The Anglo-Celt Review of the year – June

Judge hits out at revolving door in prisons

A DISTRICT court judge hit out at the “revolving door” system in certain prisons meaning some jailed defendants are released almost immediately because there simply isn’t room for them.

Speaking at Monaghan District Court, Judge Raymond Finnegan voiced his frustration at the “great deterrent” the Prison Service was providing.

His comments came after it emerged that a repeat public order offender, who had been jailed for five months on May 14 last, was given temporary release after spending just one night in prison.

O’Farrell family receive State apology

THE Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan issued a public apology to the family of Shane O’Farrell for State failings, which meant the man who killed their son and brother evaded the law and was free to cause death. The apology came after 14 years of campaigning by Shane’s family for truth, justice, accountability and disclosure from the Irish government.

Zigimantas Gridziuska killed 23-year-old Shane O’Farrell in a hit-and-run near his home in Carrickmacross on August 2, 2011.

Lithuanian man Gridziuska was convicted of 30 offences in the months before Shane O’Farrell’s death and was on bail. He should’ve been in prison at the time he knocked down and killed Shane.

The O’Farrell family – parents Lucia and Jim and Shane’s sisters Gemma, Pia, Amiee and Hannah - were in the Dáil to hear the apology.

“The criminal justice system did not protect him [Shane] as it should have,” the Minister conceded during his 18-minute apology speech.

Mum Lucia told the Celt a public inquiry would not give her family any more than what the State apology has.

“It’s hard to comprehend the scale of failures,” she said. “It’s a case of delay, deny, defend and die.”

Hundreds of families wait more than a year for therapies

“DISGRACEFUL” is how one mother branded waiting times for children to access therapies in Cavan and Monaghan. The region was identified as a blackspot when it comes to delays for therapies such as Speech & Language (1,604 children waiting assessment) or Occupational Therapy (810).

Hundreds have been waiting more than a year.

Emphasising the importance of timely interventions for these children, Noeleen Smith of Cavan Autism Parents Support (CAPS) group said: “We’ve lost confidence in the entire system set up to address these waiting lists—it’s clearly not effective.”

Big dough for Crust & Crumb

Pizza maker Crust & Crumb announced it was to double the size of its production facility in Ballyconnell, creating 120 new jobs in the process. Owned by and run by Chief Executive Mark McCaffrey, Crust & Crumb already employed 282 people, with the extra jobs to be added once construction is complete before year end.

The 80,000 sq ft processing site promised to be the newest and most advanced pizza making factory in Europe once fully operational.

The €12.5M investment was, in part, to keep pace with demands set by a new €10M contract signed with Tesco Ireland.

Call for moratorium on BESS developments

A call was made for a moratorium on the development of any Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facilities in Ireland until comprehensive safety guidelines are established for the sector.

The call came at the June meeting of Cavan County Council by the new cathaoirleach, Cllr John Paul Feeley (FG).

It came as an appeal regarding two such energy facilities in the county - at Shankill Lower, Clonervy, just outside Cavan Town, and Pottle near Ballinagh - was outstanding with An Bord Pleanála.