theirishtimes--2020-08-02--On your bike: 12 reasons to get cycling

On your bike: 12 reasons to get cycling

Pricewatch has frequently extolled the virtues of cycling .
But we recognise that we have sometimes got our timing wrong and have raved about the health and financial benefits of two wheels over four in the dead of winter when the last thing most people want to hear about is anything remotely outdoorsy .
We have learned from our mistakes and this time we are going to highlight the new and old benefits of cycling while it ’ s still summer and when it is – hopefully – not lashing rain , because there has rarely been a better time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here are just some of the things the bike has going for it this year over any other .
1 .
In recent weeks Pricewatch has spent quite a bit of time cycling up and down Dublin ’ s quays .
To describe the experience as a joy might be an overstatement but it has certainly become a lot more pleasant and less terrifying than it was pre-Covid due to the introduction of proper cycle lanes and signalling aimed at reminding motorists they no longer have the roads to themselves .
Until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavier work of building better cycling infrastructure than a drunk man on a unicycle trying to pedal up Croagh Patrick .
But in recent months it has shown itself able to move fast when it wants , or has to and across the city more attention is now being given to the needs of cyclists .
Parking spaces and loading bays have been annexed for pedestrians while cycle paths , protected by bollards or wands , have been installed in several locations .
The development has been replicated in some urban centres across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people piling on to public transport like sardines during rush hour to rub shoulders and cough and splutter on each other are gone for the foreseeable future .
In these pandemic times the benefits of cycling , particularly for commuters , are self-evident .
You might not be totally immune to contracting coronavirus while on a bike but it is a pretty effective social distancing measure .
3 .
When the Government published its snappily titled July Stimulus Package late last month it contained several measures aimed at encouraging more people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bikes .
There is a programme aimed at supporting local authorities to develop an enhanced cycling infrastructure which promises to expand street resurfacing in urban areas to get rid of pot holes while also improving road layouts to facilitate cyclists .
There will be cash to deliver about 30km of street and cycling improvements in major cities as well as investment in urban cycle parking .
There is funding for schools for the installation of new or additional cycle parking and a grant scheme will be introduced to assist with the costs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as bike storage , showers and drying facilities .
In rural areas , hard shoulders on certain wide regional roads will be given over to cyclists and walkers .
These are to be dubbed “ greyways ” and while we can see what the person who coined that term was trying to do , it does sound a bit grim .
4 .
From greyways to the Green Party .
The Greens are back in Government and that can only be good news for cyclists .
Last time they were in power they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which allowed commuters to buy bikes at discounted rates of almost 50 per cent in some cases .
As part of the stimulus package the tax incentive , previous capped at €1,000 , is raised to €1,250 for non-electric bicycles and €1,500 for pedal-assist electric bicycles .
5 .
During the lockdown , traffic largely disappeared from our roads and anyone who had to drive was able to glide through towns and cities effortlessly .
Then as the country reopened things started to return to normal and normal is not good for commuters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago found that Dublin was one of the worst cities in the world to be a driver , with commuters spending almost 250 hours stuck in cars travelling at less than 10km per hour each year .
That is more than 10 days of your life .
If you work for 40 years you will waste more than a year in your car .
Obviously there are many people who have no option but to travel to and from work in a car .
But there are many more who could cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was made easier .
6 .
You are not going to get as wet on your bike as you think , if you are unfamiliar with cycling .
According to weather experts , if you cycle to and from work every day you will only get rained on four days out of 100 along the east coast .
The odds of getting wet are increased if you live in Donegal , Galway or Kerry but wet gear has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years .
7 .
A car that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every day generates a tonne of noxious gases over the course of its life , not including the pollution generated by its production and the plastic and rubber required to keep it going .
Bicycles are virtually carbon-neutral .
8 .
When it comes to saving money on transport , aside from walking there is nothing better than cycling .
If your commute is just 8km each way and you usually drive , then you will travel 3,760km to and from work over the course of a year .
If your car has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 100km you will use about 370 litres of fuel on that commute .
If a litre of fuel costs €1.35 , the cost of your car commute comes in at about €500 , add €300 to cover tyres , servicing and repairs and the total cost is €800 .
The total annual cost of cycling to and from work is closer to €50 .
9 .
Did you know that the bike was a symbol of gender equality ?
No ?
Well it is .
Towards the end of the 19th century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers .
Out of necessity they had to modify their clothes , so out went long , hooped dresses and in came bloomers – much to the chagrin of whiskered menfolk , incidentally .
But the bike did more than enrage angry white men .
It also gave women a huge degree of independence and allowed them to travel greater distances , faster .
In the words of US reformer and activist Susan B Anthony , “ woman is riding to suffrage on the bicycle ” .
10 .
Cyclists are healthier than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Research published in the Lancet a couple of years ago showed cyclists to be slimmer and likely to live longer than their car-driving counterparts .
Looking at biological data from more than 150,000 people and studying the health of half a million others aged between 40 and 69 , researchers concluded that getting on your bike was better for you .
People who commute on bicycles have a significantly lower body fat percentage and body mass index in middle age compared with car drivers .
Men who cycle weigh an average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the average woman cyclist weights 4.4kg less than a woman driver .
11 .
Need more on the health benefits of cycling ?
A slow cycle at just 15km/h burns about 400 calories in 60 minutes .
Pick up the pace and cycle at 22km/h and you will shed 700 calories .
Cycling dramatically increases aerobic fitness , reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes , and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol while boosting energy levels .
And because it is a low-impact exercise you can do it until you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe us , or the Lancet , ask the Danes .
Danish research has shown that its cycling citizens live seven years longer than those who don ’ t cycle .
12 .
When a city bike scheme was first mooted for Dublin many assumed it would never work as the bikes would end up dumped in the canals after being stolen .
The naysayers were proved wrong and the scheme has been a runaway success , with similar bike rental schemes set up in Cork , Galway , Limerick and Belfast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently been joined by dock-less options including Bleeper bikes .
The bike : You can probably buy a bike secondhand on a website such as donedeal.ie for less than €50 or you could probably spend in excess of €10,000 on one if you were so inclined .
Generally speaking , a bike which will be grand for the daily commute will cost between €300 and €600 .
But if you are buying on the cycle-to-work scheme the more you spend , the more you save in tax so you may as well treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can expect to pay about €500 .
Helmets : Bicycle helmets which cost €10-€35 can be found in the likes of Argos while cycling shops sell helmets with prices topping €200 .
If you are a casual , commuting cyclist you probably don ’ t need the most expensive option but nor should you buy the cheapest one – it is your head you are trying to protect after all .
Budget for about €40 for a decent helmet and make sure it has the CE safety mark .
Lights : Cateye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit easily into a pocket or bag .
They are fitted with powerful LEDs that are visible from many angles and are looped around the front or rear of a bicycle , so no brackets are required .
They can by bought in any bike shop for about €15 .
Mounted cateye lights are also popular .
Typically , these have wider beams and will run for as long as 80 hours on constant mode and up to 320 hours on flashing mode .
Some can be recharged through a USB cable while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : If you spend €10 on a lock you are wasting your money .
Any self-respecting bike thief will be able to snip that in less than a second .
Making your bike impossible to rob is impossible so you just want to make it harder to rob than the bike next to it .
Look for brands such as Abus and Kryptonite and be prepared to spend at least €40 on a lock .
Ideally , you will have two locks : a “ D ” lock and a coil lock .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bolt cutter – to snip coil locks – or hammer or angle grinder for a D lock , only the most serious bike thief will carry both .
Pump : You can buy a good bicycle pump for €10 .
A mini pump , which will do the same thing as a regular pump while taking up less space , costs about €14 while a stand-up pump is about €25 .
Clothes : Accept the reality that it will rain sometimes and while you can buy rain gear for less than €20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downpour .
A good waterproof jacket will cost about €70 .
It is breathable and made with a lot of fluorescent material for enhanced night-time visibility .
Endura Gridlock Overtrousers are available in most good bike shops .
They are easy to get on and off , have zipped pockets , reflective elements and are very waterproof and breathable .
Be prepared to spend at least €50 on a pair of trousers .
What is it ?
It is a tax incentive scheme aimed at encouraging employees to cycle to and from work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save a cyclist in excess of €500 depending on the price of the bike and their tax band .
The way it works is employers pay for bicycles and bicycle equipment for employees after which the employee pays it back through a salary deduction over the course of up to 12 months .
The employee does not pay any tax , PRSI , the USC or any other levies on those repayments .
But I don ’ t want to spend €1,250 on a bike ?
The allowance does not just cover a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a helmet , bell , lights , mudguards , panniers , locks , pump , puncture repair kits and reflective clothing – basically anything that can be connected with your bicycle .
How do I actually pay for it ?
Typically an employer pays the bike shop after which they will take money back from your salary over an agreed timeframe , up to 12 months .
But who buys the bike ?
You do .
You visit a particular shop as agreed with your employer and pick out what you need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is crucial , the tax exemption will not apply if you pay for the bicycle and are reimbursed by your employer – they must pay for the bicycle .
What happens then ?
You repay your employee but the cost is deducted from your gross salary and before income tax , PRSI , pension levies or the universal social charge are deducted .
What happens if my fancy bike is stolen ?
That is a problem .
Last time Pricewatch availed of the scheme , the bike lasted less than a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thieved it .
Because you can only avail of the scheme once every five years we had to wait a full four years until we could do it again .

