News Thread for all ES related

999/112

A "Galway Hooker" has sunk in Galway bay with 5 P.O.B.
Emergency services are currently on-scene.
I will up-date this with more info as it comes to hand.

Up-date; http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0905/rescue.html

donvito99

600lb bomb made safe in south Armagh

Tuesday, 8 September 2009 20:14

British Army experts have made safe a 600lb bomb found beside the border in the Forkhill area of south Armagh.

Around 20 people had to leave their homes while the device, which contained homemade explosives, was made safe.

The security alert began last Tuesday when a newspaper received a warning of a bomb having been planted.


The command wire leading across the border was discovered over the weekend.

The PSNI says it was connected to a firing point across the border in Co Louth and the Defence Forces and gardaí have carried out a similar security operation on that side.

Dissident republicans are being blamed for planting the bomb and police have branded those responsible 'reckless'.
The remnants of the device have been taken away for forensic examination and the PSNI has urged anyone with information to come forward.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has condemned those responsible saying 'we spent years negotiating with the British to demilitarise the border. Their actions are anti-republican.'
SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said the bomb could have caused widespread civilian casualty or death.
'This is the most serious threat yet from dissident republicans to the people of south Armagh. Without doubt, there could have been civilian casualties and deaths caused by a bomb of this size.'


Newry and Mourne PSNI commander Sam Cordner said there could have been a devastating outcome to the incident.

He said the actions of what he called terrorist criminals in planting this device had put local people and police officers at significant risk.
The device is the largest found in Northern Ireland in a considerable time.
In January a 300lb device was defused in Castlewellan, Co Down, and in May the components for a another bomb containing around 100lb of home-made explosives were found near Rosslea, Co Fermanagh.

* * *

Jesus, its a hundred pounds heavier then Omagh.

Sierra Oscar

Disgusting stuff: Two fire crews attacked in Dublin

Two Dublin Fire Brigade crews were attacked by gangs of youths last night in separate incidents in Co Dublin.

A fire truck dispatched from Finglas was damaged in Ballymun while the service was attending the scene of a blaze.

In a second incident, members of the fire service had bottles thrown at them on the Malahide Road.

A spokesman said no crew members were injured in the attacks.

Trojan911

wrote:

on 16/09/2009 08:17:08


Gardaí are reportedly investigating attempts by republican vigilantes to intimidate suspected drug dealers in Cork. Gardaí are reportedly investigating attempts by republican vigilantes to intimidate suspected drug dealers in Cork.

Reports this morning say a number of men wearing dark clothes distributed leaflets in pubs last Friday saying they had drawn up a list of drug dealers and would kill them if they did not stop their activities.

The leaflets were distributed in Passage West, Rochestown, Ballyphehane and Togher.

This morning's reports say the men distributing the leaflets were linked to the 32 County Sovereignty Movement.

Source

From what I hear, see and am being told, Cork Gardai are being very successful in the fight against drug dealing.

Is this report a suggestion that Gardai have lost the battle with drug dealers in Cork?

Or is it just a load of waffle?

I suppose only time will tell.

Trojan911

wrote:

Garda attack teen ordered to write letter of apology
on 16/09/2009 14:03:05


A 16-year-old boy was remanded on continuing bail today pending sentence for an attack on a Garda who was repeatedly punched and kicked in the face as he lay on the ground

The boy, who had no prior convictions, had pleaded guilty at the Children's Court in July to assault of Garda Ciara McGrath, assault causing harm to Garda Keith Grant, obstructing the officers and travelling as a passenger in a stolen car, in Cabra, in Dublin, on January 9 last.

Judge Ann Ryan adjourned sentencing the teenager after noting that he was due to commence an eight-week crime diversion programme run by the Probation Service. She also said she wanted the teenager to write a letter of apology to the gardaí he attacked.

The boy, who was accompanied to court by his parents, was remanded to appear again for sentencing in January next year.

Detective Garda James McDevitt told the court that a car had been stolen and driven to Cabra where it was written off following a crash. He said that Garda McGrath and Garda Grant attempted to arrest the boy's accomplice.

The teenager intervened and attacked Garda Grant. "He punched him a number of times to the face," Det-Gda McDevitt said.

Garda Grant fell to the ground at which point the accused "punched and kicked him."

He said Garda Grant suffered bruising to his face and was out of work for three weeks following the attack.

Garda Ciara McGrath was struck in the face when she tried to assist her colleague but did not receive an injury.

The court heard that the boy was attending anger management and addiction counselling. The defence had submitted that he "was led astray" after falling under the influence of older youths.

