90306515 The Chief Justice  Susan Denham and  Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter at the presentation of The annual report of the Courts Service for 2012 in Phoenix House, Dublin

Which reveals:

Murder cases down by 20%,

drink-driving down by 32%,

drug offences down by 10%,

public order offences down 22%

juvenile crime case down 30%.

Repossession orders down 30%.

Judgments for the recovery of debts down 30%

However

There was an 82% increase in committal orders to jail people for the non-payment of debts, from 1,051 in 2011 to 1,921 last year.

Domestic violence cases were up by almost 20% last year, mostly in relation to safety and protection orders.

And a 32% increase in rape cases over two years.

 

Oh and defamation cases also increased.

Chief Justice Susan Denham calls for ethics in boardrooms and enterprises (RTE)

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

beef

Shane Griffin writes:

Watching TV the other day with my dad – a vet- who noticed a remarkable achievement in the McDonalds ‘beef’ ad, that runs to the Cheers theme tune. During the forty second clip, as McDonalds sell their wholesome Irish beef, we are given scenes of muddy Irish farms, grassy boreens and vast, VAST green fields but….no cows. At the end of the ad- and this must have been quite the logistical feat- he looks out over what seems at least a thousand acres of agricultural land, with not a cow in sight. One presumes they had been packed off on the first train to burgerville. McDonalds must have decided that audiences would not like to connect Daisy alive on their TV with the patty, packed in lettuce and buns, in their greasy hands. This contrasts strongly with other post-Horsemeat ads about Irish beef. Lidl, Aldi and Tesco are all happy to present Daisy relaxing with an earthy Irish farmer one moment and then packed in a cellophane sleeve for your convenience later in the ad.

12/7/2007. Bonfires in Northern Ireland

Hundreds of homes will be without electricity on the night of 11 July because of the risks posed by a bonfire built close to overhead power lines.

The bonfire has been erected in the County Derry village of Articlave, and is sited on land belonging to the Housing Executive.

Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has written to about 300 customers living in the housing estate to inform them.

NIE has urged people to keep bonfires at a safe distance from power lines.

The firm’s communications manager, Julia Carson, said they had taken the decision to remove overhead lines in Articlave for a few hours on Thursday night due to safety concerns.

Articlave bonfire: 300 homes to lose power due to bonfire risk (BBC News NI)

(Albert Gonzalez / Photocall Ireland)

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