January 2012
42 posts
Higher rates of suicide among males
According to a CSO (Central Statistics Office) report men are four times for more likely to die from suicide than women in this country.
The new report called ‘Women and Men in Ireland’ said a total of 386 men took their own lives in 2010, compared to 100 women.
The most prominent age category was for males between the ages of 15 and 24.
Early retirement scheme reaches deadline
Today is the closing date for applications for the Government’s early retirement scheme for the public service.
It is understood around 7,700 staff have so far applied for the scheme.
There has been much concern about the impact of so many public servants leaving together across many sectors at the end of February.
The Government insists frontline services will be maintained through...
EU referendum under consideration
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will recommend to Cabinet that text on a new intergovernmental treaty with the EU be sent to the Attorney General to decide whether a referendum is necessary.
Mr Kenny said the Attorney General would be under no pressure to reach her conclusions.
The new fiscal stability agreement, signed by 25 of the 27 EU member states, proposes tighter restrictions on EU economies.
It...
Sky brings 800 jobs to Dublin
The British Broadcasting Group Sky is set to create over 800 jobs in Dublin over the next two years.
The company will establish a new customer service base in Dublin four’s Burlington Plaza.
The broadcasting group said the centre will enhance its Irish customers services from one dedicated site.
Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton said the announcement was a “very welcome vote of confidence...
Former priest jailed for possession of child...
A former priest has been jailed for three years today after Gardaí found evidence of graphic images of children on his laptop. Oliver O’Grady, who used to live at Charlemont House in Dublin 2, admitted three counts of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
ICT skills programme unveiled
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
A total of 750 places on 17 new graduate skills conversion programmes throughout the State were announced by the Government today as part of an ICT action plan.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn told a press conference in Government Buildings that that participation in the programme would be fully subsidised by his department.
Applications can be made through the...
Workers due PRSI refund
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Tens of thousands of workers are due a refund for overpaying their PRSI.
The Department of Social Protection has confirmed that €10m has already been paid back to taxpayers.
The overcharging is due to the way the health levy element of social insurance was applied in 2010.
Anyone earning less than €26,000 was not liable to pay the levy.
Murder investigation launched into discovery of a...
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Gardaí investigating a body found in a suitcase in Dublin yesterday morning have officially launched a murder investigation.
The body of a 26-year-old black woman was discovered in a large travel bag on the pavement at St. David’s Terrace on Blackhorse Avenue at around 8.30 on Sunday morning.
Officers believe the woman was attacked and killed on the north side of...
Dublin has been chosen to host technology...
Dublin has been chosen as the venue for a major conference that is expected to attract thousands of delegates working in technology-based road safety systems. The 2013 Intelligent Transport Systems conference is to be held in the Convention Centre in June and is expected to attract several thousand delegates from across Europe. The selection of Dublin is likely to be a major boost for the city.
Gun seize in north Dublin
A number of guns, ammunition and explosives have been seized by Gardaí following the search of a property in Dublin. The discovery was made yesterday after the grounds of an apartment complex in Drumcondra was searched. The area was sealed off for a number of hours while the explosives were made safe by the Army’s bomb disposal team
Student wants YouTube boss jailed over video clip
A student falsely accused of not paying a taxi fare in an internet video is trying to have the chief executive of YouTube jailed for contempt of court after the clip was put up again on the web. Eoin McKeogh is to seek High Court permission to bring a contempt of court action. Mr McKeogh obtained injunctions against YouTube, Google, Facebook and a number of other sites to prevent the republication...
Taoiseach claims 'mad borrowing' comment was taken...
Taoiseach Enda Kenny last night claimed his controversial comments that ‘mad borrowing’ by Irish people caused the economic crash were taken out of context. Mr Kenny said he had already made it clear in last month’s state of the nation that ‘it was not the people’s fault’. In December’s address, Mr Kenny told Irish people: ‘You are not responsible...
9 tags
Adobe to Open New Cloud Computing Centres in...
US technology giant Adobe is planning to open new cloud computing centres in Dublin.
The centres will serve the company’s new cloud computing operations for the European union.
The company’s Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Lynch has said that Adobe are very grateful for Ireland’s 12.5% corporate tax rate.
Adobe Systems Software already employs 94 people in Ireland, but the...
7 tags
New Study into Flood Risks of Eastern Rivers
Experts are to take a closer look at the risk of flooding from rivers across the east of the country. New flood maps of the area will also be produced as part of the project by the Office of Public Works. Flood Risk management plans for the region are due to be published by 2015.
