theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Coronavirus search: How is Covid-19 spreading in your locality?

The electoral area of Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan has the highest 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus cases in the State and is more than five times the national rate , the latest data shows .
The 14-day rate per 100,000 population is a useful measure of how the virus is spreading and data has been made available by authorities showing that rate in each 166 local electoral areas .
The latest data examines the 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate between October 6th and October 19th , the day the Government announced the country would move to Level 5 restrictions to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral area of Ballyjamesduff has an incidence rate of 1488.3 cases per 100,000 population , more than five times the national incidence rate of 279.3 cases , the figures published on the Government ’ s data hub show .
The rate in the area is now 10 times what it was when the last 14-day incidence rate data was released ( September 22nd-October 5th ) when the area ’ s rate was 147.30 per 100,000 population .
A second electoral area in the county , Cavan-Belturbet now has the sixth highest rate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral area in Co Meath has the second highest rate in the country at 1212.6 while Galway Central has the third highest rate at 981.2 per 100,000 population .
Nenagh in Co Tipperary and Lismore in Co Waterford have the lowest rates in the country , both having recorded less than five cases during the period in question .
There are now 53 local electoral areas around the country that exceed the national incidence rate of 279.3 cases per 100,000 population .
In Dublin , where the highest number of cases have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus at 456.3 cases per 100,000 population while Glencullen-Sandyford has the lowest rate at 76.5 .
Search the table with this story to see how your area is coping with Covid-19 .
If you are reading this on The Irish Times app and can ’ t see the searchable table , go here .

People queue outside shops wearing protective face masks as a precaution against the transmission of the novel coronavirus in Dublin on Wednesday. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP
The electoral area of Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan has the highest 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus cases in the State and is more than five times the national rate, the latest data shows.
The 14-day rate per 100,000 population is a useful measure of how the virus is spreading and data has been made available by authorities showing that rate in each 166 local electoral areas.
The latest data examines the 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate between October 6th and October 19th, the day the Government announced the country would move to Level 5 restrictions to combat the spread of the disease.
The electoral area of Ballyjamesduff has an incidence rate of 1488.3 cases per 100,000 population, more than five times the national incidence rate of 279.3 cases, the figures published on the Government's data hub show. The rate in the area is now 10 times what it was when the last 14-day incidence rate data was released (September 22nd-October 5th) when the area's rate was 147.30 per 100,000 population. A second electoral area in the county, Cavan-Belturbet now has the sixth highest rate in the State of 774.3.
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The Ratoath electoral area in Co Meath has the second highest rate in the country at 1212.6 while Galway Central has the third highest rate at 981.2 per 100,000 population.
Nenagh in Co Tipperary and Lismore in Co Waterford have the lowest rates in the country, both having recorded less than five cases during the period in question.
There are now 53 local electoral areas around the country that exceed the national incidence rate of 279.3 cases per 100,000 population.
In Dublin, where the highest number of cases have been recorded daily, Ballymun-Finglas has the highest 14-day incidence rate of coronavirus at 456.3 cases per 100,000 population while Glencullen-Sandyford has the lowest rate at 76.5.
Search the table with this story to see how your area is coping with Covid-19. If you are reading this on The Irish Times app and can't see the searchable table, go here.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Farmers scaling up efforts to reduce agricultural emissions – IFA

There are strong indications farmers are scaling up actions to reduce greenhouse gases ( GHGs ) arising from farming and investing in proven technologies to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide associated with fertiliser use , according to the Irish Farmers ’ Association .
Sales of protected urea have increased significantly this year with almost 40,000 tonnes sold between January and June this year ; compared to 21,000 tonnes in 2019 , the IFA confirmed .
Protected urea is normal urea coated with “ urease inhibitor ” to reduce ammonia emissions .
Unlike urea , it can be spread during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to invest in Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment ( LESS ) , the IFA added .
With grant support they have already invested an estimated €79.6 million in LESS equipment “ such as trailing shoes and dribble bars ” .
IFA dairy chairman Tom Phelan said there is a six to nine-month waiting list for such machinery , which clearly indicated the interest among farmers .
“ Next year , all farmers in receipt of a Nitrates derogation must spread their slurry with LESS – this is real change delivered by farmers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected urea and using LESS equipment are two of the main actions at farm level identified by the Teagasc MACC abatement strategy to reduce GHGs and ammonia emissions associated with agriculture over the next decade .
IFA environment chairman Paul O ’ Brien said nobody was denying the scale of the climate challenge facing Irish farmers , but it was great to see farmers already adapting and getting on with it .
“ In the midst of extreme scrutiny of farming practices , what often gets overlooked is the positive and tangible change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he added .
Mr O ’ Brien said these actions showed farmers were willing to change , but a focused plan was needed to encourage farmers to take up the measures identified in the MACC .
“ It is easy for the Government to set targets , but we need to continue to support farmers to translate these into actions on the ground , ” he said .
With a strong research base , the agriculture and food development agency Teagasc is “ well-positioned ” to assist farmers in meeting the challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director Prof Gerry Boyle .
At a briefing to outline Teagasc ’ s annual report for 2019 , he said the outcomes of its research were often criticised by both the agri sector and environmentalists , which he said reflected its work was science based – though he accepted there was a huge challenge in communicating “ complex issues ” on climate change .
Measures outlined in the MACC strategy were estimated to reduce emissions by 1.85 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year between 2021 and 2030 , if fully implemented , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abatement were using protected urea , improving dairy breeding – applying the economic breeding index ( EBI ) – and using low-emission slurry spreading .
Teagasc has produced guidelines for the dairy sector , identifying key actions to reduce the industry ’ s environmental footprint and to ensure the highest standards in animal welfare .
The treatment of methane emissions associated with livestock production would be a significant issue , he said .
The splitting of methane from other emissions would happen in time , but could take up to 10 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ splitting methane from other GHGs s when it was measuring emissions , Prof Boyle said it was “ an important step ” but added it would be “ an important but a complex step to explain ” – farmers have been calling for methane to be classified separately as it is a short-lived gas in the atmosphere compared to other GHGs , though it ultimately converts to CO2 .
Teagasc research had shown that the actions which improve production efficiency could also contribute to environmental progress , Prof Boyle said .
“ With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teagasc advisors were very well-positioned to assist farmers to meet the challenges ahead , ” he added .
Meanwhile , Prof Boyle outlined the level of investment being made by Teagasc to help the agri-food industry be “ Brexit ready ” by enhancing research infrastructure and capacity .
A total of €10 million is being invested in Moorepark Technology Limited in Co Cork ; €8.5 million in a National Food innovation hub also in Moorepark ; €10 million in the National Consumer Foods centre in Ashtown , Co Dublin ; and €6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Co Galway .
The €35 million programme was initiated in 2019 with the remainder due to be in place this year .
The authority was looking to support companies who want to diversify into other markets , particularly in Asia , and to develop niche products .
The dairy sector was faced with a particular challenge with regard to the export of cheddar cheese to the UK as a result of Brexit .
The authority was working to “ develop an appetite for cheddar in China ” .
State grant-in-aid for current operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , with €5.3 million for capital purposes .

Sales of protected urea have increased significantly this year with almost 40,000 tonnes sold between January and June this year
There are strong indications farmers are scaling up actions to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) arising from farming and investing in proven technologies to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide associated with fertiliser use, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association.
Sales of protected urea have increased significantly this year with almost 40,000 tonnes sold between January and June this year; compared to 21,000 tonnes in 2019, the IFA confirmed.
Protected urea is normal urea coated with “urease inhibitor” to reduce ammonia emissions. Unlike urea, it can be spread during the main grazing season.
Farmers have also continued to invest in Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESS), the IFA added. With grant support they have already invested an estimated €79.6 million in LESS equipment “such as trailing shoes and dribble bars”.
READ MORE
IFA dairy chairman Tom Phelan said there is a six to nine-month waiting list for such machinery, which clearly indicated the interest among farmers. "Next year, all farmers in receipt of a Nitrates derogation must spread their slurry with LESS – this is real change delivered by farmers," he added.
Switching to protected urea and using LESS equipment are two of the main actions at farm level identified by the Teagasc MACC abatement strategy to reduce GHGs and ammonia emissions associated with agriculture over the next decade.
IFA environment chairman Paul O’Brien said nobody was denying the scale of the climate challenge facing Irish farmers, but it was great to see farmers already adapting and getting on with it. “In the midst of extreme scrutiny of farming practices, what often gets overlooked is the positive and tangible change that is occurring at farm level,” he added.
‘Willing to change’
Mr O’Brien said these actions showed farmers were willing to change, but a focused plan was needed to encourage farmers to take up the measures identified in the MACC. “It is easy for the Government to set targets, but we need to continue to support farmers to translate these into actions on the ground,” he said.
With a strong research base, the agriculture and food development agency Teagasc is "well-positioned" to assist farmers in meeting the challenges of climate action, according to its director Prof Gerry Boyle.
At a briefing to outline Teagasc’s annual report for 2019, he said the outcomes of its research were often criticised by both the agri sector and environmentalists, which he said reflected its work was science based – though he accepted there was a huge challenge in communicating “complex issues” on climate change.
Measures outlined in the MACC strategy were estimated to reduce emissions by 1.85 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year between 2021 and 2030, if fully implemented, he noted. The largest contributors to abatement were using protected urea, improving dairy breeding – applying the economic breeding index (EBI) – and using low-emission slurry spreading.
Teagasc has produced guidelines for the dairy sector, identifying key actions to reduce the industry’s environmental footprint and to ensure the highest standards in animal welfare.
The treatment of methane emissions associated with livestock production would be a significant issue, he said. The splitting of methane from other emissions would happen in time, but could take up to 10 years.
Noting New Zealand has already embarked on splitting methane from other GHGs s when it was measuring emissions, Prof Boyle said it was "an important step" but added it would be "an important but a complex step to explain" – farmers have been calling for methane to be classified separately as it is a short-lived gas in the atmosphere compared to other GHGs, though it ultimately converts to CO2.
Teagasc research had shown that the actions which improve production efficiency could also contribute to environmental progress, Prof Boyle said. “With a strong research base behind them, Teagasc advisors were very well-positioned to assist farmers to meet the challenges ahead,” he added.
Meanwhile, Prof Boyle outlined the level of investment being made by Teagasc to help the agri-food industry be “Brexit ready” by enhancing research infrastructure and capacity.
A total of €10 million is being invested in Moorepark Technology Limited in Co Cork; €8.5 million in a National Food innovation hub also in Moorepark; €10 million in the National Consumer Foods centre in Ashtown, Co Dublin; and €6 million in Bia Innovator hub in Athenry, Co Galway. The €35 million programme was initiated in 2019 with the remainder due to be in place this year.
The authority was looking to support companies who want to diversify into other markets, particularly in Asia, and to develop niche products. The dairy sector was faced with a particular challenge with regard to the export of cheddar cheese to the UK as a result of Brexit. The authority was working to "develop an appetite for cheddar in China".
State grant-in-aid for current operations of Teagasc amounted to €130 million in 2019, with €5.3 million for capital purposes.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Man who loses bag with €40,000 of cocaine rings gardaí to report it missing

