Thurles Information

Decision To Follow EU Directive On Domestic Violence Welcomed.

Minister McEntee welcomes decision to opt into proposed EU Directive combating violence against women and domestic violence.

The Irish Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee TD, yesterday, welcomed approval from the Oireachtas for Ireland to opt in to the first piece of EU legislation specifically addressing violence against women and domestic violence.

The European Commission has identified gaps in protection and support measures across the European Union, and with this proposal is seeking to align EU law with established international standards, most notably the Istanbul Convention.

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention after the city in which it opened for signature 10 years ago, on May 11th 2011, is the most far-reaching international legal instrument to set out binding obligations to prevent and combat violence against women.

Under Protocol 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Government requires the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas to opt in to the EU directive.

Minister McEntee said,
“We are looking forward to engaging with our EU partners to shape a progressive and effective approach to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence for the Union.
I will shortly publish our new national strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and it is clear that DSGBV is an issue we need to tackle on all fronts – both domestically and at an EU level.
While this EU directive is a detailed and comprehensive measure, a lot of what is being proposed is not new for Ireland. But we can always strive to go further and encourage our EU partners to do likewise.
I believe that along with the publication of the new national Strategy, which is comprehensive and forward-thinking, Ireland can and will drive real progress in combatting these horrific crimes”.

This EU Commission proposal aims to ensure effective prevention of such violence, protection from violence, access to justice, victim support, and strengthened coordination across the Union.

It also aims to ensure that sexual harassment and cyber violence are addressed effectively.

While Ireland’s response can be said to be more developed that some other member states, it is felt that these type of crimes are unlikely to significantly decrease across the European Union without additional EU action and commitment to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Central Statistics Office – 2019 Prison Re-Offending Stats Welcomed.

Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee, TD, has welcomed the latest figures released from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Prison re-offending in 2019.

Drop in re-offending rates within 1 year of release from prison from 48% in 2018 to 45% in 2019
3 year reoffending rate remains static
Prisoners serving short custodial sentences (3-6 months) most likely to reoffend within a year
Younger adults released from custodial sentences continue to have a much stronger tendency to re-offen Females remain more likely to re-offend than males within three years.

Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee, TD has welcomed the latest publication today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of a statistical release on Prison Re-Offending Statistics from 2019. The release provides information on the level of recorded re-offending by individuals released from custodial or Fine Sentence sanctions within the Irish Prison Service.

The report provides information on prisoner re-offending estimates which are calculated using data provided by the Irish Prisons Service and An Garda Síochána’s PULSE reporting system.

In addition to updates of three-year and one-year re-offending rates and tables on individuals released from custody 2011-2016, this new publication also presents statistics displaying the geographical breakdown of prison re-offending in Ireland.

The report indicates that individuals released in 2019 from custodial sentences lasting between three and six months (58%) had the highest likelihood of re-offending within a year.

Speaking about the results of the report, Minister McEntee said

“I welcome the fact that the prison reoffending rates appear to have fallen from 48% in 2018 to 45% in 2019.

What is concerning is that the rate of those reoffending within a year of release remain highest for those sentenced to between 3 and 6 months imprisonment. Officials in my Department are currently finalising a review of policy options for prison and penal reform”.

The CSO publication indicates that men made up the majority of prison releases in 2016 at 92%. The statistics show that women were more likely to re-offend with 70% of women reoffending within 3 years of release compared to 62% of men.

Referring to this particular statistic, Minister McEntee indicated that
“We know that most women who offend pose a low risk to society but present with a high level of need.

The joint IPS/Probation Service Strategy “An Effective Response to Women Who Offend” provided the starting point for focused interventions for female offenders.

The new penal policy review recognises the particular needs of women who offend and will look at how best to address them”.

The report from the CSO outlines that those released from custodial sentences in 2019 that related to Burglary or Public Order offences are most likely to re-offend within a year of release. The Department of Justice is working with An Garda Síochána to tackle this specific issue.

Operation Thor, introduced in 2015 by the Gardaí to deter criminal activity related to burglary, has proved highly successful in tackling property related crime since its inception in November 2015.

