Paul Gallagher murder, Navan Gardai, Meath murder, Meath News

Paul Gallagher Murder

Gardai investigating the murder of 26 year old Paul Gallagher, whose body was found in Ballymacan outside Collon, are appealing for information on the journey he may have taken in a red Volkswagon Golf from Donaghmeade in Dublin to Collon on Monday night/Tuesday morning.

The car he was travelling in had a registration number beginning 01 LH.

Gardai have launched a murder investigation headed by Supt Michael Devine of Navan. An incident room has been set up in Navan Garda Station and Chief Supt Aidan Glacken has appointed a chief investigating officer.

Mr Gallagher’s body was found in open farmland at Ballymacon at 5pm yesterday.

Gardai believe he may have travelled north from Donaghmeade along the M1 and took the Slane exit.

He was last seen in Donaghmeade at 10.30pm on Monday night and was wearing a navy tracksuit top, grey tracksuit bottoms and white runners with a navy stripe.

They are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen him or the vehicle on Monday night or the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Gardaí are appealing to any persons with information or who can assist with the investigation to contact Navan Garda Station on 046 - 9079930, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Slane Shooting, Dowth Slane, Meath News

A man is in hospital in Drogheda following a shooting incident at a house in Slane, Co Meath last night. A 39-year-old man was shot a number of times in the upper body and leg after he opened his front door at around 9. 45pm at Dowth in Slane.

Emergency services rushed the injured man to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The scene of the shooting is currently being preserved by gardaí pending a technical examination.

Meath Co Board, Meath News, Meath GAA

Meath Co Board, Meath News, Meath GAA

Meath Co Board delegates attending next Monday night's annual convention will be told that a figure close to €100,000 has been written off due to a provision for bad and doubtful debts.

Despite writing off that amount Meath GAA Co Board’s finances have been turned around with income exceeding expenditure by about €16,000 for the year ended 31st October 2013.

Co Board treasurer Brendan Dempsey will report an improvement of around €200,000 in the in the overall financial situation, even after allowing for a substantial write-off.

Last year’s accounts showed a deficit of €180,000 and the situation deteriorated further midway through 2013 when the treasurer informed delegates that the amount was likely to be closer to €250,000.

That new figure incorporated the €180,000 deficit that was reported at the 2012 convention and also identified an amount of around €70,000 that related to outstanding amounts that were due from sponsors.

The Co Board executive has now made a decision to write-off an amount of €93,388.

Meath news, breaking news, navan death, man arrested, woman dead, Gardai navan

Woman Dead Navan Gardai Appeal

Gardaí have appealed for information following the discovery of a woman’s body at an apartment in Navan.

The remains are believed to be those of a Polish woman aged in her thirties.

Gardai Navan

Last night gardaí arrested a man, also in his 30s, in connection with the incident.

He was receiving medical attention in hospital before he could be interviewed by detectives.

The nature, cause and extent of his injuries were unclear.

The discovery was made at the Bective House Apartments complex at Beaufort Place, Navan at approximately 7pm.

Gardaí are treating the incident as suspicious.

The office of the State pathologist was notified, and the body remained at the scene tonight. A post mortem is due to be carried out.

Gardaí have sealed off the area and issued an appeal for anybody with information to come forward.

Members of the public are urged to contact Navan garda station at (046) 9036100, on the confidential line at 1800 666 111 or any other station.

Eamon Driver, Colm reilly, Kiara Duncan, Australia, extradition, Slane village meath, meath news

Eamonn Driver (31) from Slane

A County Meath man has been extradited to Australia to face charges over a 2007 car crash in Perth in which two people were killed.

Eamonn Driver (31) from Slane appeared before Perth Magistrates Court today, charged with two counts of dangerous driving, causing death.

Colm Reilly from Slane and Kiara Duncan from Kentstown, Navan, both aged in their early 20s, died in the crash in the Perth suburb of Bedford on 31st October 2007.

Australian Police allege Driver lost control of the car on Halloween night. The small hatchback careered across the median strip, flipped onto its roof and collided with an oncoming car being driven by a 63-year-old woman, who escaped the crash without serious injury.

Eamonn Driver returned home before being charged with any offence but he was subsequently charged by summons with two counts of dangerous driving, occasioning death. A warrant was issued when he failed to appear in court in 2009.

Police pursued his extradition and Minister for Justice Alan Shatter ordered Driver to surrender to Australian authorities last month.

He was extradited to Perth this week before today's court appearance and he is due to appear again on 28th August.

Meath news, road crash, man dead, julianstown, meath gardai

A third young man has been killed in a road crash this Bank Holiday weekend.

Bank Holiday Road Deaths

The 22-year-old died this morning when the car he was driving crashed into a wall on the Duleek to Julianstown road in Co Meath at 2am.

He was the only occupant of the car. The road is closed for a forensic collision investigation

Witnesses are asked to contact Ashbourne Garda station on (01) 801 0600.

Donegal Deaths

Yesterday two young men died in a crash as they were returning from a festival at the seaside village of Rathmullan, Co Donegal.