A young Dublin drugs courier who lost a bag containing €40,000 of cocaine phoned a Garda station to report it missing , Cork Circuit Criminal Court has heard .
Darren Barnwell ( 20 ) of Blackhall Parade in Dublin 7 made the journey to Cork city by train with the drugs two years ago .
The incident occurred on August 16th , 2018 when Mr Barnwell got in to a state of panic after he got off the train and realised he no longer had the cocaine .
He got in to a dispute with security staff who refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lost property .
Mr Barnwell pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for supply to others on August 16th , 2018 .
Det Sgt Kieran O ’ Sullivan told the court that Mr Barnwell got incensed with security staff at Kent Station about 2pm on the date in question in relation to the lost bag .
A person , believed to be Mr Barnwell , rang an Garda to report a lost bag .
Mr Barnwell then remembered he had gone to a shop on nearby MacCurtain Street .
He returned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which had been found by staff .
They had not looked at the contents .
Sgt O ’ Sullivan said that gardaí stopped a panicked Mr Barnwell outside of the shop .
When they opened the paper bag they discovered a large quantity of cocaine in it .
When analysed it had a value of €40,000 .
Mr Barnwell admitted he had made the journey on the train from Dublin bringing the cocaine with him .
He is without any previous criminal convictions .
On the date of the offence , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver the cocaine to another individual .
Sgt O ’ Sullivan said in the intervening period since the incident Mr Barnwell had not come to the attention of gardaí .
In sentencing Judge Sean O ’ Donnabhain said it was “ an unusual crime.
” “ I am justified in imposing a fully suspended sentence .
It is exceptional that he has no previous convictions or come to Garda attention since.
” He imposed a sentence of four years , which he suspended in its entirety on condition that Mr Barnwell keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a period of four years .

Darren Barnwell pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for supply to others on August 16th, 2018.
A young Dublin drugs courier who lost a bag containing €40,000 of cocaine phoned a Garda station to report it missing, Cork Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Darren Barnwell (20) of Blackhall Parade in Dublin 7 made the journey to Cork city by train with the drugs two years ago.
The incident occurred on August 16th, 2018 when Mr Barnwell got in to a state of panic after he got off the train and realised he no longer had the cocaine.
He got in to a dispute with security staff who refused to allow him back on to look for his lost property.
READ MORE
Mr Barnwell pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for supply to others on August 16th, 2018.
Det Sgt Kieran O’Sullivan told the court that Mr Barnwell got incensed with security staff at Kent Station about 2pm on the date in question in relation to the lost bag.
A person, believed to be Mr Barnwell , rang an Garda to report a lost bag.
Mr Barnwell then remembered he had gone to a shop on nearby MacCurtain Street.
He returned to the shop and was reunited with his bag, which had been found by staff. They had not looked at the contents.
Sgt O’Sullivan said that gardaí stopped a panicked Mr Barnwell outside of the shop.
When they opened the paper bag they discovered a large quantity of cocaine in it. When analysed it had a value of €40,000.
Mr Barnwell admitted he had made the journey on the train from Dublin bringing the cocaine with him.
He is without any previous criminal convictions. On the date of the offence, he was working as a courier who was to deliver the cocaine to another individual.
Sgt O’Sullivan said in the intervening period since the incident Mr Barnwell had not come to the attention of gardaí.
In sentencing Judge Sean O’Donnabhain said it was “an unusual crime.”
“I am justified in imposing a fully suspended sentence. It is exceptional that he has no previous convictions or come to Garda attention since.”
He imposed a sentence of four years, which he suspended in its entirety on condition that Mr Barnwell keeps the peace and is of good behaviour for a period of four years.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--‘We thought he was gone’: Man (77) rescued at sea after trying to save dog

A pensioner has thanked an Irish Coast Guard team who rescued him from treacherous seas after he got caught at the foot of a 15-metre cliff while trying to save his dog .
Glynne Jones ( 77 ) , a retired analytical chemist , said he would be forever grateful to the Old Head/Seven Heads Irish Coast Guard team in west Cork who rescued him from the sea and to his wife Eve who raised the alarm .
The couple had been out for a clifftop walk between Garretstown and Garrylucas beaches near their home in Ballinadee in West when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the cliff and fell into the sea at Blue Horizon .
Mr Jones managed to make it to where the cliffs were lower and made his way down to the shoreline to look for Bandit but was forced into a gully-like inlet by the incoming tide only to end up trapped there with waves breaking over him .
“ It was very , very lucky that I got out of there alive – if the Coast Guard were 10 minutes later , I wouldn ’ t be here .
I was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immensely grateful to them , they were superb , ” he told The Irish Times .
Eve Jones explained how she had to run for nearly half a mile back to the roadway to get a phone signal to raise the alarm after she realised that her husband was in trouble when he got trapped in the gully by the incoming tide .
“ Glynne was in a huge amount of danger – he was in the water for 45 minutes – it ’ s a very long time and they were going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken any longer but the Coast Guard were brilliant and we owe them so much.
” Mr Jones said the time seemed to pass very quickly as he was looking for Bandit at all times after spotting him in the sea but he was forced back up the rocky inlet or gully by the force of the incoming tide and some powerful waves .
“ I was searching for Bandit all the time and the sea was driving me backwards into this gully but I couldn ’ t find him and of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the gully because of the force of the sea , ” he said .
Mike Murray from the Old Head/Seven Heads Irish Coast Guard team revealed that it took them a while to actually find the inlet where Mr Jones was trapped but when they did , their first thought was to attach a rope to him .
“ The minute we got there we threw down a rope to him and he tied it around himself so at least we had some attachment to him in case he was knocked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the very top of the inlet all the time .
“ All you could see was surf and foam around his waist but it ended up around his shoulders and by the time he ended up at the top of the inlet , big waves of foam were coming in and covering him clean over , you wouldn ’ t see him at all .
“ Things were getting very serious so we decided we would have to pull him up manually – it would have taken too long to go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that stage we had about 10 volunteers on scene so we hauled him up .
“ At one stage , one of the waves knocked him off his feet and he struck his head and we thought he was gone because he went down under water and you could feel the surge of the sea pulling on the rope but he got up again.
” After the Irish Coast Guard Team got Mr Jones ashore , they helped him to the ambulance parked a few hundred metres away and the walk helped warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypothermia by paramedics in the ambulance .
Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Jason van der Velde examined Mr Jones at the ambulance and , satisfied he was okay , gave him the go-ahead to rejoin his his wife and they returned home but without Bandit , who was sadly lost at sea .
“ I ’ m doing fine , ” said Mr Jones on Thursday .
“ But our house feels very empty with Bandit gone – everything reminds us of him – physically I ’ m fine even though the emotions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful to the Coast Guard.
” Mike Murray admitted that Mr Jones was lucky to be saved and to emerge from his ordeal without serious injury .
“ Glynne was very lucky – things worked out well for him and for us and it ’ s nice to get a good outcome like this .
”

