Bishop warns of possible prostitution “scourge” in Dundalk

Bishop John McAreavey

A leading bishop in the Catholic Church fears border towns such as Dundalk could be at risk of a prostitution “scourge” unless the Government bring laws in the South into line with those in the North.

Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey has warned that failure to do so would result in major problems for border towns such as Dundalk, Monaghan and Letterkenny.

“What you will find is that people who want to access prostitution could do it legally in the South but not in the North,” he told The Irish Catholic.

Calling on the Government to “prioritise” the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, Dr McAreavey said “it would be terrific thing if the whole island had similar legislation in relation to prostitution and human trafficking”.

The bishop pointed to the fact that the proposals in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, introduced by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, mirrored the approach adopted in Northern Ireland and other jurisdictions.

Acknowledging that there was a “strong political will to get this Bill onto the statue books”, Dr McAreavey warned that “with the Government coming towards the end of its life span, of course, there would be a temptation to drop it”.

However, the bishop said that he believes “the minister is very committed to it and most of the parties in the Dáil are in support of it.”

He said: “I think there is a strong political will to get this bill onto the statue books and I think it would be a really positive thing for the whole island,” he said.

Dr McAreavey also warned that there was a “lack of public awareness” about the issue of human trafficking in Ireland.

“There is an assumption that it is an issue somewhere else. It’s insidious and obviously fiercely abusive of people who don’t have too many choices and don’t have much protection,” he said.

Garda Tony Golden was “one of life’s gentlemen”

4,000 Gardaí line the streets of Blackrock as part of the funeral cortege. Picture: Niall Carroll

Garda Tony Golden was described as “one of life’s gentlemen” at his State funeral in Oliver Plunkett Church today.
Thousands gathered in the seaside village, including an estimate 4,000 Garda colleagues, to pay their respects to the father of three, who was the 88^th member of the force to be killed in the line of duty when he was shot dead in Omeath in Sunday.

The church was reserved for family members and official dignatories, including Taoiseach Enda Kenny, President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and the chief constable of the PSNI George Hamilton.

Chief celebrant Fr Padraig Keenan, parish priest of Blackrock and Haggardstown, told mourners it was difficult to imagine the grief caused by Garda Golden’s death.

“One cannot imagine the pain and hurt that is experienced by the loss of those who loved Garda Tony,” Fr Keenan said.

“Tony quietly let his light shine in so many ways through his life in a very humble way. Amidst our sadness may we be thankful for the charisma of his beautiful but too short life.”

A Ballina Stephanites GAA club jersey and hurley and family photographs were brought to the altar in memory of Garda Golden. A garda colleague, Kevin Cleary, presented some of Garda Golden’s favourite hobbies and snacks – a remote control, a can of Coke, crisps, ‘Drifter’ bar of chocolate and Hunky Dorys.

Father Keenan said news of Garda Golden’s death had shattered Co Louth and beyond on Sunday evening.

“In the stillness of a beautiful Sunday evening, last Sunday, we shared as a nation in the joy of a momentous sporting moment on the playing field of the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff,” he said.

“That stillness was shattered in the picturesque village of Omeath as it became the centre of national and international coverage in light of the tragic events that unfolded.

“The magnitude of what took place brings to mind all those who have been affected in so many ways.

“Tragically it resulted in the cold blooded murder of Garda Tony Golden in the line of duty.  Murder is evil, murder has no place in our society.  Murder must stop.  All forms of violence must stop.

“We remember in our thoughts and prayers the young woman Siobhan who is seriously injured.

“Garda Tony is the 88th member of An Garda Síochána who has died protecting our country, our society and our community.

“It is 88 members too many.

“He like all the others is mourned by the entire nation.

“His murder brings to mind once again all the families and communities that have been affected on our island.”

Mourners heard how North Louth has been affected by the Troubles in years gone by and how Garda Golden’s death was a harsh reminder of the death of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan in January 2013.

