Ninth Level Ireland

“A lecturer at University College Cork (UCC) has made a complaint to the Garda after receiving an Islamophobic death threat on Wednesday. Dr Amanullah De Sondy, a senior lecturer in contemporary Islam at the university since 2015, said he received a voicemail from an unknown individual, who called the academic a ‘scumbag’, and a ‘terrorist’ …” (more)

[Colin Gleeson, Irish Times, 21 August]

“Higher Education Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor has said she would report those dealing drugs in colleges to gardaí. She told the Sunday Independent there was a ‘laissez-faire attitude’ to drug dealing in colleges. “I’m not talking about smoking weed, for instance. I’m talking about MDMA, ecstasy …'” (more)

[Niamh Lynch, Independent, 19 August]

“More than 55,000 Leaving Cert students are set to receive their exam results on Tuesday under a new fast-tracked process which will see college applicants receive their offers before the end of this week. The changes also mean students who appeal their exam grades will receive their results three weeks earlier than normal …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 August]

“Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, held a consultation to address the issue of substance abuse in higher education. Representatives of colleges, leaders from students’ unions, Gardaí from the National Drugs Strategy Unit, and individuals working on the issue of drug rehabilitation were all invited to the discussion …” (more)

[Jessica Hobbs Pifer, Trinity News, 25 June]

“Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills with special responsibility for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD is today (24 June) bringing together higher education representatives, students’ unions, leaders in the area of drug rehabilitation and Gardaí from the National Drugs Strategy Unit, for a consultative meeting to discuss substance abuse in higher education institutes …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 24 June]

“Some 26 students were detained and searched by undercover Gardaí on suspicion of drug possession and supplying at Trinity Ball last Friday. The Irish Sun reported that €1,400 worth of drugs were seized by officers posing as students. The drugs seized included cocaine, ketamine and MDMA …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 17 April]

“A male student was removed from Trinity’s library by the Gardaí for being abusive to other students this afternoon. At around 4pm, Gardaí escorted an unnamed student from the first floor of the Berkeley library …” (more)

[Robert Quinn, University Times, 3 April]

“Residents living near UCC have breathed a sigh of relief as students living around the college are behaving better. Locals living along College Road and the surrounding streets told a community forum this week that this year’s Raise And Give (RAG) Week was the best it’s been for them in years, as there was hardly any parties and very little anti-social behaviour to report …” (more)

[Niamh Aine Ryan, Cork Independent, 13 March]

“Rag week celebrations are under way in Carlow town where students have been socialising since it kicked off on Sunday. Local pubs have been running events such as breakfast raves and high profile DJs are playing in local nightclub the Foundry all week …” (more)

[Edwina Grace, KCLR96FM, 19 February]

“Galway Gardai have an operations order in place today as students gather in their droves in the city for ‘Donegal Tuesday’. The annual event is held as part of unofficial Rag Week celebrations with students gathering at Eyre Street from early morning …” (more)

[Connacht Tribune, 12 February]

“Students’ unions at NUI Galway and GMIT have issued a warning as revellers form queues at Eyre Street in the city for ‘Donegal Tuesday’. The annual event is held as part of unofficial Rag Week celebrations with students gathering at Eyre Street from early morning …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 12 February]

“Students caught drinking on the street during next week’s RAG week event in Cork will be fined, gardaí have warned. And those who step out of line could also face internal college sanctions, up to and including fines …” (more)

[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 7 February]

“The president of the University of Limerick has been formally asked to write to the Garda Commissioner to ask if the findings of a report that was highly critical of the university should be investigated for fraud. Last Thursday, Dr Des Fitzgerald, appeared before the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) over a number of long-running controversies related to the HR and finance departments at the university …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 28 January]

“A high profile, real-time simulated terrorist attack resulting in multiple civilian casualties, was dealt with Friday night by heavily armed members of the Garda Síochána, working in concert with other first responder agencies, during an exercise at Dublin City University …” (more)

[Peter Murtagh, Irish Times, 16 November]

“After reports of three students raped in University College Cork, the Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan has lent his support to the creation of a Garda forum to tackle sexual assault in universities …” (more)

[Eleanor O’Mahony, University Times, 26 September]

“A Garda with a chronic gambling addiction admitted corruption charges as it emerged he had set up an unsanctioned Garda advice clinic at a university and sent forged invoices to a student’s union for providing extra policing services …” (more)

[Ralph Riegel, Independent, 26 February]

“Families have been forced to sell their homes in Cork’s university quarter because of a surge in anti-social student behaviour, the leader of the Seanad has claimed. However, it has emerged that UCC student leaders have decided to cancel future ‘Christmas Day’ events after a flood of complaints from residents about student drunkeness after this year’s event last month …” (more)

[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 20 December]

“Over €20,000 in deposits was paid to a scammer who pretended to be the landlord of a Dublin property he was about to vacate. The incident was highlighted by gardaí as one of many kinds of fraud in the rental market as they advised students to be careful when hunting for accommodation in the coming weeks …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 9 August]

“A Garda investigation is underway after the body of a PhD student was found at the campus of the University of Limerick. The discovery was made late on Thursday evening by gardai who were looking for the young man after members of his family had earlier reported not seeing him for some time …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 23 June]

“In response to this week’s controversy over new Garda vetting requirements for DIT’s Access Foundation Programme (AFP), the institute yesterday decided to revoke the new policy. In a statement issued on his behalf by a DIT spokesperson, Head of Admissions Frank Costello has said: ‘there will not now be a requirement for Garda vetting at application stage’ …” (more)

[The Edition, 24 March]