After the Irish Coast Guard Team got Glynne Jones ashore, they helped him to the ambulance parked a few hundred metres away. File photograph: Irish Coast Guard
A pensioner has thanked an Irish Coast Guard team who rescued him from treacherous seas after he got caught at the foot of a 15-metre cliff while trying to save his dog.
Glynne Jones (77), a retired analytical chemist, said he would be forever grateful to the Old Head/Seven Heads Irish Coast Guard team in west Cork who rescued him from the sea and to his wife Eve who raised the alarm.
The couple had been out for a clifftop walk between Garretstown and Garrylucas beaches near their home in Ballinadee in West when their dog, 13-year-old Bandit, slipped off the cliff and fell into the sea at Blue Horizon.
Mr Jones managed to make it to where the cliffs were lower and made his way down to the shoreline to look for Bandit but was forced into a gully-like inlet by the incoming tide only to end up trapped there with waves breaking over him.
READ MORE
“It was very, very lucky that I got out of there alive – if the Coast Guard were 10 minutes later, I wouldn’t be here. I was so glad to see them – I am immensely grateful to them, they were superb,” he told The Irish Times.
Eve Jones explained how she had to run for nearly half a mile back to the roadway to get a phone signal to raise the alarm after she realised that her husband was in trouble when he got trapped in the gully by the incoming tide.
“Glynne was in a huge amount of danger – he was in the water for 45 minutes – it’s a very long time and they were going to call a helicopter if it had taken any longer but the Coast Guard were brilliant and we owe them so much.”
Mr Jones said the time seemed to pass very quickly as he was looking for Bandit at all times after spotting him in the sea but he was forced back up the rocky inlet or gully by the force of the incoming tide and some powerful waves.
“I was searching for Bandit all the time and the sea was driving me backwards into this gully but I couldn’t find him and of course, I couldn’t get out of the gully because of the force of the sea,” he said.
Waves
Mike Murray from the Old Head/Seven Heads Irish Coast Guard team revealed that it took them a while to actually find the inlet where Mr Jones was trapped but when they did, their first thought was to attach a rope to him.
“The minute we got there we threw down a rope to him and he tied it around himself so at least we had some attachment to him in case he was knocked by the water but he was being forced into the very top of the inlet all the time.
“All you could see was surf and foam around his waist but it ended up around his shoulders and by the time he ended up at the top of the inlet, big waves of foam were coming in and covering him clean over, you wouldn’t see him at all.
“Things were getting very serious so we decided we would have to pull him up manually – it would have taken too long to go back and get all the equipment but at that stage we had about 10 volunteers on scene so we hauled him up.
“At one stage, one of the waves knocked him off his feet and he struck his head and we thought he was gone because he went down under water and you could feel the surge of the sea pulling on the rope but he got up again.”
After the Irish Coast Guard Team got Mr Jones ashore, they helped him to the ambulance parked a few hundred metres away and the walk helped warm him up before he was treated for hypothermia by paramedics in the ambulance.
Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Jason van der Velde examined Mr Jones at the ambulance and, satisfied he was okay, gave him the go-ahead to rejoin his his wife and they returned home but without Bandit, who was sadly lost at sea.
“I’m doing fine,” said Mr Jones on Thursday. “But our house feels very empty with Bandit gone – everything reminds us of him – physically I’m fine even though the emotions are a bit high but I am so grateful to the Coast Guard.”
Mike Murray admitted that Mr Jones was lucky to be saved and to emerge from his ordeal without serious injury. “Glynne was very lucky – things worked out well for him and for us and it’s nice to get a good outcome like this.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s family lawyer urges appeal of Bailey extradition ruling

A lawyer acting for the family of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has urged the Minister for Justice to appeal a High Court decision not to extradite Ian Bailey to France to serve a sentence for the killing .
Alain Spilliaert said that having studied the judgement of Mr Justice Paul Burns on the matter earlier this month , he believed that there were at least three good grounds for appealing the decision not to extradite Mr Bailey to France .
Mr Justice Burns rejected the State ’ s application to extradite Mr Bailey , ruling his surrender is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arrest Warrant Act 2003 as Ireland does not have reciprocal legislation to France on the issue .
He also found Mr Bailey ’ s surrender was prevented because of an “ accrued or vested right ” he had acquired on foot of previous judicial rulings by the Supreme Court in 2012 and the High Court in 2017 , prohibiting his surrender .
But Mr Spilliaert told The Irish Times that he believed it was important that the Minister for Justice appealed Mr Justice Burns ’ s ruling for a number of reasons including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest element to the case .
“ Back in 2011 after the French justice system issued the first European Arrest Warrant for Mr Bailey in 2010 , Mr Justice Michael Peart granted extradition but he allowed Mr Bailey ’ s lawyers an appeal to the Supreme Court .
“ He ruled there was an issue in the case that was of such exceptional importance it should be determined by the Supreme Court and we believe that there are still issues in the case that should be determined by the higher court .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act should be determined by the Supreme Court particularly in light of the changes in the case since the first European Arrest Warrant in 2010 .
“ Mr Bailey is now convicted in France so we believe our case is stronger plus Ireland introduced legislation in 2019 that extended the remit of Irish law to include people ordinarily resident in Ireland as well as Irish citizens.
” Mr Spilliaert said he was encouraged also by the fact that Mr Justice Burns ruled against an argument made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek his extradition now amounted to an abuse of process given previous rulings .
He noted Mr Justice Paul Hunt had ruled in 2017 that a second European Arrest Warrant issued by the French authorities in 2016 was an abuse of process in that the circumstances of the case had not changed from 2012 .
But he pointed out that Mr Justice Burns had found that while Mr Justice Hunt was correct in his ruling in 2017 , the circumstances were now changed due to Mr Bailey ’ s conviction in absentia in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said he believed it was also important the matter be appealed in the light of suggestions by the State in support of its application that the European Court of Justice be asked to rule on the interpretation of the extradition law .
Mr Spilliaert explained that the European Council Framework Decision of 2002 which established the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 identified in Article 4 the grounds for optional non-execution of the European Arrest Warrant .
“ Article 4.7 ( b ) applies where offences are committed outside the territory of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the executing Member State does not allow prosecution for the same offences when committed outside its territory .
“ Mr Justice Burns devotes only eight lines to the issue of referring a question as to the definitive interpretation of Article 4.7 ( b ) to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg despite the State arguing for it in its submission in July.
” He said Robert Barron SC for the State had argued the European Court of Justice should be asked how exactly Article 4.7 ( b ) should be interpreted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required of the executing Member State .
Mr Barron had suggested the European Court should be asked if reciprocity required verification that it was not only possible generally but also specifically in this case to prosecute an offence committed outside its territory .
“ Mr Justice Burns said he didn ’ t think it necessary to refer the question to the European Court of Justice because he had already refused surrender on other grounds but we believe it is fundamental to how the law is interpreted .
“ For all these reasons – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Mr Justice Burns the new warrant was not an abuse of process and the issue of Article 4.7 ( b ) , we believe the State should appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
” Mr Bailey , who was convicted in his absence in France in 2019 of Ms Toscan du Plantier ’ s killing , has repeatedly denied any involvement in her murder and has never been charged in Ireland in relation to her death .

Ian Bailey was convicted in his absence in France in 2019 of Sophie Toscan du Plantier’s killing. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP via Getty
A lawyer acting for the family of murdered Frenchwoman Sophie Toscan du Plantier has urged the Minister for Justice to appeal a High Court decision not to extradite Ian Bailey to France to serve a sentence for the killing.
Alain Spilliaert said that having studied the judgement of Mr Justice Paul Burns on the matter earlier this month, he believed that there were at least three good grounds for appealing the decision not to extradite Mr Bailey to France.
Mr Justice Burns rejected the State's application to extradite Mr Bailey, ruling his surrender is precluded under Section 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 as Ireland does not have reciprocal legislation to France on the issue.
He also found Mr Bailey's surrender was prevented because of an "accrued or vested right" he had acquired on foot of previous judicial rulings by the Supreme Court in 2012 and the High Court in 2017, prohibiting his surrender.
READ MORE
But Mr Spilliaert told The Irish Times that he believed it was important that the Minister for Justice appealed Mr Justice Burns’s ruling for a number of reasons including the fact that there was a public interest element to the case.
"Back in 2011 after the French justice system issued the first European Arrest Warrant for Mr Bailey in 2010, Mr Justice Michael Peart granted extradition but he allowed Mr Bailey's lawyers an appeal to the Supreme Court.
“He ruled there was an issue in the case that was of such exceptional importance it should be determined by the Supreme Court and we believe that there are still issues in the case that should be determined by the higher court.
“We believe the entire issue surrounding Section 44 of the European Arrest Warrant Act should be determined by the Supreme Court particularly in light of the changes in the case since the first European Arrest Warrant in 2010.
“Mr Bailey is now convicted in France so we believe our case is stronger plus Ireland introduced legislation in 2019 that extended the remit of Irish law to include people ordinarily resident in Ireland as well as Irish citizens.”
Mr Spilliaert said he was encouraged also by the fact that Mr Justice Burns ruled against an argument made by Mr Bailey’s lawyers that to seek his extradition now amounted to an abuse of process given previous rulings.
He noted Mr Justice Paul Hunt had ruled in 2017 that a second European Arrest Warrant issued by the French authorities in 2016 was an abuse of process in that the circumstances of the case had not changed from 2012.
But he pointed out that Mr Justice Burns had found that while Mr Justice Hunt was correct in his ruling in 2017, the circumstances were now changed due to Mr Bailey’s conviction in absentia in France in 2019 and new Irish legislation.
He said he believed it was also important the matter be appealed in the light of suggestions by the State in support of its application that the European Court of Justice be asked to rule on the interpretation of the extradition law.
Mr Spilliaert explained that the European Council Framework Decision of 2002 which established the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 identified in Article 4 the grounds for optional non-execution of the European Arrest Warrant.
“Article 4.7(b) applies where offences are committed outside the territory of the issuing Member State and the law of the executing Member State does not allow prosecution for the same offences when committed outside its territory.
“Mr Justice Burns devotes only eight lines to the issue of referring a question as to the definitive interpretation of Article 4.7 (b) to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg despite the State arguing for it in its submission in July.”
He said Robert Barron SC for the State had argued the European Court of Justice should be asked how exactly Article 4.7(b) should be interpreted in terms of any reciprocity that is required of the executing Member State.
Mr Barron had suggested the European Court should be asked if reciprocity required verification that it was not only possible generally but also specifically in this case to prosecute an offence committed outside its territory.
“Mr Justice Burns said he didn’t think it necessary to refer the question to the European Court of Justice because he had already refused surrender on other grounds but we believe it is fundamental to how the law is interpreted.
“For all these reasons – the public interest element, the finding by Mr Justice Burns the new warrant was not an abuse of process and the issue of Article 4.7(b), we believe the State should appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.”
Mr Bailey, who was convicted in his absence in France in 2019 of Ms Toscan du Plantier’s killing, has repeatedly denied any involvement in her murder and has never been charged in Ireland in relation to her death.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Covid-19: Every 100 fewer cases means 20 fewer deaths, expert says