“Too many hearts have been broken, and lives shattered,” Fr Keenan told the church.

“I say on this day, from the depths of my heart – and I am sure I speak for all people of goodwill – when I say that there is no place for violence in our society, violence is wrong, always wrong.

“As a husband, father, son, brother family member and friend, each and every one of his family circle expressed such love and pride for Tony.

“Tony was one of life’s gentlemen.  As Patrick his brother said to me, “A big gentle giant”, a lovely man.

“He had a charisma that was calm, gentle and polite, as reflected in our second reading.

“Tony showed us a way to love that is better than anything else in life.  Tony with Nicola believed in life, a life that gave them hope in the spirit of love.

“Tony made his time on this earth beautiful in so many ways, and in one’s brokenness, they will be the memories to be always treasured and cherished forever.”

He assured the congregation that Tony’s spirit would be with his three children as they grow up.

Gardaí had earlier escored Tony’s remains from his house in Sandygrove to the church, with thousands of his colleagues lining the way to the church.

Large screens were erected in Blackrock so mourners could watch the funeral proceedings, with RTÉ providing a live audio broadcast on their website.

Tony is survived by his wife Nicola (nee O’Sullivan), children Lucy, Alex and Andrew, parents Breege and David, brothers David, Kenneth, Patrick and Sean, sister Mary, parents-in-law Tony and Iris, sisters-in-law Majella, Laura, Aisling and Tara, brother-in-law Jonathan, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, relatives, friends and colleagues in An Garda Síochána.

Earlier, former Justice Minister and local TD Dermot Ahern described Blackrock as “shattered” by the tragedy.

“I’m a member of this community, born and bred, and we’re absolutely shattered,” he said.

“Tony’s wife is a local here; I know her and I know her parents very well. I knew Tony. And the whole place is just completely shattered with what’s happened.”

Burial will follow the funeral in Heynestown Cemetery.

Number of Gardaí in Dundalk falls by 12% in last five years

Dundalk Garda Station

The number of Gardaí in Dundalk has fallen by one eighth in the last five years.

That’s according to new figures from the Garda Commissioner, which were provided to local TD Fergus O’Dowd by Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald.

The figures show there were 117 Gardaí stationed in Dundalk Garda Station this month, compared with 133 in September 2010 – a drop of 12%.

The number of Gardaí in the Dundalk Garda Division – taking in Blackrock, Carlingford, Dromad, Hackballscross and Omeath – has also fallen by 13.4% during that period.

Blackrock now has four Gardaí compared with five in 2010, while Carlingford has also dropped from six to five, with neighbouring Omeath going from five to four.

The biggest fall has been in Hackballscross, which now has five Gardaí stationed there compared with eight five years ago.

Dromad, meanwhile, remains unchanged with seven Gardaí.

In Mid-Louth, the number of Gardaí in Ardee has fallen from 30 to 26, while in Castlebellingham there is now half the number there was five years ago with two Gardaí as opposed to four in September 2010. Louth continues to have one Garda present.

Dunleer, which is in the Drogheda Garda Division, was the only areas to gain in the last five years with six Gardaí stationed there now compared with five in 2010.

Across the board in Co Louth, the number of Gardaí stationed in the Louth Garda Division has fallen from 318 in September 2010 to 280 this September – a drop of just under 12%.

McKevitt to begin series of temporary releases

Michael McKevitt

Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt is set to begin an ongoing programme of temporary releases within weeks to prepare him for his full release from prison next year after a u-turn on the issue by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.

The 65-year-old, from Beech Park in Blackrock, is nearing the end of a 20-year sentence and is now scheduled to enjoy a first short period of temporary release, likely for a weekend, by the end of the month.

A spokesman for Ms Fitzgerald said: “It is not the policy nor would it be appropriate for the Department to make any comment regarding the detail of the management of any individual prisoner’s sentence.”

