Criminal Assets Bureau searching for new HQ as expansion plan continues in bid to increase crime funds crackdown
The bureau is currently based at Walter Scott House, a building in
But chiefs are currently liaising with the Office of Public Works to find new facilities for their 101 staff, Justice Minister
Last week, the Cabinet backed the most substantial reform to Ireland's civil asset forfeiture laws since their inception back in 1996.
One of its key parts is cutting the time frame for selling assets deemed to be the proceeds of
And the CAB will get extra investigative powers, including the freezing of bank accounts that are suspected of holding dirty cash.
Read more in News
A bill to enact the changes will now go before the
Answering a parliamentary question, O'Callaghan said: 'I am aware that the work of CAB is expanding and I am conscious that the expansion of its numbers will require further facilities.
'My department has submitted a proposal for funding for CAB accommodation.
"CAB is currently liaising with the OPW to find new accommodation. The Government will continue to support the growth and expansion of CAB to recover assets for the State.
MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN
'It is extremely important for criminals to know that if they stay in Ireland, their assets will be seized if it is not the case that they will be convicted and brought before the courts.'
The CAB's major successes in recent years includes stripping Hutch thug James 'Mago' Gately of €600,000 worth of assets.
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Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said that his department has submitted a proposal for funding for CAB accommodation.
Credit: Alamy
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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
See inside the hidden holding cells under the CCJ and our largest remand prison
These are the hidden hallways of a bustling underground 'mini-prison' that sits right beneath Ireland's main court building. The Irish Mirror gained unprecedented access to the massive holding cell area of Dublin's Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) in Parkgate Street - and to Ireland's largest remand prison - Cloverhill, in an exclusive video podcast to be released today. In the Shattered Lives podcast special, available on the Irish Mirror's YouTube channel today (Friday), three Governors of the Irish Prison Service also opened up about the reality of the committal process - bringing prisoners to and from the CCJ - and adjusting them to the realities of jail life. They also revealed to us the grim reality that weapons have been dropped into prisons via drone - and how 'tensions to this day' remain behind bars due to the Kinahan / Hutch feud. Speaking to the Irish Mirror inside a hallway consisting of 21 holding cells situated right beneath the courts in Dublin, Paddy Moran Assistant Governor of Mountjoy Prison told us: 'As you can see as we're walking there's a number of different holding cells. This would mimic what would actually happen on a larger scale in an actual prison, where we have to keep the different prisoners from different factions separated. It might be to do with feuds or it could be to do with all sorts of things like debts, people who might have given information or might be perceived to have given information to the guard. "We have to protect them while they're in custody and keep them separate from each other.' Paddy Moran and Paul Healy in one of the holding cells at the CCJ Holding cells at the CCJ Paddy is a senior official in a prison that was at one stage entirely segregated due to the bitter rivalries of the Kinahan Hutch feud - which killed 18 men. He told us of the unique challenges of that time - and how many of those tensions haven't gone away behind bars. 'That caused significant headaches within the prison service because there were large numbers of different gangs around the country that were, you know, pledging their allegiances to different sides in that particular high-profile feud. Yes, the feud has simmered down publicly thank God, but there are still lingering issues within the prison system of different prisoners who have been involved in different situations that can't mix with each other,' he revealed. 'There's still tensions to this day. But there are other feuds going on around the country. Not as well publicised but oftentimes pretty dangerous deadly feuds as well.' Inside Cloverhill Prison, which is home to over 400 prisoners awaiting trial or sentence, the Irish Mirror was granted access to many areas, including the A2 landing, where we saw inside a cell - where a TV, bunk beds and other facilities were visible. We were shown the reception area, where a prisoner is brought in and comprehensively searched - as well as one of the yards - which is protected by netting that nonetheless can sometimes be breached by drones. We also saw the 'Circle' - a massive area in the very centre of the prison where most other areas of the jail are accessible. Kevin O'Connell, Governor of Cloverhill Prison speaking to Paul Healy in The Circle area of the prison Bridget Allen and Kevin O'Connell, Governor of Cloverhill Prison, speaking to Paul Healy on one of the landings And in one shocking revelation to this paper, Cloverhill Prison Governor Kevin O'Connell revealed that prisoners have successfully managed to smuggle weapons into prison - after they were dropped into the yard via drone. 'Yes, I have seen it here myself. I have seen shivs, stanley blades and weapons and tools as well,' he told us. Kevin O'Connell, Governor of Cloverhill Prison, speaking to Paul Healy Cloverhill prison 'Prisoners will come up with ingenious ways of trying to conceal contraband and phones when they get into the prison. They'll hide it behind a light, a screen or whatever. In the round, the number of weapons used prisoner on prisoner has reduced greatly and that's been a positive piece and that's down to the de-escalation techniques and the work our staff do with our prisoners.' The Governor revealed that he has seen Stanley blades, shivs, mobile phones and all manner of contraband snuck into the prison - often in very inventive ways. Speaking to us by the shower area where prisoners undress and are searched before being committed, he spoke to us of one occasion where a prisoner tried to sneak over 700 tablets inside by hanging them from his nether region. Cloverhill Prison