March 2012
97 posts
€6.5m drug haul in Dublin
Two men have been arrested after drugs with a street value of €6.5m were seized in Dublin and Kildare. In a joint operation yesterday afternoon, gardaí and customs officers found 800kg of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin which came into Dublin Port labelled as “frozen meat”.
Two men aged 36 and 43 were arrested following the search and have been held overnight for questioning....
Coast Gaurd rescue woman in difficulty
A woman who got into difficulties while walking at cliffs near Howth, Co Dublin this morning has been rescued by helicopter. The woman in her 50s had been descending a cliff path to the shoreline shortly before 10am when she got stuck 20ft down a steep embankment. A climber from the Coast Guard’s cliff rescue team went down to assist the woman. She was distressed but uninjured and was...
4000 protest against household charge ahead of...
Today marks the deadline to pay the €100 household charge.
Around 4,000 people who are opposed to the charge have gathered for a protest demonstration near the Convention Centre in central Dublin where Fine Gael is holding its Ard Fheis.
People may pay online until midnight tonight, but after midnight paying online will automatically involve a 10% surcharge along with 1% interest.
Fine Gael's Ard Fheis underway
Fine Gael’s first Ard Fheis in government in 16 years got underway in Dublin last
night as Taoiseach and party leader Enda Kenny urged a Yes vote in the upcoming
fiscal compact referendum.
Delegates will gather at the Convention Centre on Dublin’s docklands again today in
anticipation of Kenny’s keynote address tonight at 8.30pm which will be broadcast
live on RTÉ television.
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BAI recommends ban on unhealthy foods during kids...
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is recommending a ban on advertising on unhealthy foods during children’s programming.
The recommendations also include cheese products, however safe food have hitback, saying ‘Dairy plays a vital role in children’s diet and teenagers in particular are encouraged to consume five portions of dairy every day’.
As part of the new commercial...
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32% of householders paid household charge
Just over 32% of householders have paid the one hundred euro household charge.
The Local Government Management Agency who are processing the charge say that 85 per cent of the payments are coming in online with the remaining 15 percent through the post.
Just over 515,000 home-owners have handed over the tax, with just one day to go before the deadline.
Meanwhile, the Campaign Against...
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Dublin man jailed for rape of 14-year-old
A Dublin man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for raping a 14-year-old girl at knife point, after meeting her on the internet.
Stephen Rodgers of St Cronan’s Close in Swords pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court.
The convicted 22-year-old man was declared a sex offender and was given a 10 year jail sentence with the final two years suspended.
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Examiner appointed to Eircom
Eircom have been given temporary court protection from its creditors and appointed an examiner to deal with debts of over €4 bn.
The court was told the telecoms group, which includes the mobile operator, Meteor, needs restructuring and investment if it is to survive.
Eirocom has said it will be bussiness as usual during the examinership and has reassured staff that they will be paid on time.
...
Eircom needs redundancies
The High Court has heard that voluntary redundancies are needed to save telecommunications company Eircom, and its mobile subsidiary Meteor.
Eircom who employs 5,500 people is applying for the appointment of an interim examiner. The group is trading well, but still owes substantial debts.
Population highest in 150 years
The 2011 Census has shown that the Irish population has grown to approximately 4.58 million. It is the highest in 150 years.
Despite a high level of immigrants leaving the country there has been significant increases in the number of non nationals living here.
Other figures show that Laois has the fastest growing population, there has been a 45% rise in people declaring themselves...
Special treatment for Catholic education
Internal documents from Department of Education have revealed that it gave guarantees that Catholic children would receive a full and separate religious education, despite being a minority in the classroom.
In 2008 the state introduced the ‘Community National School’ model in response to a rise in immigration.
Its aim was to meet the needs for non-Catholic schools.
AIB promissory note deal
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has announced that the €3.06bn Anglo promissory note payment due for the end of the month is to be deferred in exchange for an Irish Government bond.
This proposal does not involve any variation to the terms of the promissory notes.
The bond will have a duration of 13 years.
Hanrahan resigns
Former Dublin Councillor Finbar Hanrahan has resigned from the Fianna Fáil party today. His resignation means all six members of the party cited in the final report of the Mahon Tribunal have now resigned.
