Rescue of two off Louth coast by coastguard helicopter
A two-person crew of a fishing vessel were successfully located and rescued by the Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter R116 early this morning, Thursday, May, 29.
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Irish Times
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Five children among 35 people deported to Nigeria on chartered flight
Five children were among a group of 35 people deported to Nigeria on a chartered flight from Dublin Airport on Wednesday. The Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out the operation, which involved 21 men, nine women and five children. The children involved were deported as part of family groups. An Garda Síochána said in a statement it 'continues to work closely with the Department of Justice in implementing immigration policy'. Deportation flights from Ireland resumed in February with the removal of 32 people on a chartered flight to Georgia at a cost of €102,476. READ MORE That was the first deportation operation carried out under a contract signed by the State last November for the provision of charter aircraft, with the Department of Justice saying the services have 'significantly increased' the capacity of An Garda Síochána to effect removals. A further 39 were deported to Tbilisi in May . [ Explainer: What is the purpose of deportation flights out of Ireland? Opens in new window ] Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said at the time of February's flight: "'If you're seeking asylum and you're not entitled to asylum, don't come to Ireland.'
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Who was Greg Monks? Missing Brit last seen in Albufeira found dead
MISSING Scottish tourist Greg Monks was recently found dead in Portugal after being missing for a week following stag do celebrations. After going missing on Wednesday, 28 May, the Scot's body was found in a ravine after a week of extensive searching in the Algarve region. Advertisement 2 The Scot went missing on the 28th May Who was Greg Monks? Greg Monks was a 28-year-old man from Glasgow. Greg worked as a mechanic for Doncaster-based Cementation Skanska. He travelled to Portugal with friends for a five-day stag do in Albufeira, a coastal city in the Algarve, the southernmost point of the country. Greg and his friends were staying at the Novochoro Apartments complex, an hour's walk away from the clubs and bars of Cerro de Aguia. Advertisement 2 Police confirmed that they saw the Scot on CCTV the night he went missing What do we know about Greg Monks' disappearance? Greg told his friends that he was heading back to their accommodation after a night of drinking. Greg was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday, May 28, near the Cerro de Aguia area of the town. An initial report was made to police at 8pm on May 28 by another man accompanying him. Advertisement Police Most read in The Sun His parents and girlfriend flew out to assist in the search. After an agonising wait, his body was found a week later. Greg's body was discovered in a remote area an hour away from the popular Albufeira strip, which is known for its rocky terrain, cliffs and ravines. What have the police said about the incident? Portuguese police have released an official statement: 'PJ police (Policia Judiciaria), through the Southern Directorate and with the collaboration of the Albufeira GNR police force, today located the body of a man who had been missing since May 28 in the Cerro de Aguia area of Albufeira. Advertisement 'The disappearance of the 38-year-old UK citizen was reported to the Albufeira GNR at 8pm on the 28th by another man who was accompanying him on holiday in the area. 'After carrying out various enquiries and establishing the presumed route taken in the early hours of that day since the last sighting, the body was located on steep wasteland.' No cause of death has been provided. The body has been recovered and will be taken for an autopsy before being released, Policia Judiciaria confirmed. Advertisement
Irish Times
3 hours ago
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Eight international protection accommodation contracts terminated in first four months of 2025
Seven International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) contracts with commercial accommodation providers were ended in the first four months of the year for reasons including noncompliance with planning, fire safety and other regulations, the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, has said. More than 90 per cent of all international protection accommodation is provided on a commercial basis, with hotels, B&Bs and other centres taking up contracts to provide beds for people arriving in the State seeking asylum. This reliance on private providers led to the Government spending more than €1 billion on international protection accommodation last year. The budget for this year is €1.2 billion. Concerns have been raised about standards at some private accommodation centres, which are not all subject to independent inspections. READ MORE Mr O'Callaghan has said his preference is for international protection applicants to be housed in State-owned accommodation. Figures released by his department in response to a parliamentary question from Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon show that between January 1st and May 7th last, eight contracts with private accommodation providers were terminated. This represented 140 bed spaces. The department said seven of the contracts were ended by the State side, with one terminated by the provider. 'I am informed that reasons for termination can vary but can include noncompliance with contractual terms or with regulatory requirements like building and fire regulations or planning matters,' Mr O'Callaghan said. 'In the same period, 12 new IPAS accommodation contracts have been agreed, accounting for capacity of up to 848 bed spaces.' [ International protection overhaul an 'important step' in wider reform, Minister says Opens in new window ] Mr O'Callaghan said the commissioning of emergency commercial accommodation 'will continue to be necessary' in the short to medium term, but it is being contracted on a short-term basis to allow the 'State to decommission this capacity with agility as contracts expire or demand fluctuates'. Mr Gannon said he had sought figures on the numbers of IPAS contracts that were ending following a media interview given by Mr O'Callaghan last month. Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, the Minister said 'many' of the agreements with private providers were 'now being terminated'. He said this was 'because if the numbers are going down, we don't need to have as many places for accommodation as provided before'. Mr Gannon said the figures released to him showed there had, in reality, been more contracts created than ended this year. 'So, far from winding things down, the system is expanding,' Mr Gannon said. While he welcomed planned reforms such as faster processing times for international protection applications, Mr Gannon said the fairness of the system matters 'just as much' as the speed of it. 'The truth is, Ireland is already failing to meet its legal obligations. In December, over 3,000 asylum seekers were left homeless,' he said. 'In April, the European Court of Justice confirmed that housing shortages are no excuse for denying basic care. We can't afford to play politics with facts, or with people's lives. The real issue isn't too many beds, it's too little planning, too much reliance on the private sector, and not enough focus on human rights and dignity at the core of the system.' In April, the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner said IPAS centres had been the subject of six whistleblowing allegations last year. It said these centres were an 'emerging theme' for the office and it raised concerns about 'the lack of uniformity of the inspection regime' for them. The Department of Justice said: 'Owing to the protected nature of protected disclosures, the department does not comment on whether such disclosures have been made in any specific instance.'