Every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations , 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month , Prof Philip Nolan has said Speaking at a National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) briefing , Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group chair Prof Nolan said coronavirus case numbers and hospitalisations were growing at about 5 per cent per day and intensive care admissions by 3 per cent .
Although Covid-19 in the State remains largely focused in the 19 to 24 age group , cases are now rising in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Nolan said .
A further 1,066 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the State on Thursday , along with three additional deaths .
As the State entered into Level 5 Covid restrictions , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said there were concerns about public buy-in to the increased demands on limited movement and behaviour .
“ It is not surprising that people would find another ask to do all of this all over again a hugely difficult challenge , ” he said .
“ I ’ m not going to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be expressing optimism that we can do this.
” However , while the Nphet target is to reduce daily case rates to 100 by December , from the current level of about 1,000 to 1,200 new cases a day , the data presented at the briefing on Thursday illustrated the upward trajectory of the virus .
Dr Heather Burns , a deputy chief medical officer , noted that the 14-day incidence rate of infection had surpassed 300 for the first time – standing now at 302 , as compared with just three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The risk to you being exposed to Covid-19 is now 100 times greater than it was four months ago , ” she said .
The “ R ” number , indicating the reproductive level of the virus , is currently between 1.3 and 1.4 , with ambitions to see it fall to 0.5 following the latest round of social restrictions .
For every 1,000 positive cases in the 45 and under age group , 12 are hospitalised and one is admitted to intensive care .
However , for those aged 65 and over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 30 respectively .
Dr Holohan warned that nursing homes can not be protected from Covid-19 outbreaks unless the public comes together to bring down rising levels of community transmissions .
Nphet disclosed six further outbreaks in nursing home and community hospital settings to October 17th .
There are now 33 such outbreaks , with 451 linked cases , but the team stressed that only a national response to the resurgence of the virus would help bring the numbers down .
“ The extent that this virus is transmitting in the way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents a risk to all of those settings , ” Dr Holohan said .
“ So long as we retain high transmission in the community as we have at the moment , it will be impossible for us to give full protection to nursing homes ” , even where protective measures have been put in place , he said .
Dr Colm Henry , chief clinical officer of the HSE , said 132 nursing homes were currently receiving some sort of support , including 35 receiving “ extensive support ” , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holohan was asked about concerns regarding the contact tracing system and its ability to keep pace , but he said the most important focus now was not tracing but the public response to Level 5 measures and their ability to slow community transmission .
“ We have a much , much greater challenge now in terms of the level of community transmission that is in the population .
.
.
and that is spreading in places that we haven ’ t been able to identify , ” he said .
“ We won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this ; we have to take other measures as a society.
” Meanwhile in Northern Ireland , its Department of Health reported 1,042 new cases of Covid-19 , as well as five more deaths .
Stormont business will continue as usual notwithstanding that four of the Northern Executive ’ s 10 full Ministers are self-isolating , First Minister Arlene Foster said on Thursday .

Every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations, 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month, Prof Philip Nolan has said
Speaking at a National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) briefing, Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group chair Prof Nolan said coronavirus case numbers and hospitalisations were growing at about 5 per cent per day and intensive care admissions by 3 per cent.
Although Covid-19 in the State remains largely focused in the 19 to 24 age group, cases are now rising in the over-65s and in nursing homes, Prof Nolan said.
A further 1,066 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the State on Thursday, along with three additional deaths.
READ MORE
As the State entered into Level 5 Covid restrictions, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said there were concerns about public buy-in to the increased demands on limited movement and behaviour.
“It is not surprising that people would find another ask to do all of this all over again a hugely difficult challenge,” he said.
“I’m not going to get into predicting failure; I am going to be expressing optimism that we can do this.”
However, while the Nphet target is to reduce daily case rates to 100 by December, from the current level of about 1,000 to 1,200 new cases a day, the data presented at the briefing on Thursday illustrated the upward trajectory of the virus.
Dr Heather Burns, a deputy chief medical officer, noted that the 14-day incidence rate of infection had surpassed 300 for the first time – standing now at 302, as compared with just three at the end of June.
“The risk to you being exposed to Covid-19 is now 100 times greater than it was four months ago,” she said.
The “R” number, indicating the reproductive level of the virus, is currently between 1.3 and 1.4, with ambitions to see it fall to 0.5 following the latest round of social restrictions.
For every 1,000 positive cases in the 45 and under age group, 12 are hospitalised and one is admitted to intensive care. However, for those aged 65 and over, those figures jump dramatically to 180 and 30 respectively.
Nursing homes
Dr Holohan warned that nursing homes cannot be protected from Covid-19 outbreaks unless the public comes together to bring down rising levels of community transmissions.
Nphet disclosed six further outbreaks in nursing home and community hospital settings to October 17th. There are now 33 such outbreaks, with 451 linked cases, but the team stressed that only a national response to the resurgence of the virus would help bring the numbers down.
“The extent that this virus is transmitting in the way that it is in the community, this represents a risk to all of those settings,” Dr Holohan said.
“So long as we retain high transmission in the community as we have at the moment, it will be impossible for us to give full protection to nursing homes”, even where protective measures have been put in place, he said.
Dr Colm Henry, chief clinical officer of the HSE, said 132 nursing homes were currently receiving some sort of support, including 35 receiving “extensive support”, such as that from Covid response teams.
Dr Holohan was asked about concerns regarding the contact tracing system and its ability to keep pace, but he said the most important focus now was not tracing but the public response to Level 5 measures and their ability to slow community transmission.
“We have a much, much greater challenge now in terms of the level of community transmission that is in the population . . . and that is spreading in places that we haven’t been able to identify,” he said.
“We won’t contact trace our way out of this; we have to take other measures as a society.”
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, its Department of Health reported 1,042 new cases of Covid-19, as well as five more deaths.
Stormont business will continue as usual notwithstanding that four of the Northern Executive’s 10 full Ministers are self-isolating, First Minister Arlene Foster said on Thursday.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--HSE says it did not abandon nursing home overrun by Covid-19 outbreak

The HSE says it has stabilised staffing at a Co Galway nursing home where 26 out of 28 residents and all but four staff have tested positive for Covid-19 .
Despite claims by the director of nursing at the Nightingale nursing home that it had been abandoned during its virus outbreak , HSE officials insisted rosters at the facility are covered for the next three days and specialist support is being provided .
One resident of the nursing home in Ahascragh has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from local and Opposition TDs but Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Dáil some comments made were “ factually incorrect ” and “ spread fear and anxiety very wrongly in the community ” .
Fully protecting older people in nursing homes will be impossible unless community transmission is brought under control , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned last night .
The HSE has supplied one nurse and one care attendant to the nursing home to support staff drafted in from Roscommon University Hospital , along with volunteers .
The extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw one nurse and one care worker doing 13-hour shifts to care for patients before the crisis became public , now has cover for the coming days .
Director of nursing at the home , Patricia MacGabhann , who herself has tested positive for Covid-19 , told The Irish Times she had begged for help from the HSE as staff were withdrawn from duty .
The HSE had promised to send two carers yesterday , but “ nobody showed up ” .
The residents are “ citizens of this country and the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They [ the HSE ] are not giving us the help .
They kept batting it back to us saying : ‘ Go and find agency staff.
’ But we can not get any , ” she said .
According to HSE chief operations officer Anne O ’ Connor , public health officials declared an outbreak on Sunday , the day a resident tested positive when hospitalised , and testing was carried out on Monday .
That day , infection control staff intervened and a dedicated manager was put in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has been a challenge to secure staff , especially agency staff , ” Ms O ’ Connor said , adding that agency staff were sometime unwilling to go into a home due to outbreaks .
Just four out of almost 600 nursing homes are currently regarded by the HSE as being of significant concern due to outbreaks .
“ We ’ re nowhere near where we were in the spring , ” Ms O ’ Connor said .
A further three coronavirus-related deaths and 1,066 new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a six-week lockdown .
For the first time in months , the five-day average of cases has stopped increasing , but National Public Health Emergency Team official Prof Philip Nolan said it was “ far too early ” to say this was a trend .
He said every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations , 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month .
Earlier , HSE chief executive Paul Reid apologised to the 2,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contacts .
“ It ’ s an unfortunate situation , I regret it , ” Mr Reid said .
However , the decision was the right one , given the pressure on the service , though the relaying of information to the Taoiseach had not been well handled , he said .

