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Capita to double Irish workforce from 800 to 1,600

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:44:27 -0400

Capita has marked the growth of its business in Ireland with the announcement that it plans to double its workforce in the country over the next three years. The announcement, which would increase the number of people employed in Ireland by the company from 800 to 1,600, was made at the official opening of its new Dublin office, by Ireland's Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan (pictured ...

Kenny welcomes Eircom investment in broadband network

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:34:56 -0400

Taoiseach Enda Kenny this week launched a new Eircom Fibre Broadband network. Eircom says the fibre service will provide speeds that are six to ten times faster than current broadband speeds. eFibre offers download speeds of up to 70Mb as well as Ireland's fastest upload speeds of up to 20Mb. The download allowance is unlimited for all products above entry level. Qualifying Eircom ...

Boston suspect scribbled note in boat while hidding from police

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:44:22 -0400

NEW YORK - Boston marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev scribbled a note in a boat he hid in while the manhunt was on, saying the attacks were retribution for U.S. military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, and described the victims as "collateral damage". Tsarnaev wrote the note with a marker in the boat, describing the Boston victims "collateral damage" in the same way Muslims have been ...

Morrisons signs deal to use Ocado logistics facility

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:22:53 -0400

LONDON - Morrisons Supermarkets, one of the major British retail chains, has entered into a 170 million pounds and 25-year agreement with Ocado Group plc ("Ocado"), to acquire its recently opened Dordon Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) in the Midlands, and lease it back with commitment to use its logistics and distribution facilities to start grocery deliveries to customers by January 2014. ...

Three held in retail theft investigation

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:36:10 -0400

Three people have been arrested as part of an investigation into a string of robberies in the south east. Two women, aged in their 50s and late teens, and a man, aged in his late teens, were arrested in Carlow following the search of two houses. The younger woman is due to appear before a special sitting of Gorey District Court this evening. Stolen property worth over €5,000, including ...

Ireland first-five Ronan OGara retires from rugby

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:21:43 -0400

Ronan O'Gara, Ireland's most capped player and top points scorer, announced his retirement from rugby union and will take up a coaching role at big-spending French club Racing Metro. The 36-year-old first-five scored 1,083 points in 128 matches for Ireland and won two test caps across three tours with the British and Irish Lions (2001, '05 and '09). "I have ambitions in ...

Heavy rain causes travel disruption in NI

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:40:22 -0400

Heavy rain has disrupted public transport in Northern Ireland and forced the cancellation of a major motorcycle race event. Some train passengers were bused between Ballymoney and Coleraine close to the North Coast due to flooding, public transport provider Translink said. Over 20mm of water fell in Coleraine during torrential downpours which forced the cancellation on safety grounds of the ...

SF seeks clarification on Justice Ministers allegations against Wallace

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:18:10 -0400

Sinn Fin is seeking clarification from the Justice Minister Alan Shatter on his sources of information regarding the allegations against Wexford TD Mick Wallace.In a live televised debate on Thursday, Alan Shatter accused Mr Wallace of having had a traffic violation quashed by garda.Following criticism from the Wexford TD, Mr Shatter issued a statement saying he felt the revelation was a ...

Majority favour abortion on grounds of suicide

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:46:35 -0400

A new opinion poll shows a majority in favour of allowing abortion on grounds of suicide, although support has slipped over the past three months. The Millward Brown poll for tomorrow's Sunday Independent also shows an increase in support for Sinn Fein. Carried out over 12 days running up to last Thursday among just under 1,000 voters around the country, the poll measures support for ...

Man arrested in connection with 80s sex-assault complaints released

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:22:46 -0400

A man in his 60s, arrested by garda in Waterford investigating a number of sexual assault complaints, has today been released without charge.The incidents are alleged to have taken place in the 1980s.Garda are to prepare a file for the ...

Man arrested in connection with daytime shooting outside gym

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:22:45 -0400

A man has been arrested in connection with a shooting on Dublin's Northside last Wednesday.The victim - who was aged in his early 30s - was shot a number of times outside a gym on the Ballyboggan Road in Glasnevin as he was on his way to work.A 46-year-old man was arrested today and is being held at Finglas Garda ...

