Press Clippings

Sparks

Given all the items we've seen in the press in recent days, we thought we'd create this Press Clippings thread as an archive for all the articles we see in the press or the tv/radio broadcasts we hear in the media.

Initially, we're going to keep the thread locked and just copy in any posts that have accredited and quoted sources from the media in here as a sort of permanent record. We may open it up for posting at a later date, so long as its understood not to be a discussion thread.

Hopefully, it may prove useful.

Sparks

From the [url=http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2004/1015/2245958614HM4CTFIREARMS.html
]Irish Times[/url]:

Firearms dealer challenges refusal to grant licence for rifle

The High Court has reserved judgment on a challenge by a firearms dealer to the refusal of the Minister for Justice to grant him an "occasional import licence" for a .470 calibre rifle which he had purchased in the UK.

The Minister's counsel described the rifle as a "lethal and objectionable" weapon which is used to shoot elephants.

The refusal of the licence to Mr Neil McVeigh, a registered firearms dealer, of Stradbrook Road, Co Dublin, restricted him from becoming an agent for certain firearms, Mr Gerard Hogan SC, for Mr McVeigh, said yesterday.

Mr McVeigh applied for the licence in October 2002 but it was refused.

The Minister said the refusal was on grounds of a current policy to grant firearms certificates only for specified weapons. The Minister later stated that firearms certificates and import licences could be granted only in relation to those firearms which came within the policy - shotguns, crossbows, unrifled airguns and rifles up to .22, except in the cases of deer hunting and competition target shooting when bolt action rifles up to .270 are authorised.

Yesterday, Mr Hogan argued that the refusal to grant a licence on the basis of a stated current policy was in excess of the provisions of the Firearms Act 1925 in that it failed to have regard to the fact that, as a firearms dealer, Mr McVeigh was not required to possess a firearms certificate under the Act. He claimed that the refusal of an import licence amounted to an amendment of the Firearms Act and usurped the discretion of a Garda superintendent to grant a licence.

In an affidavit, Mr McVeigh said he could not sell a firearm to any person unless they produced a firearms certificate for that weapon or could prove they were exempted from holding such a certificate. He believed there was no statutory provision proscribing the granting of a certificate for a .470 calibre weapon. The judge said it appeared there was no specific reason for Mr McVeigh wanting this particular calibre of gun. Mr Hogan said that was not the issue. The licence refusal prevented Mr McVeigh from trading within the State and restricted him from becoming an agent for certain firearms.

Mr James Devlin, for the Minister for Justice, said it was very clear that the Minister had discretion whether to allow the import of firearms. The Minister must decide the issue and that was exactly what had happened in this case. Mr Devlin said the rifle in question was a lethal weapon. The weapon was objectionable and Mr McVeigh had not explained why that view was wrong. This was a rifle which was used to shoot elephants.
© The Irish Times

Sparks

Okay, just following on from the news stories about firearms crime in yesterday's news, we have stories today in the Irish Times here, Irish Independent here and Irish Examiner here and here.

Sparks

You sure about that definition Glock? A quick check and I can't find it, other than the 24" barrel length rule that defines a sporting firearm (1971 act).

So there are three crimes already there to prosecute

Don't forget possession with intent, and a few others if you actually commit the crime with it...

BTW the Times link demands you register and stump up 60E Per annum

Ah. Bugger. Right, hold on...

Gun crime, rape increase but fall in some offences
Conor Lally

Gun crime and the incidence of rape has continued to increase through the third quarter of the year despite an overall reduction in the number of headline, or serious, offences in the period, new figures from the Department of Justice reveal.

The provisional figures show a 40 per cent increase in the discharging of firearms, to 219 cases, for the first nine months of the year. Rapes of females have increased by 32 per cent, to 336 cases.

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said measures contained in the forthcoming Criminal Justice Bill 2004 would target gun crime. However, while he welcomed the overall decrease of 13 per cent in the category of sexual offences he expressed "grave concern" at the rise in the numbers of rapes.

"The nature of the relationship between the number of rapes reported and the number of actual incidents remains a complex one. For various reasons, victims may be unwilling, or may feel unable, to report these crimes to the gardaí."

Research by his Department into this area was still ongoing and when it was completed any "shortcomings in the law" would be addressed.

While gun crime had increased, mandatory sentencing for such offences would be introduced as part of the new legislation. A new offence of possession of a sawn-off shotgun would also be introduced. However, Mr McDowell said the number of murders committed in the first nine months of the year, at 28, represented a 20 per cent decrease on the same period last year.

"We are frequently told that . . . gardaí are losing the battle against professional murderers. Yet the figures tell us otherwise."

Prosecutions in this area would be aided in the future by provisions in the Criminal Justice Bill 2004, which would allow gardaí use witness statements made to them incriminating suspects even in cases where the witness had since decided not to take part in a trial.

As well as the increases in gun crime and rapes of females, other notable increases in the first nine months of the year included:
Aggravated sexual assaults, where a weapon or threat of a weapon was used, increased by 75 per cent, to 14 cases.
Cases of unlawful carnal knowledge increased by 26 per cent, to 77 cases.
Robbery of cash or goods in transit increased by 10 per cent, to 46 cases.