One resident of the Nightingale nursing home in Ahascragh, Co Galway, has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy
The HSE says it has stabilised staffing at a Co Galway nursing home where 26 out of 28 residents and all but four staff have tested positive for Covid-19.
Despite claims by the director of nursing at the Nightingale nursing home that it had been abandoned during its virus outbreak, HSE officials insisted rosters at the facility are covered for the next three days and specialist support is being provided.
One resident of the nursing home in Ahascragh has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility.
Hospital Report
News of the outbreak prompted criticism from local and Opposition TDs but Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Dáil some comments made were “factually incorrect” and “spread fear and anxiety very wrongly in the community”.
READ MORE
Fully protecting older people in nursing homes will be impossible unless community transmission is brought under control, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned last night.
The HSE has supplied one nurse and one care attendant to the nursing home to support staff drafted in from Roscommon University Hospital, along with volunteers. The extra staff means the nursing home, which saw one nurse and one care worker doing 13-hour shifts to care for patients before the crisis became public, now has cover for the coming days.
Tested positive
Director of nursing at the home, Patricia MacGabhann, who herself has tested positive for Covid-19, told The Irish Times she had begged for help from the HSE as staff were withdrawn from duty. The HSE had promised to send two carers yesterday , but “nobody showed up”.
The residents are “citizens of this country and the State has an obligation to look after them. They [the HSE] are not giving us the help. They kept batting it back to us saying: ‘Go and find agency staff.’ But we cannot get any,” she said.
According to HSE chief operations officer Anne O’Connor, public health officials declared an outbreak on Sunday, the day a resident tested positive when hospitalised, and testing was carried out on Monday.
That day, infection control staff intervened and a dedicated manager was put in place to provide support, she said.
“It has been a challenge to secure staff, especially agency staff,” Ms O’Connor said, adding that agency staff were sometime unwilling to go into a home due to outbreaks.
Significant concern
Just four out of almost 600 nursing homes are currently regarded by the HSE as being of significant concern due to outbreaks.
“We’re nowhere near where we were in the spring,” Ms O’Connor said.
A further three coronavirus-related deaths and 1,066 new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday as the country entered its first day of a six-week lockdown.
For the first time in months, the five-day average of cases has stopped increasing, but National Public Health Emergency Team official Prof Philip Nolan said it was “far too early” to say this was a trend.
He said every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations, 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month.
Earlier, HSE chief executive Paul Reid apologised to the 2,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 and were asked to tell their own close contacts. “It’s an unfortunate situation, I regret it,” Mr Reid said.
However, the decision was the right one, given the pressure on the service, though the relaying of information to the Taoiseach had not been well handled, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Republic has lowest budget for judicial system in Europe, report finds

The Republic had the lowest judicial system budget as a percentage of gross domestic product ( GDP ) of the 48 states covered by a new report from the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice ( CEPEJ ) .
In 2018 the Republic spent 0.10 per cent of GDP on its courts , prosecution service and free legal aid system , the report found .
The average was 0.33 per cent .
The figure for Northern Ireland was 0.45 per cent of GDP , one of the highest ratios contained in the report from the Council of Europe body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely boosted by the size of its foreign direct investment sector .
The report from the commission ( usually referred to by its French acronym CEPEJ ) covers 45 of the Council of Europe member states ( Liechtenstein and San Marino are not included ) , as well as Israel , Kazakhstan and Morocco .
The three UK legal jurisdictions of England and Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland , are treated separately in the data .
The report found that the Republic was an outlier in terms of judicial system budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken into account .
It fell significantly below the trend line that indicates similar ratios .
The Republic was also close to the bottom in terms of numbers of professional judges per 100,000 of population ( 3.3 ) .
England and Wales had 3.1 and Northern Ireland 3.6 .
The ratio of women in the judiciary was below 40 per cent in the Republic , the three UK jurisdictions , as well as Armenia , Azerbaijan and Iceland .
The report found that the Republic ’ s “ clearance rate ” was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the court systems examined in the report in civil and commercial litigation in courts of first instance ( ie not appeals ) , and the lowest of all EU states .
The clearance rate is defined as the ratio obtained by dividing the number of resolved cases by the number of incoming cases in a given period , expressed as a percentage .
It is designed to assess to what extent a judicial system is able to process the volume of cases it is receiving , with a ratio of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is able to reduce a backlog .
The average reported clearance rate in the report was 99 per cent .
In continental Europe , the progress of a case is more in the control of the courts than it is in the Republic , where the pace of progress is more in the hands of the parties before the court .
The report found that countries with higher per capita GDPs tended to spend a proportionately larger amount of money on legal aid .
An analysis of spend per capita , with GDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend in the Republic was slightly higher than its GDP would forecast , using average spend as a guide for those countries that had GDPs in excess of €20,000 per capita .
The Chief Justice , Frank Clarke , who has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State ’ s top judge , has spoken frequently about the important but frequently unnoticed difference between common law legal systems , such as what exists here and in the UK , and the civil law regimes that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public expenditure .
For instance , at the opening of the new legal term in October 2017 , he said there was a significant shifting of the burden of carrying litigation in common law countries on to the parties and away from the State .
“ In civil law systems the courts themselves , that is judges and judicial staff , carry a much greater burden of ascertaining the facts and researching the law.
” But that came at a cost in terms of the much greater numbers of personnel required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .

Chief Justice Frank Clarke has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State’s top judges. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
The Republic had the lowest judicial system budget as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) of the 48 states covered by a new report from the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ).
In 2018 the Republic spent 0.10 per cent of GDP on its courts, prosecution service and free legal aid system, the report found. The average was 0.33 per cent.
The figure for Northern Ireland was 0.45 per cent of GDP, one of the highest ratios contained in the report from the Council of Europe body.
Ireland’s GDP figure is hugely boosted by the size of its foreign direct investment sector.
READ MORE
The report from the commission (usually referred to by its French acronym CEPEJ) covers 45 of the Council of Europe member states (Liechtenstein and San Marino are not included), as well as Israel, Kazakhstan and Morocco.
The three UK legal jurisdictions of England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, are treated separately in the data.
Similar ratios
The report found that the Republic was an outlier in terms of judicial system budget expenditure per capita, when GDP is taken into account. It fell significantly below the trend line that indicates similar ratios.
The Republic was also close to the bottom in terms of numbers of professional judges per 100,000 of population (3.3). England and Wales had 3.1 and Northern Ireland 3.6.
The ratio of women in the judiciary was below 40 per cent in the Republic, the three UK jurisdictions, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iceland.
The report found that the Republic’s “clearance rate” was the second lowest (63 per cent) of the court systems examined in the report in civil and commercial litigation in courts of first instance (ie not appeals), and the lowest of all EU states.
The clearance rate is defined as the ratio obtained by dividing the number of resolved cases by the number of incoming cases in a given period, expressed as a percentage.
It is designed to assess to what extent a judicial system is able to process the volume of cases it is receiving, with a ratio of more than 100 per cent indicating that the system is able to reduce a backlog. The average reported clearance rate in the report was 99 per cent.
In continental Europe, the progress of a case is more in the control of the courts than it is in the Republic, where the pace of progress is more in the hands of the parties before the court.
The report found that countries with higher per capita GDPs tended to spend a proportionately larger amount of money on legal aid.
Unnoticed difference
An analysis of spend per capita, with GDP taken into account, showed that the spend in the Republic was slightly higher than its GDP would forecast, using average spend as a guide for those countries that had GDPs in excess of €20,000 per capita.
The Chief Justice, Frank Clarke, who has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State's top judge, has spoken frequently about the important but frequently unnoticed difference between common law legal systems, such as what exists here and in the UK, and the civil law regimes that are usual on continental Europe, in terms of public expenditure.
For instance, at the opening of the new legal term in October 2017, he said there was a significant shifting of the burden of carrying litigation in common law countries on to the parties and away from the State.
“In civil law systems the courts themselves, that is judges and judicial staff, carry a much greater burden of ascertaining the facts and researching the law.”
But that came at a cost in terms of the much greater numbers of personnel required to staff the courts in those jurisdictions, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-24--‘Propensity for violence’ evident in extremist protests on streets

Irish extremist protest groups were showing a “ propensity for violence ” and gardaí were constantly gathering intelligence on their activities and future plans while investigations into their main figures were advancing , Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said .
However , he added traditional forms of protest were “ a legitimate activity ” which was not illegal or banned under the enforcement measures introduced for Covid-19 .
He also defended the policing of an anti-lockdown protest group on Grafton Street in Dublin ’ s south inner city on Thursday , saying they had been dealt with “ proportionally ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and arrests were unrelated to Covid-19 or the policing operation arising from the pandemic .
“ We were using public order legislation to prevent , actually , what would have been a frightening stampede up Grafton Street , ” he said .
“ And that ’ s a tight enough pedestrian street so that can ’ t be allowed to happen .
There was no heavy-handedness on our part .
Our response was proportionate to what we believe were the public order threats created by that protest.
” On Wednesday , gardaí mounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by flooding it with personnel and vehicles .
They also placed a cordon on both ends of the street to ensure a protest group in the city at the time could not run through the street or stage a sit-down protest as a protest group did earlier this month .
Some of the protesters made their way into Lemon Street , off Grafton Street , and at one point protesters burst through the cordon , clashing with gardaí .
Batons were drawn and used by some of the gardaí and 11 people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris said extremist far-right groups in Ireland had announced themselves to people in public – including social media – before then retreating and using closed messaging systems to communicate with each other .
When extremist groups held protests there was never any clear leader or organiser that gardaí could liaise with to plan the parameters of a protest event , he said .
Those events were now happening against the backdrop of a pandemic .
During the Covid-19 pandemic it has been a criminal offence to organise a public event but it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , including protests .
Regarding extremist groups , he said : “ We see intelligence that tells us what their intentions are .
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They appear to be to disrupt [ Dublin ] port , to disrupt the activity of the Government and to disrupt Government departments .
And that can ’ t be tolerated.
” He described far-right groups as having “ a mix of extremist views ” .
Some people believed in the great replacement theory – a conspiracy suggesting predominantly white populations were being deliberately replaced with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – which had become very popular with far-right groups online .