Pope Francis Names Irish Priest as Bishop of Kerry

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:14:05 -0400

Fr. Raymond Browne To Succeed Bishop William MurphyKERRY, IRELAND, May 03, 2013 (Zenit.org) - Pope Francis has name Fr. Raymond A. Browne, a parish priest in County Roscommon in Ireland, as bishop of the diocese of Kerry. Bishop-elect Browne succeeds Bishop William Murphy, whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father.During a press conference, Bishop-elect Browne thanked the Holy Father for ...

New RNLI station opens in Castletownbere

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:44:16 -0400

Ireland's newest RNLI station has been formally opened in Castletownbere, Co Cork. The lifeboat crew had been operating from temporary premises at Dinish Island for several years until the completion of the new station, that cost €950,00 to build. The two-storey building and adjoining pontoon now accommodates the volunteer crew and their all-weather Severn Class lifeboat. The station ...

Constitutional convention rejects motion on Seanad

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:30:55 -0400

Senator David Norris at the Convention on the Constitution during the session meeting in January. Mr Norris todayproposed the convention should write to Taoiseach Enda Kenny asking for its terms of reference to be changed so as allow it to discuss the abolition of the Seanad ahead of a planned referendum on the issue. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish ...

Ireland fly-half OGara retires to take up Racing job

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:28:47 -0400

Ireland's record points scorer Ronan O'Gara announced his retirement on Saturday to take up a coaching role at French Top 14 side Racing Metro. The 36-year-old fly-half, who scored 1,083 points while wearing the green jersey, is to become a kicking coach at Racing. One of his main roles will be to coach the man who pushed him out of the Ireland side, Jonathan Sexton, who is to join ...

Taoiseach to receive doctorate from Boston College

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:20:51 -0400

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will receive an honorary doctorate at Boston College next Monday. The event, which marks the 150th anniversary of the college, will take place in the college football stadium, with an attendance of more than 20,000.He has also been invited to give the commencement address to over 3,000 students of the graduating class of 2013.Earlier that morning, the Taoiseach will be a ...

Ryanair defends employment terms against pilot complaints

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:20:50 -0400

Ryanair has become involved in a fresh row with disgruntled pilots over employment conditions.The Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG), which represents captains and co-pilots working for the airline, raised grievances over alleged changes to terms and conditions for aviators moving bases or undergoing command upgrades.Ryanair has said its pilots enjoy the best security of employment of any in Europe and ...

Man arrested over Dublin gun attack

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:31:28 -0400

Gardai said the victim, a champion bodybuilder believed to be in his early 30s, suffered several gunshot wounds to the upper body during the attack outside a gym at Ballyboggan Industrial Estate, Cabra on Wednesday ...

Maternity hospital masters differ over suicide provision in planned legislation

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:31:13 -0400

Master of the National Maternity Hospital Dr Rhona Mahony arrives for the committee hearings on the Heads of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 at Leinster House yesterday. Photograph: Gareth ...

ASTI accepts invitation to attend LRC pay talks

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:30:25 -0400

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) yestderday decided to accept the invitation to the new talks on a successor to the Croke Park ...

ASTI to join other teaching unions in LRC talks

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:20:11 -0400

The Executive of the ASTI says it has decided to enter talks with the Labour Relations Commission along with the other teacher unions, the INTO and the TUI.The ASTI is currently balloting its members on industrial action to be taken in the event that the Government unilaterally cuts the pay of teachers.The result of the ASTI ballot will be announced on Monday ...

Shatter condemns brutal and callous murder of Adrian Donohoe

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:20:10 -0400

The family of murdered Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe has received a special medal in his honour.Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan attended Dublin Castle today as Det. Donohoe's wife Caroline and her two children were presented with the remembrance medal.Det. Donohoe, 41, was shot dead during a robbery at a credit union in Co Louth on January 25.The award ...

Murdered garda honoured at Dublin ceremony

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:27:57 -0400

Louth on January 25th. The award was given during today's annual Garda memorial service for 87 officers who lost their lives in the service of the ...

Belfast bomb found on pathway

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:16:56 -0400

A bomb found by police investigating an attempt to murder three PSNI officers in West Belfast was on a pathway used as a shortcut by residents, the force revealed.The device was discovered in Dunmurry as the PSNI conducted follow up searches after a gun attack narrowly missed police attending a call for help.Residents who had been evacuated have been allowed to return to their houses but the ...