The court had also been told that the boy had developed a "drug and drink problem", had lost his job but was planning to start a training course.

Source

deadwood

Would that be a new interpretation of "to the letter of the law"?

If he continues to mount up several convictions, maybe the judge will eventually throw the book at him.

999/112

[RTE news]
The Government has approved the introduction of a national postal code.
The Minister for Communications said tenders for the design and implementation of the system will be issued shortly.
Minister Ryan said he expects new postal codes with digits and letters to be introduced in 2011.
Advertisement

A Government commissioned report said codes would provide long term savings and demographic details for planning as well as benefitting emergency services.
An Post said it will be playing a key role in the move to postal codes which will involve coding 1.7 million addresses.
In 2005, the then Minister for Communications, Noel Dempsey, promised a new system by 2008. At the time An post questioned the need for postal codes and industry experts put the cost at €50 million
However, Mr Ryan today said the move would cost a fraction of the €50 million it was estimated to cost four years.
[EMAIL="javascript:showPlayer('/news/2009/0920/postcode_av.html?2613416,null,230')"]javascript:showPlayer('/news/2009/0920/postcode_av.html?2613416,null,230')[/EMAIL]

lehanemore

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-37/episode-1

Shield

Source

A RETIRED garda was crushed to death by his car when he tried to push it after running out of petrol.

Jim Fitzgerald (53) was killed in Sneem, Co Kerry, when his car rolled back and trapped him in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Poignantly, Mr Fitzgerald was giving a lift home to a neighbour after a night out. His silver Mercedes Benz ran out of diesel after rounding a bend.

He was only half-a-mile from Sneem village on the R568 Sneem to Killarney road when the incident happened at around 3am.

The tragedy unfolded as the former hotelier attempted to make the car safe and push it to the side of the road.

His passenger ran to a nearby house to get help while another local man came on the scene. Emergency services including the fire service, gardai, and medical help were summoned but Mr Fitzgerald was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Fitzgerald, who was single, had retired some years previously from the gardai after serving in Cork city. He returned to his native Sneem where he ran a small hotel for a period.

He was well-known in the area and came to prominence as a collector of Morris Minor vehicles which he once raised on the roof of his hotel.

He was a relative of the founder of M15, William Melville, the inspiration for the M character in the James Bond series of books by Ian Fleming. In recent years it emerged that Melville was in fact born in Sneem.

Supt. Michael O'Donovan of Caherciveen gardai said Mr Fitzgerald was seeking to secure his car and make the road safe when he became trapped. Garda technical officers examined the scene and the car.

Mr Fitzgerald has a number of relatives in the Sneem area. A post-mortem is being carried out.

lehanemore

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eycwideycwkf/rss2/

Trojan911

wrote:

Garda held for questioning in Dublin
Saturday, 10 October 2009 23:05

A garda stationed at Finglas Garda Station has been arrested and is being questioned at Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

The man, who is in his 40s, is being detained in connection with an investigation into the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information.

A woman who was also arrested has been released without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A firearm was also recovered during a number of searches.

Source

eroo

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/four-rescued-from-limerick-house-blaze-430586.html

17/10/2009 - 15:42:59
Two women and two children have been rescued from a house fire in Co Limerick.

Gardaí and the emergency services were alerted to the blaze at Mungret at around 11am this morning.

Gardaí managed to rescue the four people who were in the house, who were all treated for smoke inhalation.

The scene has been sealed off and a technical examination is being carried out, but gardai say they do not believe the fire to be suspicious at this stage.

Well done to the Gardai involved.

Trojan911

wrote:

Taser makers tell police to avoid chest shots
on 22/10/2009 09:58:15


Stun-gun maker Taser International has started telling police agencies to avoid firing the devices at suspects' chests, explaining that there's an "extremely low" risk of ill effects on the heart and that doing so will make defending lawsuits easier. Stun-gun maker Taser International has started telling police agencies to avoid firing the devices at suspects' chests, explaining that there's an "extremely low" risk of ill effects on the heart and that doing so will make defending lawsuits easier.

Amnesty International said more than 350 people in the US died after they were shocked with Tasers, and that in 50 of those cases, medical examiners cited a link between Taser shocks and death.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company made the recommendation in an October 12 revised training manual, saying it "has less to do with safety and more to do with effective risk management for law enforcement agencies".

The manual also includes a lengthy explanation about deaths caused by sudden cardiac arrest.

