By Sarah Gill
27th Apr 2023
27th Apr 2023
Your speedy summary of today's must-read stories.
Prison bed overcrowding
Minister for Justice Simon Harris is set to tell prison officers of plans to start building four new capital prison projects over the next five years in order to create space for an additional 620 inmates. This comes amid claims of severe levels of overcrowding in prisons across the country, with the Prison Officers Association commenting that there is a “pack ‘em, stack ‘em and rack ‘em” attitude by Government [which] has been putting the lives and welfare of both inmates and prison officers at risk.”
Modular homes for refugees
According to Government sources, the first batch of modular homes for Ukrainian refugees will be ready at the end of May. It is understood that around 800 Ukrainian refugees will be housed in the modular units from early June. As of the latest CSO figures from February, there were just under 75,000 Ukrainian refugees in Ireland.
Man arrested as part of GSOC Hutch investigation
A man in his 60s has been arrested in connection with the investigation into the attendance of a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission investigator at a party to celebrate Gerard Hutch’s acquittal of murder. The party was organised to celebrate Mr Hutch’s acquittal and release from custody after 20 months in prison on remand.
Biden says Trump is danger to democracy
One day after launching his re-election bid, Joe Biden suggested said that he could defeat Donald Trump again in a 2024 rematch, and warned the former Republican president was a threat to the country. “I may not be the only one, but I know him well, and I know the danger he presents to our democracy,” Mr Biden said. “We’ve been down this road before.”
Two men due in court charged impersonating gardaí
Earlier this week investigators seized €3,000 in cash, five vehicles and three Rolex watches following an operation that targeted a gang accused of impersonating officers. Gardaí said various other items of “evidential value” were also recovered. In a statement, a garda said: “This morning, Tuesday April 25, 2023, gardaí from the Garda Eastern Region investigating the activities of a criminal gang involved in theft and fraud by impersonating members of An Garda Síochána arrested five persons, (two males in their 30s, a male in his 50s, a male in his 60s and a female in their 50s).”
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