Quote:O'Connell St closed as taxi drivers protest

Two men involved in a sit-in protest at the office of the Commission for Taxi Regulation in Dublin have been served with High Court orders compelling them to leave.

The men have been protesting since 3pm yesterday afternoon over concerns about regulation of the taxi industry.

A spokesperson for the Irish Taxi Council, which the men are members of, said the organisation's solicitors are currently examining the orders deciding what to do.
Gardaí say traffic is severely restricted in Dublin city centre as a result of the action, which saw drivers around the country disrupt services in solidarity with the two men.

O'Connell Street is closed in both directions due to the protest, with northbound traffic being diverted onto Eden Quay.

Only buses can travel over O'Connell Bridge southbound, all other traffic must continue onto Eden Quay.

AA Roadwatch says that southbound traffic from Parnell Square is being diverted via Marlborough Street and Gardiner Street.

Luas Red Line services are only running between Tallaght and Smithfield due to the protests.

Taxi services remain disrupted at Dublin and Cork airports after over 400 taxis stopped work there at 8am this morning.

The DAA is advising passengers arriving on flights into Dublin to make alternative travel arrangements because of the protest.

Departing passengers are not affected as taxis are continuing to drop-off at the airport. Taxi services at Galway and Shannon are operating normally.

The President of the Irish Taxi Council earlier warned that drivers involved in an impromptu dispute could escalate their action, if their demands to meet the Minister for Transport are not met.

Frank Byrne said that the sit-in by the two taxi drivers would continue until a meeting with Noel Dempsey was secured.

He said drivers were calling for the implementation of reforms to the industry, which were drawn up by the Oireachtas Joint Transport Committee.

He claimed that taxi drivers are also protesting in Kerry, Galway, Waterford, Sligo, Donegal and Meath, and warned that the action could escalate further.

However, a spokesman for the Minister for Transport said the protest is doing nothing to address the challenges the industry is facing.

The spokesman said: 'Those involved in the actions yesterday and which are continuing today are strongly urged to resume discussions with the Commission for Taxi Regulation in a sustained effort to address the issues of concern.'

Taxi drivers gathered in Limerick's Pery Square this afternoon as part of the protest.

Around 100 drivers responded to a call to show solidarity with drivers in Dublin. Services were disrupted for a short time this afternoon, but have since resumed.

Quote:Belongings to be seized in lieu of jail for non-payment of fines

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has decided that those who don't pay certain fines will have their television or other belongings seized rather than be sent to jail.

Minister Ahern is ammending the fines bill in the Dáil, which will also see such offenders named and shamed.

If the sheriff can't source goods to the value of the fine, the court will impose between 30 and 100 hours of community service.

Minister Ahern says the move towards seizing belongings of individuals who don't pay fines is because it is cheaper than sending them to jail for seven days.

Quote:150kmph chase teen remanded in custody

A 17-year-old boy arrested for leading gardaí on a 150kmph car chase along the M50 in Dublin, was remanded in custody today at the Children's Court.

The high speed pursuit began after the teenager narrowly missed running over a garda, it is alleged.

The boy replied “that is a load of s***” when he was charged with driving a stolen Mazda 323 and reckless endangerment of life, over the alleged chase, which began in at a car park on the Kylemore Road, in west Dublin, in the early hours of February 24 last.

Outlining the allegations, Garda Gerard Glynn said that he and a colleague signalled the vehicle to stop when they found it in a car park.

The driver halted but revved the engine again and started to speed off as one garda was walking in front of the car.

“He had to jump out of the way for his safety, a pursuit ensued,” said Garda Glynn.

The boy's mother wept in court Judge Ann Ryan heard that the boy allegedly sped along the M50 northbound until he reached the M1, then passed Dublin Airport and took the turn off for Swords.

“He reached speeds of up to 150kmph, conditions were wet and it was raining. At the Swords exit he lost control and collided with a roundabout.”

Judge Ryan held that the case was too serious to be kept in the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. She held that it should be sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which can, on conviction, impose lengthier sentences.

He was remanded in custody pending a book of evidence.

The judge accepted jurisdiction for one of the teen's other less serious motor theft charges for which a plea has yet to be entered and he will appear again next week.