Overall, the total number of headline offences committed in the period dropped by 6 per cent, to 74,728 cases. False imprisonment decreased by 20 per cent, to 37 cases. Abduction fell by 26 per cent, to 28 cases. Possession of drugs for sale or supply fell by 14 per cent, to 1,568 cases.

Labour's spokesman on justice, Mr Joe Costello, said Ireland had become "a much more dangerous place to live" since the Government took office in 1997.
© The Irish Times

1911

McDowell to unveil new plan for traffic corps
From:ireland.com
Tuesday, 9th November, 2004

A 1,000-officer traffic corps within the Garda is to be set up by the Minister for Justice in an effort to tackle road deaths.

Mr McDowell is finalising his plans for the new corps and intends to announce the details shortly.

He is in talks with the Garda Commissioner and the new head of the Garda Traffic Bureau, Chief Supt John Farrelly, on how the new corps would work and where its members would be deployed.

Around 500 of the 2,000 extra gardaí to be recruited in the lifetime of the Government will be deployed in the new corps, and these will be joined by around 600 existing members.

The Dublin Metropolitan Division already has a traffic unit and other Garda divisions are largely responsible for traffic in their own areas.

However, that will change under the new plans and policing of traffic across the State will become the responsibility of the new traffic corps under Chief Supt Farrelly.

It is intended that the corps officers will concentrate exclusively on policing traffic, and deal with other crimes only if they come across them in the course of their traffic duties.

Meanwhile, an extra €4 million has been made available by the Government for Garda overtime, some of which will be used to increase high-visibility policing on the roads.

Gardaí will mount patrols and checkpoints in the vicinity of licensed premises in a bid to deter drink-driving and detect those breaking the law between now and the New Year.

The Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy, has also indicated that the funds will allow very targeted policing on roads in the early hours of weekend mornings, when serious traffic offences usually occur.

The funds will allow for 140,000 additional garda overtime hours in the next eight weeks.

Officers will also be deployed in housing estates on anti-burglary patrols and in public areas where public order problems are prevalent.

Following concerns over the increase in cash-in-transit robberies and firearms offences this year, more gardaí will also be made available for cash escorts in the run-up to Christmas.

Special teams of gardaí will also do spot-checks on gun-owners to ensure licensed weapons are being stored securely. Gardaí believe many guns now in circulation were stolen from gun-owners.

There will also be an increased emphasis on community policing patrols, which will involve visits to elderly and "vulnerable persons" living in remote locations.

High-visibility uniform patrols will be conducted on busy thoroughfares, particularly late at night, where large numbers of people gather following late-night entertainment, especially during the lead-up to Christmas.

Additional uniform and plain clothes patrols will go ahead at areas adjoining business and commercial areas of cities and large towns.

Sparks

213,000 legally held guns in State
Conor Lally

There are more than 213,000 legally-held firearms in the Republic, The Irish Times has learned.

Responding to queries last night the Department of Justice confirmed that there were a total of 213,563 legally held firearms in the State.

The Department of Justice was unable to provide figures for the number of legally-held weapons when Mr Michael Noonan TD (FG) sought the information last week.

The department told Mr Noonan current gun ownership figures and figures for the last number of years, which he had sought, were not readily available and would be compiled by gardaí and sent to him when collated.

However, following queries from The Irish Times, the department said the number of firearms certificates on issue was just over 213,000.

The certificates are issued in respect of each weapon and are renewed every 12 months.

Mr Noonan said he was "very surprised" at the level of gun ownership in Ireland. It seemed "very high indeed". He was also disappointed that gardaí and the Department of Justice were unable to furnish him with the information he was looking for on historical ownership trends since 2002.

"You would have thought that they'd have this information on a computer database that could be easily accessed. I came into information that there had been a big increase in the number of gun certs issued in the last 12 months, particularly hand guns, and I was trying to see if this was true," he said. The Department of Justice or gardaí were unable to furnish any historical details to The Irish Times for the number of legally held weapons.

© The Irish Times

Irishglockfan

RTE main news tonite[9/2/05]
Gardai claim that criminal gangs in Dublin are ordering firearms at appx $500 over the internet for their uses from the USA.

The report featured a softair CAR15, claimed by the reporter to be able to fire "thousands of steel ball bearings or plastic pelletts a minute"and that it "was totally illegal in Ireland" followed by a scruffy OU shotgun and what loked like a few blankfirer pistols.Not to mind an "Alien head" hookah hash pipe , couple of ounces of morrocan,a few swords and misc bayonets and baseball bats.


So might I ask where were the real semi auto AR15 or AKs or handguns that can be so easily bought in the USA according to all media types? surely with instant backround check in the US and close garda/ FBI /interpol cooperation it should be a doddle to track who,where and when,bought or sold these guns in the US from here?

Looks like RTE is getting the old sensationiism bug about guns again?
Badly researched quick thrill article INMHO

Sparks

From today's Irish Independent:

Operation Crossover foils ATM robberies and internet gun racket



A MASSIVE Garda operation has scored an unprecedented success in the war on organised crime.

