Taxi Rank Annoys Motorists

Dundalk's taxi rank, where some years ago you could scarcely find one taxi, has now swollen to such numbers that at peaks times it stretches right around in front of the Court House.

This is causing traffic hold-ups since there is barely enough room for a car to pass between the taxis and the island, but turns into a major problem when any sizeable commerical vehicle approaches the Square.

Gardai have been called on at least one occasion, when traffic was at a standstill, and the wating taxis failed to move to alleviate the situation.

ARA Freezes Murphy Manchester Properties

The Northern Assets Recovery Agency has frozen over one and a half million pounds of property in Manchester, belonging to the brother of Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, alleged to be a leading member of the IRA.

The agency claims the assets are the proceeds of money laundering, fuel smuggling and mortgage fraud, but this remains to be seen, since both CAB and ARA, recently failed to turn up any evidence against Thomas Murphy despite an intensive trawl through banks here, in the U.K., and Europe. All they could find was income earned through farming.

Nine residential properties in Manchester belonging to Francis and Judy Murphy of Ballybinaby, County Louth and one property belonging to a Manchester businessman
are in the freezing order.

Chubby Alan McQuillan, head of the Northern Assets Recovery Agency, who failed to secure the top policing post in the PSNI, losing out to Hugh Ord, is a sore loser, and is under severe pressure to get results.

The agency was set up to tackle organised crime and was meant to seize enough assets and cash to cover it's budget, but since 2003 has only secured £8m with a cost of £60m.

In Ireland the CAB under Felix McKenna, recently retired, has secured in excess of €100m but the cost isn't available.

Running For Dear Life

It is expected that Ardee's MEP Mairead McGuinness is to run for a Dáil seat in Louth in next year’s general election, according to local Fine Gael sources.

It is believed that she will 'run' alongside Drogheda TD Fergus O’Dowd and his 'running' mate, Councillor Jim D’Arcy from Blackrock on a three candidate ticket in the battle over the four Louth Dáil seats.

If she plans to use this picture in her poster campaign she won't be the only one running.

Kids will surely run indoors and will refuse to come again until Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmations is taken down from every lamp-post.

Big Tom Recuperating

The 'Gentle Giant' Big Tom, 'Blayney's much loved singing star, is recuperating in Monaghan Hospital after undergoing heart surgery in Dublin's Mater Hospital.

He suffered a heart attack while making a guest appearance at a concert in his native Castleblayney,and was rushed to Dublin.

His condition, after the surgery, is said to be 'comfortable'

Such is his popularity that the local postman is certain to be very busy over the coming days with cards from well-wishers from all over the country.

Drunken Cops

In the North no less than sixteen PSNI officers are facing disciplinary action, having already being convicted of drink-driving during the current year.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said the numbers convicted are totally unacceptable, and he also says that those who fall short of the high standards set by the rest of the force will pay the price.

Good strong talk. Will we ever see the same standards being applied in the South?

Council Embarrassment Once Again

Ealier this year Louth County Council were red faced with embarrassment after having pursued a litter prosecution against a lady who was ten years deceased.

At that time they vowed to revue their procedure for issuing summones, which involved only the issuing of a registered letter to the target, and if there was no response, they proceeded with the summons in court.

The procedure revue apparently did not take place since they recently secured a €1,000 litter fine in the local court.........against a six year old girl.

The name of the six year old had been found on a medical prescription found dumped in some household waste.

Last week, a local solicitor instructed by the Council, successfully applied to the Dundalk District Court to have the conviction quashed.

Warning For Drivers Going To Northern Ireland

If you plan on driving to Northern Ireland for pre-christmas shopping, or other reasons, be warned that if your car doesn't have a current road tax disc, you run the risk of having it clamped by the PSNI, and the imposition of a £200(stg)fine.

The clamping company called in by the PSNI to cripple your car, will not accept cash, and if you don't possess a credit car you will be getting a taxi home.

If you produce a current road tax disc to them later they will refund £120.

This alarming development poses some serious questions as to why the PSNI can impose such a penalty on a southern motorist for failing to pay revenue to the southern authorities, especially in view of the fact that no such reciprocal action can be applied by the Gardai to Northern motorists in the south, other than for having no insurance.

The Slab Beats The CAB

Despite the best efforts of the considerable resources of the CAB(Criminal Assets Bureau)their attempts to uncover incriminating bank accounts, and properties, linked to Thomas 'Slab' Murphy suspected former IRA Chief of Staff, six months later and nothing of any consequence has been uncovered.

An extensive trawl through banks here, in the U.K. and on the continent have revealed nothing other than some legitimate income from farming.

In Britain, the CAB's counterpart ARA (Assets Recover Agency) have been unable to link an estimated €10m property porfolio to Thomas Murphy, which appears to be registered in the name of a relative.

Six months ago a massive raid on his border farm, at Ballabinaby, near Hackballscross, was mounted by authorities from both sides of the border, and about €1m in cash and cheques was seized, and an illegal oil launcering operation was smashed.It was probably the biggest operation of it's kind since the 'troubles' broke out in the north.

Later he was served with a €5.3m tax assessment, and at the time the authorities boasted that the figure would probably go higher as they unravelled his finances.