"Should sudden cardiac arrest occur in a scenario involving a Taser discharge to the chest area, it would place the law enforcement agency, the officer, and Taser International in the difficult situation of trying to ascertain what role, if any, (the device) could have played," according to the manual.

The manual includes a graphic displaying the human body and "preferred target areas".

The company recommends firing Tasers anywhere but at the head, neck and chest. The manual says to avoid chest shots "when possible" and "unless legally justified".

Taser critics call the company's new recommendation an admission that the devices can cause heart attacks.

"It's a sea change, a passive acknowledgement that Taser has indeed been overconfident about its claims of safety," said Mark Silverstein, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado.

"It underscores the question marks that have been adding up along with hundreds of bodies."

Taser officials said the new recommendation is designed only to "avoid any potential controversy on this topic".

"There is no significant shift," Taser spokesman Steve Tuttle said in an e-mail.

"Just a slight change by literally a few inches when intentionally targeting the preferred target zone ... Medical and field studies continue to demonstrate that the Taser carries a lower risk of injury than traditional force options, leading to lower officer injury rates and safer communities."

Source

The Black Oil

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1023/laser.html

The PSNI has arrested a 17-year-old in west Belfast on suspicion of endangering an aircraft by shining a laser at the pilot of a police helicopter.

The teenager was arrested in the Whiterock Road area as the helicopter carried out a routine flight.

A police spokeswoman said any attempt to blind a pilot using a laser light could cause a catastrophe.

The youth who helped police with their investigation has since been released on bail, pending further inquiries.

Good to see them going after people behaving this way.

Sierra Oscar

Three stabbed at Mountjoy Prison

Two prison officers and an inmate are being treated in hospital following a stabbing incident in Mountjoy Prison.

The stabbing happened at 11am in the recreation hall of the A Wing, when an inmate stabbed another prisoner four times in the body and the arm.

Two prison officers who tried to intervene were also stabbed, one in the abdomen another in the arm.

The inmate who is believed to have carried out the stabbing is serving six years in prison and also has 60 other offences for breaches of prison discipline.

lehanemore

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1106/drink.html

Irish_polizei

eroo

Hope you didn't take those yourself buddy, you could get yourself into trouble if you did!

Irish_polizei

eroo wrote: »

Hope you didn't take those yourself buddy, you could get yourself into trouble if you did!

Nope, these were released to the press, dont worry...

eroo

eroo wrote: »

Hope you didn't take those yourself buddy, you could get yourself into trouble if you did!

Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dublin-8/An-Garda-Siochana/167613868000?ref=share

Irish_polizei

foreign wrote: »

Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dublin-8/An-Garda-Siochana/167613868000?ref=share

Thats the one :cool:, didnt think you were allowed to put links up to do with advertising or some sorta crap like that....

Irish_polizei

Irish_polizei wrote: »

Thats the one :cool:, didnt think you were allowed to put links up to do with advertising or some sorta crap like that....

Not like they are sell a product. Although, if we were to start selling the sized drugs then maybe we won't have to take pay cuts! Anybody got Lenihans phone number??

Trojan911

wrote:

Healthcare facing €100bn in Budget cuts
on 08/11/2009 10:21:55


The country's healthcare bill is reportedly facing cuts totalling €1bn in next month's Budget.

A report in The Sunday Business Post also claims that the Garda pay and overtime bill is in line for a reduction of €100m, as negotiations on the Budget reach a crucial phase.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is due to publish his pre-Budget report this week.

Minister Lenihan is expected to spell out the scale of the crisis facing the country next year if dramatic measures are not taken in the Budget.

Source

kerry4sam

A mass for deceased members of An Garda Sìochàna, spouses, and family members, will be held at 7:30pm this coming Thursday 19th November at the Whitegates Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry. All are welcome.

donvito99

FOUR WOMEN DIE IN COLLISION

Four women were killed and two people injured in a collision between a car and a pick-up truck on the Galway-Mayo border last night.

Last night’s crash occurred shortly before 8pm on the N17 between the villages of Milltown, Co Galway, north of Tuam and Ballindine, Co Mayo.

The stretch of road is closed this morning, as Garda forensic experts examine the scene.

The four women who died were travelling in the same car. Three were pronounced at the scene while the fourth died at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar. A fifth woman, who was driving the car, is in a critical condition in the hospital today.

The driver of the truck was also injured and was taken to the same hospital for treatment.

The women were later named locally as Marie Conneely (19) from Ballynahown in Connemara, Theresa Molloy (19) from Lettermore, Sarah Byrne (20) from Headford and Sorcha Rose McLaughlin (19) from Mulgannon in Co Wexford.