The crash happened on the Rathmullan to Portsalon Road at about 3am. The deceased have been named as Sean Graham (19) and Matthew Crawford both from Letterkenny.

The single vehicle crash happened at Kinnegar Bridge when their car struck a tree and a wall. Two other young men were seriously injured in the crash and were taken to Altnagelvin Hospital because the accident and emergency unit at Letterkenny is closed due to flooding.

They are thought to be in their late teens or early 20s and their condition is described as stable.

The road where the incident happened is on a bend, and just a mile or so outside Rathmullan.

Mayor of Letterkenny, Cllr Pascal Blake, said he was devastated by the news. “Once again we are walking to horrific news of carnage on our roads.

“It has been a tough week for Letterkenny with the devastation to our hospital but this puts everything into perspective.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of these two young men and the other two men injured in the crash,” he said.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone who was on the Rathmullan to Portsalon Road between 2.30am and 3.30am to contact them at Milford Garda station on 074 9153048.

meath news, breaking news, clonee robbery, finglas arrests, meath gardai

Gardaí were last night appealing for information after a shotgun was discharged during an armed robbery in Co Meath.

Three men were arrested and the firearm was recovered following the incident at Bracetown.

At about 4.40pm, two men armed with a sawn-off shotgun and a screwdriver held up staff in a commercial premises at Bracetown industrial estate.

One shot was fired and an amount of cash was taken before the raiders fled the scene in a waiting car. There was no one injured during the incident.

The car used in the raid was found abandoned by gardaí a short distance away. A firearm was also recovered.

During a follow-up operation in the Finglas area last night, members of the Garda Organised Crime Unit arrested three men in connection with the incident.

The men, who are all aged in their 20s, were detained under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act, 1939, at Finglas Garda station, where they may be held for up to 72 hours.

meath news, Crimestoppers appeal, Rath Chairn, Paraic Ó Cofaigh, hit-and-run, Inspector Alf Martyn

meath news, Crimestoppers appeal, Rath Chairn, Paraic Ó Cofaigh, hit-and-run, Inspector Alf Martyn

There has been a huge response to last week's Crimestoppers appeal for information into the death of Rath Chairn teenager, Paraic Ó Cofaigh, in a hit-and-run incident 16 years ago.

According to Inspector Alf Martyn, gardai are very pleased with the response from members of the public.

"There was a great outpouring of support from the public," he said. "It is early days still but we are quite pleased and are following up a whole series of information we received."

The Garda Crimestoppers campaign is offering a reward for substantial information that would lead to charges being brought and the campaign has seen posters and leaflet drops carried out in the local area.

Eighteen year-old Paraic Ó Cofaigh was walking home from a disco in the early hours of 9th June 1996 towards his home in Rath Chairn in the townland of Eighty-Eight Acres when he was struck by a vehicle which failed to stop. His body was subsequently discovered on the road by passers-by.

The driver of the vehicle has never been apprehended and, to this day, his family have not had any closure as the person responsible has never been caught.

His parents, Patrick and Judy, have joined the garda appeal for information to establish what happened that night.

Inspector Martyn said: "There may be people out there who had information at the time and, for one reason or another, didn't come forward at the time, but who may now be prepared to shed some light on what happened."

An incident room has been set up at Kells Garda Station and it can be contacted on (046) 928 0820 or members of the public can also call Crimestoppers (Freephone 1800 250 025) at any time. Callers will not be asked for their names.

meath news, meath jobs, largo foods, tayto park, ashbourne jobs, enda kenny td

meath news, meath jobs, largo foods, tayto park, ashbourne jobs, enda kenny td

Meath got a jobs boost today as Largo Foods and Tayto Park said it would add 78 staff to its workforce.

The new jobs, which were announced by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Tayto Park in Ashbourne this morning, bring the total number of staff at the business to 798.

Largo Foods was established in 1983 by Ray Coyle, with Tayto Park opening in 2010. The company is set to invest €2.1 million this year in the 55-acre park, which includes animal areas, playgrounds, restaurants and shops. Its production facility is less than 100 metres from the park.

Mr Kenny welcomed the new jobs, describing the Tayto brand as “an Irish food icon”.

“Ireland's food industry is a vital part of our domestic economy and is central to our export orientated recovery,” he said. “In addition I'm delighted that Tayto Park continues to attract in more visitors especially in this year of The Gathering."

 Mr Coyle described today’s announcement as a ”positive news story”.

“We see this as an investment, not only in this great Irish family attraction, but also in the people who work here,” he said.

Fine Gael Meath East TD Regina Doherty described the news of the jobs as a “great boost” to the local community.

“This is a perfect example of how local, indigenous enterprises can expand and create jobs,” she said. “Our economy is going through a transition; from the old failed model based on banking and construction, to a new sustainable economy based on enterprise and innovation.

“Tayto is a company that is leading the way in two of the sectors which the Government has identified as having major growth potential; tourism and food production.”