Girl beaten and robbed at Belfast bus stop

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:37:55 -0400

A girl of 14-years has been beaten and robbed in Belfast. The teenager was assaulted by a gang of three men in the Royal Avenue area of Belfast around 9.30pm on May 16. One of the men punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. He then kicked her in the back while another of the men went through her coat pockets.The trio fled with a mobile phone and a sum of cash.Police have said the ...

Organ campaigner Joe Brolly urges law change

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:25:56 -0400

Shane Finnegan, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Joe Brolly and First Minister Peter Robinson at the start of the Life Cycle Challenge in Belfast today. Photograph: PA ...

Wallace accuses Shatter of trying to discredit him

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:25:55 -0400

Independent Wexford TD Mick Wallace: 'unaware' of incident referred to by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish ...

Missing Wexford girl found safe and well

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:15:08 -0400

Missing person Tina Dempsey has been located safe and well.Garda at Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, had released a statement this week saying that they were seeking the public's assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 17-year-old Tina.She had been missing from Oulart, Co Wexford, since ...

Sensitive talks on NI welfare funding

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:37:39 -0400

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said "sensitive discussions" are taking place with the British government on important funding issues. He said Northern Ireland is different to England, Scotland and Wales and that the British government must recognise this in the funding provisions for welfare reforms. The funding of Northern Ireland's welfare system ...

Oil laundering plant discovered in Dublin

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:27:47 -0400

18 May 2013 An oil laundering plant with the capacity to process more than 2.5 million litres of fuel a year has been discovered in ...

Waterford sports coach freed in abuse inquiry

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:23:52 -0400

Garda are to prepare a file for the DPP after this morning releasing without charge a sports coach arrested for questioning about the sexual abuse of 30 boys ...

New Cork life boat station to cut launch time in half

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:12:56 -0400

Life boat volunteers have said the development of a new, purpose-built, life boat station in County Cork will cut the service's launch time in half.Castletownbere RNLI will officially open its new lifeboat station this afternoon which will include a service of dedication ceremony.It is hoped the new building and facilities will greatly enhance the operational capability of the service.The ...

Constitutional convention to discuss issue of compulsory voting

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:12:55 -0400

The Irish electoral system will come under the spotlight today at the meeting of the constitutional convention.The convention, which takes place this weekend, aims to review the Dil system.The way Irish politicians are elected will be debated today and again in June, before the convention makes its recommendations on whether or not the system should be changed.Chairman of the convention, Tom ...

Special garda medal for Donohoe family

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:35:08 -0400

The family of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe will receive a special medal in his honour today. The 41-year-old was shot dead during a robbery at a credit union in Co Louth on 25 January. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter will present the medal to Mr Donohoe's wife and two children at a ceremony at Dublin ...

Dublin criminals use cat litter in diesel laundering operation

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:09:43 -0400

An oil laundering plant with the capacity to process more than 2.5 million litres of fuel a year has been discovered in Dublin.It was located in an industrial estate in the Ballycoolin area of Blanchardstown last night. This is the first discovery of an oil laundering plant in Dublin and it had the capacity to produce a potential loss to the exchequer of EUR1.75m a year, customs officials said.A ...

Thats That A Memoir Of Loving And Leaving Northern Ireland

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:30:32 -0400

is his chronicle of life as the second-eldest in a family of six children in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, during the modern-day "Troubles": parochial rivalries, British rule, IRA bombings, and an almost weekly death toll, during which Broderick and his friends were trying to grow up. "First of all, when you think about growing up in basically the middle of a war, you sort of, ...

Diesel laundering operation uncovered in west Dublin

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:18:28 -0400

Officers discovered a laundering operation capable of washing over 2.5m litres of agricultural diesel a year , with a potential loss to the Exchequer of about EUR1.75 million per ...

International child abductions increase Galway conference to hear

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:07:40 -0400

The number of cases of international child abductions and family conflicts are on the rise, according to mediators.They will today address a conference on the importance of spoken intervention in such cases.NUI Galway and the UNESCO child family research centre will host the conference on the suitability of mediation from a legal, practical and cultural ...

PSNI remove explosive device in Belfast after attempt to murder officers

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:07:37 -0400

What is believed to be a bomb found by police investigating the attempt to murder three officers in West Belfast has been taken away, police said.The device was found in Dunmurry as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) conducted follow up searches after a gun attack narrowly missed police attending a call for help.Residents who had been evacuated have been allowed to return to their ...