Pricewatch has frequently extolled the virtues of cycling. But we recognise that we have sometimes got our timing wrong and have raved about the health and financial benefits of two wheels over four in the dead of winter when the last thing most people want to hear about is anything remotely outdoorsy.
We have learned from our mistakes and this time we are going to highlight the new and old benefits of cycling while it’s still summer and when it is – hopefully – not lashing rain, because there has rarely been a better time to get on your bike in Ireland. Here are just some of the things the bike has going for it this year over any other.
1. In recent weeks Pricewatch has spent quite a bit of time cycling up and down Dublin's quays. To describe the experience as a joy might be an overstatement but it has certainly become a lot more pleasant and less terrifying than it was pre-Covid due to the introduction of proper cycle lanes and signalling aimed at reminding motorists they no longer have the roads to themselves. Until Covid, Dublin City Council was making heavier work of building better cycling infrastructure than a drunk man on a unicycle trying to pedal up Croagh Patrick. But in recent months it has shown itself able to move fast when it wants, or has to and across the city more attention is now being given to the needs of cyclists. Parking spaces and loading bays have been annexed for pedestrians while cycle paths, protected by bollards or wands, have been installed in several locations. The development has been replicated in some urban centres across the country.
2. The days of people piling on to public transport like sardines during rush hour to rub shoulders and cough and splutter on each other are gone for the foreseeable future. In these pandemic times the benefits of cycling, particularly for commuters, are self-evident. You might not be totally immune to contracting coronavirus while on a bike but it is a pretty effective social distancing measure.
READ MORE
3. When the Government published its snappily titled July Stimulus Package late last month it contained several measures aimed at encouraging more people to swap cars, buses or trains for bikes. There is a programme aimed at supporting local authorities to develop an enhanced cycling infrastructure which promises to expand street resurfacing in urban areas to get rid of pot holes while also improving road layouts to facilitate cyclists. There will be cash to deliver about 30km of street and cycling improvements in major cities as well as investment in urban cycle parking. There is funding for schools for the installation of new or additional cycle parking and a grant scheme will be introduced to assist with the costs of installing active travel facilities in workplaces such as bike storage, showers and drying facilities. In rural areas, hard shoulders on certain wide regional roads will be given over to cyclists and walkers. These are to be dubbed "greyways" and while we can see what the person who coined that term was trying to do, it does sound a bit grim.
4. From greyways to the Green Party. The Greens are back in Government and that can only be good news for cyclists. Last time they were in power they rolled out the cycle-to-work tax incentive scheme which allowed commuters to buy bikes at discounted rates of almost 50 per cent in some cases. As part of the stimulus package the tax incentive, previous capped at €1,000, is raised to €1,250 for non-electric bicycles and €1,500 for pedal-assist electric bicycles.
5. During the lockdown, traffic largely disappeared from our roads and anyone who had to drive was able to glide through towns and cities effortlessly. Then as the country reopened things started to return to normal and normal is not good for commuters. A report from a couple of years ago found that Dublin was one of the worst cities in the world to be a driver, with commuters spending almost 250 hours stuck in cars travelling at less than 10km per hour each year. That is more than 10 days of your life. If you work for 40 years you will waste more than a year in your car. Obviously there are many people who have no option but to travel to and from work in a car. But there are many more who could cycle if they so choose and if it was made easier.
6. You are not going to get as wet on your bike as you think, if you are unfamiliar with cycling. According to weather experts, if you cycle to and from work every day you will only get rained on four days out of 100 along the east coast. The odds of getting wet are increased if you live in Donegal, Galway or Kerry but wet gear has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years.
7. A car that commutes just 8km to and from work every day generates a tonne of noxious gases over the course of its life, not including the pollution generated by its production and the plastic and rubber required to keep it going. Bicycles are virtually carbon-neutral.
8. When it comes to saving money on transport, aside from walking there is nothing better than cycling. If your commute is just 8km each way and you usually drive, then you will travel 3,760km to and from work over the course of a year. If your car has a fuel consumption rate of 9.5 litres per 100km you will use about 370 litres of fuel on that commute. If a litre of fuel costs €1.35, the cost of your car commute comes in at about €500, add €300 to cover tyres, servicing and repairs and the total cost is €800. The total annual cost of cycling to and from work is closer to €50.
9. Did you know that the bike was a symbol of gender equality? No? Well it is. Towards the end of the 19th century, women took to cycling in big numbers. Out of necessity they had to modify their clothes, so out went long, hooped dresses and in came bloomers – much to the chagrin of whiskered menfolk, incidentally. But the bike did more than enrage angry white men. It also gave women a huge degree of independence and allowed them to travel greater distances, faster. In the words of US reformer and activist Susan B Anthony, "woman is riding to suffrage on the bicycle".
10. Cyclists are healthier than drivers and that's a fact. Research published in the Lancet a couple of years ago showed cyclists to be slimmer and likely to live longer than their car-driving counterparts. Looking at biological data from more than 150,000 people and studying the health of half a million others aged between 40 and 69, researchers concluded that getting on your bike was better for you. People who commute on bicycles have a significantly lower body fat percentage and body mass index in middle age compared with car drivers. Men who cycle weigh an average of 5kg less than those who drive, while the average woman cyclist weights 4.4kg less than a woman driver.
11. Need more on the health benefits of cycling? A slow cycle at just 15km/h burns about 400 calories in 60 minutes. Pick up the pace and cycle at 22km/h and you will shed 700 calories. Cycling dramatically increases aerobic fitness, reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol while boosting energy levels. And because it is a low-impact exercise you can do it until you are 110. If you don't believe us, or the Lancet, ask the Danes. Danish research has shown that its cycling citizens live seven years longer than those who don't cycle.
12. When a city bike scheme was first mooted for Dublin many assumed it would never work as the bikes would end up dumped in the canals after being stolen. The naysayers were proved wrong and the scheme has been a runaway success, with similar bike rental schemes set up in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast. They operate from on-street stations and have recently been joined by dock-less options including Bleeper bikes.
Counting the cost of cycling
The bike: You can probably buy a bike secondhand on a website such as donedeal.ie for less than €50 or you could probably spend in excess of €10,000 on one if you were so inclined. Generally speaking, a bike which will be grand for the daily commute will cost between €300 and €600. But if you are buying on the cycle-to-work scheme the more you spend, the more you save in tax so you may as well treat yourself to a good one for which you can expect to pay about €500.
Helmets: Bicycle helmets which cost €10-€35 can be found in the likes of Argos while cycling shops sell helmets with prices topping €200. If you are a casual, commuting cyclist you probably don't need the most expensive option but nor should you buy the cheapest one – it is your head you are trying to protect after all. Budget for about €40 for a decent helmet and make sure it has the CE safety mark.
Lights: Cateye loop lights are bright, neat and fit easily into a pocket or bag. They are fitted with powerful LEDs that are visible from many angles and are looped around the front or rear of a bicycle, so no brackets are required. They can by bought in any bike shop for about €15. Mounted cateye lights are also popular. Typically, these have wider beams and will run for as long as 80 hours on constant mode and up to 320 hours on flashing mode. Some can be recharged through a USB cable while you sit at your desk.
Locks: If you spend €10 on a lock you are wasting your money. Any self-respecting bike thief will be able to snip that in less than a second. Making your bike impossible to rob is impossible so you just want to make it harder to rob than the bike next to it. Look for brands such as Abus and Kryptonite and be prepared to spend at least €40 on a lock. Ideally, you will have two locks: a "D" lock and a coil lock. A casual bike thief might have a bolt cutter – to snip coil locks – or hammer or angle grinder for a D lock, only the most serious bike thief will carry both.
Pump: You can buy a good bicycle pump for €10. A mini pump, which will do the same thing as a regular pump while taking up less space, costs about €14 while a stand-up pump is about €25.
Clothes: Accept the reality that it will rain sometimes and while you can buy rain gear for less than €20, it will not stand up to a downpour. A good waterproof jacket will cost about €70. It is breathable and made with a lot of fluorescent material for enhanced night-time visibility. Endura Gridlock Overtrousers are available in most good bike shops. They are easy to get on and off, have zipped pockets, reflective elements and are very waterproof and breathable. Be prepared to spend at least €50 on a pair of trousers.
The cycle-to-work scheme explained
What is it?
It is a tax incentive scheme aimed at encouraging employees to cycle to and from work. It is pleasingly simple and can save a cyclist in excess of €500 depending on the price of the bike and their tax band. The way it works is employers pay for bicycles and bicycle equipment for employees after which the employee pays it back through a salary deduction over the course of up to 12 months. The employee does not pay any tax, PRSI, the USC or any other levies on those repayments.
But I don’t want to spend €1,250 on a bike?
The allowance does not just cover a bike. It also covers the purchase of a helmet, bell, lights, mudguards, panniers, locks, pump, puncture repair kits and reflective clothing – basically anything that can be connected with your bicycle.
How do I actually pay for it?
Typically an employer pays the bike shop after which they will take money back from your salary over an agreed timeframe, up to 12 months.
But who buys the bike?
You do. You visit a particular shop as agreed with your employer and pick out what you need. The shop invoices your employer. That is crucial, the tax exemption will not apply if you pay for the bicycle and are reimbursed by your employer – they must pay for the bicycle.
What happens then?
You repay your employee but the cost is deducted from your gross salary and before income tax, PRSI, pension levies or the universal social charge are deducted.
What happens if my fancy bike is stolen?
That is a problem. Last time Pricewatch availed of the scheme, the bike lasted less than a year before some ne’er do well thieved it. Because you can only avail of the scheme once every five years we had to wait a full four years until we could do it again.