The operation, codenamed Crossover Two, is aimed specifically at gangsters in the crime blackspot of Dublin West but its impact has been felt everywhere since its launch last November.

The Irish Independent has already reported the arrest of almost 300 suspects and large seizures of weapons.

But senior officers now say that the targeting has introduced paranoia into gangland and known criminals are admitting they cannot move far without being spotted and tailed.

Checkpoints are being set up near the homes of targeted suspects and the move is being fully supported by local residents who blame a handful of families for the crime wave in areas such as Blanchardstown and Finglas.

Two of the main gangs responsible for the spate of robberies from cash deliveries to ATMs last year have been put of action. One senior garda said: "They can no longer hang around corners and carry out their reconnaissance in preparation for a robbery.

"If we see them at corners their names are taken and fed into the Pulse computer system which is being used to collate all of the intelligence," he added.

The intelligence-driven operation has also smashed a racket of smuggling in replica weapons through the post after purchasing them over the internet.

Gardai involved in Operation Crossover recovered three of the weapons, lookalike AK47, MI6 and Heckler and Koch assault rifles, in searches in the Finglas area in the past week.

The replicas can be bought from dealers in the US at prices from $400 to $500 but many of the packages are being intercepted by An Post officials at the SDS centre at the Naas Road.

However, a number of packages slipped through the controls and ended up in the hands of crime gangs responsible for a spate of robberies across Dublin.

The much-criticised Pulse computer system is proving its worth in Crossover and every garda being sent on patrol is brought fully up to date on developments before leaving the station.

Detectives have arrested and charged 131 people with criminal offences so far while seizures have included an arms cache including a submachinegun recovered from a house in Clonee before Christmas, as well as four shotguns and a rifle found in a car stopped at Rathcoole.

And from the Times:

Gangs importing replica guns

West Dublin criminal gangs have been importing replica sub-machine-guns and assault rifles over the Internet capable of firing steel balls and hard plastic ammunition which, gardaí say, can cause serious injury when fired at close range.

The weapons were part of a major haul of drugs, firearms and other weapons seized in west Dublin during Operation Crossover, which was mounted in Blanchardstown and Finglas over the Christmas and new year period.

Gardaí believe the replica weapons have been sourced from US websites for around $500 and delivered to gang members in Dublin through the postal system. Some of the weapons were seized during searches while others had been intercepted in the post.

While the weapons are replicas, because they can fire ammunition they are legally classed as firearms in the Republic. Possession of the guns is an offence.

Around 1,000 checkpoints were mounted by gardaí in the West Dublin area under Operation Crossover leading to the arrest of almost 150 suspects. As well as the replica guns an assortment of other weapons was also seized, including sawn-off shotguns, pistols and ammunition.

A variety of illicit drugs were also intercepted as well as counterfeit DVDs and scanners used by criminals to listen in on the Garda radio system.

Operation Crossover was begun in late November after the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, announced he was making available EUR4 million extra for Garda overtime to the end of 2004. The operation was first staged in late 2003 in an effort to calm an outbreak of feuding between rival factions in Finglas and Blanchardstown.

Under the latest Operation Crossover gardaí targeted around 12 leading gangland figures, and their associates. The operation involved local gardaí and armed members of the Emergency Response Unit patrolling suburban streets and erecting roaming checkpoints.
© The Irish Times

Sparks

And last night's news broadcast is on the RTE website here now if you have realplayer.

Sparks

From today's Examiner:

Firearms offences soar in target area
John Breslin
THE number of firearms offences reported in a west Dublin district that is being targeted in an ongoing garda operation increased dramatically last year.

Criminals in Blanchardstown and Finglas have accessed guns from various sources, including replica arms imported into Ireland after being ordered over the internet.

In a series of searches in Finglas in the last week, gardaí involved in Operation Crossover, which is targeting criminals in west and north Dublin, found the replica assault rifles, in the style of a AK47, MI6 and Heckler and Koch.

The guns are illegal and potentially lethal as they can be adapted to fire hard plastic and metal ball bearings.

Replica guns that can be adapted can be bought for less than 400 on the internet. The guns found during searches of houses in Finglas were posted from the US. A number of others were intercepted at the SDS centre on the Naas Road.



The guns are sold by licensed dealers in the United States and are meant for use for law enforcement training, theatrical or film production or by collectors for display.

In Blanchardstown last year, there were 79 offences recorded where a firearm was used, an increase of 21 on the previous year.

Operation Crossover was launched to clamp down on the criminal gangs in the area and the activities of two of them, both suspected of being involved in cash-in-transit robberies, have been severely hampered.

Sparks

And somewhat more light-heartedly, from the letters in today's Independent:

Sir - A headline in today's edition of your paper reads: 'Gardai blitz has gangs on the run.'

'Blitz' is a word synonymous with the Nazi invasion of Poland, which led to the extermination of millions of people. The use of this expression could lead to a severe backlash from your sensitive readership.

Perhaps you should reflect on what happened when Kevin Myers used a similar hurtful 'B' word in that other Irish broadsheet!

