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THE WITNESS SECURITY Programme has cost the state nearly €5 million since 2010.
Answering a parliamentary question, the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald outlined the following figures:
Can’t see the figures? Click here.
The expenditure in relation to 2012 is reflected in out-turn for 2013, while the final out-turn for 2014 will only be available when the Comptroller and Auditor General has finalised the relevant Appropriation Accounts.
Criminal justice system
To date, €4,930,000 has been spent on the programme, which puts people into hiding to protect the normal functioning of the criminal justice system. It’s used to prevent criminals using threats of violence and systematic intimidation of witnesses.
The protection programme was established in 1997 in response to gangland crime.
Fitzgerald said by virtue of the highly confidential nature of the Witness Security Programme and the need to maintain the protection of persons who receive support from that programme, it has not been the practice of successive ministers to detail the specifics of its operation.
I can say, however, that it has been operated in a significant number of cases and that over the course of its operation over many years it has proven its worth in helping to secure the conviction of very serious organised crime leaders.
Gardaí
The Witness Security Programme is operated by the gardaí and is overseen by the Crime and Security Section at Garda Headquarters supported by the Special Detective Unit and other local garda resources.
The operation of the programme and the resources required for it are kept under continuous review by the garda authorities, said the minister.
The Justice minister indicated that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to provide statutory guidelines for the Witness Security Programme, which currently operates on an administrative basis.
“Consideration of legislative framework to give effect to this commitment is under active consideration in my Department.”
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What is happening on the roads in Donegal. Seems like there is a death nearly everyday at the moment there.
@Anthony Hilton: Ask them to drive like normal human beings and you will have less death.
@Anthony Hilton: Rural roads are mostly not fit for purpose, it exacerbates human error and creates a melting pot for potential accidents. Same all over the country. 75% of road deaths are happening outside of cities. A system of road widening is warranted, maybe since we decided to rely on vehicles to moves us around, not building trains etc. Small nation, why build infrastructure, everyone for themselves, etc.
@Thesaltyurchin: Rural road are perfect when people don’t see the speed limit as the objective.
@William Slevin: I’m getting a headache.
@Alex: lol. Just speaking as someone who lives in the countryside and sees the amount HGVs that use the roads daily, as well as but not limited to, cyclists, walkers, runners, horses, etc etc. All on the same tiny boreen. So really it’s all bound to happen.
@Alex: Wrong, our brutal narrow roads are a major contributor, ie dual carriageways are multiples safer than single carriageway roads. Where human are concerned you will get mistakes and bad judgment, of course if you were a grown up I wouldn’t have to tell you this.
Crumbs for the slaves
@Paul Kavanagh: Things not working out for ya?
@Jack Hayes: my life is the Greatest
They Got a guy called “anto”to do a statue of the queen.
Lol
@reg morrisey: She looking well! And her cousin Philip!
@reg morrisey: pretty poor, she looks like a roma gypsy
@Alan Kennedy: Her Cusband lol
@reg morrisey: what queen ? The British one ?
Any truth to the rumour that there a futher adjustment today for people on tracker mortgages?
@John Mcmahon: I don’t even know what a tracker mortgage is
@John Mcmahon: a further 3 percent is likely
@John Mcmahon: a contract is a contract, I have one, they have to adjust it immediately after this announcement. It’s in your contract and it’s enforceable
@John Mcmahon: There’s a .35% adjustment coming to align the lending and deposit rates. Not a rumour, that’s been planned for a while now. Just happens to be at the same time as the rate reduction. Good news all round for once
@Eamonn Keating: Just ensure that your bank passes this on it was announced last March and takes effect from the 18th of September.
@J Ven: No usually it’s a few weeks after wards but they should inform you , when rates went up again it wasn’t immediately passed on expect the reduced amount in October
Crumbs for the little people.
God bless the tracker :)
Asset prices will increase then.
It’s all a scam. Banks lending money they don’t even have.
.25, it wouldn’t buy you two cups of coffee weekly.
@Áine G: It’s a 0.6% drop off you are on a tracker
Did we not invent these systems? But were slaves to their working? Makes sense.
Gold hitting all time high
Looks like the trolls won over Brendan O’Brien. Where is it?
Needs to come right back down to give young people not on mega salaries some hope of a mortgage
what a joke
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