Co Down road closed after traffic accident

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:07:37 -0400

Motorists are advised of a serious road traffic collision in County Down.The Ballygowan Road in Saintfield has been closed between the Belfast Road and Carsonstown Road.Diversions are in place at the scene this morning.Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes for their ...

Device made safe in west Belfast

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:29:47 -0400

The PSNI has made safe what is believed to be a bomb discovered in an area of west Belfast where shots were fired at officers on Thursday afternoon. The device was found in the Foxes Glen area during follow-up searches related to the gun attack. Residents who had been evacuated have been allowed to return to their homes. Up to six shots were fired after police were lured to a bogus burglary. ...

NI drug smuggler sentenced to 14 years by Greek court

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:15:26 -0400

A Co Tyrone truck driver has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for drug smuggling after being arrested in Greece following a Europe-wide police operation that included ...

Explosive device removed by Northern Ireland police investigating attempted murders

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:15:10 -0400

What is believed to be a bomb found by police investigating the attempt to murder three officers in West Belfast has been taken away, police ...

Ireland might be wise to look more closely at Google

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:13:04 -0400

Google could have a large sales staff in the UK, operating to sales targets and receiving commission as a large part of their income, and yet pay next to no tax on sales of about 4 billion (EUR4.7 billion) ...

Customs save Exchequer €1.75m in closure of diesel operation

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:04:48 -0400

Investigations are continuing after custom officers discovered and closed a diesel-laundering operation in Dublin last night.The operation was located in an industrial estate in Blanchardstown.It is estimated a loss of around EUR1.75m to the Exchequer was prevented by the intelligence sting operation.No one was arrested but investigations are ...

Garda Adrian Donohoes wife to receive medal in his honour

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:04:45 -0400

The wife of Garda Adrian Donohoe will receive a special medal in his honour today.Detective Donohoe was shot dead during the robbery of a credit union in Co Louth in January.Caroline Donohoe, who is also a Garda, will attend the commemoration at Dublin Castle with her two young children today.The Justice Minister Alan Shatter will present the medal to Mr Donohoe's family today at the ...

Ulster Bank intervenes in Dunne bankruptcy case

Sat, 18 May 2013 03:25:53 -0400

Ulster Bank has intervened in the US bankruptcy of Irish developer Sean Dunne. The bank has claimed that Mr Dunne filed for bankruptcy in the US to avoid the application of Irish law to an Irish citizen for debts and obligations accumulated in Ireland. It maintains that every piece of real property and all bank accounts, with the exception of one with only $15 in it, are located in Ireland. ...

Eurovision saves best for last as Ireland to close contest

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:06:31 -0400

Eurovision Song Contest final. For the first time this year, the running order was determined by the local Swedish television producers rather than by the artists drawing lots. It seems clear they felt that Ireland's infectious, upbeat ...

French rugby invasion brings weekend cheer for Dublin tourism industry

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:06:30 -0400

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar hosted a reception at Farmleigh today for the grand-slam winning Irish Women's Rugby team. Pictured at the end of a photocall with the Minister are, from right: Siobhan Fleming, Munster; Alison Miller, Connacht; Fiona Coughlan (capt) Leinster; Ashleigh Baxter, Ulster.Photograph: DAVE MEEHANFRIDAY 17TH MAY ...

Man jailed for five years for ‘vile’ sexual abuse of young child

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:06:12 -0400

Jailing O'Brien, Judge Tom O'Donnell said the offences involved the "cold, cunning, systematic, premeditated, grooming and exploitation" of a child for the 43-year-old's own sexual ...

€1m in withheld household charge tax to be repaid

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:06:12 -0400

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan: has urged those who have still not paid the household charge, to do so before July 1st. Photograph: Dylan ...

Gillian Anderson is fired up in The Fall but Whicher is suspiciously dull The former X-Files star channels her inner Helen Mirren in a new crime drama set in Belfast

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:05:27 -0400

By Bernice Harrison I can't be only one who locked up the house a little more securely on Sunday night after the tense first episode of The Fall (RT One, and BBC One, Monday). It was the sight of the murderer sliding silently in through the kitchen window of the ordinary suburban house before heading upstairs to prep for his murder that did it. He was pretty ordinary, too, for a serial ...

