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BBC apologises over Question Time seating plan
The BBC has apologised for a Question Time production note that saw a Stormont minister labelled as being a member of "Sinn Fein/IRA". Sinn Fein Education Minister John O'Dowd, who was a panelist on last night's show in Belfast, was referred to by the term in a seating plan. The BBC said the seating plan, which was attached to a camera in the studio, was written by a ...
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Wexford man granted stay in farm machinery case
A Co Wexford man who was ordered by the High Court to hand over farm machinery purchased with an elderly woman's money has been granted a one week stay on the order. The man, whose aunt is a ward of court, was found by the High Court to have used almost €1 million of her money. Earlier, this month the High Court made orders forcing him to hand over property including farm machinery ...
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Irish-US entrepreneur George Moore dies
Co Louth-born entrepreneur and philanthropist George Moore has died in Virginia in the US at the age of 60. Just last year he was named by Enterprise Ireland as the agency's start-up ambassador to the US. The successful business man sold his company TargusInfo in 2011 to Neustar for $580 million. Moore was a board member of the Ireland America Economic Advisory Board and the New Ireland ...
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Suspicious object found amid Belfast dissident search
Losing one of three connections from Belfast to Gatwick Airport is a "major disappointment" which could affect prices for passengers, an industry insider has ...
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Council worker who accessed voicemail has case struck out
Teresa Conlon , Dublin City Council's head of housing allocation. Dublin District Court heard that Ms Conlon's voice-mail messages had been intercepted over five-week period, from January 8th until February 11th, 2010. Doyle's sentencing had been adjourned until today . Judge Eamon O'Brien said: "I will strike it out with liberty to re-enter", adding, "I am ...
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EU ‘not reflecting best interests of citizens’ President says
President Michael D Higgins has called for a new ethical framework for Europe which would prioritise poverty, inequality and food security. Photograph: Dara Mac Dnaill/The Irish ...
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LOOK Northern Ireland Marvels
Northern Ireland is blessed with so many beautiful regions that you're spoilt for choice when it comes to finding things to marvel at. From the award-winning beaches of Derry and Antrim to the mountainous valleys and rivers of Tyrone, the landscape is just waiting to be explored, whether you're driving, hiking, walking or ...
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SIPTU workers call off waste water plant strike in Dublin
A strike at a waste water plant that treats water for a quarter of a million people in Dublin and Wicklow has been called off. SIPTU staff at Shanganagh Waste in Shankill in South Dublin had been on strike since Tuesday in a row over pay, conditions and union recognition. However, a deal was reached between the company and workers and the staff have now gone back to work. SIPTU's Martin ...
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Shatter faces confidence vote over Wallace controversy
Alan Shatter to the Dil next week. The debate will take place over two nights and follows the ongoing controversy surrounding Mr Shatter's comments about Independent TD Mick Wallace and an incident in which he himself was stopped by garda. Mr Shatter was criticised this week after he revealed during a TV debate that Mr Wallace had been spoken to by garda about using a phone while ...
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MEP urges Coveney to access EU funds to ease fodder crisis
An Independent MEP said the Minister for Agriculture should access special EU funds to help farmers affected by the fodder crisis.Marian Harkin is strongly criticising Simon Coveney's efforts to ease the fodder situation.The North West MEP said that the Minister's pledge of EUR1m to assist farmers is completely inadequate-and she said his efforts to date are not enough."Farmers ...
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Real story on Pope Francis ignored by the media
"The 'exorcism' lasted 10 seconds. When Pope Francis arrived, he immediately rested his left hand on the young man's head and spoke with a priest standing behind the wheelchair. The young man kissed the pope's ring, suggesting that the devil was not in total control." Photograph: ...
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Varadkar those with access to garda records must respect confidentiality
The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has said that anyone with access to garda records needs to respect confidentiality and keep them private.It follows questions in the Dil about an incident involving the Justice Minister Alan Shatter and a breathalyser test in 2011.Alan Shatter has admitted he was asked for a breath test at a routine checkpoint in 2008 or 2009, but failed to give it because he ...
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Bray garda faces trial for allegedly forging a letter from DPP
A garda based in Bray, Co Wicklow is facing trial for allegedly forging a letter from the Office of the DPP.Catherine McGowan has appeared in Dublin District court accused of using a copy of a false instrument at Bray Garda Station on June 21 2011.The 46-year-old is charged under section 28 of the 2004 Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act.The book of evidence is due to be served on her ...
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PAC chairman suggests civil servants are leaking information
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has suggested that civil servants may be leaking information to the media. John McGuinness's claims comes after the spending watchdog revealed yesterday that more than EUR250,000 was spent on refurbishing Deputy McGuinness's office when he was a Junior Minister. The meeting also heard that at the time, officials requested that only ...
