Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod

A round-up of news from around Ireland

Pot House Warning

Clare's chief superintendent has issued a warning to landlords to include a clause where they can inspect their rental properties to ensure they are not being used as cannabis grow houses.

Following the detection of two grow houses in Clare in the past two weeks, Chief Superintendent John Kerin said this type crime is on the increase nationally as the Internet is giving criminals the tools to get started.

“Our cultivation detections would be in line with the increases around the country. It’s a fact that more and more people are going into home growing because instructions on how to do it are so readily available on the Internet,” he said.

“The product can be produced and marketed so easily and it’s a factor we are aware of.  It’s common at the moment throughout Europe and these grow houses and self-production units are out there. You find the level of heroin and cocaine sale and supply has reduced because of the prices in the current economy, and so the likes of this product increases as it is cheap to produce.”

Kerin warned those who rent property that they should be conducting checks to ensure it is not being used for this purpose. Gardai (police) in Clare have uncovered grow houses where attics and rooms in houses have been adapted for growing cannabis.

“In order to engage in this activity they have to do serious alterations. They have to put in electricity and the weight of this stuff on attics does affect the structure. It would not necessarily be all attics. We had one recently where two rooms of a bungalow had been converted and, again, this was in rented accommodation,” he said.

Kerin issued a similar warning to those renting warehouses or factory units, and recommended they make it a condition of their leasing contracts that they are allowed to inspect the premises each quarter.

“The financial consequences for them when they get their houses back are frightening because of the alterations that take place to the houses. It’s in their interest and the interest of the community that they check their property physically,” Kerin added.
- Clare Champion

Wrong Number Millionaire

Forgetting his wife's correct age turned a Ballymena couple into millionaires. It was a dream come true as Paddy and Gail Millar were unveiled as the winners of an astounding £1.9 million in the National Lottery EuroMillions draw earlier this month.

The couple, who are both nurses, popped open the champagne and celebrated their windfall at the plush Galgorm Resort last week, stating, "We never thought it would happen to us!"

The couple, who have been married for 21 years and have two daughters, Alex 17, and Julia, 11, are still finding it all very hard to sink in after purchasing their winning ticket, worth £1,994,322.90, at the Newsrack in Ballymoney Street. The couple purchased 10 tickets and one of the numbers Paddy picked was an error, "one of the best mistakes I've ever made!"

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Nster.com