Enda Kenny’s political reputation at stake in abortion legislation’s safe passage

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:40:21 -0400

Taoiseach Enda Kenny speaking aboout the proposed abortion legislation before a recent Cabinet meeting. He has staked his political reputation on getting the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill passed before the summer recess. Photographer: Dara Mac ...

Importance of proper archival catalogue of 19th century papers cannot be overstated

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:39:59 -0400

Irish archives have been in the news lately. Two important new websites have been launched in the last two weeks, both of them deploying images of primary source material, both of them free to access. The first is the innovative Century Ireland (rte.ie/centuryireland), a fortnightly online "newspaper" that will take us through the decade of centenaries with contemporary news reports and ...

‘In Ireland you are two steps away from having nowhere to live with just the clothes you stand in’

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:39 -0400

Anthony Crowley after eating his breakfast at the Capuchin Day Centre, is how much shoe leather you wear out. "When people are homeless they walk round and round in circles," he says. "They've nowhere to go. You see fellas with their shoes completely worn ...

The high price Ireland pays for too many wild deer

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:37 -0400

Overbrowsing: we have introduced new species of deer to our native red and naturalised fallow deer, such as the herd in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photograph: David ...

Jail term of up to 14 years for a woman who has an abortion in Ireland ‘bizarre’

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:35 -0400

Peter Boylan said in his submission to the Oireachtas hearings that it was "bizarre and contradictory" to propose a woman be sentenced to 14 years in prison for accepting medical advice in this State and having a ...

Men and the art of car-wheel maintenance

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:28 -0400

Indeed, on a website I occasionally check for advice - The Art of Manliness, it's called - there is a lively discussion of this subject, with strong opinions on such sub-topics as whether you should mount your car on breeze blocks during the operation. Some contributors raise quibbling objections, eg that the car may slip off and kill you. But for the more hardline men, this would be ...

Family Day presents chance to show all families are perfect it there is love

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:27 -0400

Paula Lonergan , of Family Day, now in its third year. "It's an opportunity for people going through difficult times to say it doesn't matter if you are a two-parent, a one-parent or a same-sex family, all families are perfect if there's love and support . . . I hope that doesn't sound too ...

Super Simon Coveney earns the plaudits for marathon talks on fishing deal

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:26 -0400

Spain's Agriculture Minister Miguel Arias Canete (left) talks Simon Coveney at the start of an EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council at the EU Council in Brussels on Monday. Photograph: Geert Vanden ...

Spectre of suicide haunts proceedings and is set for return

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:26 -0400

Most but not all of the concerns expressed related to the inclusion in the Bill of the threat of suicide as a reason for allowing a woman to obtain a ...

Laois and Offaly I take it all back

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:25 -0400

But what, exactly, is so special about the rocks of Laois and Offaly, apart from their presence in the author's geological bailiwick? Most of Offaly, like much of the midlands, is covered by Lower Carboniferous limestone, and the older red sandstone of the Slieve Bloom uplands, straddling the two counties, takes even more dramatic form down in Cork and Kerry. There is, of course, the ...

Man on suicide watch in prision found hanged Coroners court hears

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:24 -0400

There will be no prosecution arising from an incident in which a man accused of murder hanged himself in his cell shortly after a court ...

Council chief sought two medical personnel

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:24 -0400

Medical council president Prof Kieran Murphy: not all psychiatrists worked in centres registered by the Mental Health Commission. Photograph: Eric ...

A spirited rearguard action

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:22 -0400

Fine Gael politicians have been targeted in a well-organised and highly-orchestrated exercise and a number of TDs have threatened to oppose the legislation. Labour Party politicians are solidly in support. Michel Martin is withholding judgement until he sees the final shape of the Bill while Sinn Fin will impose a supporting whip. As happened with legislation dealing with contraception, divorce ...

Nobody can say risk of suicide will never occur Oireachtas health committee hears

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:21 -0400

Suicide risk will be included in abortion legislation because it would be impossible to say such a situation could never arise, the State's chief medical officer has ...

Government likely to face pressure to modify draft abortion Bill

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:21 -0400

The Government is likely to come under increased pressure to modify proposed legislation for abortion in cases of a threat of suicide after the master of one of the State's biggest maternity hospitals expressed concerns about its ...

Shatter defends disclosing Wallace Garda information

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:20 -0400

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has defended stating publicly that Independent TD Mick Wallace escaped penalty points despite accusations that he abused Garda information for political ...