Garda Amanda Lynch told the court that it was alleged that on October 28 last, the boy was seen pushing a car, in the Ballyfermot area, in west Dublin. He started the engine and “took off at high speed” as gardaí signalled to him to pull over.

Garda Lynch said the teenager drove along Cherry Orchard Drive, “mounted a footpath and drove over a public park, and proceeded down onto another footpath.”

It was alleged the teenager abandoned the car and tried to escape on foot at Croftwood Grove, in Ballyfermot.

Quote:Court rules CCTV evidence valid

A man who sought to halt his trial because CCTV footage of his alleged crime is no longer available has lost his application after a High Court judge ruled that evidence from a Garda who was monitoring the CCTV cameras at the time is admissible.

Mr Justice John Hedigan said a garda viewing an incident on CCTV is akin to someone looking through binoculars or through “a special window.”

He was dismissing proceedings by John Stirling, Moorefield Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin, who is charged with criminal damage and public order offences arising out of an alleged incident at Aston Quay, Dublin, in the early hours of March 3rd, 2009.

It is claimed a garda monitoring the Pearse Street station CCTV saw a group of young people allegedly kicking a telephone box and various windows and communicated what he saw to officers on the ground who subsequently arrested Mr Stirling in the Temple Bar area.

After a District Court judge refused an application to dismiss the charges against Mr Stirling on grounds the CCTV footage was no longer available, Mr Stirling brought his High Court judicial review proceedings.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Hedigan said it was unfortunate the CCTV footage was no longer available.

The loss of the footage should not have occurred and was “indicative of a certain inefficiency on the part of gardaí” over the proper storage of this type of evidence. he said. It was imperative procedures be “tightened up”.

However, the missing footage was not fatal to this case which could not be regarded as a usual “missing evidence” matter, he said. By means of elaborate technology now deployed in Dublin, it was possible for gardaí to see “far beyond the field of vision to which they would normally be limited” as if they were looking through “a special window or through binoculars.”

The garda monitoring the cameras could give evidence in the trial and could be questioned about the accuracy of his recall, acuity of his view, quality of the picture and his opportunity to observe, the judge said.

A trial judge could ask to see an example of similar footage and would have to ensure the trial was conducted in a constitutional manner, he added.

Quote:Bill for Good Samaritans in final stages - Ahern

THE GOVERNMENT was in the final stages of preparing legislation protecting from liability those going to the aid of injured people, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern told the Dáil.

He said it would cover those who, acting with good intentions, assisted people who were injured or ill as a result of an accident or emergency. Such people would not have to fear being sued, he added.

“The Government also recognises that fear of civil liability can hamper volunteerism and may prevent individuals and groups from providing assistance and services to others,’’ said Mr Ahern. “And without greater legal certainty in this area, the concern is that the perception may continue that there is a risk of civil liability to those who provide assistance or service on an ex gratia basis.’’

This, potentially, said Mr Ahern, discouraged volunteerism and might raise insurance premiums for volunteer groups.

Changes in society, pace of life and working patterns meant volunteerism was under stress and greater clarity in the law would benefit the State and Irish society as a whole, he added.

The Minister was responding to a Fine Gael Private Member’s Bill, moved by Billy Timmins, to give protection to members of the public or organisations assisting someone injured or ill.

Mr Timmins said the introduction of the Civil Liability (Good Samaritans and Volunteers) 2009 Bill was motivated by the growing use of defibrillators in the community and the concerns people had about possible litigation.

Mr Ahern suggested the House should defer a second reading of the Fine Gael Bill for six months. The Government was not opposing it, and he thanked Mr Timmins and justice spokesman Charles Flanagan for promoting the principle of what was involved.

Quote:Cross-border agreement on parking fines

A new cross-border agreement is being introduced today that will allow the authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic to pursue motorists for unpaid parking fines incurred in either jurisdiction.

The unpaid fines represent the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenue.

Every year, thousand of drivers who incur parking tickets on either side of the border do not pay the fines in the knowledge they cannot be pursued by the authorities.

In border counties like Donegal for example, this can mean lost revenue running into hundreds of thousands of euro.

Drivers from the Republic who have received parking fines in Northern Ireland before today are advised that the penalties are still valid and should be paid.

The pilot scheme runs until next November.