Latest news with #DublinAirport
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Former sports figure in court accused of sexual abuse
A former sports figure extradited from the US to face multiple allegations of the sexual abuse of girls in Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s was remanded in custody yesterday. The 77-year-old man, who cannot be named due to the nature of the charges, is facing 79 allegations of offences relating to the alleged abuse of four girls. The case features 78 charges of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape at various locations in Co. Dublin, including Dún Laoghaire, Killiney and Blackrock, from 1971 to 1981. A former sports figure extradited from the US to face multiple allegations of the sexual abuse of girls in Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s was remanded in custody yesterday. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins, Dublin. The girls were minors, aged between eight and 15. Following extradition proceedings at the request of the Irish authorities, the man was arrested at Terminal 2 in Dublin Airport at 5.56 am yesterday. He was then brought to appear before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court. Dressed in a pale green jumper, grey shorts, white socks and brown slip-on shoes, he sat silently in his wheelchair throughout the brief hearing. He has not indicated a plea, and there was no application for bail. State solicitor Rory Staines told Judge Finan that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the man face 'trial on indictment in the Central Criminal Court'. It is expected that the prosecution's book of evidence will be ready to be served on the accused when he appears again at the District Court next Tuesday, July 29. Legal aid was granted after defence solicitor Tracy Horan said: 'He is not working; he has no assets.'
Irish Post
14 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Post
Complaint over DAA advert upheld by the Standards Authority
THE DUBLIN Airport Authority (DAA) is facing criticism on two fronts following a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) and the disclosure of nearly €7 million spent on failed planning applications. The ASAI has found that a radio advertisement produced by DAA and voiced by broadcaster Marty Whelan breached advertising rules. The ad, which formed part of the airport's 'Lift Everyone' campaign, claimed that Dublin Airport was aiming to 'halve airport emissions by 2030.' The authority upheld a complaint from MEP Lynn Boylan, who argued that the ad misled listeners by not clarifying that the target excluded emissions from flights, which account for the majority of the airport's carbon footprint. Four other complainants, including the Children's Rights Over Flights campaign, raised similar concerns. Although the DAA's emissions reduction efforts apply only to sources under its direct control—such as its buildings, vehicle fleet, and ground operations—aircraft-related emissions, which make up approximately 90 percent of the airport's total emissions, were not part of the goal. Boylan argued that the average listener would likely interpret the phrase 'airport emissions' to include aircraft emissions. A survey she conducted supported this claim and contributed to the ASAI's reversal of its initial rejection of the complaint. DAA has accepted the ASAI's decision and said it had removed what it called a 'perceived ambiguity' from the ad. It defended the use of the term 'airport emissions' as standard within the industry and highlighted ongoing initiatives such as switching to electric vehicles and constructing a solar farm to generate 10 percent of the airport's electricity needs. Separately, DAA has confirmed that it has spent almost €7 million on planning and environmental consultancy services related to multiple development projects that failed to receive approval. The figure was disclosed following an intervention by the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information. The expenditure includes work on a proposal to raise Dublin Airport's passenger capacity to 36 million annually, which was rejected by Fingal County Council earlier this year. The council described the application as 'inadequate and misleading' and noted that DAA had not engaged in the available pre-planning process. Other rejected applications included plans for a 950-space staff car park and an aircraft observation platform. The council said the applications did not comply with several key requirements of the Planning and Development Regulations. DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs criticised the local authority's handling of the planning process, accusing it of 'flip-flopping.'