Voices at the hearings

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:31:19 -0400

Master of the Rotunda Hospital Dr Sam Coulter Smyth arrives for the public hearings on the Heads of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 at Leinster House yesterday. Photograph: Gareth ...

Tour Northern Ireland wont have team for World Cup

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:17:48 -0400

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- It turns out Northern Ireland won't have its own team for the World Cup. A press release issued by the International Federation of PGA Tours last week during The Players Championship said that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each would be considered separate countries when the World Cup is played in November at Royal Melbourne under a new format. It ...

Taoiseach sets priorities for final weeks of Ireland’s EU presidency

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:14:30 -0400

Warning that the creation of jobs depended on swift action by EU leaders, the Taoiseach has appealed to his counterparts in Paris, Berlin, London and elsewhere for help to advance initiatives to boost growth and ...

Promise of extra staff and need for fewer documents to process student grants

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:14:03 -0400

Additional staffing to deal with student grant applications and reduced documentation requirements were promised yesterday after publication of a report into the serious delays which had caused hardship and uncertainty for many students left without ...

N. Ireland wont have separate WCup team

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:11:56 -0400

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- It turns out Northern Ireland won't have its own team for the World Cup. A news release issued by the International Federation of PGA Tours last week during The Players Championship said that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each would be considered separate countries when the World Cup is played in November at Royal Melbourne under a new format. It ...

Irish teachers back strike call if government cuts pay

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:06:22 -0400

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish primary school teachers overwhelmingly backed a call to strike if the government unilaterally cuts their pay, but their trade union leaders will first rejoin fresh talks aimed at finding a compromise. Public sector workers last month rejected extending a three-year-old pay deal, upsetting government plans to make deeper budget cuts and raising the threat of strikes in a ...

Irish President meets UAE ambassador

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:40:43 -0400

WAM DUBLIN, May 17th, 2013 (WAM) -- President of Ireland Michael D Higgins has met the UAE Ambassador to Ireland, Khalid Nasser Rashid Lootah on the sidelines of the annual forum of the 'International Charity Bazaar 2013' in Dublin. The event is held under the patronage of the Irish president and organisation and support of all foreign embassies accredited to Dublin. Proceeds will go ...

PSNI finds suspect bomb at site of gun attack

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:51:47 -0400

Members of the PSNI had been lured to the Foxes Glen area of west Belfast with false reports of a burglary and were fired at on arrival. Nobody was injured and a 26-year-old man was subsequently ...

Council responds as man found dead in flat after five weeks

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:51:45 -0400

Dublin City Council has said it provides a liaison service to a residential complex in which a man was found dead after five weeks alone in his flat, but that a number of tenants do not use it. A statement from the local authority did not clarify whether Brian Corr (62) had himself availed of the service. Mr Corr's body was found by garda on May 7th following concerns from neighbours at ...

The New Ireland Fund Inc.

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:49:27 -0400

)announced that the Fund's Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 9 a.m. at the Harvard Club, 27 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on Monday, April 8, 2013 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Meeting, or at any adjournments thereof. At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to consider ...

Wallace to make complaint over Shatter comments

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:55:40 -0400

Independent TD Mick Wallace has said that he is making a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission regarding comments made about him by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. On last night's Primetime programme, Mr Shatter said he had been advised that Mr Wallace had been using his mobile while driving but had received only a Garda warning. Mr Wallace said he was unaware of the ...

Northern Irish man jailed for 14 years in Athens for drugs smuggling

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:48:55 -0400

A Northern Irish lorry driver is starting a 14-year prison sentence in a Greek jail for his part in a 1m herbal cannabis-smuggling operation.Andrew Doherty, from Sion Mills, County Tyrone, was arrested in November 2011 as part of a police operation involving the Police Service ...

Teachers back strike action if pay is cut

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:40:12 -0400

INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan: said the union would be stressing the impact of cumulative pay cuts and tax increases imposed on teachers and their families. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill/The Irish ...

Shatter insists Wallace has no credibility on penalty points

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:40:11 -0400

Independent TD Mick Wallace: said he had no recall of being warned about using his mobile phone while driving. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish ...

Ireland must repay Pakistan when the time is right

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:37:41 -0400

Ireland's home international programme gets underway next week with the two-match RSA Series against Pakistan at Castle Avenue, games that will hopefully show off the rude health of Phil Simmons's senior ...

