduce the risk to your health from this radioactive gas.
New radon maps, launched by the Environmental Protection Agency today, at the National Radon Forum, show an increased risk from radon in Ireland, with 170,000 homes now predicted to be at risk of radon exposure above the national reference level. This is an increase of 45,000 homes, from the previous estimate in 2002. The new maps update the radon risk assessment for the country and show that large parts of the country – particularly in Munster and Connaught – have been found to be at increased risk from radon. The map is based on work completed by Trinity College Dublin, Geological Survey of Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute alongside the EPA.
Mr Michéal Lehane, (EPA Director), speaking at today’s National Radon Forum said: “Radon is a serious public health hazard. The new maps combine thousands of radon measurements, with detailed geological information, and are a significant revision of the previous map from 2002. More importantly, the new maps make it easy for everyone to find out the radon risk in their local area using the eircode search on the EPA website. We urge people to test for radon as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas”.
Employers too have a responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from exposure to this radioactive gas. Ms Yvonne Mullooly, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), welcomed publication of the new radon maps saying: “Employers in high radon areas are obliged to test their workplaces for radon. The new maps enable them to clearly identify where they are legally obliged to test, so allows for targeting of resources in the areas where the risk from radon is highest. The HSA will continue to support employers by providing information, and through our on-line risk assessment BeSMART tool www.BeSMART.ie.” Radon testing is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. The EPA provides a list of registered radon measurement services and publishes a list of registered contractors who offer a radon remediation service if high levels are found. The maps are now available on the EPA’s website HERE and are searchable by Eircode and by address.
The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee, TD, has paid tribute to the teams working in Dublin Airport, who have supported more than 26,000 people arriving from Ukraine since the war with Russia began.
Marking the transfer of the operation of the ‘one-stop-shop’ reception facility from Dublin Airport to Citywest from Monday, May 23rd; Minister McEntee said staff across government working at the facility had responded with dedication, compassion, and care, for those fleeing the war in the Ukraine.
“When we lifted the visa restrictions for Ukrainian nationals on February 25th 2022, in response to the war, we had no idea how many people might seek safety and shelter in Ireland. Almost overnight, my Border Management Team in Dublin Airport became the State’s first responders to the hundreds of people arriving every day in the first humanitarian crisis on European soil since World War II.
The BMU staff responded with their characteristic humanity, compassion and ‘can do’ attitude, providing food, toiletries, clothing and other essential items to those arriving in the earliest days while the State rapidly readied our national response.
Just five days after the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time in its history, on March 4th, the first temporary protection permission letters were issued by staff from my Department at the ‘one-stop-shop’ reception facility in Dublin Airport. Over 27,000 permissions have since been processed during the 75 days the facility was open.
The facility itself, kindly provided to us by the DAA, was prepared by staff from across the Immigration Service of my Department in a matter of days in a sensitive and thoughtful way, including a colourful playroom full of toys for the children, and quiet spaces for the adults weary after a long and traumatic journey.
Staff from across every area and every grade of my Department volunteered for shifts at the facility – open from 8:00 am till the arrival of the last flight in the early hours of the next morning. Everyone agrees that it has been a profoundly moving and humbling experience to be part of; a practical demonstration of solidarity in a small way with all that the Ukrainian people are suffering.”
The Department of Justice has been the lead agency in the one stop shop building, ably supported by colleagues from the Departments of Social Protection; Agriculture; and Children, and the HSE; Revenue Commissioners; voluntary ambulance services; the International Organisation for Migration; and volunteers from the Ukrainian community in Ireland.
The truly collaborative effort has showcased the best of our public services, our community and voluntary sector and the private sector who have donated thousands of toys, items of clothing, sim cards and phone credit, and other supplies.
Minister McEntee added: “While the ‘one-stop-shop’ facility has now moved its operations to the larger facility in Citywest, our support for people arriving from Ukraine remains. The BMU staff continue to welcome and immigrate new arrivals daily at Dublin Airport.
Other staff from my Department are already onsite in Citywest to ensure that people receive their temporary protection permissions as quickly as possible. This is in addition to staff already operating from Rosslare Europort on sailing days and at the Ukraine Support Centres in Cork Street in Dublin and in Limerick City.
Similar efforts are also underway at all other ports of entry to the State and I want to acknowledge the teams involved in ongoing humanitarian operations there, including the Garda National Immigration Bureau.”
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