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Hayes Shatter has done a very good job answering questions
The junior Finance Minister said the Justice Minister has answered questions about why he failed a breathalyser test at a Garda checkpoint on his way home from the Dil, but if there are further questions about the incident, he will answer them. Minister Shatter said yesterday he failed the test because he has asthma, after Independent TD Mattie McGrath raised the issue in the Dil.It is expected ...
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Progress made with Northern Ireland hardship payments
FARMERS in Northern Ireland have welcomed details of the release of 6m to help those affected by the severe snow. President of the Ulster Farmers' Union, Harry Sinclair, said he was pleased progress on the hardship package had been made 'quickly' after it was agreed by the NI Executive onMarch 28. Mr Sinclair said: "Almost 1,300 farmers in the affected areas who had fallen ...
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Cockroaches lose ‘sweet tooth’ to evade traps
For decades, people have been getting rid of cockroaches by setting out bait mixed with poison. But in the late 1980s, in an apartment test kitchen in Florida, something went very ...
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Nama-funded road links N2 and N3
The route starts at Church Road close to Tyrrelstown and joins the N2 at the Cherryhound interchange. Six roundabouts have been constructed along the route to link with existing local roads and provide access points to future development ...
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Taoiseach criticises commentary on Irelands corporate tax rate
The Taoiseach has criticised much of the commentary around Ireland's corporate tax rate.Speaking at the second EU Asia conference in Dublin, Enda Kenny defended our tax regime again - after a US Senate Committee heard that Ireland had agreed a special tax rate with the computer giant Apple.The Taoiseach said the Irish tax regime is fully transparent - and hit out at reports surrounding the ...
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US child beauty pageant not telling parents to tan their kids
One of America's most controversial child beauty pageants is promising the parents of would-be Irish contestants that they do not have to put fake eyelashes and tan on their children.Texas-based "Universal Royal Beauty Pageant" will stage its first-ever show in Ireland this September.The EUR20,000 event for both girls and boys, which will see babies, toddlers and teens compete ...
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CSO reveals 85 rise in price of potatoes in just over a year
The weather is being blamed for the rising cost of potatoes. According to figures released by the Central Statistics Office, the price of the humble spud has soared by about 85% since January 2012.Irish consumers spend about EUR162m every year on potatoes. Ross Keogh from Keoghs potato farm in North Dublin says the continuing wet weather since last April is driving up the price of the ...
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McGrath calls on Shatter to publish report on breathalyser incident
Independent TD Mattie McGrath has called on Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to publish a garda report into a breathalyser incident in which he was involved. Picture : Matt Kavanagh/The Irish ...
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RBS and Ulster Bank apps hit by technical glitch
RBS was today scrambling to fix another embarrassing IT glitch that left customers using its popular mobile app unable to access their accounts online.Two million customers at the taxpayer-backed bank, which includes NatWest, have the app on smartphones and tablet computers, and many took to Twitter to express frustration after they were unable to use it to check their money.It follows an IT ...
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Meath granny helps in getting men locked up during break-in
Three men have been arrested and charged after a quick-thinking grandmother locked up thieves as they tried to break into her property. The drama unfolded for 64-year-old Ann Curtis from Nobber in Co. Meath when she noticed a car acting suspiciously and drive into her back yard. She drove up to the yard in her own car and saw the three men loading up tools and wheels of a jeep into their car. ...
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SF lodges complaint against BBC over SFIRA label
Sinn Fin has lodged a formal complaint with the BBC after the party's Education Minister in Northern Ireland John O'Dowd was designated a spokesman for SF/IRA during an appearance on Question Time last night.The label was part of the floor plan which was pinned to a camera.Mr O'Dowd said for the BBC to adopt the SF/IRA tag 20 years into a peace process is beyond belief.He is ...
Ireland Digest
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Is Ireland living beyond its means?
Ireland is highly developed and has experienced rapid and constant economic growth in the last few decades, with many calling the country the Celtic Tiger. But recent events in the world economy and the financial situation of Europe may mean changes are afoot for the Tiger.
Ireland is one of the most developed countries in the world and has a high tax high government service economic model, it has for the last few decades substantially reduced the socio-economic inequalities in the economy and had a Gini coefficient score of 30.1 in 2000 while The Economist says we have the best quality of life in the world. This has come at a cost though, government deficits are running at over 10% of GDP, public debt accounts for over 40% of all revenue generated in the economy and the Irish population has a debt level, in relation to disposable income, that is the highest in the developed world – our personal debt in 190% more than our disposable income. All this begs the question, are we living within our means or is Ireland’s economic model unsustainable? Read more
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