Latest news with #GardaKevinFlatley
BreakingNews.ie
15-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Funeral of Garda Kevin Flatley to take place on Friday
The funeral mass for Garda Kevin Flatley, who died when he was struck by a motorcyclist while conducting a speed checkpoint at Lissenhall near Swords on Sunday afternoon, will take place on Friday. The mass will take place at St Peter and Paul's Church, Balbriggan, Co Dublin at 1.30pm and will be followed by a family burial in Newcastle, Co Dublin. It will be broadcast live on large screens outside the church, and will also be streamed live by An Garda Síochána on the force's Facebook page, starting at around 1.15pm. Advertisement A number of traffic restriction will be in place in the area on Friday. Parking in the vicinity of St Peter and Paul's church will be very limited, according to gardaí, and the carpark beside the church will not be available as it will be required to facilitate overflow from the church. The funeral cortege will travel from McNally's Funeral Home, Drogheda Street, Balbriggan to St Peter and Paul's Church on Friday, May 16th ahead of the funeral mass. To facilitate this, the main street through Balbriggan, R132 - Drogheda Street through Bridge Street and Dublin Street - will be closed to all traffic for a period from 12pm until after the funeral services. Diversions will be in place. Advertisement Parking restrictions will also be in place on the main street through Balbriggan from Thursday, May 15th, 2025. People have been asked to follow the advice and direction of stewards and gardaí working in the vicinity of St Peter and Paul's Church, and have been advised to use public transport. Balbriggan train station is a 15 minute walk from St Peter and Paul's Church and less than a five minute walk from McNally's Funeral Home. Gardaí also said it is anticipated that there will be additional traffic and pedestrian activity in the vicinity of McNallys Funeral Home, Drogheda Street, Balbriggan on the evening of Thursday, May 15th from 4pm.
BreakingNews.ie
14-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man jailed for seven years after crash which killed two teenagers
A man has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of two teenagers. Anthony McGinn, 61, from Drumloo, Newbliss, Co Monaghan, was sentenced on Wednesday. Advertisement Kiea McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died in the crash on July 31st 2023. The girls, who were being driven to their Debs ball when they died, had been close friends since Dlava's family arrived in Clones as part of a resettlement programme for Syrians. Dlava's sister Avin was also injured in the crash. Speaking after the sentencing at Monaghan Courthouse on Wednesday, Kiea's mother Teresa McCann said: 'There is no justice in this. My child's life is gone and never coming back.' Advertisement Inspector Ann Marie Lardner said gardai support the families 'in their suffering'. 'Kiea and Dlava were looking forward to celebrating their Debs on the night of the 31st of July, 2023 – they had their entire lives and bright futures in front of them. 'They were killed in a devastating road traffic collision and never came home.' Ms Lardner said gardai stand 'united in grief' with the families following the recent death of Garda Kevin Flatley, from the roads policing unit, who was struck by a high-powered motorcycle. Advertisement She said: 'Garda Kevin Flatley went to work last Sunday, an ordinary day, he never came home. 'They are just three of the 418 killed in our roads since the start of 2023. 'An Garda Siochana and all our road safety partners continuously repeat and repeat and repeat: Speeding kills. 'Kiea and Dlava were killed because of excessive speed. Kevin was on duty detecting and preventing speeding on our roads when he was killed.' Advertisement Frankie and Teresa McCann, parents of Kiea McCann, arrive at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. She added: 'As a society, Ireland needs to reset in our collective attitude towards road safety. As a society, we need to slow down. As a society, we need to have a conversation with those who we know drive too fast, either in excess of the speed limit or too fast for the road conditions. 'The only people who can drive slower are drivers. But everybody can influence a driver. Slow down, make our roads safer. 'Get home safe to your families every day.' During the sentencing hearing, Judge John Aylmer said he was considering the charges in relation to the two deaths and the dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Avin to be in the same act of driving. Advertisement In handing down the sentence, Mr Aylmer said he had to consider where the offence fell on the scale of offending by examining aggravating and mitigating circumstances. He said the aggravating circumstances of the incident were that McGinn was travelling at almost twice the speed limit in an 80km/h zone, with evidence establishing he was travelling at up to 151km/h on the stretch of road. Mr Aylmer said McGinn had also 'ignored the pleas – and somewhat angry pleas – to desist from two of the frightened young passengers', referring to Avin and another passenger – Oisin Clerkin – who sustained less serious injuries in the crash. He said the road was wet which made the speeding even more dangerous. Garda Inspector Ann Marie Lardner speaks to the media outside Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Mr Aylmer noted McGinn had been a friend of Kiea's father at the time and had 'committed an extraordinary breach of trust' which had been placed in to drive the young people to debs. He said the 'devastating impact' of his actions was the loss of life and the life-altering injuries