Stephen McKevitt, Michael’s eldest son, said while his father was still not being released from Portlaoise Prison for a prolonged period to recover from having a cancerous kidney removed, the family welcomed the reinstatement of his pre-release programme, which is not linked to his illness.

“After our campaign began to gain some momentum which included the support of a number of TDs, Francis Fitzgerald reinstated the pre-release programme without explanation,” he said of the decision taken last Friday.

“My family is seeking clarity as to why the pre-release programme was revoked in the first place, then reinstated within days and most importantly why my father was returned to prison without even a basic medical assessment.”

McKevitt Snr, who was one of four men found liable for the 1998 Omagh bombing in a civil action taken by relatives of the dead, is serving 20 years for directing terrorism and was also convicted of membership of an illegal organisation.

He was returned to prison last month 5½ weeks after surgery to have a cancerous kidney removed.

His family told The Irish Times last week they believed he needed up to three months recovery at home. They added his being returned to prison on June 22nd came with no warning after three months of release on health grounds and was a political decision rather than a medical one.

They also said that a pre-release programme agreed for him from the present time to the expiry of his sentence next Easter had been cancelled without explanation at the same time he was returned to jail the week before last.

Source: The Irish Times

38 fewer Gardaí in Louth Division than in 2010, figures reveal

Seamus Kirk TD

Garda numbers in Co Louth have fallen substantially in the last five years.

Local TD Seamus Kirk has learned that there are now 38 fewer Gardaí in the Louth Division since 2010, having put forward a parliamentary question on the matter to Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.

While Dundalk Garda Station hasn’t suffered like elsewhere, many smaller areas throughout the county have.

Commenting on the figures, Deputy Kirk said: “The figures that I have obtained show that Garda resources have been slashed by Fine Gael and Labour since they came to office. There are now 38 fewer Gardai in the Louth Division compared to five years ago.
“Drogheda has seen the most dramatic reduction in numbers with 22 fewer Gardaí being attached to Drogheda Garda Station since 2010. The reduction in manpower has occurred across the county with Ardee, Castlebellingham, Collon, Blackrock, Dromad and Hackballscross all experiencing personnel cutbacks.

“There is a feeling in communities in Louth that crime rates are on the rise. People do not feel as safe as they used to in their own homes. This comes as no surprise considering the cutback in resourcing for the Gardaí that the Government has overseen since coming to office.

“The Government has been attempting to downplay the crime crisis by hiding behind official crime figures. However Fianna Fáil has spent the past three years saying that gaping holes in frontline policing are leading to a spike in crime levels. Every community that I visit identifies rising crime levels as a top concern. It is no coincidence that these feelings are expressed at a time when Garda numbers are falling.

“It is time for the Government to admit that rising crime levels is a serious problem in our communities. Action must be taken to reverse this trend. More resources are needed for our police force, and this includes restoring manpower to Garda stations. The only resourcing initiative that the Government has announced for policing is a small intake of student Gardaí for this year. However it has been highlighted by Garda management that this intake will barely even cover the number of people retiring from the force each year,” said Deputy Kirk.

Louth named Ireland’s speeding blackspot

Louth has emerged as the country’s speeding blackspot, with 95% of all motorists nationally who were driving over the limit in 120km/h zones over a four-year period detected in the county.

According to figures provided by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, the Wee County accounted for 95% of all motorists nationwide caught speeding in a zone with a limit of 120km/h between November 2010 and February 2014.

In data supplied to Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan, Minister Fitzgerald confirmed that Louth recorded a whopping 7,077 detections out of a nationwide figure of 9,482.

The next highest was Dublin (790), Longford (872) and Kildare (261).

Cork has the highest number of detections (16,280) in zones with 100km/h limit, followed by Wicklow (11,991) and Meath (10,597), Clare (7,207) and Dublin (5,272).

Dublin is the most ticketed area in the country for speeding, with 172,309 tickets for speeding in a 60km/h zone and 143,344 in a 50km/h zone.

The next nearest county for the issue of fines in a 60km/h zone is Limerick at 15,876 and Cork in a 50km/h zone with 37,066.