8 tags
Greyhound Recycling May Abolish Bin Charge Waivers...
Greyhound Recycling who recently took over bin collections in Dublin, has suggested they might be making changes to the bin charges in South Dublin.
The change could result in thousands of households paying for waste collection for the first time.
Greyhound says no final decision been made in relation to their South Dublin customers, but a spokesperson said they will be honoring the waiver until...
9 tags
Varadkar Defends Taoiseach's 'Mad' Borrowing...
The Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar is defending comments made by Taoiseach Enda kenny at The World Economic Forum in Switzerland yesterday.
The Taoiseach has come under strong criticism after blaming Ireland’s economic crisis on greed and the ‘mad’ borrowing of money by Irish people.
Minister Varadkar says Taoiseach Enda Kenny has nothing to clarify, as some people did...
Science year opens in Dublin
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Dublin has been officially named European City of Science 2012 at a ceremony in the capital today.
More than 160 science related events will take place during the year, including a major international science conference in July.
City Council under investigation
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Dublin City Council is being investigated over the way it handed over 140,000 customer’s details to a private waste company.
The Office of the Data Protection Commission said there were questions to be answered about how the data was transferred.
The Office says it wants more information about how Greyhound Recycling and Recovery is using information provided...
Wicklow body murder investigation
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Gardaí have launched a murder inquiry after human remains found in the Wicklow Mountains were identified as those of missing teenager Marioara Rostass. Post mortem results show the 18-year-old, who had been missing since January 2008, was shot in the head. Her body was found wrapped in plastic in West Wicklow on Monday. Gardaí believe she was befriended by a...
Dublin house prices fall
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
HOUSE prices in Dublin have fallen below the €200,000 barrier for the first time since the early months of 2000.
Values fell by almost 17pc last year - the fastest annual decline in almost two years, official figures have revealed.
The average cost of a Dublin home is now about 198,000 euro
Anglo Protest
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Occupy Dame Street activists locked down the Department of Finance today in protest against the Government paying €1.25bn to unsecured bondholders. Up to a dozen protesters chained themselves together with special locking devices around the entrance of the department at Government Buildings. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to...
Callelly arrested
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Former TD and Senator Ivor Callely has today been arrested by the Garda Fraud Squad. The ex-Fianna Fáil representative, who resigned over an expenses scandal, is being questioned in relation to the mobile phone expenses he claimed during his time in the Seanad. A Garda spokeswoman confirmed the former politician was detained just before lunchtime by the Garda Bureau...
Noonan negotiating deal approach with EU
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan met with EU Commissioner Olli Rehn today about reducing the cost of the 63 billion euro bank rescue deal.
He has also met with the head of the ECB, Mario Draghi, in Frankfurt this afternoon.
Mr Noonan said they were “negotiating an approach”.
Central Bank governor, Patrick Honohan, also attended the Frankfurt meeting.
Howlin defends Croke Park Agreement
Brendan Howlin, Minister for Public Expenditure, has said he will not be re-negotiating the Croke Park Agreement. Despite protests from Fine Gael backbenchers who have urged Taoiseach Enda Kenny to ditch the agreement, Minister Howlin says he believes that it will deliver savings and reforms, and is committed to it.
Pharmacy Report recommends cost savings
A new report by the ESRI entitled “Delivery of Pharmaceuticals in Ireland - Getting a Bigger Bang for the Buck” has recommended new ways of agree pricing for prescription drugs.
It suggests ways that will bring about cost saving while guaranteeing security of supply of patent protected and generic drugs.
It also recommends that pharmacies will be required to show the mark-up on...
Roma girl murder investigation underway
The human remains unearthed by Gardaí in the Wicklow Mountains have been confirmed as that of 18 year old Roma girl Marioara Rostas.
A post mortem examination revealed that she was shot dead and a murder investigation is under way.
The teenager was reported missing in January of 2008 after her brother saw her getting into a car at Lombard Street in the centre of Dublin.
Tallaght woman receives suspended sentence
A court heard yesterday how a woman from Tallaght broke into a house armed with a baseball bat and was arrested by gardaí who were already inside the house investigating an earlier incident. 39 year old Linda Mansfield, a married mother of three, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary at Jobstown, Tallaght in December of 2010. She was given a three-year suspended...
Leinster secure home quarter-final
Leinster have comfortably beaten Montpellier at the RDS in Heineken Cup Pool 3 to ensure a home quarter-final.