suffered by Avin. He said the court had heard 'harrowing victim-impact statements'. Mr Aylmer said representations for McGinn had pointed out he never had any intention to injure anyone, but the judge added he had a 'very determined' intention to drive at a 'grossly excessive speed', having a 'reckless disregard' for the potential of death or serious injury to arise. He said this put the offence at the upper end of severity, but the judge said other aggravating factors, which often appear in these cases, were not present. He said there was no question of the consumption of drugs or alcohol, or that the car was in disrepair. This resulted in a headline sentence of nine years on each count, before mitigating factors reduced the sentence. In mitigation, the judge said McGinn had no previous convictions nor any other charges pending. He said the driver was fully co-operative with the investigation to the extent that he could be given his apparently genuine 'little recollection of events' having suffered very severe injuries himself. Anthony McGinn was sentenced on Wednesday. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. McGinn spent a number of months in a coma after the crash, the court heard. The judge said he had entered a very early plea of guilty but added that was in the face of an 'overwhelming case' brought by the prosecution, considering the entire event was captured on dashcam. He said the value of the early plea is in 'sparing the families' further trauma of a trial which would have arisen. Mr Aylmer said McGinn's injuries cannot be ignored but they provide little mitigation because 'they were self imposed'. The court heard he has lost his marriage due to circumstances arising out of the tragedy and his relationship with his children has become distant. The judge also said he had received reports that McGinn displayed appropriate victim empathy and his sense of responsibility for the deaths and the injuries suffered 'weighs heavily' on him. McGinn is also considered to present a low risk of reoffending. Mr Aylmer reduced the sentence to seven years on each count, to run concurrently from Wednesday. McGinn was also disqualified from driving for a period of 15 years.
Irish Times
13-05-2025
- Irish Times
Funeral of Garda Kevin Flatley, killed on duty last weekend, to take place in Dublin
The funeral of Garda Kevin Flatley , who was killed while on duty last weekend in north Dublin, will take place later this week, with large numbers of mourners expected to attend. The funeral mass will take place on Friday afternoon at Saints Peter and Paul's Church in Balbriggan, north Co Dublin , near where he lived with his wife Úna and two young daughters Erin and Aoife. Burial will be in Newcastle, south west Dublin, where Garda Flatley was originally from. Garda Flatley, who coached at O'Dwyers GAA club in Balbriggan, is survived by his parents Michael and Breda, brother John and extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his sister Elaine. He was killed at about 12.50pm on Sunday as he was carrying out speed checks on the R132 at Lissenhall near Swords, north Co Dublin. It is understood he had parked his Garda 4X4 on the roadside and was operating a speed gun. READ MORE He detected a motorcyclist breaking the 80kmph speed limit on that stretch of road. As Garda Flatley attempted to flag down the driver, he was struck by the motorbike and died from his injuries. The Yamaha R1 1,000cc motorbike travelled for a significant distance following the collision and came to a stop on the opposite side of the road. Gardaí investigating the death of Garda Flatley are hoping to speak to the motorcyclist soon in a bid to establish how the fatal crash came about. While there were fears in the hours after the collision that the man (30s) may die from his injuries, his condition has improved since then. [ Garda Kevin Flatley death: Motorcyclist in collision makes slight improvement in hospital Opens in new window ] Gardaí working on the investigation into Garda Flatley's death are keen to speak to the man as soon as he is well enough, though it is unclear when that may be as he suffered significant injuries. Gardaí have a series of questions they want to put to him. Footage of the fatal crash was also captured, which is vital to the garda investigation. This footage may also inform the coroner's inquest and, separately, any criminal charges that may arise, depending on the evidence gathered and the decisions of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Garda Flatley's death followed several incidents in which officers were injured on traffic duty. In the early hours of May 2nd, a garda on duty in Ardee, Co Louth, approached a van that suddenly accelerated and hit him before leaving the scene. The garda suffered broken bones and required surgery. A man was later arrested. Earlier last week, an on-duty garda was injured when he was hit by a car. Last Friday, another garda suffered a broken leg in Coolock, Co Dublin, when hit by a motorcycle. A suspect was arrested shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, tributes were paid in the Dáil to Garda Flatley. Taoiseach Micheál Martin extended his 'deepest sympathies' to his family, friends and colleagues. He also extended sympathies 'to the broader force and to all members of An Garda Síochána at what it is a very difficult and traumatic time for them, and a huge blow to the force'. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Garda Flatley 'was a devoted father, a man with a deep grá for community'. Labour justice spokesman Alan Kelly echoed comments made by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, who said a 'reset' is needed in how society thinks about road safety.
