Dublin Airport should be liable for airline costs
Dublin Airport should be made liable for costs to an airline if management does not ensure there is a drone free area around the airport, a TD has said.
Fine Gael TD Colm Brophy said the onus has to be on Dublin Airport to prevent drones operating in the area following three days of disruption at the facility over the weekend.
It is illegal to fly drones within 5km of the airport.
“What work has Dublin Airport done on a counter drone system? Everyone was made well aware of the potential repercussions of this issue when thousands of passengers were grounded at Gatwick in Christmas 2018.
“What has happened since at Dublin Airport to prevent a similar scenario here? Not much, it would appear.
“Obviously, Covid brought its own issues to the airport but drones operating illegally there shouldbe a serious concern for management there. What are they doing to prevent this?"
Ireland give €2 million in aid to Turkey and Syria following earthquake
he Turkish ambassador to Ireland has said his country will accept all forms of international aid following the devastating earthquakes.
Mehmet Hakan Olcay said the number of casualties was likely to rise in the coming days as he warned the harsh winter conditions will hamper rescue efforts.
Offers from volunteers have been received from over 65 countries, including Ireland, he told RTÉ radio’s News at One.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin on Monday confirmed Ireland will provide €2 million in emergency assistance to Turkey and neighbouring Syria.
Man charged over Hugo Boss shop raid
A man has been remanded in custody charged in connection with a ram raid at the Hugo Boss store on Dublin's Grafton Street.
The designer goods shop was extensively damaged at about 4.30am on January 18th, and several items were taken.
Gardaí arrested Lee Conlon (44), of Meath Place, Dublin, and charged him at Pearse Street station ahead of his appearance before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.
He is accused of causing €51,000 worth of criminal damage to the retailer's door and windows and a burglary charge involving the theft of property valued at €31,204.
Garda Aine Hogan told the judge that Mr Conlon made "no reply" to the charges.
Cork man jailed for sexually abusing his niece
An intellectually challenged man who sexually abused his niece when she was a child two decades ago has been jailed for one year.
Farm labourer William O'Riordan (48), of Derry, Banteer, Co Cork, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three counts of sexual abuse at a place in Co Cork on three occasions between September 2001 and March 2006.
At a hearing in December, Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that while O'Riordan has a reduced cognitive functionality, he knew at the time that what he was doing was wrong and has not shown any remorse or regret for his actions.
The judge said he was taking into consideration the defendant's intellectual challenges, which would make his time in custody more difficult. The court heard that while O'Riordan has always lived with his elderly mother and they effectively looked after each other, he is “completely independent” of her.
Politicians facing range of fines for declaration errors
Elected politicians face a range of fines for failure to fill out official declarations correctly, following a departmental report into ethics rules.
It comes after revelations that several senior government ministers had not disclosed assets or electoral supports properly on their official declarations.
Ethics watchdog Sipo has repeatedly called for more resources to strengthen its oversight of compliance with current ethics laws, which has been backed up in the findings of a report published on Tuesday.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform review into Ireland’s approach to ethics in public office found that the system of office holders’ declarations is limited if there are no “effective sanctions”.
“A risk arises that the dissuasive effect of the regime decreases over time if it appears that no effective consequences arise from clear breaches of the law,” the review said.
