Transport police
An Garda Síochána is not considering setting up a specialised public transport police unit at the moment.
In a statement on Wednesday, An Garda Síochána said it “proactively engages” with transport operators to provide a co-ordinated garda presence on public transport “to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour”.
The statement comes after the National Bus & Rail Union (NBRU) said the travelling public “urgently needs” a permanent and dedicated Garda public transport unit after a man (26) was assaulted while on a late night bus home in Dublin city in the early hours of Sunday, in a suspected homophobic attack.
Rental crisis
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said Ukrainian refugees will begin to leave student accommodation units on a phased basis over the next few months as the State continues to grapple with housing pressures.
The Government announced last month that it had run out of State accommodation for arriving Ukrainian refugees, and had to temporarily house them in tents at a military camp.
Addressing social media images and videos of dozens of people queuing to view a property to let in Dublin, Mr Harris said: “There’s absolutely no doubt that there’s a real housing supply issue.”
Miriam Burns murder
Gardaí have arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of a grandmother in Co Kerry.
The body of the woman, named locally as Miriam Burns (75), was discovered on Monday at 1.15pm on the Ardshanavooly housing estate in Killarney.
The man, aged in his 50s, remains detained for questioning at Killarney Garda Station.
New car-free town in Dublin
Plans for a new car-free town in west Dublin that would include 40,000 homes and 75,000 jobs have been revealed by Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council.
The City Edge Project is a joint initiative between DCC and SDC to create a "new liveable, sustainable and climate resilient urban quarter at the western edge of Dublin City".
The project area covers 700 hectares within the Naas Road, Ballymount and Park West areas and has the potential for 40,000 new homes and 75,000 jobs, "that would contribute €13bn GVA a year to the economy".