The driver of the car was named as Michelle O’Donnell from Kilronan on Inishmore in the Aran Islands.

It is understood all of those killed were studying arts at NUI Galway.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy today offered his condolences to the families involved.
He said: “These are difficult times and An Garda Siochána are out making every effort to prevent deaths and tragedies like what happened last night, real tragedies, to try and prevent as many as possible.
“Road deaths are coming down as we speak today. There’s 40 less killed than last year but we can still work hard and improve on that,” he said.
Parish priest Fr Michael Kenny was called to the scene at about 8pm last night, shortly after the collision.

“I went to the N17, halfway between Tuam and Milltown, on a notorious bend in the road,” he said. "I found two cars crashed - one was a pick-up truck, the other a Renault car which had the bodies of three young girls. An horrific sight.”

Fr Kenny remained at the scene for more than four hours administering last rites and supporting emergency crews as they removed the bodies from the wreckage. “The weather was terrible. There was terrible rain and the road conditions were pathetic,” he said.
Fr Kenny, who offered this morning’s Mass for the young women, said the area was notorious for accidents as the road narrows to a sharp bend on a slight incline.

In a statement, NUI Galway said: “The untimely death of our students has shocked the university community and we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to all of their families, classmates and friends at this time.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the fifth student involved.”
The deaths brought to six the number of fatalities on the roads

***

RIP.

I was watching CrimeCall last night, and it was announced while they were talking about road safety that there had been a serious incident. I didn't realise it would be that bad though.

Road fatalities are down alot this year so far, and IMO, this is down to serious work by the Guards and other agencies.

BravoMike

Breaking News wrote:

Privatised speed cameras to be rolled out next year


The roll-out of privatised speed cameras will get underway next year.

The Government has today signed a long-awaited €60m contract with "Go-Safe" - a private consortium who will run the scheme.

The 40 mobile units will be placed on motorways and national routes as well as non-national routes and will record up to 7,000 hours of driving per month.


Source

On another note would this not take away from some of the duties of Traffic Corps and do ye see it as a positive step forward.

BravoMike

BravoMike wrote: »

On another note would this not take away from some of the duties of Traffic Corps and do ye see it as a positive step forward.

Traffic corp will still do their own duties including speed checks.

These mobile cameras will only be positive if they are actually used in accident black spots on not on motorways / dual carraige ways at 9am on sunday mornings.

If they are seen regularly in accident black spots people will accept them, if not then they will be seen as revenue generators for the government.

Strange that the contract was finally signed during an economic crisis or is that just conincidence?

Trojan911

Government coffers will take a huge loss if this is the case...... :pac:

wrote:

It has emerged gardaí will not be issuing penalty points on fixed charged notices to drivers during next Tuesday's day of action.

In a statement the Garda Representative Association said it had advised its members they were not obliged to carry out a number of usual functions during the public sector strike.

It includes issuing notices to motorists for speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt , driving while holding a mobile phone, or dangerous overtaking.

A spokesman for the GRA said the action would be within the law because the issuing of fixed penalty notices is discretionary.

Source

Irish_polizei

I bring bad/good news folks :mad:



The garda has spent €11m less on their vehicles in 2009 compared to the past two years.
But officers say huge amounts are being spent on old vehicles that should really be scrapped.
The amount spent on garda cars, vans, motorcycles and push-bikes, has fallen this year -- with expenditure of €16.6m in the first 10 months of the year.
This compares to €27.6m spent for each of the years 2008 and 2007. These figures include the purchase of new vehicles, in addition to the maintenance, repair and fuel required for the existing fleet.
However the Garda Representative Association (GRA) is worried about the slashed budget.
A GRA spokesman told the Herald: "Vehicles are being refurbished as they are not being being replaced in the current economic environment.
Costing
:mad: New vehicles are not set to be purchased until some time in 2010. We don't know whether that will be early or late in the year. :mad:
"It appears to be a false economy however. It is costing more in many cases to refurbish an old vehicle than it would be to replace it."
The information on garda vehicle spending was supplied to Fine Gael's Tom Hayes.
The Tipperary South TD had sought information on the amount the gardai had spent on vehicles from 2007, up to the present.
Since 2007, almost €72m has been spent on the garda fleet. In addition, in 2006 a 1,300 new vehicles were bought at a cost of over €28.6m.
Since September that year, the size of the fleet has increased from 2,247 to 2,820, which was an increase of 25pc.

deadwood

Irish_polizei wrote: »

Go on, give your grandchild a