Intelligence gathered by gardaí showed they planned to try to disrupt key State institutions and infrastructure.
Irish extremist protest groups were showing a “propensity for violence” and gardaí were constantly gathering intelligence on their activities and future plans while investigations into their main figures were advancing, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said.
However, he added traditional forms of protest were “a legitimate activity” which was not illegal or banned under the enforcement measures introduced for Covid-19.
He also defended the policing of an anti-lockdown protest group on Grafton Street in Dublin’s south inner city on Thursday, saying they had been dealt with “proportionally”. Mr Harris stressed the policing operation and arrests were unrelated to Covid-19 or the policing operation arising from the pandemic.
Hospital Report
“We were using public order legislation to prevent, actually, what would have been a frightening stampede up Grafton Street,” he said. “And that’s a tight enough pedestrian street so that can’t be allowed to happen. There was no heavy-handedness on our part. Our response was proportionate to what we believe were the public order threats created by that protest.”
READ MORE
Personnel and vehicles
On Wednesday, gardaí mounted a major policing operation on Grafton Street by flooding it with personnel and vehicles. They also placed a cordon on both ends of the street to ensure a protest group in the city at the time could not run through the street or stage a sit-down protest as a protest group did earlier this month.
Some of the protesters made their way into Lemon Street, off Grafton Street, and at one point protesters burst through the cordon, clashing with gardaí. Batons were drawn and used by some of the gardaí and 11 people were arrested, nine later charged.
Mr Harris said extremist far-right groups in Ireland had announced themselves to people in public – including social media – before then retreating and using closed messaging systems to communicate with each other. When extremist groups held protests there was never any clear leader or organiser that gardaí could liaise with to plan the parameters of a protest event, he said. Those events were now happening against the backdrop of a pandemic.
Intention to disrupt
During the Covid-19 pandemic it has been a criminal offence to organise a public event but it is not a criminal offence to attend an event, including protests.
Regarding extremist groups, he said: “We see intelligence that tells us what their intentions are . . . They appear to be to disrupt [Dublin] port, to disrupt the activity of the Government and to disrupt Government departments. And that can’t be tolerated.”
He described far-right groups as having “a mix of extremist views”. Some people believed in the great replacement theory – a conspiracy suggesting predominantly white populations were being deliberately replaced with people from other ethnic groups by mass migration – which had become very popular with far-right groups online.


theirishtimes--2020-10-24--Sinn Féin’s stand on Covid is facing increasing questions from political rivals

Describing coronavirus as the “ crisis of a century ” in March , Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was time for the country to pull together .
The pandemic was not a time for anyone to be “ throwing shapes ” , she declared .
Seven months later Sinn Féin ’ s support for the Government ’ s Covid-19 plans has faded significantly , with the party accusing the Government of dangerously rejecting public health advice and offering incoherent messaging to the public .
In turn Government parties charge that Sinn Féin is using the pandemic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ instilling fear ” and confusion in an already anxious and overwrought public .
In September , Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers points out , it was McDonald who was the one who called for pubs and restaurants to remain open at a time when Dublin was entering Level 3 restrictions , while the Government held to a tougher line .
Then Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Sinn Féin ’ s approach was “ a risk to us all ” .
“ [ They have ] been responsible for slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northern Ireland on Covid-19 .
Let ’ s not allow their approach south of the Border.
” Differences in Sinn Féin ’ s approach North and South have been highlighted numerous times by Fine Gael , especially the different positions the party has adopted on whether schools should be closed or not .
In the North it is believed that Sinn Féin actively favoured closing schools for between four to six weeks .
In the end the two-week closure that was ultimately agreed by the Executive represented a compromise struck with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire says Sinn Féin supports keeping them open in the South if testing and tracing amongst students improves , and if schools get the supports they need .
Sinn Féin also faced criticism from Fine Gael over the differences in the levels of welfare supports available to Covid-affected workers in both jurisdictions – though the charge is less solid since the North ’ s figures are set by the treasury in London .
Fianna Fáil ’ s Chambers says the “ hypocrisy of their approach is finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the North they are happy to take a different approach .
Their response is contradictory depending on the hour of the day.
” Ó Laoghaire says that while it is “ not ideal having different public health advice North and South ” , the fact remains that Nphet ( the National Public Health Emergency Team ) in Dublin did not recommend closing schools .
Questions and criticism are fine , says Chambers , but a strategy that aims to undermine the Government ’ s approach and instilling fear is dangerous and unbecoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Opposition in the State ’ s history , Sinn Féin have been the most destructive .
“ Their response is completely political .
They approach the pandemic in the same way they approach every other issue , thinking how they can make a political gain , ” says the Mayo politician .
In Government Buildings some senior officials believe that Sinn Féin has been deliberately vague – or , as one influential figure put it , “ dithering ” – when asked repeatedly on radio and TV about the scale of public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The suspicion is that Sinn Féin does not want to alienate voters at a time when they are doing well in poll ratings , and so is deliberately seeking to remain in the middle of the road , hoping not to make a potentially damaging impression .
Sinn Féin , however , argues that it has forced the Government to “ row back ” on PUP cuts , to reintroduce protections for renters and still continues to demand mortgage breaks for borrowers affected by the pandemic .
It insists none of the criticisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it has supported public health restrictions coupled with economic supports for those affected from “ the get-go ” .
It also says it has not had full access to Government data .
However , the latter defence was called into question this week when it emerged in a report in the Irish Independent that McDonald had left a three-hour Covid-19 briefing for Opposition leaders after just one hour .
Such conduct is “ hypocritical and disingenuous ” , said Fine Gael TD Colm Burke , and is “ the typical Sinn Féin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wind was blowing before committing to a public position ” .
However , Sinn Féin argues that McDonald was present for all of chief medical officer Tony Holohan ’ s presentation , and that she arrived on the call at 4pm as scheduled and left after 90 minutes .
The defence is rejected by others who were on the call .
“ The excuse of not having information is not credible .
At all .
She was on the meeting with chief medical officer and deputy chief medical officer , and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the predictions , were shared.
” If there is strain in Dublin there is , however , relative harmony in the Northern Executive , even though there will always be tensions between five parties that have diametrically different positions .
Insiders say that in March there was a view that it was four parties against one – Sinn Féin being the one – but the relationship between First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O ’ Neill has improved as they knuckled down to find solutions to Covid-19 .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold late-night talks to hammer out a lockdown for the North .
The fact that they did so is seen as an achievement and a sign that they can reach compromise in the interests of public health .
All of this is despite Sinn Féin ’ s calls for an all-island virus strategy , something which the DUP looks upon dispassionately .
Not even the coronavirus , for all its obstinacy , can overcome those particular hurdles .

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. The party argues it has forced the Government to “row back” on PUP cuts, to reintroduce protections for renters, and continues to demand mortgage breaks for borrowers affected by the pandemic
Describing coronavirus as the “crisis of a century” in March, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was time for the country to pull together. The pandemic was not a time for anyone to be “throwing shapes”, she declared.
Seven months later Sinn Féin’s support for the Government’s Covid-19 plans has faded significantly, with the party accusing the Government of dangerously rejecting public health advice and offering incoherent messaging to the public.
In turn Government parties charge that Sinn Féin is using the pandemic to make “political gain” and of “instilling fear” and confusion in an already anxious and overwrought public.
Hospital Report
In September, Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers points out, it was McDonald who was the one who called for pubs and restaurants to remain open at a time when Dublin was entering Level 3 restrictions, while the Government held to a tougher line.
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Then Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said Sinn Féin's approach was "a risk to us all".
"[They have] been responsible for slow decision-making, poor leadership and divided government in Northern Ireland on Covid-19. Let's not allow their approach south of the Border."
Differences in Sinn Féin’s approach North and South have been highlighted numerous times by Fine Gael, especially the different positions the party has adopted on whether schools should be closed or not.
In the North it is believed that Sinn Féin actively favoured closing schools for between four to six weeks. In the end the two-week closure that was ultimately agreed by the Executive represented a compromise struck with the DUP.
By comparison, Sinn Féin’s education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire says Sinn Féin supports keeping them open in the South if testing and tracing amongst students improves, and if schools get the supports they need.
Sinn Féin also faced criticism from Fine Gael over the differences in the levels of welfare supports available to Covid-affected workers in both jurisdictions – though the charge is less solid since the North’s figures are set by the treasury in London .
Finally surfacing
Fianna Fáil’s Chambers says the “hypocrisy of their approach is finally surfacing and people are seeing it. In the North they are happy to take a different approach. Their response is contradictory depending on the hour of the day.”
Ó Laoghaire says that while it is “not ideal having different public health advice North and South”, the fact remains that Nphet (the National Public Health Emergency Team) in Dublin did not recommend closing schools.
Questions and criticism are fine, says Chambers, but a strategy that aims to undermine the Government’s approach and instilling fear is dangerous and unbecoming. Far from being the most constructive Opposition in the State’s history, Sinn Féin have been the most destructive.
"Their response is completely political. They approach the pandemic in the same way they approach every other issue, thinking how they can make a political gain," says the Mayo politician.
In Government Buildings some senior officials believe that Sinn Féin has been deliberately vague – or, as one influential figure put it, “dithering”– when asked repeatedly on radio and TV about the scale of public health curbs that should be in place.
The suspicion is that Sinn Féin does not want to alienate voters at a time when they are doing well in poll ratings, and so is deliberately seeking to remain in the middle of the road, hoping not to make a potentially damaging impression.
Sinn Féin, however, argues that it has forced the Government to “row back” on PUP cuts, to reintroduce protections for renters and still continues to demand mortgage breaks for borrowers affected by the pandemic.
It insists none of the criticisms levelled against it are true, adding that it has supported public health restrictions coupled with economic supports for those affected from “the get-go”.
It also says it has not had full access to Government data.
However, the latter defence was called into question this week when it emerged in a report in the Irish Independent that McDonald had left a three-hour Covid-19 briefing for Opposition leaders after just one hour.
Such conduct is "hypocritical and disingenuous", said Fine Gael TD Colm Burke, and is "the typical Sinn Féin thing of waiting to see what way the wind was blowing before committing to a public position".
Presentation
However, Sinn Féin argues that McDonald was present for all of chief medical officer Tony Holohan’s presentation, and that she arrived on the call at 4pm as scheduled and left after 90 minutes. The defence is rejected by others who were on the call.
“The excuse of not having information is not credible. At all. She was on the meeting with chief medical officer and deputy chief medical officer, and she left early. All the statistics, all the predictions, were shared.”
If there is strain in Dublin there is, however, relative harmony in the Northern Executive, even though there will always be tensions between five parties that have diametrically different positions.
Insiders say that in March there was a view that it was four parties against one – Sinn Féin being the one – but the relationship between First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has improved as they knuckled down to find solutions to Covid-19.
Last week the DUP and Sinn Féin had to hold late-night talks to hammer out a lockdown for the North. The fact that they did so is seen as an achievement and a sign that they can reach compromise in the interests of public health.
All of this is despite Sinn Féin’s calls for an all-island virus strategy, something which the DUP looks upon dispassionately. Not even the coronavirus, for all its obstinacy, can overcome those particular hurdles.