landing 'One of our staff noticed a prisoner here at ten o'clock at night. He wasn't in a full state of undress, he had his bottom half covered. One of our staff noticed he had something concealed on his lower half… to his groin area. Upon closer inspection they uncovered a quantity of several hundred tablets on his person,' he revealed. In the podcast, we also spoke to experienced Assistant Governor Bridget Allen of the Irish Prison Service Training College, which has sites in Portlaoise and Dublin. She speaks in depth on the podcast about training recruit prison officers and on highlighting the prisoner journey from the courthouse all the way to the prison. Phil O'Meara, Assistant Governor with the Prison Service Escort Group (PSEC), also speaks on the podcast - showing us the 'dock' in Court 6 of the CCJ, and informing us how prison staff escort a prisoner to that area and remain offside but on constant standby for any event during the course of a trial. Cloverhill Prison cell Cloverhill Prison exercise yard with mesh covering 'The staff will escort the prisoner through this area here into the court as soon as his case is called. Staff will put themselves into a position where they are offside and won't prejudice the trial duration of the sitting,' he told us. 'The CCJ here is a very busy place as you can imagine here, Monday to Friday, and in the unfortunate event that something does happen, we have staff that we can call on straight away to assist if we have any disturbances." Assistant Governor Bridget Allen added: 'All our staff would carry radios as well. We have up to 60-70 staff here (in the CCJ) on a daily basis. Every escort that comes into the court has a radio on them so it's very easy for us to call for help if needed. I suppose it's part of our training. We're trained how to deal with those situations,' she said. Showing us inside a holding cell located directly below one of the courts, Assistant Governor Paddy Moran told of that stage of the process - where a newly-committed prisoner is beginning to adjust to their new reality. 'The first person that they're going to meet is a prison officer. We will be dealing with people that could be in crisis. They could be volatile, could be suicidal, could be stressed. Yes, they have committed a crime but we have to provide support to help them get their head around what has actually happened from there on in. I would treat any prisoner I meet the way I would want to be treated if I was in their shoes,' he said. The Irish Prison Service is currently running a recruit prison officer competition and you can find out more by visiting Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
File to be sent to DPP over fatal Cork assault last year
A file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions after a man and woman were held for questioning in connection with the death of a 36-year-old woman who was attacked at a soup kitchen in Cork city centre last year. Vanessa O'Callaghan had been given some food and a sleeping bag by a member of the Kindness Krew volunteer group when she was attacked on St Patrick's Street on 1 December last year. She was assaulted by up to three people. One of the volunteers rushed to her assistance and commenced CPR prior to the arrival of paramedics. However, the native of the Middle Parish in the city died at Cork University Hospital three days later. Yesterday, a man and a woman in their 30s were arrested in connection with the death of Ms O'Callaghan. They were held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a garda station in Cork.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Two people arrested over fatal assault of homeless woman at Cork soup kitchen
Two people have been questioned by Gardaí in connection with the fatal assault of a 36-year-old woman at a soup kitchen in Co Cork in December. Vanessa O'Callaghan, 36, suffered serious injuries after she was assaulted at an on-the-street soup kitchen near the Savoy cinema on Patrick Street in Cork city on December 1, 2024. Ms O'Callaghan was availing of the services of the 'Kindness Krew' soup kitchen and had been given some food and a sleeping bag by a member of the volunteer group when she was attacked. The mother-of-three sustained head injuries and was rushed to Cork University Hospital for treatment. Tragically, Vanessa passed away as a result of her injuries three days after the attack. Two people were arrested by Gardaí on Wednesday in connection with their investigation into the fatal assault. The man and woman, both in their 30s, have since been released without charge. Flowers and candles left at site where Vanessa O'Callaghan was assaulted (Image: Paul Byrne/96FM) A file will now be prepared by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Gardaí say investigations into the matter are ongoing. A requiem mass for Ms O'Callaghan took place on December 10, 2024 at St Peter and Paul's Church in Cork. Floral tributes with the words sister, mam and aunt were placed at the altar. Bishop Emeritus John Buckley recited the opening prayer whilst the children of the deceased placed the shroud over her coffin. Ms O'Callaghan's only daughter Chelsea told all those who gathered in the packed church that her mother was one of those rare people who seemed to radiate joy during her journey of life. 'She was so full of life and she had a smile for everyone who crossed her path. Whether it was North Main Street, Patrick Street, the Grand Parade, wherever you would see her she was always have a smile. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week 'That smile of hers had a way of lighting up a room and lifting our spirits no matter what kind of a day you were having. My mam had a special way of being everywhere. You couldn't miss her, even if you wanted to. And believe me we tried. Her presence is something I'll carry forever, not just in town but in my heart and everything I want to do. "I am still in complete shock. I can't believe she's gone. It's going to take me a long time to get used to not seeing her around, especially by the church. Since her passing I've been expecting to see her there, full of life, and ready with her warm smile. "But the reality of her absence, it hits me over and over again. The pain I am feeling right now is unlike anything I've ever experienced. I find it hard to find the right words to describe it.' Get all the big crime and court stories direct to your phone on our new WhatsApp service. Sign up here.