In 2015, there were in excess of 18,800 residential burglaries reported. By contrast, to the end of 2021 there were just over 6,000 residential burglaries reported, a reduction of over 66% or approximately 13,000 less residential burglaries.

One Full Time Job Vacancy In Thurles.

“I see you are checking the situations vacant columns again Mikey”, said I, as I joined Mikey Ryan in the Arch Bar in Liberty Square, Thurles this dinnertime.

“I’ll tell you this and I’ll tell you no more”, said Mikey Ryan, “but didn’t I see advertised in the local paper, last week, the perfect job for any unemployed person and with absolutely no training deemed necessary“.

“And what job was that”, said I.

“WANTED one bikini waxers assistant”, said Mikey.
He continued, “All you had to do was to assist in the removal of underwear and then to rub soothing, scented oil over the waxed area, after the waxing procedure was complete”.

“Well did you apply for the job”, said I.

“No point”, said Mikey, “When I asked a member of staff at the Thurles Social Welfare office, she said I had to go to Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal”.

“Why is that where the job was being offered?” said I,
“It would be a long way to commute from Thurles, every morning, especially with the current price of petrol”, I continued.

“No it wasn’t that at all” said Mikey, “The job is here in Liberty Square, in Thurles, the Social welfare assistant assured me; but Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal was where the back of the fecking queue was currently; waiting to be interviewed!

Drugs Destined for Addresses In Tipperary Seized by Revenue Officers.

Revenue officers have seized parcels containing drugs with an estimated street value of €450,000, in the area Dublin and Athlone.

The parcels were destined for addresses in counties Tipperary, Dublin, Galway, Cork, Meath, Waterford, Kildare, Clare, Louth, Leitrim and Cavan, but were halted as part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal drugs.

In the Dublin area, routine operations at two premises saw illegal drugs seized, with an estimated value of over €370,000.
The drugs seized included small quantities of butane honey oil, cannabis resin, MDMA, ecstasy tablets, cocaine, synthetic cannabinoids and 18kgs of herbal cannabis.

In Athlone on Monday last, using the assistance of detector dogs ‘Bailey’ and ‘Sam’, Revenue officers discovered illegal drugs, while examining parcels, leading to the seizure of almost 4kgs of herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of €80,000.

Latter were concealed in various parcels labelled as ‘board games’, ‘car organisers’, ‘tuxedos’, ‘tea’, ‘jeans’ and ‘pet blanket’.

The parcels are understood to have initially originated in North America, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Investigations into both Dublin and Athlone seizures remain ongoing.

Funding Allocations For Youth Diversion Projects Announced.

Minister of State Mr James Browne announces funding allocations for Youth Diversion Projects for 2022.

Just under €6.7m in funding being allocated to over 50 projects around the country
Funding will go towards assisting projects with boundary extensions, appointing family support workers, working with harder-to-engage children and early intervention
Will contribute towards aim of providing YDP services in every county in Ireland

Minister of State with responsibility for Youth Justice, Mr James Browne T.D., is delighted to announce just under €6.7m in funding allocations for over 50 Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) nationwide.

YDPs engage with young people through a range of supports, including education, training and employment support, social enterprise initiatives, as well as personal development and supports such as mentoring, and personal development activities.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Browne said:

“Having visited many Youth Diversion Projects across the country during my time as Minister of State, I have seen first-hand the positive impact they have on both the young people who they welcome through their doors and the wider communities in which they are based.

I am delighted to see such a significant allocation be dispersed to projects right across the country. This money will help some projects extend their work into neighbouring communities, it will help some projects to devote specific resources to harder-to-engage children and it will help some projects to appoint new or additional family support workers.

This announcement follows on from the publication of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 last year, which provides a developmental framework to address key ongoing challenges, as well as new and emerging issues, in the youth justice area.”

Minister Browne continued,

“One of the objectives of the Youth Justice Strategy is to have full YDP coverage in all parts of the country. This funding goes a long way to making that possible as it will allow for current YDPs to expand their boundaries and a further €780,000 is also being set aside for the establishment of new YDPs.

It is my and the Department’s stated ambition to ensure that the provision of YDP services is available to every child in the state who would benefit from it within the next two years.”