theirishtimes--2020-08-02--Search for man who went missing while swimming in River Lee

A search operation has been launched for a 38-year-old man who went missing while swimming in the River Lee outside Cork city on Sunday evening .
The man , from Innishmore Estate in Ballincollig , was with friends in the Regional Park in Ballincollig when he decided to go for a swim in the River Lee at about 8pm .
The man dived into the river but failed to surface and the alarm was raised .
The emergency services including gardaí attended the scene and began a search operation .
The search , involving members of the Ballincollig Unit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and volunteers , is expected to resume at first light .
Elsewhere in Co Cork , the Youghal RNLI lifeboat was involved in the rescue of a man who got into difficulty when his fishing boat suffered engine failure off Capel Island .
The crew of the Youghal RNLI boat reached the man aboard a 16ft vessel some six miles south of Capel Island shortly after launching just after 8am .
One member of the RNLI crew boarded the fishing boat , after making sure the man on-board was fine .
A tow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was bought back to Ferrypoint in Youghal .

A man from Innishmore Estate in Ballincollig was with friends in the Regional Park in Ballincollig (right) when he jumped into the river to try to help a friend who had fallen in. File photograph: Google Street View
Gardaí are to prepare a file for the coroner's court following the death of a 40 year old man who drowned while fishing with friends on the River Lee outside Cork city on Sunday evening.
A major search operation had been launched for the man, named locally as Bernard Geasley (40) from Innishmore Drive in Ballincollig, after he went missing in the river at around 8pm.
Mr Geasley was fishing with three others in Ballincollig Regional Park when one of his friends slipped into the river and he jumped in to try and help the other man from the water.
The other man managed to make it to the river bank but Mr Geasley failed to surface and his friends immediately raised the alarm and gardaí and the emergency services attended at the scene.
READ MORE
They were joined by a team of members of the Ballincollig Unit of Cork County Fire Service as well as volunteers from Mallow Search and Rescue as search teams began a trawl of the river.
Mr Geasley was recovered from the river shortly before 1am on Monday morning by members of the Mallow Search and Rescue team near where he had entered the river to help his friend.
He was pronounced dead at the scene and his remains were brought to Cork University Hospital where a post-mortem examination was due to take place later on Monday. Gardaí say they are treating Mr Geasley’s death as a tragic accident and will include the post-mortem results in a file which they will prepare for an inquest at the South Cork Coroner’s Court.


theirishtimes--2020-08-02--Two men arrested after drugs worth an estimated €441,000 are found in Dublin

Two men have been arrested and drugs worth an estimated €441,000 have been seized following a search operation in Clonsilla @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
As part of Operation Tara , gardaí conducted a search under warrant at @ @ @ @ @ estate in Clonsilla at approximately 7.30pm on Saturday .
During the course of the operation @ @ @ @ @ estimated value of €171,000 and suspected cannabis herb with an estimated value of €270,000 were @ @ @ @ @ value of €19,140 was also recovered during the course of the operation , as well @ @ @ @ @ various drug paraphernalia .
Two men , aged in their 30s and 40s , were @ @ @ @ @ taken to Blanchardstown Garda station , where they are currently being detained under section 2 @ @ @ @ @ Drug Trafficking ) Act , 1996 .

Two men have been arrested and drugs worth an estimated €441,000 have been seized following a search operation in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, on Saturday.
As part of Operation Tara, gardaí conducted a search under warrant at a house in a residential estate in Clonsilla at approximately 7.30pm on Saturday.
During the course of the operation, suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €171,000 and suspected cannabis herb with an estimated value of €270,000 were seized.
Cash to the value of €19,140 was also recovered during the course of the operation, as well as two Rolex watches and various drug paraphernalia.
READ MORE
Two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested at the scene and taken to Blanchardstown Garda station, where they are currently being detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.


theirishtimes--2020-08-02--Nine arrested following ‘shocking’ antisocial behaviour in Kilkee

Nine people were arrested for public order offences following scenes of rowdiness in the west Clare seaside town of Kilkee .
Three men were charged and are due to appear before Kilrush District Court ( sitting in Ennis ) on 15th September 2020 .
Two male youths were released and will be dealt with by way of the Youth Diversion Programme .
Two men and one woman have been dealt with by way of adult caution and one man was released without charge .
All nine were detained for a time at the local garda station .
Hundreds of young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday night , leaving behind them a trail of destruction .
Cllr Cillian Murphy said he had never seen such a level of antisocial behaviour in 30 years living in the town .
“ Council workers were out from 6.30am on Sunday morning cleaning up the mess , with smashed bottles , empty cans and plastic bags everywhere along the sea front .
“ By 8am they had the worst of it sorted but it really had to be seen to be believed , ” he said .
About 300 teenagers gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Footage posted on social media app TikTok shows them packed into the bandstand .
None were observing social distancing or wearing masks .
Cllr Murphy said those involved were a mixture of locals and teenagers whose families were holidaying in the town .
Kilkee on Saturday night , like a lot of seaside resorts in Ireland , was “ packed ” , he explained .
“ We are absolutely rammed to the doors .
We have a lot of people who would not normally be in Ireland during the summer and are coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be going abroad.
” He said Saturday night ’ s events happened while the Department of Education was “ jumping through hoops ” to get children back to school in September .
“ We have a whole bunch of school-going kids caring not one whit .
There is parental responsibility not being taken here .
“ There are young kids , they are out late and there is a lot of alcohol involved .
There is a bigger question to be asked as to how people behave when they are on holidays.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all members of the public to act responsibly this August bank holiday weekend .
The bandstand at Kilkee was closed on Sunday night to avoid a repeat of what happened on Saturday night .
Council chief executive Pat Dowling said young people must remember that they too can contract the coronavirus .
“ Furthermore , anyone not adhering to the guidelines risks transmitting the virus to more vulnerable members of their families and communities , for whom the consequences may be dire , ” he added .
“ There must be no repeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , in Kilkee or anywhere else in Co Clare .
”

The scene at the harbour in Kilkee on Saturday night.
Nine people were arrested for public order offences following scenes of rowdiness in the west Clare seaside town of Kilkee.
Three men were charged and are due to appear before Kilrush District Court (sitting in Ennis) on 15th September 2020.
Two male youths were released and will be dealt with by way of the Youth Diversion Programme.
Two men and one woman have been dealt with by way of adult caution and one man was released without charge. All nine were detained for a time at the local garda station.
READ MORE
Hundreds of young people gathered at the harbour in Kilkee on Saturday night, leaving behind them a trail of destruction.
Cllr Cillian Murphy said he had never seen such a level of antisocial behaviour in 30 years living in the town.
“Council workers were out from 6.30am on Sunday morning cleaning up the mess, with smashed bottles, empty cans and plastic bags everywhere along the sea front.
“By 8am they had the worst of it sorted but it really had to be seen to be believed,” he said.
About 300 teenagers gathered in the town on Saturday night. Footage posted on social media app TikTok shows them packed into the bandstand. None were observing social distancing or wearing masks.
Cllr Murphy said those involved were a mixture of locals and teenagers whose families were holidaying in the town.
Kilkee on Saturday night, like a lot of seaside resorts in Ireland, was "packed", he explained.
“We are absolutely rammed to the doors. We have a lot of people who would not normally be in Ireland during the summer and are coming here. A lot of these teenagers would be going abroad.”
He said Saturday night’s events happened while the Department of Education was “jumping through hoops” to get children back to school in September.
“We have a whole bunch of school-going kids caring not one whit. There is parental responsibility not being taken here.
“There are young kids, they are out late and there is a lot of alcohol involved. There is a bigger question to be asked as to how people behave when they are on holidays.”
Clare County Council has appealed to all members of the public to act responsibly this August bank holiday weekend.
The bandstand at Kilkee was closed on Sunday night to avoid a repeat of what happened on Saturday night.
Council chief executive Pat Dowling said young people must remember that they too can contract the coronavirus.
“Furthermore, anyone not adhering to the guidelines risks transmitting the virus to more vulnerable members of their families and communities, for whom the consequences may be dire,” he added.
“There must be no repeat occurrence of the scenes shown on social media, in Kilkee or anywhere else in Co Clare.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-02--Family, sports and faith to the fore as hundreds gather to remember Det Colm Horkan

