Dublin: Council of Europe Upholds Gardai Right To Strike

The Council of Europe has upheld an earlier ruling permitting members of the Garda Síochána to strike and participate in trade union action.

 In a ruling by the Committee of Ministers – the council’s main decision-making body – the human rights organisation reiterated the findings of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) in May which ruled gardaí­ should be permitted to strike, negotiate pay and engage in union action.

That ruling followed a complaint by the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors over the Government ban on their participation in trade union action. In its decision yesterday, the Strasbourg-based body said it was awaiting a further response from the Government.

But in its initial response to the ECSR’s decision, the Government said providing gardaí with the right to strike “would raise the most serious issues in respect of the capacity of the State to ensure the maintenance of law and order”.

In a submission to the Council of Europe in June, the Government stated that An Garda Síochána’s right to strike was “a particularly sensitive and difficult issue”. Noting only a “narrow margin” within the ECSR had voted in favour, the Government said it would only be in the “full knowledge of all aspects of this issue that full and careful consideration can be given to any proposed change in the present arrangements”.

As regards the council’s finding Ireland was in breach of two articles of the charter in relation to gardaí participation in employee representative groups and the right to collective bargaining, the Government said these were being dealt with in the ongoing review into the Garda. 

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Dublin: Gardai Arrest 27 In EUROPOL Probe Into Metal Thefts: *UPDATED

Gardaí have said they arrested 27 people for questioning as part of a pan-European operation about metal theft last month.

Gardaí arrested 27 people — and recovered 1,000 stolen beer kegs — as part of a Europe-wide crackdown on the lucrative trade in stolen metal.

The beer keg haul — valued at up to €100,000 — was recovered in an operation led by the elite Organised Crime Unit, which conducted more than 70 searches in Wicklow, Dublin and Cavan.

The EU operation, co-ordinated by Europol, involved 20 countries and 8,300 checks and searches at scrap metal dealers.

A total of 271 people were arrested and 146 cases of theft identified.

The operation follows a diverse range of metal thefts in recent years, including:

- 15 manhole covers in Ennis, Co Clare, last March, worth an estimated €15,000;

- Live electricity rail cables at Shankill, Dublin, last May, which resulted in the cancellation of services between Bray and Dalkey;

- Copper piping and cylinder from a home in Newbridge, Co Kildare, which caused the house to flood extensively;

- A 236-year-old bronze bell, weighing up to 180kg, belonging to a former church in Castleisland, Co Kerry, and stolen from the town’s Ivy Leaf Arts Centre.

A Garda spokesman said the 27 people arrested were detained for a variety of offences including burglary, theft, and related matters, as well as road traffic offences.

He said the operation, carried out on May 21 and 22, was conducted with the co-operation of the Metal Theft Forum, local authorities, and other stakeholders.

Europol said checks were carried out at scrapyards, construction sites, border roads, and at railway tracks.

“Metal theft is not a victimless crime — it can have a devastating impact on individuals, communities, and businesses,” said Rob Wainwright, director of Europol.

“The overall damage caused by metal theft far exceeds the value of the stolen metal itself and can severely affect key infrastructure and services such as railway, traffic controls and telecoms networks.”

The Irish Examiner reported earlier this year that the theft of stolen beer kegs had cost the industry an estimated €40m since 2007.

The Irish Brewers’ Association said over 400,000 beer kegs had been stolen or reported missing in the last seven years.

An Eircom spokeswoman said the company had suffered 21 incidents of metal theft so far in 2014, with wiring worth over €21,000 taken. She said there were 200 incidents last year, including 60km of cable worth €240,000 taken.

During a three-week period last December, Electric Ireland recorded 12 thefts of power cables.

In one incident, a residential area in Sallynoggin, south Dublin, lost its power after a criminal gang cut live cables and stole them.

www.europol.europa.eu & www.garda.ie 

Over 70 premises were searched in Wicklow, Dublin and Cavan as part of an operation co-ordinated by Europol.

Gardaí attached to the Organised Crime Unit recovered over 1000 stolen beer kegs.

The 27 people were arrested for a variety of offences including burglary and theft as well as breaches of Road Traffic acts.

This operation, on May 21 and 22, was conducted with the co-operation of the Metal Theft Forum, local authorities and other interested stake holders with responsibility for enforcing the legislation in this area.

Dublin: An Garda Siochana And INTERPOL Join International Forces To Turn Back Crime

An Garda Síochána joins INTERPOL global public awareness campaign

Irelands national police force An Garda Síochána is joining  #TurnBackCrime, INTERPOL’s global public awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of organized crime and its impact on everyday life.

While many people know that transnational organized crime networks are behind various forms of trafficking such as illicit goods, fake medicines, drugs, arms and even people, they are often unaware of the links with other seemingly unrelated and varied crimes.

Crimes such as counterfeiting, cybercrime, fraud, crimes against children and corruption in sport are in fact often interconnected, with profits from one crime area used to fund another. This criminal activity puts individuals at risk and can also affect the global economy.

Their health is endangered by poor quality and potentially life-threatening counterfeit products; their financial safety is compromised by attempts to steal their personal data; and children face threats such as online grooming and sexual abuse.

By engaging in  INTERPOL’s TurnBackCrime campaign An Garda Síochána is playing our part to help the public better understand these issues and empower them to make informed choicesabout the products they buy or the way they use the Internet.

