Latest news with #OffencesAgainsttheStateAct
Sunday World
29-05-2025
- Sunday World
Man (20s) arrested following armed robbery at fast food restaurant
The man entered the premises and threatened staff with a shotgun A man in his 20s has been arrested following an armed robbery at a fast-food restaurant this morning. Gardai were called to the scene in Dublin 9 this morning after a man with a shotgun entered the premises and threatened staff at approximately 7.30am. The man stole a sum of cash before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. No injuries were reported, and no shots were fired. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - May 29th Gardai from Ballymun Garda Station, an members of the Armed Support Unit arrested the man a short time later. A car stolen during a prior robbery in Dublin was also recovered during the operation. The suspect is detained at a Dublin Garda Station, and investigations are ongoing. 'Gardaí have arrested a male in his 20s following an armed robbery at a retail premises in Dublin 9, this morning, Thursday, 29th May 2025,' a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said. 'At approximately 7:30am, Gardaí were alerted after a lone male armed with a shotgun entered a fast-food premises in Northwood, Dublin 9 and threatened staff. He stole a sum of cash before fleeing the scene in a car. 'No injuries were reported and no shots were discharged,' they continued. 'During a follow-up operation, several local Garda units from Ballymun Garda Station, along with the Armed Support Unit (ASU), arrested a male in his 20s in connection with the incident a short time later in the North Dublin area. A car, stolen during a previous burglary in Dublin, was also recovered during the operation. 'The male arrested is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region. 'Investigations are ongoing.'
Dublin Live
29-05-2025
- Dublin Live
Man armed with shotgun steals cash from north Dublin fast food restaurant
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Gardai have arrested a man after an armed robbery on the northside this morning. A lone man armed with a shotgun held up a fast food restaurant in the Northwood area of Santry at around 7:30am this morning. The man stole cash from the shop before fleeing in a car. Thankfully, no shots were fired, and no injuries were reported. Several local garda units from Ballymun, along with the Armed Support Unit, launched a search and arrested a man in his 20s in connection with the robbery a short time later. A car, which was stolen during a previous burglary, was also recovered by gardai. The man is being held at a garda station in the capital this evening. A garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí have arrested a male in his 20s following an armed robbery at a retail premises in Dublin 9, this morning, Thursday, 29th May 2025. At approximately 7:30am, Gardaí were alerted after a lone male armed with a shotgun entered a fast-food premises in Northwood, Dublin 9 and threatened staff. He stole a sum of cash before fleeing the scene in a car. "No injuries were reported and no shots were discharged. During a follow-up operation, several local Garda units from Ballymun Garda Station, along with the Armed Support Unit (ASU), arrested a male in his 20s in connection with the incident a short time later in the North Dublin area. A car, stolen during a previous burglary in Dublin, was also recovered during the operation. "The male arrested is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region. Investigations are ongoing." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gardai arrest man after armed robbery with shotgun at McDonald's
A man has been arrested following an early-morning armed robbery at a McDonald's in Dublin - with officers also recovering a stolen car in the process. At around 7.30am on Thursday morning, Gardaí were alerted after a lone male armed with a shotgun entered a McDonald's in Northwood, Dublin 9 and threatened staff. Gardaí confirmed the man stole a sum of cash before fleeing the scene in a car. Thankfully, no injuries were reported and no shots were discharged. During a follow-up operation, several local Garda units from Ballymun Garda Station, along with the Armed Support Unit (ASU), arrested a male in his 20s in connection with the incident a short time later in the North Dublin area. A car, stolen during a previous burglary in Dublin, was also recovered during the operation. The male arrested is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region. A Garda spokesperson said investigations are ongoing. They added: 'Gardaí have arrested a male in his 20s following an armed robbery at a retail premises in Dublin 9, this morning, Thursday, 29 May'.