Largo Foods also has production facilities in Gweedore, Co Donegal and in Yorkshire in the UK. It has invested almost €3.4 million in its facilities in 2012, with €3.2 million planned for 2013.

About 30 per cent of the company’s annual €100 million turnover comes from export sales.

breaking news, meath news, ashbourne gardai, ashbourne robbery, post office robbery, arrests

breaking news, meath news, ashbourne gardai, ashbourne robbery, post office robbery, arrests

Gardaí in Co Meath are investigating a post office robbery in Ashbourne this morning.

Two masked men entered the Clonalvy Post Office at around 9.40am and threatened staff with a knife.
They demanded cash and fled the shop with sum of money.

As they were leaving, the raiders dropped the cash and attempted to escape in a car which was parked outside.

Both men left the scene on foot and are believed to have stolen a car, which was abandoned a short time later.

Garda units assisted by the Garda Air Support Unit immediately searched the area and arrested two men in their 20s, who are being detained at Ashbourne Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Investigations are continuing.

Breaking news, Meath News, Ray Butler TD, Social welfare, child benefit, budget 2013,

Breaking news, Meath News, Ray Butler TD, Social welfare, child benefit, budget 2013,

A Fine Gael TD who is on a TD salary of 92,000 Euro per year, plus expenses, says that he is collecting up to 600 Euros per month in Social Welfare (child benefit).

Fine Gael Meath West TD, Ray Butler, has welcomed the fact that social welfare inspectors are carrying out spot checks to ensure people are not falsely claiming child benefit. Deputy Butler was speaking after one of the inspectors called for his family home in Trim.

"I am glad to see the Department of Social Protection taking a proactive stance on social welfare fraud, which is causing the State hundreds of millions of euro each year. The Department of Social Protection makes payments to some 1.4 million people every week. While the vast majority of these payments are legitimate, we must eliminate those who are defrauding the system.

He explained: "An inspector recently called to my home in Trim, to ask about the child benefit payments being made in respect of my three daughters and one son. My wife supplied the relevant documents to the inspector to show that we were all fully accounted for.

"Social welfare fraud is not a victimless crime. At a time when we are facing another harsh budget which will involve very difficult decisions, we must ensure that fraud is being stamped out. Not only does welfare fraud cost the State a significant sum every year, it undermines public confidence in the system. The door to door spot checks are part of an initiative by the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, to achieve fraud savings of €625 this year.

"The fact that my home was visited by an inspector shows that these checks are random and fair. Child benefit is an essential payment for thousands of households across the county, giving parents a significant helping hand in providing for their children.

The Fine Gael backbencher said that middle income families are under severe financial pressure.

" While many people might not like the idea of getting a knock on the door from a social welfare inspector, I think these spot checks should be viewed as a necessary and proactive measure. We want to ensure fraud is eliminated so we can continue to provide payments to those who need them most."

Meath News, Meath Crime, Meath Chronicle, Supt Divine

New figures show break-ins throughout Meath increase by 40% in a year

Superintendent Micheal Devine.

A garda chief has said that only a return to basic "neighbourly values" among householders and businesspeople, combined with garda action, can beat the growing plague of burglaries in Meath - which have surged 40 per cent between 2010 and 2011, according to latest statistics.

Dont Forget Your Meath Chronicle this Week - Local People Local Jobs

The number of burglaries (not aggravated) in Meath rose substantially quarter by quarter last year, reaching a total of 1,176 in the county last year. The number of similar burglaries in 2010 was 831.

In the first quarter of last year, there were 265 burglaries (not aggravated) compared to 191 in 2010; in the second quarter of last year there were 240 (235 in 2010). The third quarter of last year saw 288 such burglaries, up from 179 in 2010, and in the final quarter of 2011, there were 383 such offences compared to 226 in 2010.

The rate of increase in this type of offence stands at eight per cent nationally. However, there were heavier increases in some garda divisions, while Meath recorded a 40 per cent rise in this type of offence.

Superintendent Michael Devine of Navan Garda Station said that while some people put the rate of increase in non-aggravated burglary down to the effects of the recession, there was also the factor of Meath's proximity to Dublin. He said the county was vulnerable to forays from Dublin down the M3 and M4 motorways, and even the M1. These were routes which could give criminals easy access to and from Meath, he said.

Meath News, Householdd Charge, Meath County Council

Some 5,000 people have paid the new €100 household charge to Meath County Council and a last-gasp charge saw up to 1,000 people paying on Saturday alone as the deadline for payment ran out, the council said this week.

There are about 60,000 households in the county. However, the council still does not know how many people in total have paid the controversial charge because some of it has been paid electronically to central government. Householders who still owe the money will have now have to pay €111 (including €10 penalty charge and €1 interest).

At a meeting of the council this week, Cllr Jimmy Fegan condemned Minister Phil Hogan's attempt to "penalise" councils which had not taken in as much as other councils in household charges. He said that it was unacceptable that this should be done.

"There is a resistance to this household charge whether we like it or not. You can hardly blame a local authority which did not get the money in. It's ridiculous. This is like blaming the next door neighbour for having your own children's faces dirty".