Sparks

From todays Irish Times :

New Bill will give Garda extra powers

Marie O'Halloran
16/02/2005

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell has introduced sweeping new Garda powers in legislation designed to redress the balance of rights in society, which, he said, had "shifted too far in favour of the accused".

Introducing the Criminal Justice Bill, Mr McDowell surprisingly read the entire of his 23-page second-stage speech in Irish. It is highly unusual for a non-Irish language Bill to be read into the Dáil record entirely in Irish. The Bill aims to enhance Garda powers in criminal investigations and the Minister said that it had had a "long incubation".

The extensive new Garda powers include: increased detention periods from 12 to 24 hours; allowing a chief superintendent to sign a search warrant in exceptional circumstances; a provision for the admissibility of statements by witnesses, who subsequently refuse to testify or retract their original statements; the right to obtain some body samples such as saliva, without permission; a provision to allow for fixed penalties for lesser public order offences rather than a court case, and the right to preserve a crime scene to prevent anybody from entering a scene and interfering with or removing evidence.

The Bill, said Mr McDowell, contained "an essential updating of our law to ensure that criminal offences can be investigated and prosecuted in a way which is efficient and fair, and which meets the needs of modern society".

He is also considering further amendments to the legislation, including provisions for the electronic tagging of offenders and the statutory right of appeal to the courts for a firearms certificate to cater for elite shooters participating in sports events.

It will also require applicants for firearms certificates to prove they have secure accommodation for the weapon, and the Minister is considering increased sentences for serious firearms offences.

The Minister said there was a legitimate concern that "the rights of society to be protected take second place in the quest to ensure fairness to the suspect - that the balance has shifted too far in favour of the accused.

"I believe this is a legitimate concern which must be addressed and I am doing so in this Bill, while endeavouring to ensure that the opposite does not happen. We must always guard against the balance being shifted too far because that will lead inevitably to miscarriages of justice."

Insisting that the Bill "balances the need for effectiveness in fighting crime with the need to uphold individual rights", he said he "sought" to take the views of the Human Rights Commission into consideration, "where appropriate". The commission had not agreed with him that a case had been made for a superintendent to authorise an emergency search warrant, but the Minister argued that the provision was on the same basis as in drugs trafficking legislation.

The Human Rights Commission was also concerned about doubling arrest periods from 12 to 24 hours, but Mr McDowell denied that "increased detention powers risks violating our human rights obligations" under the European Court of Human Rights. Under existing law, intimate body samples are only allowed to be taken with written permission. The Bill allows the taking of saliva to be moved from an "intimate" to a "non-intimate" category and allows for mouth swabs to be taken which contain both saliva and body tissue and "are a valuable source of DNA".

© The Irish Times

The emphasis in there is mine - had anyone heard of the Minister taking this suggestion (which came from the NRPAI if I remember right) up before now?

Sparks

Coverage in today's Irish Independent:

Opposition parties call for withdrawal of Justice Bill

OPPOSITION parties have called on Justice Minister Michael McDowell to withdraw the Criminal Justice Bill introduced in the Dail this week.

Fine Gael deputy Jim O'Keeffe said there were "major deficiencies" in the Bill which he said the Minister should withdraw immediately.

He said the Minister had indicated he had major plans to "amend heavily" the Bill.

He said: "We will end up with a very different Bill and the Bill that eventually emerges will, in fact, be a new Bill."

The Fine Gael TD said it was farcical to have a debate on a Bill that would end up very different.

Labour deputy Joe Costello also said that a Bill that was likely to contain amendments which would be in excess of the substance of the original text was not the way to do business.

Minister McDowell introduced the entire Bill in Irish and Sinn Fein TD Aengus O Snodaigh, speaking in Irish, described the Bill as "draconian" saying at the core of it was "the significant extension of Garda powers".

The debate in the Dail was adjourned.

Sparks

From the Times today:

McDowell to introduce gun amnesty before clampdown
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is to introduce a weapons amnesty in advance of his planned clampdown on gun offences, writes Liam Reid, Political Reporter

The provision, which will be included as an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill currently before the Dáil, will allow people with unlicensed or unregistered firearms and weapons to hand them over to gardaí in order to avoid criminal prosecution.

The move is linked to mandatory sentencing for possession of firearms, which will introduce minimum custodial sentences for those caught with an unlicensed firearm, regardless of circumstances.

The amnesty will not apply to weapons that have been used in a crime, and the guns handed over during the amnesty are expected to be forensically tested to identify whether they were used during any recorded criminal offences.

It is one of a number of legal changes Mr McDowell is planning as part of a response to growing concerns about the number of serious crimes involving firearms.

These include new offences for modifying firearms, and heavier penalties for being in possession of a sawn-off shotgun, and a new offence of belonging to a criminal gang.

Eight people have been killed by firearms since January this year, most of them in gangland assassinations. This compares with nine such murders last year. There has also been a spate of armed robberies where families have been held hostage.

The amnesty will be one-off and will last for a number of weeks in advance of the introduction of the mandatory sentencing policy.

There are no reliable estimates from gardaí or the Department of Justice as to the exact number of unlicensed firearms in the State, although it is believed to be in the thousands. A similar initiative in Britain in 2003 resulted in 43,000 weapons and one million rounds of ammunition being handed over to police.