theirishtimes--2020-10-24--Cab investigates behind the massive gates of Chosen Few Motorcycle Club in Dublin

Members of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club usually use a remote control to open the massive front gate of their compound on Windmill Road in Crumlin .
This week , gardaí , when carrying out an early morning raid , used a JCB .
As one Emergency Response Unit ( ERU ) member drove the digger through the steel gate early on Tuesday , other gardaí used a ladder to climb the rear fence before cutting the razor wire to access the half-acre compound .
The power had been cut , rendering useless the spotlights and security cameras dotted around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch on the operation from above .
Once inside , gardaí faced further obstacles – guard dogs and steel partitions .
Armed officers used angle grinders to cut through the partitions .
This was more than just a show of force by the Garda .
There was evidence of members of the club having access to weapons .
Recent raids uncovered dozens of knives , swords and imitation guns along with drugs and €135,000 in cash .
In 1996 , a club member was convicted of possessing a Mauser pistol in the compound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Criminal Assets Bureau ( Cab ) officers moved in along with the Customs ’ dog unit .
No drugs or weapons were found this time .
Instead , Cab officers hauled away 10 motorcycles , three cars and €4,000 in cash .
They also arrested two men on suspicion of money laundering .
Many , but not all “ one-percenter ” motorcycle gangs such as the Bandidos and Hells Angels have long been associated with organised crime in the United States and continental Europe ( the term “ one percenter ” is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motorcycle clubs are law abiding but 1 per cent subscribe to the image of “ outlaws ” ) .
In the Netherlands , the Hells Angels dominate much of the drug trade , leading to its prohibition by the Dutch courts last year .
The situation is different in Ireland .
Most motorcycle clubs , including one-percenters , have no association with crime .
Others have only tangential connections , serving as occasional hired muscle in return for modest payments .
The chief function of some of these outlaw bike gangs seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alan “ Cookie ” McNamara , a member of the Caballero Motorcycle Club , murdered Andrew O ’ Donoghue of the Road Tramps in Limerick .
The murder was revenge for an attack on McNamara by Road Tramps members – in which his waistcoat was stolen , a grave insult in the biker world .
In recognition of McNamara ’ s deed , the Limerick Caballeros were upgraded to the status of full members of the Bandidos , an international motorcycle gang active in criminality in dozens of countries .
The Chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While some of its members have deep connections to organised crime groups , including the Kinahan and the Byrne gangs , they operate largely under the radar .
Club members ’ connection to the Byrnes , which represents Kinahan interests in Ireland , is unsurprising .
The compound is a five-minute walk from gang leader Liam Byrne ’ s family home and he is known to have frequented the premises over the years .
In 2016 , members of the Chosen Few provided a motorcycle escort for the funeral of Byrne ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Regency Hotel gun attack .
According to security sources , the club also works closely with the Grendon gang , which has taken over much of the Dublin drug trade from the Byrnes in recent years .
The Cab is investigating some members of the Chosen Few for intimidation , extortion and the laundering of money through the sale of vehicles on behalf on these gangs .
The Chosen Few has been operating in various guises out of Crumlin since at least the mid-1990s .
Aside from its members ’ appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tends to shun publicity .
“ They tend to pop up occasionally and then go quiet for a long time , ” one security source said .
The club has gone through several name changes over the years .
In 1994 , when it was known as The Family , member Dermot Griffin , was accused of the gun murder of a man at a biker event in Wicklow .
Griffin was acquitted of murder but convicted of possessing a handgun at the Crumlin compound .
He was later jailed for 14 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2000 , Paul Mackey , who four years previously was listed as an owner of the club , was fined for damaging a Garda car with a knife in Co Louth .
Unusually for a so-called “ outlaw ” motorcycle club , the Chosen Few opted to register its name with the Companies Office in 1996 , although official records show no business activity since .
A seemingly defunct website dating to 2003 details the club ’ s origins with the Road Rockers , a long-established mainstream motorcycle club .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Few name , which is used by many motorcycle clubs worldwide , some of which have no connection with each other .
Attempts to contact the Chosen Few in Dublin were unsuccessful .
The site also features Chosen Few merchandise and photographs of members partying in the clubhouse in the Crumlin compound and on visits abroad to friendly clubs .
It ’ s important to note that some Chosen Few members , perhaps a majority , have little to do with criminality and are simply motorcycle enthusiasts .
“ Some are just lads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said one local garda .
Other members , however , engage in anti-social behaviour , drug dealing , money laundering and intimidation , informed sources say .
Some of this is on behalf of organised crime groups , some is purely for their own benefit .
Having had significant success in stripping assets from the Byrne organised crime group , the Cab is now focusing on the Grendons and with them , the Chosen Few .
Sources say the seizure of the vehicles on Tuesday was just the first step .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crime legislation to seize the compound and dismantle it .
Such a move would be welcomed by locals .
“ If it stops those f**king bikes going in and out I ’ ll be happy , ” said one local who declined to be named over safety fears .
Local representatives have already tried , without success , to do something about the compound which sits behind a derelict house on a quiet side road in the Dublin suburb .
Two years ago , councillor Pat Dunne asked Dublin City Council to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly the hoarding which surrounds it .
“ The reason I put in that request was because it was reasonably clear that the extent of the hoarding is to try and hide something , ” he said .
“ I never heard anything back.
” A council spokeswoman said there is no live enforcement file on the property .
Seizing the compound may be easier said than done , not least because it is not clear who its owners are .
The compound does not appear to have a mortgage registered against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents date from 1956 .
They assign ownership to a woman who , according to sources , has since died and never had any connection to crime or motorcycle clubs .
Dunne is adamant that if the premises is seized , the proceeds should go back into the local community .
Several properties around Windmill Road connected to the Byrne gang have been seized by the Cab in recent years with the proceeds going into the State coffers .
There is currently no provision for proceeds of crime seized by the Cab to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , something Dunne says must change .
In recent years he and others have been trying to get funding for the public swimming pool 10 doors up on Windmill Road to open for more than one day a week .
“ Cab have recently sold two premises in the area .
Could that money not be brought back into the area so we could have something like proper swimming hours ?
”