Meanwhile The debate on the Mahon report continued in the Dail today. It’s the second day of the debate which concludes tomorrow
Horgan retires
Leinster Rugby has announced the immediate retirement of Leinster, Ireland and British & Irish Lions player Shane Horgan, due to a long-term knee injury.
Horgan made 87 Heineken Cup appearances and was the first Leinster player to reach Two hunderd caps
For Ireland, he won 65 caps and was a part of three Triple Crown winning sides.
Dubliners top dub book
James Joyce’s short story collection Dubliners has been named as the capital’s One City, One Book title for 2012.
Next month will see a series of events in the city to mark the recognition of the book, one of Joyce’s best known collections
Rich getting richer.
The number of households at risk of poverty has risen to almost 16 per cent, it emerged today.
Latest figures show another 6.2 per cent were in consistent poverty in 2010. The Central Statistics Office, revealed the gap between rich and poor grew over 2009 and 2010 - with the average income of high earners some 5.5 times that of those in the lowest income group.
Oliva Mitchel, "inapproiate donation" from Frank...
FINE Gael TD, Olivia Mitchell, will not give an “inappropriate” political donation of IR£500 to charity because she does not agree with the Mahon Tribunal’s verdict. The tribunal found that the Dublin South TD’s acceptance of the donation from Frank Dunlop in 1992 was inappropriate because she knew he was lobbying for the rezoning of land in Quarryvale, west Dublin.
Household charge confusion
As the deadline looms for the payment of the household charge, the Government received an update at today’s Cabinet meeting on the collection of the €100 levy. A total of 386,121 households had paid the household charge by midday today, with just four days to go before the deadline. Minister of State for Europe Lucinda Creighton said this morning the Government is determined to move ahead...
Referendum date set for 31st May
The people will be asked to vote in a referendum on the Fiscal Compact on Thursday 31 May. The date of the referendum was confirmed this afternoon after being decided upon at this morning’s cabinet meeting. The date means campaigners will have 65 days to persuade the public to either accept or reject the treaty, which is due to take legal effect on 1 January next year.
Finna Fail confirm Bertie Aherns resignation
It has been conformed that former leader and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has resigned as a Fianna Fail member over the Mahon findings. Mr Ahern announced his resignation at the weekend ahead of a motion to expel him next Friday.
South Dublin councillor John Hannon, who was found to have taken corrupt payment over a planning decision, has also resigned. Meanwhile Taoiseach Enda Kenny said today that...
Tourism on the up
Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the total number of trips to Ireland madeby Tourists has increased by 2.7 per cent in the last three months. The number of trips to Ireland increased by 30,600 in the period between December 2011 to February 2012, compared with the same period 12 months earlier.
Former Garda Station leased to childcare company
The Office of Public Works has leased a former Garda station to a childcare company in north Dublin as part of plans to give local communities new property opportunities. The Minister of State Brian Hayes, handed over the keys of the former Finglas Garda station to Finglas Childcare as part of a new lease arrangement.
Three Trinity College Students selected to carry...
Three Trinity College Dublin students have been selected to carry the Olympic torch as it makes its whirlwind trip through the city this summer. Mark Kenneally, Áine Ní Choisdealbha and Natalya Coyle are among a group of 40 who will carry the torch during its visit to Dublin on June 6th. The students were selected as part of a programme organised by Olympic sponsor Samsung. A spokesman for the...
Body retrived from Tolka River
A man has died after falling into Tolka River in Dublin. The incident occurred yesterday evening at around 7.30pm.
The man was retrived from the water and taken to the Mater Hospital where he died overnight.
Property prices continue to fall
New data from the CSI today shows a property prices fell by almost 18 per cent in the last year. Apartments in Dublin saw the most dramatic drop, with prices down by 6.3 per cent in just 12 months and is now just 38 per cent of its price at the peak of the property bubble
Household charge confusion
Two senior cabinet Ministers made contradictory statements yesterday over how the controversial Household Charge can be paid. Speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s This Week programme, Joan Burton said that she understood that Minister Phil Hogan was making arrangements so that people could pay the €100 over the counter at the Post Office. However, the Department of the Environment has confirmed that while...