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Garda Commissioner accused of ‘failing' in road policing staff numbers
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has been accused of 'a significant failing' through presiding over a drop in staffing roads policing units. Following the death of Garda Kevin Flatley at a speed checkpoint in Dublin on Sunday, the Garda Commissioner said there should be a 'real reset and rethink about our approach as a society to road safety'. Advertisement Labour TD Alan Kelly has called on the Commissioner to clarify what he meant by this 'refocus'. 'The simple fact of the matter is that in 2009 there were 1,046 gardaí of different ranks involved in roads policing in Ireland,' he said at Leinster House on Tuesday. 'Currently, I understand there's just in excess of 600. That's a 40 per cent drop. 'Now, given where we are as a country, and given that this is such a huge issue, I think under his tenure to have that sort of a drop, despite his commitments in the justice committee last year, is a significant failing and something that he should answer questions on.' Advertisement He said the Justice Committee was told by Mr Harris last year that 75 more gardaí would join road policing units in 2024 and a further 75 in 2025. He said that despite 285 gardaí and sergeants being qualified for the role, 'very few have been appointed'. 'He's got to really stand up for what he is saying as regards to resources that go into roads policing, and I'm afraid he's not able to.' Mr Kelly and other TDs added to the tributes paid to Garda Flatley, who was killed after being hit by a motorbike while operating a speed detection checkpoint in north Dublin on Sunday. Advertisement The 49-year-old had served as a garda for 26 years and had been with the Roads Policing Unit since 2018. The married father-of-two was the 90th officer to die on duty since the creation of the force in 1922. Gardaí attended a memorial service held for Kevin Flatley at Dublin Castle on Monday, and a minute's silence was held in the Dáil on Tuesday. Garda Kevin Flatley who was killed at a checkpoint in Dublin after being struck by a motorbike. Mr Kelly said: 'Anytime a Garda dies in the line of duty, it's obviously a very traumatic experience, firstly for the family, but also for the force. Advertisement 'Furthermore, it's a traumatic experience for the country as well, because and An Garda Siochana are there to protect us all and help us all, and anytime one dies, particularly in a tragic accident like this, it awakens the fact that we should be so supportive of them.' Aontu leader Peadar Toibin extended his sympathies to the family of Garda Flatley. 'It's an absolute catastrophe for Kevin's family, our deepest sympathies go to Kevin's family, but it's also a disaster for the country as well, to lose a Garda in such circumstances. 'The 90th garda to lose his or her life in the line of duty as well.' Advertisement Aontu and Independent Ireland called for greater protections for gardai. Mr Toibin said: 'Everyday, gardai are being attacked in this country, and we in Aontu have a bill which, if implemented, would ensure that there is a mandatory minimum sentence for anybody who injures a garda in the line of work. 'I do believe the state needs to do more to show that we have the back of gardai on duty today and every day in this country.' Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said 'a lot of gardaí' have contacted me about feeling 'vulnerable' after the death of their colleague. He said gardaí have said they feel their vehicles 'aren't properly flagged' or 'properly visible to the public'. Ireland Two mothers faced 'worst day of their lives' after... Read More 'It is a tragic under tragic circumstances that their colleague has passed away. 'It's got them feeling extremely vulnerable in many ways,' he said. Asked about the political grouping's position on speed limits, he said it should be left to local authorities and gardai to decide on what they should be, instead of 'blanket' limits nationwide.
