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The Journal
a day ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Aontú leader says social housing waiting list figures are 'out by the population of Tullamore'
AONTÚ LEADER PEADAR Tóibín has claimed that the Government is 'understating' both homelessness figures and the numbers of people on social housing waiting lists. Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon during Leader's Questions, Tóibín said he had submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to every Local Authority and that the information he received 'contradicted the information the Government is giving out'. He said he asked all Local Authorities for the 'number of homeless people that exist throughout the State' and that the current figure provided is 16,472. The most recent figures released by the Government stood at 15,580. 'Your government is understating the number of homeless people in this state by 892 people currently,' said Tóbín. He added that he also asked Local Authorities for the number of people on housing waiting lists and that the combined figure across the State that he received was 75,000. The most recent official government figure is 58,824. 'Your ability to count the number of people who are on the housing waiting list at the moment is out by the population of Tullamore,' said Tóbín. Tóbín also asked Local Authorities about the number of council-owned homes that are currently empty, and this figure across the State is 3,779. 'Having empty homes in the middle of a housing crisis is akin to exporting food in the middle of the famine,' said Tóibín. In a statement to the PA news agency, Aontú said the highest council-owned home vacancy rate was in Cork City at 355, followed by Dublin City Council at 336, Fingal at 323 and Limerick and City Council at 315. Speaking in the Dáil, Tóibín added that the government is 'paying nearly €600 million to house people in RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme) and HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) home while so many Local Authority homes are empty'. Tóbín asked if this was government 'incompetence' or if it was 'actually misleading the general public'. In response, Tánaiste Simon Harris said: 'I hate to burst your 'gotcha' moment, but I'd suggest that you might wish to interrogate your numbers'. Harris said there 'can be duplications' and people 'involved with more than one Local Authority'. Advertisement Meanwhile, Harris said that 'this is what people do when they seek to be divisive, to try and dispute official figures'. He added that these figures 'aren't calculated by government in a party political sense' and that they are calculated in a 'robust, impartial manner'. 'If we could at least have the decency to respect the impartiality and robustness of those who gather statistics in Ireland, because if we start trying to erode belief in statistics, that's part of a bigger agenda I think,' said Harris. However, Tóbín said 'you cannot be on two social housing lists simultaneously'. 'Either you're incompetent and you're not able to count the number of people who are actually on waiting lists at the moment, or you're trying to hide the fact,' said Tóbín. 'The reason why I think you're misleading the people is because you have previous on this. 'Right up to the jaws of the last general election, you were determined to give the impression that 40,000 homes were going to be built that year. 'As soon as that election was finished, it became very clear that that statement was wrong. 'This housing crisis is far too serious for misinformation,' said Tóibín. The government has previously defended supplying the public with incorrect figures in the lead-up to the 2024 General Election, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin insisting that he and his party had not attempted to mislead the public with the inflated figures. Harris replied by stating that 'this is far too serious to engage in conspiracy theories'. 'You suggest I'm going around counting people here,' said Harris. 'The reality is we have robust, politically independent, impartial structures in our state. 'I want to know who in the public service you're calling 'incompetent', it's our public service and they do a bloody good job.'. 'I made the point in relation to the duplication regarding how you can report homelessness in more than one area and that didn't suit you,' said Harris. He added: 'We're working on trying to make progress – day in, day out, new ideas, big, bold decisions, every day to get to the 300,000 homes (by 2030). 'You're just simply over there throwing brickbats and engaging in conspiracy theories.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
MoD accused of 'delaying tactics' over hidden Nuked Blood records
Hidden records about the Nuked Blood scandal are due to be released, but the Ministry of Defence is refusing to answer questions about the contents Evidence of human radiation experiments by the British government is being withheld from campaigners, despite orders from ministers that it should be released. The Mirror's Freedom of Information requests to publish details about the medical monitoring of troops during nuclear weapons tests have been rejected, ignored, and refused. Even MPs in Parliament have been denied answers, despite a criminal complaint and pending £5bn lawsuit. Veterans believe it is a "delaying tactic" by officials to deny accountability for as long as possible. Alan Owen of campaign group LABRATS said: "Veterans have always known the game plan is delay, deny, until they die. We have proved they hold evidence of these experiments, we have forced them to publish some of it, and even when the minister has instructed them to publish the rest they are fighting a rearguard action to keep a lid on it for as long as possible. "There is no good reason for it and we are asking the Defence Secretary to intervene." * You can support the veterans' legal fight HERE More than 28,000 records relating to the risks of radiation injury are known to be hidden on a database, codenamed Merlin, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. It is locked as a state secret, on the grounds of national security. More than 150 of files were published last year after Parliamentary pressure. They contained thousands of pages of evidence about blood testing of British and Commonwealth troops before, during and after they were exposed to radiation at Cold War bomb tests. The Mirror requested a complete list of all the document titles last December, but the AWE refused to comply on the grounds that "the AWE does not hold a record list of the document titles and dates". Yet all computer databases include an internal structure with a list of file names. The Mirror requested an internal review which is supposed to be completed within 40 working days. The request was ignored for two months, and in May the AWE said: "An investigation is being carried out, but the response is taking longer than anticipated." Six weeks later, campaigning Tory MP Sir John Hayes has asked Veterans Minister Al Carns to produce the list and place it in the Library of Parliament. Mr Carns said: "Officials are working at pace to formally transfer the records on the Merlin database to the National Archives, while ensuring that sensitive information is protected... Once transferred, the records will be listed and accessible on TNA's website." There is no deadline for Merlin to be published, and it is expected to take months to check every document and redact personal data. After they are released, archivists will have to catalogue and tag an estimated 750,000 pages of information before they can be made available online. Only 10% of the veterans, who have an average age of 87, still survive. The MoD was contacted for comment.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Chilling moment thieves steal car with wireless device in seconds as new doc reveals how Brit motors end up in Lithuania
CHILLING footage shows the moment thieves stole a car in just seconds using a wireless device. Investigative reporter Matt Shea went undercover for Channel 4 Dispatches to shed light on organised criminal gangs specialising in car thefts. Advertisement 5 Investigative reporter Matt Shea exposed criminal gangs specialising in car thefts Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches 5 One of the thieves is pictured holding an amplifier outside the property during the staged theft Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches 5 The thieves explained in detail how the device worked Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches In the show, which will air in full tonight, Shea met whistleblowers and A sneak peek at the much-anticipated programme shows Footage shows the pair revealing to Shea exactly how they can steal a car in just 20 seconds. Thief 'T' and an accomplice demonstrated how they use an amplifier, which looks similar to a radio or walkie-talkie. Advertisement Read More in Motors It picks up the signal from the "key" inside a home and uses it to unlock a car parked outside. The device works by scrambling the signal from a remote key fob, and was used in nearly 60 percent of car thefts in the UK last year. After just a few seconds of holding the amplifier outside the window, the car door unlocked, allowing T to simply open the door and start up the engine. Once the engine had started, the accomplice could take the amplifier, jump in the car and they drove off, with the entire theft taking less than 20 seconds. Advertisement Most read in Motors Asked if they feel anything for the people they steal from they respond: 'These cars are insured, that's like, that a first world problem, you know, there's bigger s*** going on out there,. "Like your f***ng Range Rover's gone, boo-hoo, go and buy another one, man.' "The Teslas aren't easy, I don't think anyone's figured that out yet, because they are proper high tech' the thieves claim. Moment cops snare 'Rolex Ripper' gang after brazen watch thieves try to rob pair…only to find they're undercover police However, they brazenly boasted that others makes and models are easy to steal. Advertisement The men claimed they have taken up to 20 vehicles a month for as much as £5,000 per car, depending on its value. They told Shea that up to 90 per cent of cars are broken down for their parts. Last year approximately 355 vehicles were stolen every day in England and Wales. The shocking finds equate to a stolen car every four minutes, and more than 70 per cent the amount stolen a decade ago. Advertisement Freedom of Information requests to police forces in England and Wales also reveal that – for the 18 forces who responded - only 3.4 per cent of reports of a car being stolen between 2020 and 2024 led to someone being charged or summonsed. In the documentary, criminals revealed how highly organised gangs stole cars, dismantling them at so called 'chop shops' before shipping them out of the country to Eastern Europe. The programme reveals how a blue Audi A4, fitted with a hidden tracker, was stolen from a woman's driveway in north London on March 15. The car's GPS signal showed the Audi moving east towards the borough of Enfield and then switching off. Advertisement Five weeks later, the tracker suddenly reappeared in Kaunas, Lithuania, and was tracked to a business in the outskirts of the city called Baltic Car Trade. Dispatches filmed the police raid on the property, but instead of finding a blue Audi A4, all they found that was left of the vehicle was a bunch of wires. The car, like many stolen off British streets, was long gone having been torn apart. 5 One Audi A4 tracker was found in Lithuania with the car long gone Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches Advertisement 5 Stolen vehicle parts Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Chilling moment thieves steal car with wireless device in seconds as new doc reveals how Brit motors end up in Lithuania
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHILLING footage shows the moment thieves stole a car in just seconds using a wireless device. Investigative reporter Matt Shea went undercover for Channel 4 Dispatches to shed light on organised criminal gangs specialising in car thefts. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Investigative reporter Matt Shea exposed criminal gangs specialising in car thefts Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches 5 One of the thieves is pictured holding an amplifier outside the property during the staged theft Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches 5 The thieves explained in detail how the device worked Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches In the show, which will air in full tonight, Shea met whistleblowers and car thieves in a bid to expose the truth. A sneak peek at the much-anticipated programme shows two car thieves demonstrating using keyless technology bought from the dark web. Footage shows the pair revealing to Shea exactly how they can steal a car in just 20 seconds. Thief 'T' and an accomplice demonstrated how they use an amplifier, which looks similar to a radio or walkie-talkie. It picks up the signal from the "key" inside a home and uses it to unlock a car parked outside. The device works by scrambling the signal from a remote key fob, and was used in nearly 60 percent of car thefts in the UK last year. After just a few seconds of holding the amplifier outside the window, the car door unlocked, allowing T to simply open the door and start up the engine. Once the engine had started, the accomplice could take the amplifier, jump in the car and they drove off, with the entire theft taking less than 20 seconds. Asked if they feel anything for the people they steal from they respond: 'These cars are insured, that's like, that a first world problem, you know, there's bigger s*** going on out there,. "Like your f***ng Range Rover's gone, boo-hoo, go and buy another one, man.' "The Teslas aren't easy, I don't think anyone's figured that out yet, because they are proper high tech' the thieves claim. Moment cops snare 'Rolex Ripper' gang after brazen watch thieves try to rob pair…only to find they're undercover police However, they brazenly boasted that others makes and models are easy to steal. The men claimed they have taken up to 20 vehicles a month for as much as £5,000 per car, depending on its value. They told Shea that up to 90 per cent of cars are broken down for their parts. Last year approximately 355 vehicles were stolen every day in England and Wales. The shocking finds equate to a stolen car every four minutes, and more than 70 per cent the amount stolen a decade ago. Freedom of Information requests to police forces in England and Wales also reveal that – for the 18 forces who responded - only 3.4 per cent of reports of a car being stolen between 2020 and 2024 led to someone being charged or summonsed. In the documentary, criminals revealed how highly organised gangs stole cars, dismantling them at so called 'chop shops' before shipping them out of the country to Eastern Europe. The programme reveals how a blue Audi A4, fitted with a hidden tracker, was stolen from a woman's driveway in north London on March 15. The car's GPS signal showed the Audi moving east towards the borough of Enfield and then switching off. Five weeks later, the tracker suddenly reappeared in Kaunas, Lithuania, and was tracked to a business in the outskirts of the city called Baltic Car Trade. Dispatches filmed the police raid on the property, but instead of finding a blue Audi A4, all they found that was left of the vehicle was a bunch of wires. The car, like many stolen off British streets, was long gone having been torn apart. 5 One Audi A4 tracker was found in Lithuania with the car long gone Credit: Channel 4 Dispatches
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
FOI request reveals that violent incidents at HMP Edinburgh doubled from 2015 to 2025
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that violent incidents at HMP Edinburgh doubled from 2015 to 2025. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The FOI by Lothian List MSP Miles Briggs (Con), revealed that violent incidents at the former Saughton Prison increased by 97 per cent in the past 10 years, up from 142 incidents in 2016/17 to 261 in 2024/25. In the decade between, the number of violent incidents has fluctuated, rising to 202 in 2017/18, dropping to 174 the next year, before jumping up to 243 incidents in 2019/20. The figure stayed around 140 for the next three years before jumping to 210 in 2023/24 and the high of 261 in the last financial year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The average population of the prison grew over the same period from 875 to 925, while staff numbers grew by five per cent. The prison population at HMP Edinburgh stayed around 850-870 from 2015 until 2019 when it hit 914, before dropping to 860-880 until 2024 - when it shot up to 925. The number of violent incidents at HMP Edinburgh has almost doubled in the past 10 years. | Neil Hanna While staff numbers there jumped from 453 in 2015/16 to 478 for the next two financial years, before dropping into the new decade. Staff numbers reached a high for the past 10 years of 479 in 2020/21, dropped to just 442 in 2022/23 at the end of the pandemic, before rising again to 467 in 2023/24, and dropping slightly in the past financial year to 464. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Miles Briggs MSP said: 'The increase in the number of violent incidents at HMP Edinburgh in the last decade is shocking, and it reflects a trend of rising violence in our prison estate. 'I worry both for hardworking prison staff members, and vulnerable inmates who are trying to serve their time responsibly. 'It is clear that action needs to be taken to also address increasing levels of drugs and weapons getting into the prison estate and the rapidly changing nature of how these incidents can occur, including with the use of drones. 'SNP Ministers must back prison officers to get tough on rule breakers and start building prisons on-time and on-budget to take pressure off our struggling justice system.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: 'We have been managing an extremely high and complex population for more than a year, which continues to place significant pressure on our staff and the time available to them to do the important work in supporting people, building relationships, and aiding rehabilitation. 'We take a zero-tolerance approach to violence and support individuals who have been affected by it. Incidents of criminality are reported to Police Scotland.'