Ambassadors for the campaign already  include international film star Jackie Chan, former world boxing champion Frank Bruno and footballer Simone Farina, recently named  Athlete Role Model for the Youth Olympic Games in addition to being a FIFA Ambassador for Fair Play.

Events to mark the campaign roll out will be held in cities around around the world including  in Bogota, Dar-es-Salaam, Jakarta, Slovenia’s Port of Koper and Paris.

“Police around the world face and deal with the reality and effects of crime every day,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble

“Through the Turn Back Crime campaign, INTERPOL and law enforcement across the globe are looking to engage the public, to make them aware of the very real affects organized crime has on individuals’ lives andso empower them to take action.

“Join the campaign. Together, we can turn back crime,” concluded the INTERPOL Chief.

INTERPOL’s Cabinet Director and Turn Back Crime campaign executive director Roraima Andrianisaid it is a unique opportunity for  society to unite in combating crime.

“Law enforcement, the public, governments and business, we each have our role to play  to Turn Back Crime.

“Turn Back Crime is our shared opportunity to make the world a safer place,” said Mrs Andriani.

The Turn Back Crime campaign is also reaching out to companies and policy makers in a bid to form a united front against contemporary crime challenges, and to support the ongoing activities of the global law enforcement community.

Visit the Turn Back Crime website, and watch the video ‘Organized crime starts with money, don’t let it be yours’.

LINKS: Join the campaign:

Website: www.turnbackcrime.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/turnback.crime
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TurnBackCrime
Instagram: http://instagram.com/turnbackcrime

#TogetherWeCan #TurnBackCrime

An Garda Siochana through Its National Bureau of Criminal Investigation has been proactive in the area of tackling the illegal trade in counterfeit goods and clothing.

An investigation codenamed “Operation Camac” was set up in 2011 to target individuals involved in the production, distribution and sale of counterfeit merchandise.  

This operation has been successful in seizing large quantities of counterfeit goods and disrupting the activities of criminal groups involved in this activity. Suspects identified have been prosecuted under legislation such as the Trade Marks Act of 1976. A number of those cases are currently before the criminal courts. The following are examples of detections made under Operation Camac:

On 9th December 2011 a search operation by NBCI at three identified locations in County Laois and the three sites identified were searched under warrant pursuant to Section 25, Trade Marks Act, 1996:

As a result of these searches a large amount of garments, (T-shirts, tracksuits, hoodies etc) were located. The estimated sale value of these goods bearing counterfeit markings is estimated to be in excess of €500,000.

A separate search resulted in the seizure of in excess of 2000 designer labels, a printing press and computer along with several hundred completed garments with counterfeit labels attached. The potential sale value of the goods found at this location is estimated at €200,000.

On 27/11/2012 searches by the Intellectual Property Crime Unit (I.P.C.U.), National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (N.B.C.I.) was conducted at three (3) locations in County Dublin.  These  searches were also conducted as part of Operation Camac.

While conducting these searches it was discovered that two storage containers had been converted and were being used as a workshop for the purpose of making counterfeit clothes.  A large quantity of counterfeit clothing was discovered in the workshop upon entry.   The counterfeit clothing found was the same or similar in style to Registered Trade Marks registered by high value label companies.

Also found in the workshop was a quantity of plain/unbranded clothes.  These clothes were similar to the finished, counterfeit clothes found but simply hadn’t been branded/labelled yet.  A large quantity of counterfeit labels the same or similar to the Registered Trade Marks was also found. Such labels are commonly used by counterfeiters who attach them to the plain/unbranded clothes to produce counterfeit clothes. 

All of the above counterfeit merchandise was seized as evidence. Two males were arrested one of which is currently awaiting trial before the criminal courts. The other male is currently at large.

Buying false or pirated goods funds organised crime and profits obtained by criminals engaged in counterfeiting will then be used in other forms of criminality such as people trafficking, child labour and drug dealing. People need to be conscious of this when offered what they might perceive to be a good bargain.

www.drugfreeworld.org & www.drugscope.org.uk & www.drugs.ie & www.garda.ie

Counterfeit goods are invariably of poor quality for example counterfeit medicines can pose significant health risks. There are no controls over how these goods are manufactured so we encourage people to only purchase items from legitimate retailers.

Dublin: Gardai Win Right To Strike Under European Social Charter

The association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has won a European case, which will see the rules in relation to trade union rights for members of An Garda Síochána being changed.

In June 2012, the AGSI lodged a complaint through the European Confederation of Police (EuroCOP) against Ireland’s implementation of the European Social Charter.

The complaint alleged that it, and other police associations, did not enjoy full trade union rights in Ireland and that Articles 5, the right to organise, Article 6, the right to bargain collectively and Article 21, the right to information and consultation of the European Social Charter were violated as a result.

A 42-page decision from the adjudicating body, the European Committee of Social Rights, which is binding, sets out the framework for such a decision, and one that applies to all members of An Garda Síochána.

AGSI General Secretary, John Redmond who pursued the complaint on behalf of AGSI described the decision as, “a defining moment in our history and a significant decision for our future.”

He said that while the AGSI hoped not to use its right to strike, they were urging the state to set up mechanisms to allow them access the Labour Relations Commission.

The Association hopes that it will never have to resort to using its newly acquired ‘right to strike’ in pursuit of the rights and entitlements of the Sergeants and Inspectors we represent and we now urge the Government to work quickly to agree mechanisms which will give AGSI access to the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court.