Irish Senator Supports One of Us Campaign

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:30:09 -0400

Here is an interview of Ronan Mullen by Elisabetta Pittino, regarding the One of Us campaign, and the current legal battle over abortion in ...

Dublins archbishop Irish prime minister clash on proposed abortion law

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:28:26 -0400

Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has protested that a proposed change in Ireland's ban on abortion could lead to the death of unborn children who are capable of independent survival outside the womb. But Prime Minister Enda Kenny has flatly denied the charge. The proposed law would allow for abortion in cases in which a doctor finds that the mother's life is in danger. The ...

INTO back call for strike action in face of LRC talks

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:27:26 -0400

A ballot of primary school teachers has backed a call for industrial action - up to, and including, strike action.General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, Sheila Nunan, says the mandate for action will be used if government unilaterally cuts teacher's pay. Earlier today, both the INTO and the Teachers Union of Ireland agreed to enter public sector pay talks with the ...

Shatter says Wallace revelation was a matter of public importance

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:27:24 -0400

The Justice Minister Alan Shatter says it was "a matter of public importance" that he reveal Independent TD Mick Wallace allegedly had penalty points wiped from his licence. The Wexford TD said he would be making an official complaint about the claim made by Alan Shatter in a television interview last night. He says it represented a serious abuse of the Minister's power and a ...

No private deals for SE consultants

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:42:06 -0400

Hospital consultants who led a campaign not to have the South East hospital network broken up have said no private deals were done. In a statement this evening, the consultants of the Southeast Hospital Action Alliance (SEHAA) say they reject any claims that they entered into any deals or private negotiations with respect to the formation of the hospital groups as outlined in Higgins' ...

Refurbished GAA Museum at Croke Park opened

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:20:56 -0400

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny trys his skill against GAA President Liam O Neill at the Official opening of the GAA Museum in Croke Park yesterday. Photograph: David Sleator/The Irish ...

Wallace disputes Shatter’s claim that he escaped penalty points

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:20:55 -0400

Independent TD Mick Wallace: said he had no recall of being warned about using his mobile phone while driving. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish ...

Wallace to lodge complaint over Shatters abuse of powers

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:07:53 -0400

The Independent TD Mick Wallace will make a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission over the Justice Minister. His complaint comes after Alan Shatter accused the Wexford TD of having points wiped from his licence.Mr Wallace says he does not recall the alleged incident and says it represents a serious abuse of the Minister's powers and a breach of the Code of Conduct for Office ...

Pregnant women should be entitled to abortion if risk of dying by suicide exists top doctor says

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:07:51 -0400

Mary Regan, Political Correspondent A pregnant woman should be legally entitled to an abortion if there is a risk of her dying by suicide - even if the Surpreme Court ruling on the X Case did not determine this to be the constitutional position, acording to Master of the National Maternity Hospital, Dr Rhona Mahony.She said everything should be done to prevent the unneccessary death of two ...

Medical council questions method for suicide risk assessment

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:07:50 -0400

Mary Regan, Political Correspondent The proposed criteria for assessing the risk of suicide to a woman seeking an abortion has been questioned by the Irish Medical Council. It has expressed concern about the ability of women in all parts of the country to access treatment needed under the criteria outlined in the heads of the Protection of Human Life during pregnancy Bill. The Oireachtas Health ...

Facebook cautions on data privacy directive plans

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:21:27 -0400

Facebook's head of privacy has warned that the creation of a new Europe wide data privacy directive will be a significant regulatory step. Speaking in Dublin, Marne Levine, Facebook's Global Vice-President for Public Policy said it will determine Europe's future as a free trade economy. She warned that if not formulated correctly, the new directive could also be a barrier to a ...

Current regime of treating at-risk pregnant women unreasonable

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:03:08 -0400

National Maternity Hospital , said the life of the foetus must be vindicated where it was practicable. It was her experience that the majority of women did not wish to lose their babies, but they did not want to ...

Varadkar No decision yet on public transport fare rise

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:49:44 -0400

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says no decisions have been made on whether or not the public will face further price hikes on public transport. Reports today suggest that CIE will ask the National Transport Authority for a fare increase across bus and rail services. They are also looking to encourage people to use pre-paid tickets or Leap cards which are cheaper. Varadkar says there is ...