President Michael D Higgins hits out at homophobia
President Michael D Higgins has hit out at what he described as “the appalling, destructive reality of homophobia”. The President made his remarks this morning while addressing a conference organised by youth organisation Foróige. President Higgins described suicide resulting from racism and homophobia as an appalling blight on a society.
3,000 attend rally against Household Charge
Around 3,000 people have attended a rally in Dublin to protest against the Household Charge. The event which was held in the National Stadium was organised by the group the Campaign against Household and Water Taxes. Activists travelled from various parts of the country to attend the event which was addressed by a number of TDs. Socialist Party TDs Joe Higgins and Clare Daly, Independent TD...
Drowned men were without flotation devices
Two men who drowned after their boat capsized off Skerries, Co Dublin, last April were not wearing personal flotation devices, it has been revealed.
A report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board found that they went to sea in rough conditions in a five-metre long open-top fishing vessel.
According to the report, the lifelong friends were experienced and qualified marine engineers, with...
Central Bank warns of further fall in property...
The Central Bank has issued a warning that risks of further falls in property prices, weaker growth and possible capital shortfalls in state-owned banks continue to threaten Ireland’s debt sustainability. Ireland is hoping to return to bond markets in the next 12 months to build up enough funds to exit a three-year EU/IMF bailout programme. In a staff paper reviewing the state of...
Red Luas Line back in operation
The Luas Red Line is fully operational again between Tallaght/Saggart and The Point following a restricted service over the past week as a result of a fire in the city centre on Sat 17th March.
Luas Green Line is operating as normal.
Aspirin cure for Cancer?
Three new studies have added to growing scientific evidence suggesting that taking a daily dose of aspirin can help prevent, and possibly treat, cancer. Previous studies have found that daily aspirin reduces the long-term risk of death due to cancer, but until now the shorter-term effects have been less certain, as has the medicine’s potential in patients already diagnosed with cancer. The...
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Finance Minister says he's hopeful for a deal on ...
Finance Minister Michael Noonan says he’s hopeful for a deal on the Anglo Promissory notes by Autumn.
Governor of the Central Bank Patrick Honohan, yesterday met with the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, as the Government hope to delay a €3.1bn Anglo debt payment, which is due at the end of the month.
However speaking today, Minister Noonan said the Government is hopeful...
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Dublin South Central TD Catherine Byrne calls for...
Dublin South Central TD Catherine Byrne, is calling for more security on the Red Luas Line.
Ms Byrne has contacted the Railway Procurement Agency over her concerns about anti social behaviour and Luas customer safety, however said she was dissatisfied with the response she received.
In a statement, Luas operators Veoila, said they regularly meet with the Gardaí and local groups to discuss...
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Fianna Fail Leader Micheál Martin says 'he never...
Fianna Fail Leader Micheál Martin says ‘he never undermined the Mahon Tribunal’.
There have been reports, that the some Fianna Fail Ministers had made attempts to ‘collapse’ the Tribunal’s investivgations.
Mr Martin said his party is “acting swiftly and comprehensively in response to the Mahon findings” and added that the allegations are being...
In Bod we trust
This weekend will see the long-awaited return of rugby star Brian O’Driscoll to the pitch. He will be playing with the Leinster team against Osprey’s tomorrow night after being named in the the starting line-up for the Pro12 leaders.
Burton positive on household charge
Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said that she is confident that the majority of households will pay the new €100 charge due at the end of this month. She commented that easy pay methods should be clear and available for householders. So far, approximately 250,000 of the 1.6 million liable households have actually registered.
High hopes for ECB negotiations
The European Central Bank (ECB) meeting about a proposed delay in Ireland’s payments of the 3.1 billion euro AIB promissory notes has concluded. The Taoiseach Enda Kenny hopes the ECB will accept a deal where the debt is exchanged for a long term government bond which would be repaid in 2025. It is understood technical meetings will continue over the next few days. The Department of Finance will...