The majority of unlicensed firearms in Ireland are believed to be disused weapons, mainly shotguns, hunting rifles and old military weapons that belonged to family members.

The chief concern of the Garda is that these firearms could be stolen and subsequently used in armed raids or other crimes.

Mr McDowell had hoped to have the legislation passed by the summer recess but because of controversial amendments, including anti-social behaviour orders, electronic tagging and on-the-spot fines for public order breaches, Opposition TDs are expected to insist on a comprehensive debate.

The rise in firearm offences, especially in Dublin, has emerged as one of the main policing concerns at present, and the Government has been criticised by Opposition parties for failing to take adequate steps against it.

© The Irish Times

Sparks

From the Newsletter:

MLA Seeking Gun Assurance
By Elinor Glynn
Tuesday 24th May 2005

An assurance is to be sought from the Chief Constable Hugh Orde that the catalogue of delays in processing and approving gun licence applications have no political motive.

DUP Assemblyman Mervyn Storey has called for the clarification in the wake of a growing trend in gun licence delays being reported to him by constituents in north Antrim.

"I have been made aware of a number of cases recently where legitimate applications for gun licences or licence renewals have been delayed for a considerable period," he said.

" In every case, the applications have been made by responsible and respectable constituents, whose purpose for applying is totally within the law," said Mr Storey.

The DUP MLA says that he is raising the length of delays with the Chief Constable as some cases involve ex-police officers whose need of a protective weapon has, up until now, not been questioned.

"With the introduction of the new Gun Order in February this year the system has been overstretched, with the Police Service struggling to cope - yet another example of the decimation of the organisation in dealing with the every day matters of policing since Patten," said Mr Storey.

" I will be seeking assurances from Hugh Orde that these delays in processing and approving licence applications have no political motive.

"It would be totally unacceptable to think that republican attempts to draw comparisons between terrorist illegal weaponry and legally-held firearms is being given any credence," said the MLA.

Sparks

From the Sunday Times:

THE family of James Healy, who was murdered last weekend over a plot of land in Carlow, has insisted there was no provocation or even an argument before the fatal shooting.

Brian Healy, the only witness to last Saturday’s tragic events, has told family members that he and his brother had no warning of Michael Kehoe’s sudden attack.

...

Contrary to media reports, there was no altercation last Saturday morning before Kehoe emerged from his farmhouse in Coolyhune, Co Carlow, and came running at the two brothers firing a shotgun.

In fact, the two sides had a civil conversation less than 10 minutes beforehand when they discussed the fencing the Healy brothers were erecting, as arranged, around 27 acres of land they had bought.

...

Contrary to reports last week, James Healy had not taken out an injunction against Kehoe to prevent him from interfering in the work he was doing on the land. Although the Healys had paid a deposit to Kehoe’s sister Catherine, the vendor, they were not yet the legal owners because the deal could only be closed once the fencing was erected.
...

Kehoe had met the Healys on previous occasions too. “He wasn’t particularly chatty with them but there was never any indication that there was anything seriously wrong.”

Sounds to me like noone yet knows exactly what the hell happened (so now would be the usual time to see the Firearms Acts amended...:rolleyes: ).

Sparks

Article in today's Examiner:

Gardaí probe granting of firearms cert
By Caroline O'Doherty
AN internal garda inquiry into the handling of the murder and suicide that cost the lives of two young farmers in Co Carlow will probe why the killer was granted a firearms certificate when complaints had been made about his threatening behaviour.

Michael Kehoe, 39, used his legally held shotgun to shoot dead his neighbour, James Healy, 30, before turning the gun on himself on September 3 following a long-running dispute over land ownership.

A senior garda yesterday confirmed that local gardaí had been contacted about Mr Kehoe's behaviour towards other people in the area on a number of occasions prior to the incident. In spite of this, he was not refused a gun licence by his local station when it came up for annual renewal.

Fermoy-based Chief Superintendent Gerry Phillips has been appointed by Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy to carry out a review of the garda handling of the incident.

Superintendent Kevin Donohue of the Garda Press Office said yesterday it was expected one of the issues Chief Supt Phillips would focus on would be Mr Kehoe's access to firearms.

He said: "Chief Supt Phillips was directed by the Commissioner to review all the circumstances surrounding the incident and how it came to happen so I have no doubt he will be looking at that. It is relevant to his enquiries.

"I think you can be satisfied that we were aware of issues arising involving Michael Kehoe and that as a result, people had expressed concerns."

Supt Donohue added: "It is normal to look at the history of the gun and that involves its ownership and licencing history."

Firearms certificates can only be issued by gardaí of superintendent rank or higher and can only be refused if the superintendent has solid grounds to believe an applicant is not of sound mind or temperate manner as a refusal can be appealed in the district court.

Mr Justice Robert Barr, who chaired the tribunal of inquiry into the fatal shooting of John Carthy, who also had a legally held shotgun despite concerns about his behaviour, has queried whether the issuing of licences should be tightened up and whether applicants should have to produce proof of mental fitness.

He is expected to make recommendations on the issue in his final report due in the coming months although gun clubs have said they would be opposed to any further restrictions.

