Tag Archives: Department of Justice

DOG theft has been raised with the Department of Justice by Deputy Cathal Crowe, who has sought clarity on plans to tighten existing legislation.  The Fianna Fáil member asked Junior Minister James Browne to make a statement and was told that changes to the legislation may be considered.  Responding to Deputy Crowe’s question, Minister Browne described dog theft as “an incredibly cruel crime which causes huge trauma for pet owners”. “I fully appreciate the strong emotional attachment we all have to our pets and that theft not only leads to their loss in our lives, but also a high level of concern for their welfare,” he said. “It is also a crime which often affects, and is indeed often targeted against, older and particularly vulnerable people, for whom their pet is of huge emotional importance.” Minister Browne noted that, in sentencing, judges look not only at the monetary value of the pet but also the emotional distress caused to the …

THE introduction of a new Regularisation Scheme for Undocumented Migrants will help address the skills shortage in the medical, hospitality and construction industry, according to a local accountant. The proposed scheme, which is expected to be unveiled by the Department of Justice over the coming weeks, will give migrants unrestricted access to the labour market, and allow them to apply for citizenship later. David Williams is urging Clare employers to encourage their employees to familiarise themselves and engage with this scheme to help reduce the growing number of vacancies across a number of sectors. Of the 30 sectors analysed by the IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index in the third quarter of 2021, 24 posted quarterly increases in vacancy generation and 19 surpassed their pre-Covid rate. In tourism, travel, and airlines, a sector severely impacted by the pandemic and lockdown, vacancies increased by plus 80% quarter-on-quarter and plus 3,607% year-on-year. Vacancies in construction, architecture, and property rose plus 25% quarter-on-quarter and plus 178% …

MEMBERS of a Sixmilebridge family have been invited to a meeting with the Department of Justice to “explain the next steps” of a state inquiry regarding the death of Patrick Nugent in 1984. The state inquiry led by Judge Patrick Clyne is a report into the Garda investigation of the death of the then 23-year-old banqueting manager in Bunratty. The Nugent family will be accompanied by their solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRM Law LLP, when they meet the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Justice to discuss Judge Clyne’s report. Having received the advice of the Attorney General, Justice Minister Heather Humphreys told Deputy Michael McNamara in the Dáil on Tuesday the Department of Justice had invited the Nugent family to a meeting to “explain the next steps in relation to Judge Clyne’s final report”. “This meeting is due to take place in person next week. I do appreciate Mr Nugent’s family are most anxious to receive the outcome …

THE highly controversial emergency direct provision centre in Miltown Malbay is to close immediately. The Department of Justice and Equality has informed residents that all transfers will be completed by the end of this week. Also, there are no further plans for the premises in Miltown Malbay to be used as a direct provision centre. Miltown Malbay Welcome Group has expressed relief that the residents of the centre will now be relocated. “Although we are saddened to think that we are losing the men who have added so much to our small community, we hope that they will now be accommodated in places where their safety, dignity, human rights and privacy are respected,” the organisation said. Deputy Cathal Crowe said, “I have been in contact both with the residents of the direct provision centre itself and the local group set up in Miltown to ensure they have an acceptable standard of living and I know this is news that will …

PRISONERS being released during the Covid-19 crisis are facing “a completely alien world,” according to representatives of a support group in Clare. The nature of the lockdown, combined with the new public health guidelines, mean huge changes to society and additional hurdles for those trying to reintegrate after serving a custodial sentence. Patrick Talty, who is a Project Worker with the Clare branch of Bedford Row, which supports those detained at Limerick Prison and their families, said getting one’s life back on track has become far more difficult than in pre-Covid times. “Even someone who may have served a short sentence of three or four months will find that the world has changed dramatically,” Mr Talty said. “When it comes to accessing services like housing and medical care, the normal routes have changed. For someone who is homeless after coming out of prison, the experience is extremely frustrating and scary That’s not to criticise, in any way, those who provide …

MORE people are now living at the Direct Provision Centre in Lisdoonvarna than its contracted capacity. While this does not necessarily mean that the centre at the King Thomond Hotel is overcrowded, it does mean that the numbers coming to the North Clare village are greater than what locals were told would be arriving. According to figures provided by the Department of Justice, there are 117 people living there, while the contracted capacity is 115. In a statement accompanying the figures, the department said, “The contracted capacity is not the maximum capacity. It is what we would ordinarily pay as per the contract. It is not at all unusual for the actual number of persons present in an accommodation centre to be in excess of the contract. This does not indicate that there is overcrowding at the centre. The overcapacity may be due to family configuration reasons, eg where a baby is born to a family etc.” Paddy Dunne of …

AN “incomplete” garda investigation into a Shannon fatality is akin to a “miscarriage of justice”, a local woman has claimed. The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) recently made a ruling refusing the release of a report about a review of a garda investigation, which was completed by Superintendent Con Cadogan in relation to the dangerous driving causing death conviction of Theresa Naughton, 1 Inis Eagla, Shannon. This refusal was made following a request made by The Clare Champion to release the contents of this report under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. In the course of its review, the OIC wrote to the Department of Justice and stated a “page from section one appears to be missing”. In reply, the department stated that “everything we have has been provided to the OIC”. It stated that when it received the report, it immediately transmitted to the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) “without perusing the contents”. “It Deprtment of Justice stated the …

THE family of the late Patrick Nugent from Sixmilebridge has accused the Department of Justice of adding “insult to injury” over its failure to update them on the potential for an independent review into his death. The death of 23-year-old banqueting manager Patrick Nugent, in Bunratty, in the early hours of February 11, 1984 is back in the spotlight this week as members of the Nugent family, from Feenagh, Sixmilebridge, have highlighted their frustration over being left in the dark for the past 13 months on a possible review of file. “The lack of communication is adding insult to injury for the family,” said his brother, John, a view shared by his sibling, Martin. “It is a like a repeat of what happened over 30 years ago when we were coming up against a brick wall. We weren’t getting any proper answers back then and it is the same now. It is hard to believe it. We will not throw …