Tries from Sean O’Brien, Rob Kearney and Cian Healy, combined with ten kicked points from Fergus McFadden sealed the win for the home side who will find out their quarter final opponents after tomorrow’s fixtures are complete.
Super injunction sought in Facebook case
Eoin McKeogh, a student at Dublin City University, is seeking an injunction preventing him being named in connection with an allegedly defamatory video.
Mr.McKeogh claims he was not in the country at the time of the incident.
He is seeking orders against six national newspapers from identifying him.
Deadly outbreak forces woman from North to give...
Two pregnant women have been forced to travel from Belfast to Dublin to have their babies because of the outbreak of a deadly bacterial infection at the Royal Hospital in Belfast.
The HSE confirmed two women were admitted to maternity wards at separate hospitals in Dublin in the past few days.
They were private patients whose consultants made the transfer request on their behalf.
The Belfast...
Man charged over Dublin shooting incident
A man has been charged over the discharge of a firearm in Crumlin in Dublin on Thursday night.
Gardaí are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident at a property at Glebe House in Crumlin.
No-one was injured when the firearm was discharged.
Possible facebook expansion for Dublin
Facebook is reportedly planning a major expansion of its European headquarters in Ireland.
Facebook’s Dublin offices are responsible for all of the social network’s operations outside the US.
The operation currently employs over 200 people.
According to a report on Bloomberg, Facebook is planning to move from its current operation in Dublin’s Dockland to a new location which it will lease for...
Chinese new year in Dublin
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Celebrations to mark this Chinese new year get underway in Dublin this weekend.
Its the fifth year of city council involvement with the celebrations and The week-long festivities in the capital will kick off with a performance of Puccini’s Chinese-themed opera, Turandot , in the newly covered Temple Bar Meeting House Square tomorrow evening
Driving volunteers needed in south Dublin
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
The Irish Cancer Society, launching its second national care to drive initiative is seeking volunteers who have free weekday time to provide cancer patients with transport to and from Tallaght Hospital.
Information sessions will be held at 11:30am and 1pm on Wednesday, February 1st in Bewleys Hotel, Newlands Cross for all of those interested in taking part.
Waste controversy continues in Dublin
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Dublin City Cllrs are to hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss the controversial move into the waste collection market by private company Greyhound.
The meeting was requested by a number of Cllrs unhappy with the behaviour of the Council and the private company during the transition
Its also been revealed today that Greyhound will be paid a percentage to...
DSFM PUB QUIZ
When: February 9th at 8:30pm Where: Slattery’s of Rathmines Tables of 4, 10 euro per person, if you don’t have 3 people come along and we will find you a team! To start the new year with a bang, and hopefully a few bucks, we would like to invite you to a pub quiz on the 9th of Feb in Slatterys Pub in Rathmines. It is 10 euro per person, 40 euro a table and there will be a cash...
Dublin robbery
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Gardaí are investigating an armed robbery in Dublin in which more than €100,000 was taken.
A van carrying cash for ATMs was robbed at Donaghmede Shopping Centre this morning.
A vehicle thought to have been used in the robbery has been found at Howth View Park, Donaghmede.
.
Bin company backs down
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
The Greyhound Waste Management Company has said its customers in Dublin can now pay their €100 ‘Annual Service Charge’ which they initially wanted up front, in two instalments. The company which has just taken over bin collection duties from Dublin City Council had been criticised for demanding that the fee be paid in full this month. However, after...
jobs boost for south dublin
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
There was good news on the jobs front today with the announcement that Specsavers Ireland is to open two new outlets in Dublin, creating 30 new full- and part-time positions. One of the new stores will be in Ballbriggan, the other will be at the The Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Rathfarnham.
Dublin collision
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
A man in his 70s was hit by a truck in Dublin today.
The incident happened on Griffith Avenue in Drumcondra between the junctions at Malahide Road and Philipsburgh Avenue.
Fitzgerald out of 6N squad
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Luke Fitzgerald has been left out of Declan Kindey’s squad for the upcoming 6 Nations.
The Leinster back will play instead for the Wolfhounds.
The Irish team will kick off their campaign against Wales, at the Aviva on February 5th.
City Council bin row
p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Dublin City councillors have demanded a meeting of the council to review the terms of their contract with Greyhound Waste, after the privatisation of the bin collection service.
Dublin City Councillors say they have been inundated with complaints about the new privatised bin collection service.
Residents are complaining particularly about the charge of €112 required...