The Journal
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Justice Minister to repeal State's counter-terrorism laws and replace Special Criminal Court
THE MINISTER FOR Justice is set to repeal the State's counter-terrorism laws and establish a new non-jury court to replace the Special Criminal Court. Jim O'Callaghan told Cabinet that he has accepted the recommendations made in a 2023 majority report following an independent review of the Offences Against the State Act. He said that while the Act has served the State well, 'an updated approach is now required to fit the modern security landscape'. The Department of Justice said that acceptance in principle of the recommendations 'follows consultation and a close examination of the reports from a policy, governance and legislative perspective'. The Special Criminal Court (SCC) is a three-judge criminal court, without a jury, that deals with terrorist and organised crime cases. The court has no jury in order to avoid any potential intimidation of its members. The court is enabled by the Offences Against the State Acts, the first of which was published in 1939, with subsequent amendments in 1972 and 1998, respectively. The counter-terrorism legislation was enacted to prosecute members of the IRA and declare any similar organisations unlawful. However, as it is emergency law, it must be renewed each year. More recently, the Special Criminal Court has been used to deal with the deadly rise in gangland crime and organised criminal enterprises. The legislation and its court have been criticised by Amnesty International, the United Nations and The Irish Council of Civil Liberties over the last number of decades. In 2023, an expert group recommended that the Special Criminal Court be replaced with a new court that has additional safeguards and transparency. While the majority report also called for the Offences Against the State Act to be 'repealed in its entirety', a minority review from the same expert group took a different view, saying that a permanent non-jury court would be 'constitutionally inappropriate'. 'Clear direction for reform' 'The Offences against the State Act has served the State well and fulfils a vital role in our criminal justice system. However, an updated approach is now required to fit the modern security landscape,' O'Callaghan said. Accepting the recommendations of the majority report sets a clear direction for reform. Advertisement O'Callaghan said proposals for reform must be 'thoroughly considered and approached with the utmost care'. 'This is to ensure we do not do anything to undermine the efforts of the authorities with responsibility for countering terrorism and organised crime.' He also emphasised the continued need for a non-jury court, which was recognised by a majority of the 2023 review group. 'Trial by jury is an important, though not unqualified, right under our Constitution,' he said. 'The Review Group proposal recognises, and it is clear to me as Minister for Justice, that a non-jury court remains necessary to try serious criminal offences in certain exceptional cases where the ordinary courts are inadequate'. O'Callaghan welcomed the Government's acceptance of the need to renew security-related legislative provisions while proposals for reform are developed. Act will be renewed for further year Despite the move towards reform, the Act will have to be renewed again next month for a further year. The Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 made amendments to the initial acts, as well as creating new offences, while the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 put a number of legislative measures in place to tackle organised crime. Both Acts provide that certain provisions shall cease to be in operation unless a resolution is passed by each House of the Oireachtas resolving that those provisions should continue. These provisions are due to expire on 29 June unless they are renewed. O'Callaghan said it is necessary to renew these legislative provisions while proposals to replace the Offences against the State Acts are being developed, adding that he intends to bring the required resolutions to the Oireachtas in the coming weeks. 'It is the Government's duty to ensure that those tasked with protecting us from this threat have at their disposal the appropriate measures to meet it,' he said. 'The provisions I am seeking to renew are necessary and required to support An Garda Síochána in investigating, disrupting and dismantling the activities of terrorists and criminal gangs.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Government to introduce permanent non-jury court
The Government is to repeal the Offences Against the State Act and introduce a permanent non-jury court, justice minister Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed. A previous review of the Special Criminal Court, and its surrounding legislation, delivered a majority and minority report with recommendations for changes to the non-jury court. The majority report called for the replacement of the existing Special Criminal Court with a more permanent non-jury court, with tighter controls for its use. The court itself has been in operation on an emergency footing for more than 50 years, traditionally to deal with terrorist offences. However, in more recent years, the focus has shifted to dealing with organised crime. Under the existing laws, the court must be renewed on an annual basis through a vote in the Dáil. Mr O'Callaghan confirmed the Government accepted in principle the recommendations of the majority report. The Government will, however, renew the existing legislation while proposals to replace the Special Criminal Court are compiled. 'The Offences Against the State Act has served the State well and fulfils a vital role in our criminal justice system,' Mr O'Callaghan said. 'However, an updated approach is now required to fit the modern security landscape. Accepting the recommendations of the majority report sets a clear direction for reform. Given the importance of the act over many decades, proposals for reform must be thoroughly considered and approached with the utmost care. This is to ensure we do not do anything to undermine the efforts of the authorities with responsibility for countering terrorism and organised crime. However, Mr O'Callaghan said there is a continued need for a non-jury court, saying it remains 'necessary to try serious criminal offences in certain exceptional cases where the ordinary courts are inadequate'. The minority report expressed concern about the normalisation of a non-jury court, saying they should 'be used only in circumstances where there is a real and present danger of jury intimidation or tampering'. It highlighted that the majority report outlined the non-jury court could be used for 'any serious offence', where ordinary courts were deemed inadequate was 'too great a change'. It also warned this could go 'well beyond' issues of terrorism and organised crime. Mr O'Callaghan said: 'It is the Government's duty to ensure that those tasked with protecting us from this threat have at their disposal the appropriate measures to meet it. The provisions I am seeking to renew are necessary and required to support An Garda Síochána in investigating, disrupting, and dismantling the activities of terrorists and criminal gangs.' Read More Browne brings emergency legislation to prevent lapsing planning permissions
