Tag Archives: crime

THE economic downturn and consequent emigration have resulted in a dramatic drop in certain types of crimes over the past six years, Clare’s most senior garda has claimed. According to crime statistics outlined at a recent meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, reported incidents of damage to property and the environment more than halved between 2008 and 2014, going from 934 down to 395 last year. Public order and other social code offences also dropped significantly over the same period, going from 1,456 reported in 2008 to 765 over the course of 2014. “These are often late at night, drink-fuelled, stupid acts of criminal damage. There is no doubt that CCTV in towns like Kilrush and Ennis have also impacted that, but we have to accept that the downturn in the economy and the subsequent emigration have had a positive impact on these figures, one of the only things it has had a positive impact on really,” Garda Chief …

TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace have vowed not to pay €2,000 fines imposed on them at Ennis District Court this evening, after Judge Patrick Durcan found them guilty of offences at Shannon Airport last summer. Asked is she would pay the monies Deputy Daly replied “absolutely not” while the Wexford man replied “You know what, I wouldn’t pay that fine to save my life.” They also say they will not appeal the convictions. The TDs faced charges of climbing a perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and entering a part of the airport to which they were not permitted on July 22 of last year, contrary to the Airport Byelaws of 1994. Ms Daly said that the two TDs will continue to be active in the campaign against the US military use of Shannon. “Of course we will, yeah. We will absolutely continue in this and we have not intention of paying a financial contribution to a State that allow …

TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly both addressed Ennis District Court on Tuesday, claiming Ireland is complicit in atrocities through its decision to allow the US military to use Shannon Airport. They criticised the lack of inspections on aircraft being used by the US military, claiming that relying on diplomatic assurances from America is hopelessly inadequate. The two are accused of climbing a perimeter fence at Shannon and entering a part of the airport to which they were not permitted on July 22 of last year. During evidence on Tuesday, both freely acknowledged that they had entered the area in question but claimed they were left with no other option due to the lack of inspections being carried out by the authorities. They said they had been told to provide some concrete evidence to justify inspections and that their attempt to get to a US aircraft on the Shannon tarmac was a response. Mr Wallace also spoke about his experiences …

WEAPONS have been routinely carried through Shannon by the US military, it was claimed at Ennis District Court on Tuesday, during a hearing into a case against TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly. During evidence, Irish Times security analyst, Tom Clonan played a recording taken from a plane at Shannon, which advised soldiers to leave their weapons on board. Also, a former Irish army officer warned that missiles that were brought through the airport on one occasion could have resulted in it being blown up, along with much of the adjacent Shannon Industrial Estate. Mr Wallace, 59, of Clontarf Road, Dublin 3, and Ms Daly, 46, of Elmwood Drive, Swords, Dublin, are accused of climbing a perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and entering a part of the airport to which they were not permitted on July 22 of last year, contrary to the Airport Bylaws of 1994. While the case is being contested, neither have denied that they entered restricted …

GUNS have routinely been carried through Shannon by the US military, it was claimed at Tuesday’s hearing into a case against TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly. Also at the hearing a former Irish army officer warned that missiles brought through the airport on one occasion could have resulted in it being blown up, along with much of the neighbouring industiral estate. Deputy Mick Wallace of Clontarf Road, Dublin 3 and Clare Daly of Elmwood Drive, Swords, Dublin are both accused of climbing a perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and entering a part of the airport to which they were not permitted on July 22 of last year, contrary to the Airport Byelaws of 1994.                 While the case is being contested neither have denied that they did enter restricted parts of the airport by climbing a fence, indeed at one point in Tuesday’s sitting Mr Wallace jokingly asked for the return of …

ENNIS councillors have called for garda numbers in Clare to be restored, following a drop in strength of one sixth of the force since 2010. Despite the drop in garda numbers, the Mayor of Ennis Municipal District (EMD) has congratulated Superintendent Derek Smart from the Ennis Garda District on what he described as “probably the best work done in the country”, following a crackdown by gardaí on moneylenders targeting vulnerable people. The figures on the fall in garda numbers were outlined to Ennis Municipal District (EMD) councillors by Superintendent Smart during a quarterly meeting at County Hall. He said, since 2010, 53 gardaí have retired, two have died and a further two resigned. In the past two months, two more gardaí have retired and three have commenced three-year incentivised career breaks, with four more to take this up before April 1, and another due for transfer. As a result, Garda numbers in the Clare division are down by 53, or …

A MAN is currently in custody at Ennis Garda Station following an alleged incident in Clarecastle this morning, during which it is claimed another man was threatened with a firearm. The man who was allegedly threatened is understood to have been working on the installation of a water meter. A Garda statement this afternoon said that a 59-year-old man had been arrested in relation to a firearms incident, which happened at around 9.20am. He is being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. The incident is said to have occurred at Quay Road and it is understood that a firearm, which is now being technically examined,  was recovered during a subsequent search of the area.   Owen Ryan

THE Lead singer of Irish rock group The Cranberries, Dolores O’Riordan, is currently being detained at Shannon Garda Station having been arrested at Shannon Airport this morning in connection with an alleged assault on board a flight. The singer was travelling on a flight from New York’s JFK airport and was arrested after it made its scheduled arrival at Shannon airport at 5.45am this morning (Monday). It is alleged that Ms O’Riordan assaulted a female air hostess during the flight and subsequently in the course of her arrest it is further alleged that she assaulted a male garda. An Aer Lingus air hostess received injuries to her leg during the flight and is presently being treated at University Hospital Limerick. The Limerick singer can be detained at Shannon Garda Station for a maximum of 12 hours.