The hundreds gathered at Fr O ’ Hara Park in Charlestown , Co Mayo , on Sunday for the month ’ s mind of Det Garda Colm Horkan burst into applause when reminded of a goal he scored aged 14 .
Although nearly 50 years of age at the time of his death on June 17th , Horkan ’ s hometown of Charlestown still gushes about his sporting achievements from the age of 10 up .
He won medals at every age group for football , those gathered at the GAA stadium heard .
It was a very different service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation on June 21st after Horkan was shot to death in Castlerea , Co Roscommon .
Organised by the local community and members of Charlestown Sarsfields GAA club , the service saw Horkan ’ s friends , neighbours , club mates and colleagues fill the stalls of the stadium .
The service was held at the sportsground to allow for public health restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic , but it was also a fitting location , given that it was the place where Horkan spent nearly 40 years as a player , spectator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of his standing on this ground .
This is where Colm stood and where he , no doubt , fell down a bit and brought others to the ground too , ” Fr Vincent Sherlock said during the service .
Sarsfields GAA “ mattered ” to Horkan , and there were many of his club mates present whose “ hearts are broken ” , Fr Sherlock added .
Six members of the U12 team that Horkan coached and mentored read aloud condolences sent by GAA clubs from around the country .
Charlestown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a “ very difficult time ” for the many people Horkan had impacted on throughout his abbreviated life .
“ Over just six weeks the Horkan family and , indeed , the whole community here in Charlestown have felt the grief that hit us so tragically .
.
.
in the death of Colm Horkan , ” he said .
The outpouring of grief is a reminder of “ how much this man did for the community here , how much he was loved by the community and how much he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
In another world Colm Horkan would have taken leave from work this week to attend the Galway Races , Mgr Johnston said .
A Cheltenham racecard was brought to the altar at the stadium as a symbol of Horkan ’ s passion for horse racing .
On the afternoon of the day of his death he had watched the racing on television with his father Marty .
Family , sports , faith and the Garda were the central elements of Horkan ’ s life , Fr Sherlock said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice that was solid , advice that was heeded ” .
“ The silence of the town and the solace of the community .
.
.
The dignity of you as people in paying your respects to Colm , I saw it in a way I had never seen it before , ” Fr Sherlock said , referring to Charlestown ’ s response to the death .
Speaking to Horkan ’ s father Marty , Fr Sherlock said : “ It is the belief in our heart of hearts that your son is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a better place with him there .
”

The hundreds gathered at Fr O'Hara Park in Charlestown, Co Mayo, on Sunday for the month's mind of Det Garda Colm Horkan burst into applause when reminded of a goal he scored aged 14. Although nearly 50 years of age at the time of his death on June 17th, Horkan's hometown of Charlestown still gushes about his sporting achievements from the age of 10 up. He won medals at every age group for football, those gathered at the GAA stadium heard.
It was a very different service to the State funeral broadcast to the nation on June 21st after Horkan was shot to death in Castlerea, Co Roscommon. Organised by the local community and members of Charlestown Sarsfields GAA club, the service saw Horkan’s friends, neighbours, club mates and colleagues fill the stalls of the stadium. The service was held at the sportsground to allow for public health restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was also a fitting location, given that it was the place where Horkan spent nearly 40 years as a player, spectator and coach.
“I have a sense of his standing on this ground. This is where Colm stood and where he, no doubt, fell down a bit and brought others to the ground too,” Fr Vincent Sherlock said during the service. Sarsfields GAA “mattered” to Horkan, and there were many of his club mates present whose “hearts are broken”, Fr Sherlock added. Six members of the U12 team that Horkan coached and mentored read aloud condolences sent by GAA clubs from around the country.
‘Very difficult time’
Charlestown parish priest Mgr Tommy Johnston said it has been a “very difficult time” for the many people Horkan had impacted on throughout his abbreviated life.
READ MORE
“Over just six weeks the Horkan family and, indeed, the whole community here in Charlestown have felt the grief that hit us so tragically . . . in the death of Colm Horkan,” he said.
The outpouring of grief is a reminder of “how much this man did for the community here, how much he was loved by the community and how much he was loved by his colleagues”, he added.
In another world Colm Horkan would have taken leave from work this week to attend the Galway Races, Mgr Johnston said. A Cheltenham racecard was brought to the altar at the stadium as a symbol of Horkan’s passion for horse racing. On the afternoon of the day of his death he had watched the racing on television with his father Marty.
Family, sports, faith and the Garda were the central elements of Horkan’s life, Fr Sherlock said. He was a man people approached for “advice that was solid, advice that was heeded”.
“The silence of the town and the solace of the community . . . The dignity of you as people in paying your respects to Colm, I saw it in a way I had never seen it before,” Fr Sherlock said, referring to Charlestown’s response to the death.
Speaking to Horkan’s father Marty, Fr Sherlock said: “It is the belief in our heart of hearts that your son is there in heaven, Marty, and it is a better place with him there.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--John Hume funeral Mass to take place in Derry on Wednesday morning

John Hume ’ s remains will be taken to St Eugene ’ s Cathedral in Derry on Tuesday evening at 5pm .
His funeral Mass , at 11.30am on Wednesday morning , will be celebrated by Cathedral Administrator Fr Paul Farren with the homily and final words by Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown .
Attendance will be in line with current Covid-19 restrictions with stictly limited numbers .
The Hume family said : “ We realise this will mean that many will be unable to join us and we will arrange a memorial service and a celebration of his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know that John would have prioritised public health , and the safety and health of our communities.
” The Catholic Primate and fellow Derryman Archbishop Eamon Martin describedf John Hume as “ a paragon of peace.
” In a tribute he said “ a great sadness has descended on my home city of Derry today as we learn of the death of one of our greatest sons.
” It “ ripples out to every corner of Ireland and all around the world where the mere mention of the name of John Hume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a life dedicated to peace and social justice .
“ Today we are remembering a paragon of peace , a giant of a statesman whose legacy of unstinting service to the common good is internationally acclaimed , even though it is still perhaps only unfolding , ” he said .
“ As a young person growing up in Derry I was hugely influenced by this man of principle .
For me , like many other pupils of St Columb ’ s College , John Hume was considered one of our heroes and role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the priesthood at Maynooth I was happy to know that he too had once been a seminarian for the Diocese of Derry .
“ But John ’ s vocation was to serve God and his community as a layman , and he totally devoted his energies to that vocation - to relieving poverty , challenging injustice and providing decent living conditions for all , ” the Archbishop said .
Paying to John Hume ’ s wife Pat he said she was “ such a rock of support to John , and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop John McDowell said John Hume would be remembered “ not only as a significant politician in Ireland but also for his unambiguous dedication to making political change happen by purely peaceful means .
“ Because of the manner of his approach , this required enormous patience and sympathetic understanding and those of us who are the beneficiaries of his legacy can only regret his passing while , at the same time , being thankful for his gargantuan efforts in the cause of peace and good relations.
” Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDowell said that “ for many people , even looking on at a distance , Pat ’ s care for John , especially over the period of his last illness , was exemplary and inspiring.
” Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin , and former Bishop of the cross-border diocese of Clogher , Michael Jackson said that “ during turbulent and troubled times , John Hume put his shoulder to the wheel in the service of dialogue and peace.
” His “ legacy of painstaking dialogue is recognised internationally and was honoured in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord David Trimble of the Nobel Peace Prize .
The fruit of his legacy remains the Good Friday -Belfast Agreement.
” The Archbishop said “ we honour his memory , give thanks for his courage and pray for all members of his family.
” President ofthe Methodist Church Rev Dr Tom McKnight said that “ there can be no denying the tremendous contribution and self-sacrifice of John Hume in the pursuit of peace in his beloved Ireland .
” As “ a voice for progressive , non-violent nationalism , and his huge risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to armed republicanism in the pursuit of a peaceful , democratic and prosperous future , John was a model of community spirit and a belief in the innate goodness of people , ” Rev McKnight said .
“ Coupled with his strong faith , John ’ s work and his dedication to the good of all – not just all who agreed with him – made him absolutely worthy of the many honours bestowed upon him by both nations and church , ” he said .
He extended his sympathies “ to Pat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for John and for his work – and the entire extended family .
John ’ s work will never be forgotten.
” Presbyterian Moderator Rev Dr David Bruce , described John Hume as “ a man who selflessly committed himself to challenging the deep-seated problems of our society .
He demonstrated a genuine desire to bring people together for the common good and to build a just and peaceful society .
We give thanks for peacemakers , and on this sad day , John Hume in particular.
” He recalled how , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with David Trimble , John Hume “ reflected on the previous 30 years of his political involvement saying , ‘ Amid shattered lives , a quiet heroism has borne silent rebuke to the evil that violence represents , to the carnage and waste of violence , to its ultimate futility.
’ It is perhaps John Hume ’ s own personal courage , along with his consistent and outright rejection of violence , which we honour and remember today .
”

