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2 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
The quantity of cocaine seized in EU countries has almost doubled in the past three years, according to the bloc’s drugs agency. The European Union Drug Agency said 419 tonnes of cocaine was seized in 2023, compared to 323 tonnes in 2022 — up 30%. Figures previously produced by the agency showed there were 303 tonnes seized in 2021 and 211 tonnes in 2020.
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3 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
The threat of Russia and Belarus intensifying hybrid tactics — including sending migrants over borders into the EU — is a “serious concern”, the EU border agency has said. Frontex said these countries had already used migrants as a “geopolitical weapon” and warned Russia would continue to exploit this power to “exert pressure” on the EU. “The situation on the EU’s eastern borders remains volatile due to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression on Ukraine," the agency said.
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3 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
The chief mental health inspector has said the regulatory and legal breaches at the country’s state-of-the-art forensic mental hospital – opened just over two years ago – raise “serious concerns” about the operation of the facility. The Central Mental Hospital in Portrane, north Dublin – with a construction cost of €200 million – is the country’s only secure forensic institution and provides therapeutic detention to those found not guilty by reason of insanity and other categories of offenders.
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4 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
As it stands, the shocking events at a shopping centre in Carlow on Sunday are being treated primarily as a personal tragedy. Mental health issues experienced by Evan Fitzgerald and the impact of the dark side of the internet on him are being suggested as possible factors. The reality of a potential lengthy sentence for serious firearms offences the 22-year-old was facing may also have weighed on his mind.
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4 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe |Elaine Loughlin
Gardaí suspect that Evan Fitzgerald was intent on suicide at the Carlow shopping centre on Sunday — but are analysing his phones and online activity to determine if there was any extremism influence on his actions. The Special Detective Unit — the force’s anti-terrorism squad — is assisting local gardaí, who are leading the investigation. Searches have been conducted at Mr Fitzgerald’s home in Co Wicklow as well as lockups and lands associated with him — and evidence removed for examination.
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4 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
Gardaí have taken part in a European police operation targeting the exploitation and radicalization of children online. The operation was coordinated by Europol, the EU police agency, and involved 11 member states and five other countries not in the EU, including Britain and Ukraine. The so-called “Referral Action Day” identified more than 2,000 links pointing to “jihadist and right-wing violent extremist and terrorist propaganda” targeting minors.
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4 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
A mother has launched a campaign for new legislation — called ‘Francis’ Law’, named after her son — to end the automatic reduction of sentences during mitigation in rape cases. Mitigation covers a range of factors — from pleas of guilty to the rehabilitation of the perpetrator — which can considerably cut the final term handed down. Kildare mother Georgina Tuohey recently had a third case of rape and/or sexual assault on three of her children finish in the criminal courts.
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5 days ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
A mother has launched a campaign for new legislation — called ‘Francis’ Law’, named after her son — to end the automatic reduction of sentences during mitigation in rape cases. Mitigation covers a range of factors — from pleas of guilty to the rehabilitation of the perpetrator — which can considerably cut the final term handed down. Kildare mother Georgina Tuohey recently had a third case of rape and/or sexual assault on three of her children finish in the criminal courts.
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1 week ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
A man has been arrested in relation to online videos in which explicit threats are made to Irish people that he is going to “slice” their babies and children. The individual, who appears to be a homeless foreign national, posted a video on TikTok of himself making the threat. The post was circulated on TikTok and across other platforms, including on WhatsApp groups, resulting in, what sources described as, “panic” in one town in Co Laois and beyond.
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1 week ago | 
irishexaminer.com | Cormac O’Keeffe
There is continuing uncertainty as to whether any career Garda officers are applying for the garda commissioner job — applications for which close on Thursday. There are strong indications that few, if any, of the assistant commissioner candidates intend to apply, but there are reports that Deputy Commissioner Justin Kelly has applied for the role or is considering doing so.
