CAB secures €146k from Sligo family

The Criminal Assets Bureau has secured orders for the seizure of approximately €146,000 from a Co Sligo family which the bureau says are the proceeds of crime.

Mr Justice Kevin Feeney at the High Court today made orders against members of the Irwin family originally from St Joseph's Terrace, Sligo including brothers Patrick Irwin (aged 29), who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for drugs offences, and Hughie Irwin (aged 34) who is currently believed to be residing outside the State.

The CAB alleges the brothers are prominent members of a criminal gang that operates in the north west of the country.

The Bureau also secured orders in respect of sums of cash held in accounts in the names of the Irwins' sisters Catherine and Michelle Irwin.

The assets were declared the proceeds of crime and the Judge made orders forfeiting the cash in favour of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Revenue Commissioners.

The court heard that all of the parties had either withdrawn any claim to the various assets or had consented to the orders being made.

CAB had previously secured an order freezing several assets and various bank accounts held by the Irwins. These assets included sums of cash totalling €106,000 held in several bank accounts, a Ford Transit Van that operated as an ice cream van, a pleasure boat, and a Toyota jeep.

CAB's Chief Legal Officer Mr Frank Cassidy had been appointed as receiver over the assets and had sold the vehicles for a total of €50,000.

A separate action where CAB is seeking possession of a house in Dromahair in North Co Leitrim, which it is claimed is jointly owned by Patrick Irwin and his girlfriend Avril Boland, was adjourned to next February.

The Bureau claims that property was paid for with the proceeds of crime. Ms Boland is contesting CAB's application.

The case was due to proceed before Mr Justice Feeney today.

However the matter was put back to the new year after the court was informed that Ms Boland's lawyers, following discussions with their client, wanted to come off record and that she wished to instruct a new legal team.

Sean Gillane SC for CAB said the bureau was "very anxious" to bring the matter to a conclusion.

Mr Justice Feeney said that while he was prepared to grant an adjournment "late in the day" to allow Ms Boland seek new lawyers but that he intended to "bring the matter to a head." He told Ms Boland that the hearing date in February was "all but immovable" and the case would be heard bar some "extraordinary event."