John Hume’s remains will be taken to St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry on Tuesday evening at 5pm. Photograph:Alan Betson
John Hume's remains will be taken to St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry on Tuesday evening at 5pm. His funeral Mass, at 11.30am on Wednesday morning, will be celebrated by Cathedral Administrator Fr Paul Farren with the homily and final words by Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown.
Attendance will be in line with current Covid-19 restrictions with stictly limited numbers.
The Hume family said: “We realise this will mean that many will be unable to join us and we will arrange a memorial service and a celebration of his life in due course. Above all, we know that John would have prioritised public health, and the safety and health of our communities.”
The Catholic Primate and fellow Derryman Archbishop Eamon Martin describedf John Hume as "a paragon of peace."
READ MORE
In a tribute he said "a great sadness has descended on my home city of Derry today as we learn of the death of one of our greatest sons." It "ripples out to every corner of Ireland and all around the world where the mere mention of the name of John Hume evokes admiration, respect and thanksgiving for a life dedicated to peace and social justice.
“Today we are remembering a paragon of peace, a giant of a statesman whose legacy of unstinting service to the common good is internationally acclaimed, even though it is still perhaps only unfolding,” he said.
‘Hugely influenced’
"As a young person growing up in Derry I was hugely influenced by this man of principle. For me, like many other pupils of St Columb's College, John Hume was considered one of our heroes and role models. When I went to study for the priesthood at Maynooth I was happy to know that he too had once been a seminarian for the Diocese of Derry.
“But John’s vocation was to serve God and his community as a layman, and he totally devoted his energies to that vocation - to relieving poverty, challenging injustice and providing decent living conditions for all,” the Archbishop said.
Paying to John Hume’s wife Pat he said she was “such a rock of support to John, and is an inspiration to all of us.”
Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop John McDowell said John Hume would be remembered "not only as a significant politician in Ireland but also for his unambiguous dedication to making political change happen by purely peaceful means.
“Because of the manner of his approach, this required enormous patience and sympathetic understanding and those of us who are the beneficiaries of his legacy can only regret his passing while, at the same time, being thankful for his gargantuan efforts in the cause of peace and good relations.”
Also paying tribute to Pat Hume, Archbishop McDowell said that "for many people, even looking on at a distance, Pat's care for John, especially over the period of his last illness, was exemplary and inspiring."
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, and former Bishop of the cross-border diocese of Clogher, Michael Jackson said that "during turbulent and troubled times, John Hume put his shoulder to the wheel in the service of dialogue and peace."
Legacy
His "legacy of painstaking dialogue is recognised internationally and was honoured in his lifetime by the joint award with Lord David Trimble of the Nobel Peace Prize. The fruit of his legacy remains the Good Friday -Belfast Agreement."
The Archbishop said “we honour his memory, give thanks for his courage and pray for all members of his family.”
President ofthe Methodist Church Rev Dr Tom McKnight said that "there can be no denying the tremendous contribution and self-sacrifice of John Hume in the pursuit of peace in his beloved Ireland ."
As “a voice for progressive, non-violent nationalism, and his huge risk at great personal cost in reaching out to armed republicanism in the pursuit of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future, John was a model of community spirit and a belief in the innate goodness of people,” Rev McKnight said.
“Coupled with his strong faith, John’s work and his dedication to the good of all – not just all who agreed with him – made him absolutely worthy of the many honours bestowed upon him by both nations and church,” he said.
He extended his sympathies “to Pat – who cared so deeply and diligently for John and for his work – and the entire extended family. John’s work will never be forgotten.”
Committed
Presbyterian Moderator Rev Dr David Bruce, described John Hume as “a man who selflessly committed himself to challenging the deep-seated problems of our society. He demonstrated a genuine desire to bring people together for the common good and to build a just and peaceful society. We give thanks for peacemakers, and on this sad day, John Hume in particular.”
He recalled how, on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 with David Trimble, John Hume “reflected on the previous 30 years of his political involvement saying, ‘Amid shattered lives, a quiet heroism has borne silent rebuke to the evil that violence represents, to the carnage and waste of violence, to its ultimate futility.’ It is perhaps John Hume’s own personal courage, along with his consistent and outright rejection of violence, which we honour and remember today.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--Farming investigations unit created to replace unpopular predecessor

The investigations division of the Department of Agriculture , whose numbers have been substantially reduced from six to three personnel , came into being in October 2014 .
Then minister for agriculture Simon Coveney said the decision to create a new division was made following a review of “ the governance structure around the conduct of all investigations by my department ” .
The division effectively replaced the Specialist Investigations Unit ( SIU ) which had been deeply unpopular among farming representative groups .
The new arrangement brought all investigations capability , both internal and external , into one division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , supported by a core team of investigators drawing on others in the department with specialist expertise , he said .
Mr Coveney said that in altering the inspection capability , he was “ enhancing our capacity to protect Ireland ’ s international reputation whilst also providing for enhanced governance arrangements in respect of when and how investigations are carried out ” .
The division ’ s predecessor the SIU had been set up in 1984 to tackle the illegal use of grown promoters , initially hormones but then Angel Dust or clenbuterol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beef exports .
The SIU achieved this with a number of high profile investigations and successful prosecutions and it began to broaden its remit to investigate various scams including one where farmers deliberately introduced BSE-infected animals into herds to claim compensation .
One such investigation into a BSE scam , where the SIU were assisted by the Garda , resulted in a Clonakilty farmer , James Sutton being jailed in 2000 for five years while a cattle dealer , Bryan Wilson from Bandon , was jailed for a year and his son , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over the years , the SIU , which had 15 investigators at its height , began to further broaden its remit across the beef , sheep , pig and equine sectors , looking , for example , into cattle smuggling scams by farmers as well as investigations into vets and pharmacists who prescribed medicines illegally .
The late judge AG Murphy highlighted the importance of the SIU in a case of cattle smuggling at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in 2001 , saying they were doing critically important work to stop a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the SIU ’ s robust approach to investigations was not without controversy and the unit did not endear itself to farmer representative groups with the IFA being quick to welcome its dissolution in October 2014 when it was replaced by the Investigations Division .
Then IFA President , Eddie Downey said that farmers had no faith in the SIU and the move by Minister Coveney was welcome and necessary to restore the credibility of the Department of Agriculture ’ s investigative oversight among farm families and the wider agricultural community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Division ) recognises the concerns IFA has repeatedly expressed about the unit ( SIU ) since I took over as President .
The move also reflects the deep unease among farm families about the activities of the SIU , ” said Mr Downey .
Although it had been stood down in October 2014 , the SIU came under the spotlight at a Dáil Public Accounts Committee hearing in June 2015 when the department ’ s secretary general Aidan O ’ Driscoll was forced to defend the SIU ’ s reputation against “ malicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was alleged that a department official , investigating the use of illegal products and overseeing the slaughter of 4,000 pigs on a pig farm in Co Waterford in 2002 , handed a lump hammer to a farmer and told him to finish the job after a bolt gun or humane killer failed .
Mr O ’ Driscoll roundly dismissed the allegation saying it was “ completely untrue ” and told Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton that he had been told “ an absolute untruth ” and that , in fact , department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmer when he threatened to kill a pig with the hammer .
Mr Connaughton told the committee that there was a feeling that the SIU was “ a group that is out of control ... they ’ re answerable to absolutely no one ” but this was strongly denied by Mr O ’ Driscoll who said no unit in his department was out of control or acted alone .
“ There is significantly misleading information given to you about the power of the SIU and how it operates ... it has been suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far beyond what everyone else has .
This is completely untrue.
” He revealed that over the preceding five years , 2010 to 2015 , the SIU/Investigations Division had conducted 607 investigations of which only 58 or less than 10 per cent had proceeded to prosecution but where prosecutions were undertaken , over 90 per cent had resulted in convictions .
That pattern of taking only a small number prosecutions but securing a high number of convictions has continued with the department revealing to The Irish Times this week that 39 prosecutions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 37 of these resulting in convictions .