Mahon Tribunal follow up
Following on from the publication of the Mahon Tribunal report the government has announced it will be referring the matter to the Director of Public Prosection, the Garda Commissioner and other relevant bodies. The report revealed that former Taoiseach Bertie Aherne failed to truthfully explain bank lodgements connected with him.
Politicans such as the late Liam Lawlor and former Fianna Fáil...
Taoiseach meets Obama in White House
Taoiseach Enda Kenny is to meet US president Barack Obama at the White House in Washington later today. The meeting is part of Mr Kenny’s five-day US tour, which coincides with St Patrick’s Day festivities. Mr Kenny yesterday rang the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange. The Taoiseach attended a working lunch along with several hundred-business leaders in a Washington hotel.
A man has been arrested breaking into Minsters...
A man has been arrested after the home of Justice Minister Alan Shatter was broken into. The incident occurred in south Dublin on Sunday night at about 11.30pm. The arrested man was detained near the minister’s home at about midnight and taken in for questioning at Blackrock Garda Station.
Olympic torch coming to Dublin.
THE Olympic torch’s tour of Dublin will take place on June 6th, starting off at Croke Park. The torch will arrive in convoy to Croke Park and will be carried by 40 runners through the streets of Dublin. The only confirmed torch bearer to date is Olympic silver medallist Sonia O’Sullivan. An Olympic Council of Ireland spokesman said it had been “inundated” with offers from the public to carry the...
Stynes to be give state funeral in Australia.
Rathfarnham native born Australian Rules football star Jim Stynes, who lost his battle with cancer, will receive a state funeral in his adopted home country. The 45-year-old died at his home in Melbourne on Monday surrounded by his family and friends, including wife Sam and children Matisse and Tiernan. Tributes were paid to the sportsman in the Australian parliament, Irish Justice Minister Alan...
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Small Trace of Bug Found in Dublin Water Supply
A minute quantity a bug was detected in the Dublin area water supply.
Dublin City Council says a sample taken from the Stillorgan reservoir, tested positive for small levels water-borne pathogen cryptosporidium bug on the 13th of February.
The council followed up with further samples, which found no evidence of contamination.
Dublin City engineer Michael Phillips said because...
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Health Minister Appoints Review Group for National...
The Health Minister James Reilly, has announced the make-up of the review group, to discuss the decision of an Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for the National Children’s Hospital on the Mater site. The nine-person group will be chaired by Dr Frank Dolphin, who was appointed in the immediate aftermath of the decision by an Bord Pleanála. The group also includes town planner...
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Two Men in Questioning over €900,000 Cannabis...
Two men are still in Garda custody following a drugs seizure in Rathcoole yesterday afternoon. 900-thousand-euro worth of herbal cannabis was seized by gardaí during a planned search of a house. Two men, aged 34 and 49, were arrested and are currently being detained at Clondalkin Garda Station.
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Dublin South TD Peter Matthews Cautioned by...
Dublin South TD Peter Matthews has been cautioned by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, over a contraversial vote during a Finance Committee.
Deputy Matthews provoked a motion which demanded that the Governor of the Central Bank attend a Finance Committe Meeting, before the payment of the €3.1 billion promissory note debt.
The motion passed against the wishes of the Government, after 2 Fine Gael commmitte...
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Finance Minister Optimistic about Ireland's...
Finance Minister Michael Noonan is optimistic about the future of Ireland’s economy
The Minister is in Paris for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, and spoke while he was ringing the bell at the Paris stock exchange.
The Minister said that Ireland’s economy could take off like a rocket if the rest of the world economy returns to growth.
Mr. Noonan also said that although the...
Joint committee on alcohol misuse meet
Ahead of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, the Joint Committee on Health have met to discuss a report of the misuse of alcohol. Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said that the average consumption of pure alcohol per year is 11.9 litres. It costs the Irish economy €3.7 billion a year due to the cost of alcohol related crime, absenteeism and loss of productivity.
Household charge row continues
In the wake of a High Court ruling that has found the property tax unconstitutional the government are insisting it must be paid by householders. The judge found grounds to challenge the charge as it had not been published in Irish. So far 85% of householders have still not registered for the levy. Government minister Ruairí Quinn has said that the €2 per week tax was unavoidable and would be...