Michael Kehoe was a member of the Glynn and District Gun Club which yesterday defended its decision to form a guard of honour at his funeral despite the upset of mourners.

Club member Lar Cushen said Mr Kehoe had been a very good neighbour and dismissed as "lies" reports that he was a loner and "no angel".

"What happened on the morning wasn't done by the Michael Kehoe that was known around by his neighbours. We don't know what happened Michael that morning. His mind obviously flipped so that's why he committed that offence."

Rovi

Does anyone know where Sparks lives?
We'll need the address to send the ambulance with the defibrillator when he sees this-

From today's (Thu, Nov 17, 05) Irish Times-

The Irish Times wrote:

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea holds an automatic pistol during an exercise at the Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, yesterday.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2005/1117/

Just heard the Fine Gael defence spokesman (whose name I can't remember, but he's a former soldier) on the radio berating the minister for his appalling gun handling and bad taste in light of recent gangland events.

Leaving aside the political point scoring, the gun handling does leave a lot to be desired
The presenter's speculation that "surely the gun would have been empty" didn't impress the Fine Gael man much.

I don't know if Minister O'Dea has any firearms experience, but you'd think whoever was looking after the gun would have pointed out the glaring mistake!


I hear Ryan Tubridy proclaiming it to be a great laugh too

.

civdef

http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/1117/dail.html



Maybe Willie is following the example of another well known politician:

Sparks

And proving that you can make a quick buck off just about anything:

http://www.cafepress.com/eireshirt.37955798

civdef

From today's Indo.

Toxic lead fear led to firing range closure


FEARS of lead poisoning were responsible for the closure of the national target-practice range at Garda headquarters.

As a result armed detectives have no firing range to hone their shooting skills.

The range in Dublin's Phoenix Park was shut down last December because of concerns that it could expose gardai to lead poisoning.

Special Branch detectives have had to travel to a firing range on open ground in the Midlands for the past six months to comply with the requirement for regular shooting practice.

These were the facilities available to detectives who fired six shots last Sunday in a failed attempt to burst the tyres on the speeding bus that killed retired teacher Maire Buckley in Dublin.

Mrs Buckley's funeral takes place this morning before burial at Fingal Cemetery.

Health

A Garda spokesman confirmed that the in-door Phoenix Park shooting range was closed last December but he declined to elaborate on the health concerns that prompted its closure.

The Garda firing range is enclosed and there was concern about the cumulative impact of trace lead deposits in the air.

If it were proven that the indoor practice arena posed a health hazard there would be potential for armed members of the force to take expensive compensation claims against the State, as has happened with the army deafness litigation.

The Garda spokesman confirmed that the Office of Public Works has been called in to help solve the problem.

"The Office of Public Works is identifying the work required to be done so it can be re-opened," he said.

Garda detectives are armed with handguns and sub-machine guns.

It emerged in the Abbeylara inquiry, into the death of John Carthy in Co Longford in 2000, that members of the Emergency Response Unit have received specialist training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Virginia, United States.

Justine McCarthy

Rovi

Spotted this in yesterday's (Friday, 2nd June, 2006) Irish Independent (cut'npasted from www.unison.ie)-
[FONT=Verdana, Arial]
[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Verdana, Arial]Slovaks fined €500 each for toy shootout at airport[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial]
A TOY-GUN "shootout" between two men was not a very grown up thing to do at the best of times, but definitely not when it was in an airport arrivals hall, a court heard yesterday.
The production of two replica handguns by Peter Laurinec (22) and Emanuel Hirec (21) caused a lot of distress among people waiting in Dublin Airport on May 6, Judge Anne Ryan said when she fined them €500 each.
Dublin District Court heard when they started pointing them and pretending to shoot at one another, bystanders alerted airport police and they were arrested.
The pair, who are from Slovakia, and live at Grange View Grove, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour. The court heard they bought the toys in a €2 shop near where they live before setting off for the airport to meet some friends arriving from Slovakia.
Their solicitor, John O'Doherty, said they were in high spirits at the prospect of meeting people from home.
"The toy guns were for joke purposes, nothing more than that and while they are in their 20s, they were acting a lot younger than they are.
"Obviously, people at the airport viewed their behaviour as a lot more sinister than it was, but they now understand the gravity of the situation," Mr O'Doherty said.
Mr Laurinec has been living here nine months and Mr Hirec for one month. Both are employed as warehouses workers.
Judge Ryan, who was shown the toy guns, said it was a very serious matter which caused distress to a lot of people at the airport.
"To somebody who does not know they were toys, they look very authentic," she said.
She would not impose a jail sentence because they had no previous convictions and they had acknowledged, through an interpreter, that they understood the seriousness of what they had done.
"I hope they do realise what they have done and will not come before the courts again."
The judge gave them two months to pay the fines and also ordered the destruction of the toys.
[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial]
Idiots!

Glad to see the judge broke their toys though
[/FONT]

Sparks

In case noone's seen this yet (though I think that may be doubtful!):

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0717/abbeylara.html

Abbeylara report to be published Thursday
17 July 2006 22:27

The report into the shooting of John Carthy in Abbeylara, Co Longford, six years ago will be published on Thursday, 20 July.

