Ireland and the rest of Europe is experiencing a “perfect storm” in terms of a booming cocaine market, a leading expert has said.

Former Irish soldier who lived in Islamic State territory denies she was an IS fighter, writes Cormac O’Keeffe

Intelligence gathered by foreign security services on returned Islamic State supporter Lisa Smith is a key part of evidence being put to the Dundalk woman in questioning.

A booming cocaine trade has driven the value of the European drugs market to at least €30bn annually, according to a major report.

Former assistant garda commissioner Michael O’Sullivan, who is now Director of the Maritime Analysis Operations Centre, has said that a new report into the European drugs market reflects an increase in the use of cocaine which is “fuelling murderous feuds.”

Two of three men who drowned on a sea fishing trip in south Kerry a year ago had high levels of alcohol, the inquest into their death in Killarney has heard.

Irish Islamic State supporter Lisa Smith and her daughter may not arrive back home until next week as Irish officials in Turkey conduct checks to confirm their identities, particularly that of her two-year-old girl, the Irish Examiner understands.

An international law enforcement agency which is battling major drug trafficking has presented a prestigious award to a senior Cork-based garda for his work in this field.

This weekend marked a significant milestone: 25 years ago, the Ulster Democratic Party, the political front of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), announced a ceasefire.

The commitment was issued in May after the terrorist attack last March on two mosques in New Zealand, resulting in the death of 51 people. The atrocity was livestreamed by Brenton Tarrant and went viral.

Garda security services have seized almost 160kg of explosives and arrested more than 90 people in operations targeting dissident republicans in the last four years.

As gardaí prepare a file on Irish woman Lisa Smith for possible terrorist offences committed in Syria, it has emerged that 20 suspected jihadists have been arrested in Ireland since 2015.

A Louth man has been acquitted of IRA membership after the Special Criminal Court found it could not rely on the belief evidence of a Garda Assistant Commissioner as being independent from the investigation.

A man has been found guilty of attacking his then girlfriend by throwing her on the floor, beating her, and then pinning her to the bed in their flat before he then dropped her to work.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris is sending 80% of new recruits to Dublin and Louth to reassure communities blighted by gang violence that An Garda Síochána is “the force of law and order”.

Michael O’Sullivan warned that “decent” people who buy cocaine are “increasing the flow of power and funnelling finances to these gangsters.”

There is a direct link between wannabe “little generals” shooting each other on Irish streets and the “record” levels of cocaine being trafficked into Europe, a top drug enforcer has said

Cork city’s Clancy’s bar is set to rise again, in time for its 195th birthday, part of a c€3.5/€4m total investment by its new consortium of owners.

Kilshannig celebrated All-Ireland glory last Saturday, the Cork club winning the Ceol Uirlise (Instrumental Music) competition at the All-Ireland Scór Sinsir final in Castlebar.

Dead calves were found at a farm in Blarney where there were other cattle without access to food or water and today a farmer was given a suspended six-month jail term for animal cruelty.

It was long ago, though not so far away at all. An underage game on the frozen tundra of the old Tank Field or Nash’s or some such patch barren of grass and microbes.

A dedicated Garda internet unit would allow it to refer greater volumes of takedown requests to companies concerning online terrorist material, according to the EU’s counter-terrorism chief.

Garda security chiefs are concerned at the return to Ireland of families from war-torn Syria and Iraq and the “challenge” this will pose to policing, welfare and educational services.

Tracton 1-18 Kilbrittain 3-9

Senior gardaí estimate it would cost almost €7m over a period of 28 years to examine all Garda phone calls recording breath tests.

Larry Kavanagh would have bought brother Joe a scoop on Sunday night in appreciation of the latter’s essential contributions to Nemo Rangers’ 16th Munster Club SFC title success.

All the international research tells us that the social world order is rapidly changing under our noses from a social welfare state to a social investment state. 

Frontline gardaí will consider legal options if the Garda Commissioner pursues disciplinary proceedings against members for falsifying breath tests.

Acting Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin must show the Policing Authority in three weeks what disciplinary proceedings are being taken against gardaí on the breath test scandal.

THE latest report into the Garda breath-test scandal is shocking but not surprising.

Acting Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin must show the Policing Authority in three weeks what disciplinary proceedings are being taken against gardaí on the breath test scandal.

Garda management will come under renewed pressure today, with a Policing Authority report expected to highlight a culture in the organisation to keep breath test figures high.

Former Tipperary hurler Ken Dunne says that he’s “very lucky” to be alive after he underwent emergency brain surgery last April.

Former Tipperary hurler Ken Dunne says that he’s “very lucky” to be alive after he underwent emergency brain surgery last April.

Not one garda has been disciplined over the bogus alcohol breath test scandal despite the force admitting it inaccurately recorded some 6.4m tests at one stage.

Acting Commissioner Donal Ó Cualáin has called on frontline members who claim they were pressurised by managers into faking breath test figures to “give names” of those responsible.

Public fractures have opened up in the Garda frontline with rank and file members and their supervisors at sharp odds over the breath test scandal.

Elevate: Raise or lift (something) to a higher position.

Rank-and-file gardaí have said the breath test scandal was “entirely” the fault of Garda management and warned they would not be “scapegoated”.

Rank-and-file gardaí have said the breath test scandal was “entirely” the fault of Garda management and warned they would not be “scapegoated”.

The senior leadership of An Garda Síochána meets this morning for what has been described as a crucial bid to “steady the ship”.

Frontline gardaí and supervisors are expected to fight any attempt by management — acting under Government pressure — to single them out for disciplinary action for the inflation of breath-test figures.

Frontline gardaí and supervisors are expected to fight any attempt by management — acting under Government pressure — to single them out for disciplinary action for the inflation of breath-test figures.

The time has come to put an end to An Garda Síochána. The brand is now so battered, bruised and tarnished, public confidence in it has been so irreparably damaged that nothing short of a rebrand is required.