The investigations division of the Department of Agriculture, whose numbers have been substantially reduced from six to three personnel, came into being in October 2014. File photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons/The Irish Times.
The investigations division of the Department of Agriculture, whose numbers have been substantially reduced from six to three personnel, came into being in October 2014.
Then minister for agriculture Simon Coveney said the decision to create a new division was made following a review of "the governance structure around the conduct of all investigations by my department".
The division effectively replaced the Specialist Investigations Unit (SIU) which had been deeply unpopular among farming representative groups.
The new arrangement brought all investigations capability, both internal and external, into one division headed by a Senior Superintending Veterinary Officer, supported by a core team of investigators drawing on others in the department with specialist expertise, he said.
READ MORE
Mr Coveney said that in altering the inspection capability, he was “enhancing our capacity to protect Ireland’s international reputation whilst also providing for enhanced governance arrangements in respect of when and how investigations are carried out”.
The division’s predecessor the SIU had been set up in 1984 to tackle the illegal use of grown promoters, initially hormones but then Angel Dust or clenbuterol, which threatened the reputation of Irish beef exports.
The SIU achieved this with a number of high profile investigations and successful prosecutions and it began to broaden its remit to investigate various scams including one where farmers deliberately introduced BSE-infected animals into herds to claim compensation.
One such investigation into a BSE scam, where the SIU were assisted by the Garda, resulted in a Clonakilty farmer, James Sutton being jailed in 2000 for five years while a cattle dealer, Bryan Wilson from Bandon, was jailed for a year and his son, Andrew received a two years suspended term.
Over the years, the SIU, which had 15 investigators at its height, began to further broaden its remit across the beef, sheep, pig and equine sectors, looking, for example, into cattle smuggling scams by farmers as well as investigations into vets and pharmacists who prescribed medicines illegally.
The late judge AG Murphy highlighted the importance of the SIU in a case of cattle smuggling at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in 2001, saying they were doing critically important work to stop a small number besmirching the name of Irish farming.
But the SIU's robust approach to investigations was not without controversy and the unit did not endear itself to farmer representative groups with the IFA being quick to welcome its dissolution in October 2014 when it was replaced by the Investigations Division.
No faith
Then IFA President, Eddie Downey said that farmers had no faith in the SIU and the move by Minister Coveney was welcome and necessary to restore the credibility of the Department of Agriculture's investigative oversight among farm families and the wider agricultural community.
“It (setting up the Investigations Division) recognises the concerns IFA has repeatedly expressed about the unit (SIU) since I took over as President. The move also reflects the deep unease among farm families about the activities of the SIU,” said Mr Downey.
Although it had been stood down in October 2014, the SIU came under the spotlight at a Dáil Public Accounts Committee hearing in June 2015 when the department’s secretary general Aidan O’Driscoll was forced to defend the SIU’s reputation against “malicious” allegations.
In one case, it was alleged that a department official, investigating the use of illegal products and overseeing the slaughter of 4,000 pigs on a pig farm in Co Waterford in 2002, handed a lump hammer to a farmer and told him to finish the job after a bolt gun or humane killer failed.
Mr O'Driscoll roundly dismissed the allegation saying it was "completely untrue" and told Fine Gael TD Paul Connaughton that he had been told "an absolute untruth" and that, in fact, department staff took a lump hammer off the farmer when he threatened to kill a pig with the hammer.
Feeling
Mr Connaughton told the committee that there was a feeling that the SIU was “a group that is out of control... they’re answerable to absolutely no one” but this was strongly denied by Mr O’Driscoll who said no unit in his department was out of control or acted alone.
“There is significantly misleading information given to you about the power of the SIU and how it operates... it has been suggested to you that they have special powers far beyond what everyone else has. This is completely untrue.”
He revealed that over the preceding five years, 2010 to 2015, the SIU/Investigations Division had conducted 607 investigations of which only 58 or less than 10 per cent had proceeded to prosecution but where prosecutions were undertaken, over 90 per cent had resulted in convictions.
That pattern of taking only a small number prosecutions but securing a high number of convictions has continued with the department revealing to The Irish Times this week that 39 prosecutions were brought between 2016 and 2019 inclusive, with 37 of these resulting in convictions.


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--John Hume’s legacy: Stubborn figure transformed the relationship between Britain and Ireland

John Hume was a towering political figure who helped to redefine Irish nationalism .
In the process , he changed @ @ @ @ @ South , as well as transforming the relationship between the islands of Ireland and Britain @ @ @ @ @ within Northern Ireland , and the institutional structures that define the relationship between the North @ @ @ @ @ well as those between Ireland and the United Kingdom owe more to Hume than anybody @ @

John Hume has died in his home city of Derry. Harry McGee reports on the life of Ireland’s chief architect in the peace process and a man described by Bill Clinton as ‘the Irish conflict’s Martin Luther King’.
John Hume was a towering political figure who helped to redefine Irish nationalism. In the process, he changed Irish politics, North and South, as well as transforming the relationship between the islands of Ireland and Britain.
The current powersharing structure within Northern Ireland, and the institutional structures that define the relationship between the North and the Republic, as well as those between Ireland and the United Kingdom owe more to Hume than anybody else.
Since the early 1970s, he stuck doggedly to a vision that emphasised the need for the two communities in the North to find a way of living together as well as finding a way to redefine the relationship of Northern Ireland to the Republic and to the rest of the UK.
At the heart of that vision was a belief in the principle of consent and the unwavering notion that unity among people rather than territory should be the goal of political activity by nationalists.
READ MORE
In the course of his long career, Hume infuriated friends as well as foes by his stubbornness, which could sometimes veer into self-indulgence, but about his achievement there is no argument.
He was the inspiration behind the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 and the Belfast Agreement of 1998. All of them hinged on replacing majority rule in the North with a powersharing Executive that would represent the two communities.
In tandem with this, he argued for North-South institutions which would allow Northern nationalists a means of expressing their Irish identity.
His decision to engage in talks with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams at a time when the Provisional IRA’s murderous campaign was still in full swing provoked considerable controversy and dismayed many of his ardent supporters but it was a crucial step in the delicate process that led to the IRA ceasefire.
A key to Hume’s influence is that he managed to change perceptions of the Northern Ireland situation in the outside world, not only in Britain and the United States but across the European Union.
The backing of influential political leaders in these countries helped give the necessary impetus to the search for a solution to the knotty problem posed by the ongoing problems of Northern Ireland and the persistent violence that ensued.
New Ireland Forum in 1983: (L to R) John Hume, Seamus Mallon, EK McGredy, Joe Hendron and Austin Currie. Photograph: Pat Langan
John Hume became the key strategist and spokesman for constitutional nationalism in the North from the moment the civil rights protest in Derry in October 1968 was met with police violence.
Before the civil rights protesters took to the streets, the sectarian discrimination inflicted on Northern nationalists had been largely ignored by successive governments in Dublin, who instead made the occasional noise objecting to partition.
The British government, which had ultimate responsibility for the problem, refused to get involved, leaving it to the unionist administration in Stormont to run the region as it deemed fit.
After the Derry protest of 1968, everything changed and Hume was catapulted into the position of speaking for Northern nationalism even though he initially held no public office.
Persuasive persona
He quickly developed an easy mastery of television, projecting an articulate, personable and highly persuasive persona. He also developed a clear analysis of the Northern Ireland problem and a framework of democratic principles upon which a solution had to be based.
His philosophy rested upon principles of tolerance, social justice, respect for and accommodation of difference, the complete rejection of violence, and the imperative of working for political progress by means of dialogue aimed at achieving consensus. He drew heavily on the inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi, and Dr Martin Luther King jnr, whom he quoted repeatedly.
John Hume (C) with Michael Noonan (R) then leader of Fine Gael speaking to Garret Fitzgerald at his 75th Birthday celebration dinner in Dublin in 2001. Photograph: Alan Betson
Hume was one of the founders of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and soon became its dominant figure. With Northern Ireland constantly in the news at home and abroad, he was the person most frequently consulted by the international media about the ongoing crisis.
He also became the person the Irish government came to rely on more and more in the early 1970s as IRA violence and loyalist terrorism pushed Northern Ireland into an apparently endless spiral of violence.
His mastery of media communication also won over the Irish-American political elite and the overwhelming majority of European political leaders as well as a significant section of British public opinion.
Following the collapse of all the bright hopes placed in the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, Hume did not despair, even when British governments appeared to have given up on the notion of powersharing.
He developed a strong bond with Fine Gael’s Garret FitzGerald as both men grappled with the problem in the early 1980s, and had a huge influence on the New Ireland Forum report and the Anglo-Irish Agreement which ultimately flowed from that process.
That agreement gave the Irish government a role in the internal affairs of Northern Ireland as a voice for nationalists. Hume strongly backed it despite the objections of Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey and he never really forgave Haughey’s attempts to undermine it by sending Brian Lenihan senior to the United States to lobby against it.
In the years that followed, Hume began his talks with Adams and persisted, despite a number of setbacks, in what came to be known as the Hume-Adams process. That paved the way for the IRA ceasefire and ultimately the Belfast Agreement which eventually brought Sinn Féin into the political process.
From the current vantage point, it is hard to see how the Belfast Agreement could have been achieved, were it not for the fact that Hume had lined up such an enormously powerful international alliance in favour of a settlement based upon the principles of consent that he enunciated. His political persona derived from his absolute inner certainty that he had correctly analysed the problem, and had formulated the right answer to solve it. He managed ultimately to bring around republicans who had resisted his analysis for decades.
His deputy leader Séamus Mallon, with whom he had at times a testy relationship, remarked that the Belfast Agreement represented “Sunningdale for slow learners”, but it was Hume’s patience and persistence that eventually brought republicans around to accepting his analysis.
John Hume (C) with Michael Noonan (R) then leader of Fine Gael speaking to Garret Fitzgerald at his 75th Birthday celebration dinner in Dublin in 2001. Photograph: Alan Betson
He had the self-belief to repeat the same message for decades until eventually his analysis was accepted by almost everybody. Friends and foes referred to that message as the “single transferable speech” or “Hume speak” but he always insisted that since the problem hadn’t changed, neither had the answer.
Ultimately, that vision became the basis of the political solution personified by the Belfast Agreement. That is his testament.


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--John Hume: His life and times

John Hume: His life and times

January 18th , 1937 : Born in Lower Nassau Street , Derry , to Sam and Annie Hume .
1958 : Hume graduates from Maynooth with a BA in French and history .
Continues to study for MA , writing a thesis on the social and economic development of his native city .
1960 : Hume helps establish Derry Credit Union – the first in Northern Ireland .
He later becomes president of the Irish League of Credit Unions , aged 27 .
May 1964 : Hume writes two opinion pieces in The Irish Times , offering a withering critique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates a new form of social democratic politics , dedicated to working for social justice and for Irish unity based on the principle of consent .
1965 : Hume becomes first chairman of new Derry Housing Association , which campaigns for provision of social housing in response to chronic overcrowding .
1965 : Hume becomes chairman of University for Derry campaign which presses for Magee College to be developed as North ’ s second university .
October 5th , 1968 : A banned civil rights march , including Hume , Republican Labour MP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others is batoned off Duke Street in Derry by the RUC .
TV cameras record the violence which transformed the campaign for civil rights .
February 24th , 1969 : Hume is elected to the old Stormont parliament as an Independent , defeating Eddie McAteer – leader of the Nationalist Party .
August 1969 : Northern Ireland suffers serious civil disturbances .
British troops deployed in Derry , then to Belfast .
August 1970 : Hume helps found the SDLP with Gerry Fitt as its first leader .
August 1971 : In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government introduces internment without trial .
January 30th , 1972 ( Bloody Sunday ) : The British army ’ s Parachute Regiment shoots dead 14 Catholics in Derry at an anti-internment march that Hume did not attend .
December 6th-9th , 1973 : British prime minister Edward Heath , taoiseach Liam Cosgrave , Northern Ireland party leaders and others conclude Sunningdale Agreement , which forms basis for new power-sharing administration and a cross-Border Council of Ireland .
May 28th , 1974 : Executive falls in the midst of a strike led by Ulster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
March 1981 : IRA prisoner Bobby Sands begins a hunger strike in H-Blocks .
He dies in May as do nine other republican prisoners .
Sinn Féin contests subsequent elections , winning 10 per cent of the vote in the 1982 Assembly elections .
June 9th , 1983 : Hume elected to Westminster as MP for Foyle .
November 15th , 1985 : Irish and British governments , strongly supported by Hume , sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement , giving the Republic a formal consultative role in Northern Ireland .
January 11th , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gerry Adams for the first time to explore the possibility of a ceasefire .
The talks continue in secret for some time .
They resume in 1993 with Hume arguing that republican aims could be pursued without violence .
January 29th , 1994 : Hume helps persuade Clinton administration to grant Gerry Adams a US visa – a prerequisite in the push for an IRA ceasefire .
August 31st , 1994 : IRA ceasefire is announced , followed by the combined loyalist ceasefire six weeks later .
February 9th , 1996 : IRA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s docklands and subsequent bombing of Manchester city centre on June 15th .
July 20th 1997 : IRA resumes its ceasefire following publication of a joint document by Adams and Hume .
Sinn Féin enters peace talks chaired by Senator George Mitchell six weeks later .
April 10th , 1998 : Belfast Agreement concluded .
It is passed by joint referendums in both parts of Ireland , leading to elections to a new Assembly at Stormont .
October 17th , 1998 : Hume and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble are both awarded the @ @ @ @

January 18th, 1937: Born in Lower Nassau Street, Derry, to Sam and Annie Hume.
1958: Hume graduates from Maynooth with a BA in French and history. Continues to study for MA, writing a thesis on the social and economic development of his native city.
1960: Hume, now a schoolteacher, marries Pat Hone.
1960: Hume helps establish Derry Credit Union – the first in Northern Ireland. He later becomes president of the Irish League of Credit Unions, aged 27.
READ MORE
May 1964: Hume writes two opinion pieces in The Irish Times, offering a withering critique of the old Nationalist Party. He advocates a new form of social democratic politics, dedicated to working for social justice and for Irish unity based on the principle of consent.
1965: Hume becomes first chairman of new Derry Housing Association, which campaigns for provision of social housing in response to chronic overcrowding.
1965: Hume becomes chairman of University for Derry campaign which presses for Magee College to be developed as North's second university.
October 5th, 1968: A banned civil rights march, including Hume, Republican Labour MP Gerry Fitt from Belfast, Austin Currie and others is batoned off Duke Street in Derry by the RUC. TV cameras record the violence which transformed the campaign for civil rights.
October 6th, 1968: Hume co-founds Derry Citizens' Action Committee to organise non-violent agitation for civil rights.
February 24th, 1969: Hume is elected to the old Stormont parliament as an Independent, defeating Eddie McAteer – leader of the Nationalist Party.
August 1969: Northern Ireland suffers serious civil disturbances. British troops deployed in Derry, then to Belfast.
December 1969: Provisional IRA is formed.
August 1970: Hume helps found the SDLP with Gerry Fitt as its first leader.
August 1971: In response to mounting street violence, Stormont government introduces internment without trial. January 30th, 1972 (Bloody Sunday): The British army's Parachute Regiment shoots dead 14 Catholics in Derry at an anti-internment march that Hume did not attend.
March 1972: Direct rule from Westminster is introduced.
December 6th-9th, 1973: British prime minister Edward Heath, taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, Northern Ireland party leaders and others conclude Sunningdale Agreement, which forms basis for new power-sharing administration and a cross-Border Council of Ireland.
January 1st, 1974: The powersharing Executive takes office.
May 28th, 1974: Executive falls in the midst of a strike led by Ulster Workers Council and supported by many unionists.
June 7th, 1979: Hume elected as MEP to European Parliament.
March 1981: IRA prisoner Bobby Sands begins a hunger strike in H-Blocks. He dies in May as do nine other republican prisoners. Sinn Féin contests subsequent elections, winning 10 per cent of the vote in the 1982 Assembly elections.
June 9th, 1983: Hume elected to Westminster as MP for Foyle.
November 15th, 1985: Irish and British governments, strongly supported by Hume, sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement, giving the Republic a formal consultative role in Northern Ireland.
January 11th, 1988: Hume meets Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams for the first time to explore the possibility of a ceasefire. The talks continue in secret for some time. They resume in 1993 with Hume arguing that republican aims could be pursued without violence.
December 15th, 1993: British prime minister John Major and taoiseach Albert Reynolds conclude Downing Street Declaration.
January 29th, 1994: Hume helps persuade Clinton administration to grant Gerry Adams a US visa – a prerequisite in the push for an IRA ceasefire.
August 31st, 1994: IRA ceasefire is announced, followed by the combined loyalist ceasefire six weeks later.
February 9th, 1996: IRA ceasefire ends with bombing of London's docklands and subsequent bombing of Manchester city centre on June 15th.
July 20th 1997: IRA resumes its ceasefire following publication of a joint document by Adams and Hume. Sinn Féin enters peace talks chaired by Senator George Mitchell six weeks later.
April 10th, 1998: Belfast Agreement concluded. It is passed by joint referendums in both parts of Ireland, leading to elections to a new Assembly at Stormont.
October 17th, 1998: Hume and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble are both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
August 1999: Hume suffers brain damage following a medical emergency. He subsequently develops dementia.
September 2001: Hume steps down as SDLP leader.


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--Two people die after car enters water outside Co Cork village

Two people have died after a car left the road and entered water near Glengariff in Co Cork .
A @ @ @ @ @ and a man in his late teens were pronounced dead at the scene .
Two @ @ @ @ @ car , both in their 20s .
One was airlifted to Cork University Hospital with @ @ @ @ @ other was uninjured in the crash , gardaí said .
It is understood the car @ @ @ @ @ Glengarriff when it came off the road about a mile outside the Co Cork village @ @ @ @ @ .
Gardaí and the Forensic Collision Investigators are at the scene .
The road is @ @ @ @ @ in place .
Gardaí at Bantry are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to @ @ @ @ @ also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage , including dash-cam , @ @ @ @ @ area at the time to make this footage available .
Anyone with information is asked @ @ @ @ @ on 027 20860 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 .

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses following a single vehicle crash which claimed the lives of two men in West Cork on Monday.
The crash also left a teenager critically injured when a car went into a river near Glengarriff early on Monday morning.
Supt Declan O'Sullivan of Bantry Garda station said gardaí were anxious to speak to anyone who may have seen the VW Jetta which crashed on the Kenmare Road in Glengariff at around 5.30am this morning.
The driver of the car, Tadhg Murphy (19) from Bocarna, Glengarriff and a rear seat passenger, Michael Bowen (40) from Akakista, Durrus were both killed when the car crashed off the Kenmare Road and dropped down in the Glengarriff river, about a kilometre from Glengarriff.
READ MORE
The car dropped down about 20 feet from the road before coming to rest on its roof in about three feet of water and both deceased were pronounced dead at the scene after they were recovered from the vehicle by members of Bantry and Castletownbere Units of Cork County Fire Service.
It is understood that one of the other occupants of the car, a 22 year old from Glengarriff managed to get out from the upturn car and he assisted the other occupant, a 17 year old from the vehicle and performed CPR on him until the emergency services arrived at the scene.
The 17-year-old, who is also from Glengarriff, was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and he remained in a critical condition on Monday evening while the 22 year old was also treated for minor non-life threatening injuries.
It’s the second tragedy to befall the Bowen family as Michael Bowen’s father, John was killed in a road traffic collision when he was hit by a 4 X 4 while walking home along the Kilcrohane Road in Durrus just before 2am on January 30th 2016.
Local independent Cork South West TD Michael Collins from Lowertown near Schull said the tragedy had cast a pall of gloom around the greater Bantry area and people’s thoughts and prayers were with the two young men who were injured in the collision.
“Michael Bowen was doing a bit of stone masonry work in recent times – he was a good old character and well liked – it’s very sad for him and his family, particularly given the tragedy they suffered a few years ago when his father was killed in a traffic accident in Durrus.
“It’s frightful, the whole thing is shocking – for this tragedy to hit the greater Bantry area on a Bank Holiday weekend, or indeed at any time for that matter, is a cause of great upset and sadness, it’s hard to comprehend the tragedy at this time, the whole place is numb, absolutely numb.”
Gardaí closed off the road for several hours to allow a Forensic Collision Investigator examine the scene of the crash while a garda PSV inspector is expected to examine the VW Jetta once it is retrieved from the river to establish if there was any mechanical fault with the car prior to the crash.
Gardaí are hoping that post-mortems at Cork University Hospital on Tuesday will establish the exact cause of death of Mr Murphy and Mr Bowen.
The crash happened about 100 metres from the entrance to the Glengarriff Wood Nature Reserve on the Kenmare Road and among the lines of inquiries being pursued by gardaí is whether the four friends may have spent some time in the woods just prior to the collision.
Gardaí have asked anyone who can assist them in their investigation to contact Bantry Garda Station on 027 20860 and they are anxious that anyone who may have camera footage, including dash-cam and was in the area at the time to make this footage available.


theirishtimes--2020-08-03--Investigations staff at Department of Agriculture cut from six to two

The Department of Agriculture has denied downgrading its investigations division despite the number of investigators working in it being reduced from six to two .
The unit has been involved in investigating breaches of animal health rules , animal welfare cases and public health matters across the State , and secured a number of high-profile convictions over the last number of years .
However , four of the most senior investigators in the division – two vets and two agricultural inspectors with some 70 years of experience between them – were last month informed they were being transferred to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two investigating officers .
An informed source said the unit was losing experienced investigators who had developed contacts and intelligence on criminal activity in agriculture over the years .
They also had experience presenting evidence in court when prosecuting cases .
“ The staff numbers in the investigations division and its predecessor , the special investigations unit , have gone from 12 active investigators in 2012 with a senior superintendent veterinary inspector and a superintendent veterinary inspector to two active investigators , ” the source said .
The changes follow a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of investigations and prosecutions within the Department of Agriculture , Food and the Marine .
The source said the decision to cut the number of investigators ran counter to some of the recommendations .
“ The review argued for a core group of highly-skilled and trained investigators to carry out any type of investigation to the standard required for court and it proposed a team of 14 investigators going forward , ” the source said .
“ How can you square that with reducing the number from six to two ?
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or larger groups particularly in the initial stages of an investigation such as the execution of a search warrant and reducing the number of investigators to two makes this impossible , they added .
According to the source , special investigations will now be carried out by district veterinary officers ( DVOs ) rather than the investigations division .
The State ’ s 15 or so DVOs do have experience in the areas of animal welfare prosecutions , such as prosecutions for breaches of TB regulations , but might find it more difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a regular basis .
The source also said DVOs are extremely busy carrying out animal welfare inspections and checking to ensure all TB tests are done and may not have the time to perform more detailed specialist investigations .
However , this has been disputed by the Department of Agriculture which said hundreds of its staff carry out thousands of inspections and investigations into agricultural matters each year .
“ This inspection/investigative capability is supplemented by a central investigations division , ” the department said .
It said the investigations division ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and enquiries across all areas of the department and to provide assistance to other divisions in relation to potential fraud and other illegalities and irregularities .
“ The team is multidisciplinary and the mix of staff expertise and backgrounds in the staffing complement reflects the nature and focus of the work.There are no plans to reduce the staff numbers in the division , ” the department said , in response to questions from The Irish Times .
Asked about the transfer of four investigators , it said “ any apparent reductions are temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from one role to another ” .

The changes follow a number of recommendations made as part of a review of investigations and prosecutions within the Department of Agriculture. Photograph: iStock
The Department of Agriculture has denied downgrading its investigations division despite the number of investigators working in it being reduced from six to two.
The unit has been involved in investigating breaches of animal health rules, animal welfare cases and public health matters across the State, and secured a number of high-profile convictions over the last number of years.
However, four of the most senior investigators in the division – two vets and two agricultural inspectors with some 70 years of experience between them – were last month informed they were being transferred to other duties, leaving the unit with just two investigating officers.
An informed source said the unit was losing experienced investigators who had developed contacts and intelligence on criminal activity in agriculture over the years. They also had experience presenting evidence in court when prosecuting cases.
READ MORE
“The staff numbers in the investigations division and its predecessor, the special investigations unit, have gone from 12 active investigators in 2012 with a senior superintendent veterinary inspector and a superintendent veterinary inspector to two active investigators,” the source said.
The changes follow a number of recommendations made as part of a review of investigations and prosecutions within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The source said the decision to cut the number of investigators ran counter to some of the recommendations.
“The review argued for a core group of highly-skilled and trained investigators to carry out any type of investigation to the standard required for court and it proposed a team of 14 investigators going forward,” the source said.
“How can you square that with reducing the number from six to two?”
The review recommended that investigators work in pairs or larger groups particularly in the initial stages of an investigation such as the execution of a search warrant and reducing the number of investigators to two makes this impossible, they added.
According to the source, special investigations will now be carried out by district veterinary officers (DVOs) rather than the investigations division.
The State’s 15 or so DVOs do have experience in the areas of animal welfare prosecutions, such as prosecutions for breaches of TB regulations, but might find it more difficult to investigate farmers if they encounter them on a regular basis.
The source also said DVOs are extremely busy carrying out animal welfare inspections and checking to ensure all TB tests are done and may not have the time to perform more detailed specialist investigations.
‘Temporary anomalies’
However, this has been disputed by the Department of Agriculture which said hundreds of its staff carry out thousands of inspections and investigations into agricultural matters each year.
“This inspection/investigative capability is supplemented by a central investigations division,” the department said.
It said the investigations division’s remit is to carry out investigations and enquiries across all areas of the department and to provide assistance to other divisions in relation to potential fraud and other illegalities and irregularities.
“The team is multidisciplinary and the mix of staff expertise and backgrounds in the staffing complement reflects the nature and focus of the work.There are no plans to reduce the staff numbers in the division,” the department said, in response to questions from The Irish Times.
Asked about the transfer of four investigators, it said “any apparent reductions are temporary anomalies which arise where staff are moving from one role to another”.