The Tribunal, chaired by retired High Court Judge Mr Justice Robert Barr, sat for 208 days during which 170 witnesses were called, including members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit.

The publication of the final report has been delayed several times but a spokesperson for the tribunal confirmed this afternoon that the report will be presented to the clerk of the Dáil on Thursday morning.

Sparks

From the Irish Times on August 7th, as posted on the NARGC website:

Barr findings on gun laws must be enforced.
There is a lack of consistency in the application of the gun licensing code, partly because there are no published guidelines writes Des Crofton

One of the less reported aspects of the Barr Tribunal Report – but one of huge importance - concerns Module 6 which addressed what changes might be appropriate to the Irish firearms licensing code in light of the fact that John Carthy, despite his mental condition, continued to hold his shotgun licence with the approval of his local Garda Superintendent. Was the Superintendent entitled to withhold the licence despite the representations from John Carthy’s medical consultant? I believe he was so entitled as the Superintendent is the persona designata under the Firearms Act and the legislation would have supported him in such a decision. He is not obliged to accept any representation whatsoever, medical or otherwise.

One of the fundamental issues affecting the Irish licensing code, which emerged during evidence given by me on behalf of the NARGC, and the evidence of Superintendent Lyons for the Gardai, and which was accepted by the Tribunal, is the lack of consistency in the application of the licensing code. Linked to this is the absence of published guidelines to assist Superintendents in the exercise of their statutory discretion under the Acts. This is in stark contrast to the licensing codes in comparable jurisdictions examined by the Tribunal.

Justice Barr found that the absence of guidelines militates against consistency and uniformity in the processing of gun licences. This weakness in the Irish system had long before been identified by the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) and was included as part of its submission to the Tribunal. A critical number of Garda Superintendents simply do not know the provisions of the firearms legislation which they are statutorily obliged to administer. This absence of knowledge can easily be gauged by the fact that over 60 High Court challenges have been mounted by NARGC in the past few years against licensing decisions of a number of Superintendents. Of those which have been dealt with by the courts, all have gone against the Gardai, with the taxpayer picking up the tab. On current form, if all existing cases go the full distance, the final estimated cost to the taxpayer will be €5.5m.

While the Tribunal did not hear about the court cases, it did hear much about the weaknesses in the licensing system. The fact that these weaknesses were being identified by the country’s largest representative body for shooting was not lost on the Tribunal. It is not surprising therefore, that Barr has made a number of critical recommendations on the future structure of firearms licensing which very much support the NARGC viewpoint.

The principal future licensing recommendations are:

That the application form for a firearms license should be redesigned to incorporate a question which enquires of the applicant whether he/she has ever been treated for mental illness or depression

Justice Barr does not recommend that there be a statutory obligation on family members, medical practitioners or legal representatives to inform the authorities of any matter relating to the mental health of a firearms license holder.

The Report recommends that there should be a statutory right of appeal against negative decisions of Superintendents for firearms licenses and that that appeal system should be to the District Court.

In the interests of avoiding inconsistency in rulings on licensing applications, Justice Barr strongly recommends that appropriate guidelines should be devised for the benefit of both shooters and Superintendents.

He recommended that an Officer of Chief Superintendent rank or higher should have overall Garda responsibility for the scheme relating to the issuing and renewal of gun licenses and that officer to liaise with Superintendents and with NARGC.

It was recommended that each issuing Superintendent should meet, not less than twice each year, with representatives of all local gun clubs in their respective areas for the purpose of considering any problems which might exist regarding gun licensing in the relevant district.

At a higher level, Justice Barr recommended it is desirable that the Chief Superintendent or superior Officer, who has overall Garda responsibility for gun licenses, should meet at least once a year with a delegation from NARGC. (The recommendation to meet with clubs and the NARGC is largely about developing an early warning system on potential problems.).

Before a full firearms license is issued, an applicant should demonstrate competence in the use of the type of firearm for which the license is sought. The Tribunal accepted that NARGC could provide the appropriate professional instruction and certification.

It is imperative that the Garda Siochana and NARGC should collaborate on establishing an appropriate firearms safety course of instruction.

It should be a condition to the grant of a firearms certificate that the firearms applicant should have accommodation for the safe storage of firearms.

Justice Barr was in no doubt that the responsible shooting community, represented by NARGC, should be an indispensable partner for the Gardai in ensuring public safety in the future structure of the firearms licensing code. In fact, he concluded that his recommendations are matters which require urgent consideration by the Minister and Garda Siochana in collaboration with the various interested parties in Ireland, ‘in particular the NARGC’.

The challenge now for the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner is to recognise reality and accept the help that has been on offer to them for many years. All political parties should be at one on this issue. None of the Module 6 recommendations are controversial and neither are they disputed. Therefore, they should be welcomed by all.

Some of Justice Barr’s recommendations have already been addressed in the firearms amendments contained in the recently enacted Criminal Justice Act. But the jury is still out on the crucial ones concerning consultation. The importance of consultation with the shooting associations was also recognised by Lord Cullen in his Tribunal of Enquiry into the Dunblane disaster and also by Justice Thorp’s findings in New Zealand into the shooting of two people by police.