Members of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club usually use a remote control to open the massive front gate of their compound on Windmill Road in Crumlin. This week, gardaí, when carrying out an early morning raid, used a JCB.
As one Emergency Response Unit (ERU) member drove the digger through the steel gate early on Tuesday, other gardaí used a ladder to climb the rear fence before cutting the razor wire to access the half-acre compound.
The power had been cut, rendering useless the spotlights and security cameras dotted around compound, and the Garda helicopter kept watch on the operation from above.
Once inside, gardaí faced further obstacles – guard dogs and steel partitions. Armed officers used angle grinders to cut through the partitions.
READ MORE
This was more than just a show of force by the Garda. There was evidence of members of the club having access to weapons. Recent raids uncovered dozens of knives, swords and imitation guns along with drugs and €135,000 in cash.
In 1996, a club member was convicted of possessing a Mauser pistol in the compound.
After the ERU secured the area, Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) officers moved in along with the Customs’ dog unit. No drugs or weapons were found this time. Instead, Cab officers hauled away 10 motorcycles, three cars and €4,000 in cash. They also arrested two men on suspicion of money laundering.
‘One-percenters’
Many, but not all “one-percenter” motorcycle gangs such as the Bandidos and Hells Angels have long been associated with organised crime in the United States and continental Europe (the term “one percenter” is a reference to the idea that most motorcycle clubs are law abiding but 1 per cent subscribe to the image of “outlaws”). In the Netherlands, the Hells Angels dominate much of the drug trade, leading to its prohibition by the Dutch courts last year.
The situation is different in Ireland. Most motorcycle clubs, including one-percenters, have no association with crime. Others have only tangential connections, serving as occasional hired muscle in return for modest payments.
Once inside, gardaí faced faced further obstacles – guard dogs and steel partitions. Armed officers used angle grinders to cut through the partitions. Photograph: Padraig O’Reilly
The chief function of some of these outlaw bike gangs seems to be feuding with rivals. In 2015, Alan “Cookie” McNamara, a member of the Caballero Motorcycle Club, murdered Andrew O’Donoghue of the Road Tramps in Limerick. The murder was revenge for an attack on McNamara by Road Tramps members – in which his waistcoat was stolen, a grave insult in the biker world.
In recognition of McNamara’s deed, the Limerick Caballeros were upgraded to the status of full members of the Bandidos, an international motorcycle gang active in criminality in dozens of countries.
The Chosen Few differ from these other clubs. While some of its members have deep connections to organised crime groups, including the Kinahan and the Byrne gangs, they operate largely under the radar.
Club members’ connection to the Byrnes, which represents Kinahan interests in Ireland, is unsurprising. The compound is a five-minute walk from gang leader Liam Byrne’s family home and he is known to have frequented the premises over the years.
In 2016, members of the Chosen Few provided a motorcycle escort for the funeral of Byrne’s brother, David, who was murdered in the Regency Hotel gun attack.
According to security sources, the club also works closely with the Grendon gang, which has taken over much of the Dublin drug trade from the Byrnes in recent years. The Cab is investigating some members of the Chosen Few for intimidation, extortion and the laundering of money through the sale of vehicles on behalf on these gangs.
The Chosen Few has been operating in various guises out of Crumlin since at least the mid-1990s. Aside from its members’ appearance at Byrne’s funeral, it tends to shun publicity.
“They tend to pop up occasionally and then go quiet for a long time,” one security source said.
The club has gone through several name changes over the years. In 1994, when it was known as The Family, member Dermot Griffin, was accused of the gun murder of a man at a biker event in Wicklow. Griffin was acquitted of murder but convicted of possessing a handgun at the Crumlin compound. He was later jailed for 14 years for his role in a drugs gang.
In 2000, Paul Mackey, who four years previously was listed as an owner of the club, was fined for damaging a Garda car with a knife in Co Louth.
Unusually for a so-called “outlaw” motorcycle club, the Chosen Few opted to register its name with the Companies Office in 1996, although official records show no business activity since.
Motorcycle enthusiasts
A seemingly defunct website dating to 2003 details the club’s origins with the Road Rockers, a long-established mainstream motorcycle club. Some members broke off and adopted the Chosen Few name, which is used by many motorcycle clubs worldwide, some of which have no connection with each other. Attempts to contact the Chosen Few in Dublin were unsuccessful.
The site also features Chosen Few merchandise and photographs of members partying in the clubhouse in the Crumlin compound and on visits abroad to friendly clubs.
It’s important to note that some Chosen Few members, perhaps a majority, have little to do with criminality and are simply motorcycle enthusiasts.
The Criminal Assets Bureau seized 10 motorcycles during the raid
“Some are just lads who like the bikes and the image,” said one local garda.
Other members, however, engage in anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, money laundering and intimidation, informed sources say. Some of this is on behalf of organised crime groups, some is purely for their own benefit.
Having had significant success in stripping assets from the Byrne organised crime group, the Cab is now focusing on the Grendons and with them, the Chosen Few.
Sources say the seizure of the vehicles on Tuesday was just the first step. The main goal is to use proceeds of crime legislation to seize the compound and dismantle it.
Such a move would be welcomed by locals. “If it stops those f**king bikes going in and out I’ll be happy,” said one local who declined to be named over safety fears.
Local representatives have already tried, without success, to do something about the compound which sits behind a derelict house on a quiet side road in the Dublin suburb.
Two years ago, councillor Pat Dunne asked Dublin City Council to examine whether it adhered to planning regulations, particularly the hoarding which surrounds it.
“The reason I put in that request was because it was reasonably clear that the extent of the hoarding is to try and hide something,” he said. “I never heard anything back.”
Local community
A council spokeswoman said there is no live enforcement file on the property.
Seizing the compound may be easier said than done, not least because it is not clear who its owners are. The compound does not appear to have a mortgage registered against it and the most recent land registry documents date from 1956. They assign ownership to a woman who, according to sources, has since died and never had any connection to crime or motorcycle clubs.
Dunne is adamant that if the premises is seized, the proceeds should go back into the local community. Several properties around Windmill Road connected to the Byrne gang have been seized by the Cab in recent years with the proceeds going into the State coffers.
There is currently no provision for proceeds of crime seized by the Cab to be reinvested back into the local community, something Dunne says must change.
In recent years he and others have been trying to get funding for the public swimming pool 10 doors up on Windmill Road to open for more than one day a week.
“Cab have recently sold two premises in the area. Could that money not be brought back into the area so we could have something like proper swimming hours?”


theirishtimes--2020-10-24--Coronavirus: Close contact numbers fall in sign restrictions may be working

In an early sign that public Covid-19 restrictions may be working , the HSE has seen a sharp drop in the average number of close contacts of individuals becoming infected over recent days .
HSE data , obtained by The Irish Times , shows that the average number of contacts that a positive case has reported after testing positive has fallen to an average of three from five last week and six at the start of this month .
The decline in the number of close contacts of newly infected cases , while a tentative sign , shows the possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , on the transmission of the disease .
The reduction in close contacts will help ease pressure on the State ’ s contact tracing operation .
The Irish Times reported on Tuesday that the HSE ’ s contact tracing was overwhelmed last weekend by a surge in cases .
This forced tracers to skip calls to close contacts of about 2,000 Covid-19 cases to avoid a backlog and days-long delays in calling new daily cases this week for their contacts .
Rather than trace the contacts of these 2,000 cases , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to do their own contact tracing .
It has since emerged that some close contacts of positive cases who were not called by contact tracers due to the backlog have themselves since tested positive and expressed anger to contact tracers who have called them .
Some newly infected people were said to be “ very annoyed ” at not being called as close contacts of last weekend ’ s cases when they were contacted as part of this week ’ s new cases .
There is anger and frustration within the contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the decision , leading to more difficult calls for contact tracers trying to convince people to be tested and to isolate .
“ ’ The collateral damage from that decision is just dreadful , ” said one source .
Questions have been raised internally at the decision to text and not call complex new cases who may not be able to carry out their own contact tracing .
Such cases could be sick people or foreign nationals working in meat plants or living in direct provision centres , or people who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) reported a further seven deaths related to Covid-19 on Friday and a further 777 cases confirmed in the State .
The five-day average of new cases fell for the second consecutive day for the first time in weeks .
One of the main labs used to process Covid-19 tests has said it will be unable to operate this weekend and next due to “ unavoidable staff shortages ” as a result of a small number of coronavirus cases among lab staff .
The shortfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the private testing lab in Naas , Co Kildare .
Meanwhile , the Minister for Agriculture , Charlie McConalogue , on Friday night said his department should have issued a public notice about the problems with Virapro hand sanitiser a week ago when a formal notice was issued to the manufacturer .
Some of it was found to contain methanol and not the 70 per cent required level of ethanol .
Schools were only alerted to the recall late on Thursday night and a number were forced to close on Friday .

The reduction in close contacts will help ease pressure on the State’s contact tracing operation. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
In an early sign that public Covid-19 restrictions may be working, the HSE has seen a sharp drop in the average number of close contacts of individuals becoming infected over recent days.
HSE data, obtained by The Irish Times, shows that the average number of contacts that a positive case has reported after testing positive has fallen to an average of three from five last week and six at the start of this month.
The decline in the number of close contacts of newly infected cases, while a tentative sign, shows the possible impact of public restrictions, escalated this week, on the transmission of the disease.
Hospital Report
The reduction in close contacts will help ease pressure on the State’s contact tracing operation.
READ MORE
The Irish Times reported on Tuesday that the HSE’s contact tracing was overwhelmed last weekend by a surge in cases. This forced tracers to skip calls to close contacts of about 2,000 Covid-19 cases to avoid a backlog and days-long delays in calling new daily cases this week for their contacts.
Texts
Rather than trace the contacts of these 2,000 cases, the HSE sent them texts on Wednesday asking them to do their own contact tracing .
It has since emerged that some close contacts of positive cases who were not called by contact tracers due to the backlog have themselves since tested positive and expressed anger to contact tracers who have called them.
Some newly infected people were said to be “very annoyed” at not being called as close contacts of last weekend’s cases when they were contacted as part of this week’s new cases.
There is anger and frustration within the contact tracing operation at the reputational damage caused by the decision, leading to more difficult calls for contact tracers trying to convince people to be tested and to isolate.
“’The collateral damage from that decision is just dreadful,” said one source.
Questions have been raised internally at the decision to text and not call complex new cases who may not be able to carry out their own contact tracing . Such cases could be sick people or foreign nationals working in meat plants or living in direct provision centres, or people who had been at parties or family celebrations .
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) reported a further seven deaths related to Covid-19 on Friday and a further 777 cases confirmed in the State.
Five-day average
The five-day average of new cases fell for the second consecutive day for the first time in weeks.
One of the main labs used to process Covid-19 tests has said it will be unable to operate this weekend and next due to "unavoidable staff shortages" as a result of a small number of coronavirus cases among lab staff. The shortfall in testing will be covered by Enfer, the private testing lab in Naas, Co Kildare.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, on Friday night said his department should have issued a public notice about the problems with Virapro hand sanitiser a week ago when a formal notice was issued to the manufacturer. Some of it was found to contain methanol and not the 70 per cent required level of ethanol. Schools were only alerted to the recall late on Thursday night and a number were forced to close on Friday.