Irish Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Metrolink to Dublin Airport not needed, says Michael O'Leary
Nobody will use the planned Metrolink from Dublin city centre to the airport while it will cost taxpayers multiples of any budget allocated to the project, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has said. The Government's revised National Development Plan earmarks €2 billion to 'kick-start' the metrolink underground line from Charlemont, near Stephen's Green in central Dublin to the airport, which could cost up to €23 billion. Mr O'Leary, whose company is the biggest airline flying out of Dublin, predicted that no one will be able to use the rail line when it opens. He argued that no one could go to Stephen's Green at 4am, 'where there is nowhere to park' to catch trains to the airport. READ MORE [ Opens in new window ] Millions of passengers now travel to the airport on buses connecting it with central Dublin, Belfast, Cork and other locations, the airline chief said. 'The buses work, people already use the buses, you do not need to repeat what's already there,' he added. Mr O'Leary noted that the proposed line had no connections to the city's other public transport including buses and Luas trams. He dismissed the argument that Dublin is one of Europe's few capital cities with no rail line to its airport, saying few cities had airports within 9km. 'It will not be delivered on time and it will be 20 times over budget,' Mr O'Leary warned. Officials told Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Transport, in March that Metrolink's cost could hit €23 billion. Recent estimates put it between €9 billion and €12 billion. Mr O'Leary argued that outdated planning rules barred airlines from using Dublin Airport's north runway, 'one of the few pieces of infrastructure we have actually built', which opened in 2022. The Government had yet to keep a pledge made when it took office seven months ago to axe a 32 million a-year limit on passengers at Dublin Airport, Mr O'Leary said. He asked if a Government that failed to keep this promise while being responsible for the €330,000 Leinster House bicycle shed, €1.4 million Department of Finance security hut and the €2.24 billion Children's Hospital, could be trusted to deliver a €275 billion development plan. The Ryanair boss argued that the plan should include a nuclear power plant to help secure energy independence. The Republic will begin importing nuclear-generated electricity from France, once the countries complete a power line linking Cork and Brittany. Ireland already imports electricity from Britain, which has five nuclear reactors and whose government has agreed a £38 billion deal for nine new plants. Work on a further nuclear project, Hinkley Point, is already under way. The State's relies on imported electricity to cater for growing demand. 'We are at the end of the line and will be the first to be switched off if there is a crisis,' Mr O'Leary warned.
Irish Daily Mirror
21 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former sporting figure in court charged with almost 80 sex abuse offences
A former sporting figure has appeared in court charged with almost 80 sex offences. The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in front of Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Tuesday morning, shortly after he was extradited from the United States. The man, who is 76, is charged with 79 offences. All but one are of alleged indecent assault on a female between 1971 and 1981. The 79th charge is of the attempted rape of a female in the same time period. Garda Sergeant Amy Kelly of Ballymun Garda Station in Dublin, told the court the man was arrested on Tuesday morning. She said: 'He was arrested at 5.56am at Dublin Airport, terminal two, following his extradition from the United States.' The sergeant said the man was then charged at 7.40am at the station with 79 offences and that he was handed a true copy of each of the charges. 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 There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody to appear in the same court at 10.30am next Tuesday. Defence solicitor Tracy Horan told the court that her client needed medical attention in custody. She said: 'He has no dentures and no hearing aid. He cannot eat.' The judge directed the accused receive medical treatment as appropriate. The accused was also granted legal aid. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Former sports industry figure remanded in custody on 79 sexual abuse charges
A former sports industry figure extradited from the United States to face multiple allegations of sexually abusing girls in Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s was remanded in custody on Tuesday. The 77-year-old man, who cannot be named due to the nature of the charges, is facing 79 allegations of offences relating to the alleged abuse of four girls. The case features 78 charges of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape at various locations in Co Dublin, including Dun Laoghaire, Killiney, and Blackrock, from 1971 to 1981. The girls were minors aged between eight and 15. Following extradition proceedings at the request of the Irish authorities, he was arrested at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport at 5.56 am on Tuesday. He was then brought to appear before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court. Dressed in a pale green jumper, grey shorts, white socks, and brown slip-on shoes, he sat silently in his wheelchair throughout the brief hearing. He has not indicated a plea, and there was no application for bail. State solicitor Rory Staines told Judge Finan that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that he face "trial on indictment in the Central Criminal Court". It was expected that the prosecution's book of evidence would be ready to be served on him when he appears again at the District Court on July 22. He faces 41 counts of indecently assaulting, and one for attempted rape of one of the complainants; 34 counts of indecent assault of another female; two counts of indecent assault of another complainant; and one charge of indecent assault of the fourth. The offences are contrary to Common Law. Garda Sergeant Amy Ryan told the court that after the pensioner's extradition, he was arrested on foot of 79 warrants, taken to Ballymun Garda station, and charged at 7.40 am. She furnished the court with a document listing the offences and his reply to each charge; however, the judge did not require the sergeant to read out the defendant's responses. Defence solicitor Tracy Horan told Judge Finan that her client was not making a bail application and that he consented to being held in custody. Mr Staines asked that the accused appear before the court in person at his next hearing rather than via video link, to be served with the book of evidence. Legal aid was granted after Ms Horan said, "He is not working; he has no assets." Garda Sergeant Ryan said there was no objection. The defence solicitor also informed the judge her client required medical assistance in custody because he had no dentures or hearing aid, as they had not been brought over from the United States. The judge noted this information and agreed to add to the custody warrant that he urgently receive dentures and a hearing aid.