NARGC is ready and willing to play its part. It has already sought a meeting with the Department of Justice to discuss these matters. Will the Minister and Commissioner pick up the ball and run with it? Who knows? The Garda reaction to the Tribunal Report has not been encouraging thus far.

Des Crofton is Director of the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC). The organisation has 25,000 members in 1,000 gun club.

Sparks

Meanwhile, it seems that the regional papers haven't been ignored by other anti-gun groups:
The Southern Star:

Virginia shooting
SIR—While the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech University is upsetting, the reality is that there are thousands of people in this country of the same ilk who carry out the same homicidal tendencies but instead of a human target direct their lethal firepower towards wild animals and birds.

One shudders to speculate what would happen if Irish live target shooters were prevented from dishing out fear and death to animals and birds.

A debate needs to take place into the need for the existence of any activity that involves the hunting down and killing of wild animals and birds. Such activities cloak a sickness and an evil virus that lead to tragic events like the Virginia Tech University massacre.

Can it only be a matter of time before such an event happens on Irish soil?Yours sincerely,

John Tierney,
Campaigns Director,
Association of Hunt Saboteurs,
PO Box 4734,
Dublin 1.

SMERSH

Fridays story:

Delay in handgun licence 'unlawful'

A gun club member is seeking a High Court order that a three-year delay by the Garda in granting him a licence for a handgun is unreasonable and unlawful.

<name>, claims Superintendent John O'Riordan of Listowel Garda station had unreasonably withheld a firearms certificate for a 9mm Luger pistol.

The case was adjourned yesterday to allow Supt O'Riordan, who is being represented by the State in the case, to come to court after Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill said he believed the issue could be easily resolved between the parties.

The judge earlier heard <name> had applied in 2004 for a certificate under the 1925 Firearms Act and had received a letter from the superintendent in December of that year saying he had been approved. However, the certificate was not issued even though it had been drafted, Mr Conleth Bradley SC, for Mr White said.

Last December, the Chief State Solicitor's office wrote to <name> on behalf of the superintendent saying the licence would be granted subject to conditions, including that he would have to have access to an approved firing range.

This appeared on Saturday

Objections to gun licence dropped

More news in brief

A gun club member has settled his High Court action over a three-year delay by gardaí in granting him a licence for a handgun.


His application for an order that his right to fair procedures had been breached, because he was not told why the licence was being withheld, was struck out and he was awarded 75 per cent of his costs.

The case had been due to be heard over two days in the High Court but after Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill said he believed the matter could be easily resolved between the parties, it was adjourned. Yesterday, the judge was told the State had agreed to grant the licence without any conditions.

BryanL

pest control on golf club

Rovi

Here you go-
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/player_av.html?0,null,200,http://dynamic.rte.ie/quickaxs/209-rte-liveline.smil

The item starts at 7:20.

Rovi

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Made todays Indo as well.The way the "residents" are describing it,you would swear they had a grandstand seat of the event??

Here it is (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/outrage-after-golf-club-kills-neighbourhood-fox-1311160.html)-

Irish Independent, Saturday March 8th, 2008 wrote:

Outrage after golf club kills neighbourhood fox

By Breda Heffernan
Saturday March 08 2008

Residents living near an exclusive golf club are up in arms after officials had a neighbourhood fox shot dead for damaging the greens.

Milltown Golf Club in south Dublin said that the animal was shot because it had caused "extensive damage" to the greens in recent times. It was shot by a licensed contractor and in accordance with regulations, it added.

However, locals living nearby said they were horrified that the creature, which had been a source of fascination for their children, was destroyed.
They denied that the fox, thought to be around three years old, had caused any damage to the links.

"A lot of the neighbours are thinking where is it going to stop?

"Are they going to start shooting neighbours' dogs and cats if they get on to the golf course?" asked one local man on RTE's 'Liveline' programme.

He said that another resident and her two children had been left in a "terrible state" after they witnessed a man shooting the fox twice in the head at around 10am on Monday. This allegedly happened within 60 feet of surrounding houses.

"All the neighbours are up in arms, including ourselves. We had observed this fox, he was a magnificent creature. He had actually learned to not fear humans as much as they (foxes) do. He would often be seen in the golf club within maybe 50 feet of the golfers playing there," he added.

"Apparently, they shot him within 20 feet, two shots to the head, and then one of the guys from Milltown left the golf buggy thing and went over and kicked it.

"Then they just dragged it up on to the back of the buggy and drove off with it. It was shocking, absolutely shocking," he said.

- Breda Heffernan

Sparks

Bond-007 wrote: »

That judgement should be on http://www.bailii.org/ie/cases/IEHC/2008/ in a few days.

And on courts.ie as well.

Also, here's the Irish Times coverage from Saturday.

rrpc

johngalway wrote: »

Is there anywhere we can see that segment again? I don't have the Sky recorder thingy. I'd like to see it again to write my own letter to be honest.

http://www.rte.ie/news/primetime

Soberly titled "Gun Culture on the rise in Ireland" :mad: