Latest news with #PeopleBeforeProfit
Irish Independent
8 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
South Dublin council urged to stop use of controversial weedkiller glyphosate
A motion which seeks to ban the use of the controversial weedkiller by the council was passed yesterday at a special meeting of the authority. Glyphosate is used by the council and its contractors to control invasive plant species, along with weed control along footpaths and roads around the authority area. Introducing the motion, People Before Profit councillor Darragh Adelaide said: 'Over the last couple of years, there's been increasing evidence, study after study about the really detrimental effects on people's health of glyphosate. Not just related to cancer, but also neurotoxicity and damage to reproductive health.' "In testing actually done or funded by Uplift, every single person who they tested, all except one, had some concentration of glyphosate in their system,' he said. "Workers who are working full-time with glyphosate, they wear PPE, they have all sorts of protections, whereas regular people, we pick it up from food, we pick it up from being sprayed on the side of roads, and there's very little protection there.' Independent councillor Alan Edge said that it was 'quite clear' that glyphosate caused health issues. "What's clear as well is that glyphosate is being used by contractors who are doing verges along roadsides and footpaths. "One obvious fact is that you have gutters and gullies and they tell us that if you throw a cigarette butt or piece of chewing gum into one of those, you're effectively throwing it into the river or into the sea. 'We know that it has a negative impact on aquatic life, on amphibians, and when we are doing so much and leading as a local authority in terms of our biodiversity, I think we really do have to say that the time has come to put a stop to the use of glyphosate,' he said. Responding to the motion, SDCC senior engineer Leo Magee said that his understanding of glyphosate was that its human health impacts were 'not conclusive', but that the council was already reducing its usage. "Over the last three years we've achieved a 13pc reduction in the use of glyphosate,' he said. "What we're focusing on now, and it's set down in the road sweeping contract, is a condition within the terms of that contract that requires the service provider to achieve a 10pc reduction each year. "The road sweeping contract uses about 90pc of the use of glyphosate by the council and if we can reduce that by 50pc over the five years of the contract that will be a very substantial achievement'. Mr Magee said glyphosate was currently the only effective way of controlling Japanese knotweed, and that the council had trialled several other methods but those had been unsuccessful. SDCC elected members in 2017 passed a motion to ban the weedkiller within public parks, public gardens and public playgrounds.
The Journal
a day ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Man spared trial after apologising to Paul Murphy for threatening to 'slit' his wife's throat
A MAN WHO threatened Paul Murphy TD with slitting his wife's throat has been spared trial and jail after apologising and citing a psychotic episode. Dublin District Court had sought fitness-to-plead psychiatric reports on the accused, and today, 42-year-old Joseph Cloherty's non-jury hearing was expected to go ahead. Cloherty, of no fixed address, had earlier indicated that he would contest the charge, requiring Murphy to come to court and testify. However, Judge John Hughes heard that the prosecution was not proceeding and applying to withdraw the case. Judge Hughes noted that this followed a letter being sent by Cloherty to the Dublin South-West TD, apologising to both him and his wife, councillor Jessica Spear, and explaining the incident happened when he was going through a psychotic episode. The apology was acceptable to the TD, who was not required to give evidence and left the court as Judge Hughes struck out the proceedings. Defence solicitor Emer O'Sullivan also furnished a medical report on her client, who pleaded guilty to unrelated public order offences, resulting in a one-month suspended sentence. Cloherty had nine prior convictions, mainly public order and motoring offences. The threatening encounter with the politician occurred after the politician canvassed about abortion laws in Tallaght on 23 May, 2023. Cloherty faced a charge under section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Cloherty was accused of having, without a lawful excuse, made a threat to Paul Murphy, intending him to believe it would be carried out that he would kill or cause serious harm to Jessica Spear. Earlier, the court heard that Cloherty had been hospitalised involuntarily. A preliminary hearing in January was told that he denied the charge that he threatened the politician to his face that his wife would be seriously harmed. Spear is a People Before Profit councillor for Tallaght Central. Advertisement The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disposal of the case at the District Court level. Outlining the evidence, Garda Elaine Markham had said that the TD had set up a stall at Belgard Square. He was giving out leaflets about a pro-abortion bill when the accused allegedly 'walked up to Paul Murphy and threatened to slit his wife's throat'. Gardai took statements from her and the TD. 'That's a lie,' Cloherty had told the court after it heard a summary of the evidence. Cloherty had said 'they were talking about killing babies'. On conviction, the threat could have led to a fine and a 12-month sentence. Today, Garda Sergeant Nigel Petrie gave evidence on the two remaining unconnected offences, the use of threatening, abusive, insulting behaviour in public and resisting arrest on 9 January. Sergeant Petrie said he spoke to Cloherty near the Royal Canal Bank in Dublin and was about to arrest him over a warrant. Cloherty angrily shouted: 'You have now entered the arena; you don't know what you've just done.' He resisted gardai handcuffing or putting him into a patrol car, but the sergeant volunteered that it ranked at two or three out of ten in terms of seriousness. He stressed that Cloherty subsequently sought him out to apologise, adding that he is now a very different man from the agitated person he met on the date of the arrest. O'Sullivan, pleading for leniency, said Cloherty was in homeless accommodation but goes to his mother's house every day. She and Cloherty's brother-in-law came to court, and the solicitor emphasised that he had family support and was now on antipsychotic medication. Noting his apology, medical report and mitigation plea, Judge Hughes suspended the one-month term on condition he does not re-offend for two years, stays off cocaine and cannabis, and continues to attend appointments with a mental health professional and follow their directions.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Case withdrawn against man who threatened to slit throat of TD Paul Murphy's partner
A man who threatened People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy with slitting his wife's throat has been spared trial and jail after apologising and citing a psychotic episode. Dublin District Court had sought fitness-to-plead psychiatric reports on the accused, and on Thursday, 42-year-old Joseph Cloherty's non-jury hearing was expected to go ahead. Mr Cloherty, of no fixed address, had earlier indicated he would contest the charge, requiring Mr Murphy to come to court and testify. However, Judge John Hughes heard the prosecution was not proceeding and applying to withdraw the case. Judge Hughes noted this followed a letter being sent by Mr Cloherty to the Dublin South-West TD, apologising to both him and his wife, councillor Jessica Spear, and explaining the incident happened when he was going through a psychotic episode. The apology was acceptable to the TD, who was not required to give evidence and left the court as Judge Hughes struck out the proceedings. TD Paul Murphy leaving Dublin District Court on Thursday after the judge struck out proceedings. Defence solicitor Emer O'Sullivan also furnished a medical report on her client, who pleaded guilty to unrelated public order offences, resulting in a one-month suspended sentence. Mr Cloherty had nine previous convictions, mainly public order and motoring offences. The threatening encounter with the politician occurred after the politician canvassed about abortion laws in Tallaght on May 23, 2023. Mr Cloherty faced a charge under section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Mr Cloherty was accused of having, without a lawful excuse, made a threat to Paul Murphy, intending him to believe it would be carried out, that he would kill or cause serious harm to Jessica Spear. Noting his apology, medical report and mitigation plea, Judge Hughes suspended the one-month term on condition he does not re-offend for two years, stays off cocaine and cannabis, and continues to attend appointments with a mental health professional and follow their directions.
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Paul Murphy defends March to Gaza participation
Paul Murphy has defended his participation in the Global March to Gaza, stating, 'people in the public eye, with public positions, should do whatever they can to draw awareness.' The People Before Profit TD returned to Ireland on Wednesday after being detained in Egypt twice during his participation in the march, which featured up to 4,000 people. Recalling his time in Egypt, Mr Murphy admitted he thought the group would 'get further than we did get.' Paul Murphy has defended his participation in the Global March to Gaza, stating 'people in the public eye; with public positions should do whatever they can to draw awareness.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Instagram Speaking on Ireland AM on Thursday morning, Mr Murphy recalled how the group had to get out of cars to be met with police at their meeting point. 'They took our passports immediately,' he told presenters Muireann O'Connell and Tommy Bowe,' Then a few hours later tried to force people, and eventually did successfully, physically move people to get them onto buses. 'Some people, not me, were hurt or kind of beaten by the police in trying to do so,' he claimed. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ireland AM (@irelandamvmtv) The Dublin politician explained that the groups were put into buses and small vans and taken to the airport, going a long route which took up to seven hours. 'We got back to Cairo Airport on this Saturday morning and then, we were expecting to be deported at this stage, but they just let us go,' he said, 'The police had disappeared. The airport police didn't know what to do with us, and then we were able to make our way back into Cairo and attempt to regroup.' Tommy then questioned the TD on what he had actually expected to come from the march, as he note,d 'you didn't get far at all.' Tommy then questioned the TD on what he had actually expected to come from the march as he noted 'you didn't get far at all.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Tommy Bowe Responding to criticism from fellow TDs called it the march for publicity for the 42-year-old, rather than for Gaza, Mr Murphy confirmed he was a late-comer to the group. 'I want to use my position, yes, to have publicity,' he said, 'Not on me, but on what's happening in Gaza because, particularly, now with Iran and Israel's assaults' on Iran and the threat of regional war, there's a danger that eyes go off what's happening in Gaza when actually it's getting worse. 'I think Israel is using the cover of Iran to increase the number of daily killings taking place and think everybody really, but in particular people in the public eye; people with public positions should do whatever they can to draw awareness to this and to build pressure on Israel and our own Governments.' Social media users were full of praise for the father-of-one, with one person writing: 'Well done Paul for creating awareness.' Another added: 'Well done Paul. You are a man with integrity and an inspiration to all. Thank you for raising awareness.'
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Man who threatened TD Paul Murphy's wife is spared trial after apologising
Mr Cloherty, of no fixed address, had earlier indicated that he would contest the charge, requiring Murphy to come to court and testify. A man who threatened Paul Murphy TD with slitting his wife's throat has been spared trial and jail after apologising and citing a psychotic episode. Dublin District Court had sought fitness-to-plead psychiatric reports on the accused, and today, 42-year-old Joseph Cloherty's non-jury hearing was expected to go ahead. Mr Cloherty, of no fixed address, had earlier indicated that he would contest the charge, requiring Murphy to come to court and testify. However, Judge John Hughes heard that the prosecution was not proceeding and applying to withdraw the case. Judge Hughes noted that this followed a letter being sent by Cloherty to the Dublin South-West TD, apologising to both him and his wife, councillor Jessica Spear, and explaining the incident happened when he was going through a psychotic episode. The apology was acceptable to the TD, who was not required to give evidence and left the court as Judge Hughes struck out the proceedings. Joseph Cloherty News in 90 Seconds - June 19th Defence solicitor Emer O'Sullivan also furnished a medical report on her client, who pleaded guilty to unrelated public order offences, resulting in a one-month suspended sentence. Cloherty had nine prior convictions, mainly public order and motoring offences. The threatening encounter with the politician occurred after the politician canvassed about abortion laws in Tallaght on May 23, 2023. Cloherty faced a charge under section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. Read more Euromillions winner makes contact after buying €250m ticket in Cork shop Mr Cloherty was accused of having, without a lawful excuse, made a threat to Paul Murphy, intending him to believe it would be carried out that he would kill or cause serious harm to Jessica Spear. Earlier, the court heard that Mr Cloherty had been hospitalised involuntarily. A preliminary hearing in January was told that he denied the charge that he threatened the politician to his face that his wife would be seriously harmed. Ms Spear is a People Before Profit councillor for Tallaght Central. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disposal of the case at the District Court level. Outlining the evidence, Garda Elaine Markham had said that the TD had set up a stall at Belgard Square. He was giving out leaflets about a pro-abortion bill when the accused allegedly "walked up to Paul Murphy and threatened to slit his wife's throat". Gardai took statements from her and the TD. "That's a lie," Mr Cloherty had told the court after it heard a summary of the evidence. Mr Cloherty had said, "They were talking about killing babies." On conviction, the threat could have led to a fine and a 12-month sentence. Today, Garda Sergeant Nigel Petrie gave evidence on the two remaining unconnected offences, the use of threatening, abusive, insulting behaviour in public and resisting arrest on January 9. Sergeant Petrie said he spoke to Cloherty near the Royal Canal Bank in Dublin and was about to arrest him over a warrant. Cloherty angrily shouted, "You have now entered the arena; you don't know what you've just done". He resisted gardai handcuffing or putting him into a patrol car, but the sergeant volunteered that it ranked at two or three out of ten in terms of seriousness. He stressed that Cloherty subsequently sought him out to apologise, adding that he is now a very different man from the agitated person he met on the date of the arrest. Ms O'Sullivan, pleading for leniency, said Cloherty was in homeless accommodation but goes to his mother's house every day. She and Cloherty's brother-in-law came to court, and the solicitor emphasised that he had family support and was now on antipsychotic medication. Noting his apology, medical report and mitigation plea, Judge Hughes suspended the one-month term on condition he does not re-offend for two years, stays off cocaine and cannabis, and continues to attend appointments with a mental health professional and follow their directions.