The detections were made by the 50-strong Go Safe vans and the gardaí’s own eight Gatso vans over the period.

The Go Safe vans, which do not patrol motorways for speeding, have produced €18.9m in revenues from fines and the minister said that the income “is retained and offset against the cost of the safety camera contract”.

The Go Safe consortium secured the €80m Garda contract in 2009 and was recording operating profits of around €50,000 per week in 2012.

However, the consortium has since put its profits off limits by re-registering as an unlimited company where it is no longer required to file annual accounts.

The firm’s operation has come under scrutiny in recent months, with district court judges in Clare and Monaghan throwing out en masse Go Safe speeding prosecutions.

AA director of corporate affairs, Conor Faughnan, said: “The bar stool view is the speeding van system is all a racket, but we have done systematic research to find that this is not the case.”

He said: “As far as we are concerned, Go Safe is performing very, very well and it does save lives. Go Safe is supported by around 80% of Irish motorists who believe that the system does make Irish roads safer, but you have a cohort of 10% or 12% who think differently.”

Mr Faughnan said that the figures relating to Louth “don’t indicate that local driver behaviour is bad, but that Louth may be a victim of geography with two major roads, the M1 and M3 going through it.”

Source: Irish Examiner

McKevitt loses prison release bid

Michael McKevitt

Michael McKevitt, who is serving a 20-year sentence for directing terrorism and membership of the Real IRA, has failed in his bid to be released from prison immediately.

McKevitt, from Beech Park in Blackrock, claimed that his participation in structured prison activities entitled him to enhanced one third remission of his prison sentence.

He claimed he was entitled to such remission because he had participated in activities including computer courses, speech and drama, art, French, yoga and an Open University course in creative writing.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said she was entitled to refuse him remission taking into account garda views and other matters relating to his risk of reoffending.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly ruled yesterday that participation in structured activities in prison had as its object a reduction in the likelihood of reoffending but he said the minister must be satisfied such an object had been achieved.

Simply because a prisoner engaged in structured activities, he said, that did not mean a reduction in the likelihood of reoffending had automatically been achieved.

He said the minister was entitled to take into account all of the matters before her.

And he said even if one excluded the evidence of gardaí then there was an abundance of other material allowing the minister to reach her decision to refuse to grant him enhanced remission.

He refused to quash her decision and rejected McKevitt’s application.

Source: RTÉ News

Ludlow family meet with Minister for Justice

Seamus Ludlow RIP

The family of Mr Seamus Ludlow, who was murdered in Dundalk on May 2nd 1976, met with the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgearld in Dundalk earlier today.

The meeting was organised to press the Minister for answers to a number of questions which the family have been seeking to have clarified for a number of years.

In 2006 the Oireachtas Justice Committee recommended a fresh inquiry into the killing of the 47-year-old, who was shot dead near his home at Thistle Cross in Mountpleasant by Loyalists 38 years ago.

The family are expected to ask why the inquiry is taking so long and press for movement on the matter.

€1.45m in funding for Dundalk and Drogheda to combat childhood disadvantage

Dundalk and Drogheda were today selected as one of nine areas to enter the design stage of the Area-Based Childhood (ABC) Programme 2013.

Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald announced that €1.45m would be made available to the two towns to help combat childhood disadvantage.

In total 13 areas are involved in the programme with €30m invested overall.

The ABC programme targets additional investment in evidence-based early interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in areas of disadvantage.

The project has been managed by the Department of Children & Youth Affairs in conjunction with the Office of an Tánaiste.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Eamon Gilmore TD who is co-sponsoring the initiative said: “I am extremely pleased with the progress to date on the ABC Programme. This is an initiative that is already making a real and positive difference to the lives of children and their families in disadvantaged areas. I look forward to the outcome of the design phase which will see this programme extended from the existing three sites, to up to thirteen areas, not just the ten we committed to do in the Programme for Government.”