June 2012
41 posts
Dublin Pride Parade underway
Thousands of people have gathered in Dublin for the annual Pride Parade.
Organisers estimate about 30,000 people will take part in the event with up to 100,000 spectators.
The parade set off from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Street at 2pm this afternoon.
Celebrations continue after the parade with music and performances in Merrion Square.
Sinn Féin Counncillor Cathal King was elected...
Sinn Féin Counncillor Cathal King was elected Mayor of South Dublin County Council at the council’s annual meeting in Tallaght yesterday afternoon.
Accepting the role, King said he takes on the responsibility with “great pride and pleasure”.
His nomination was proposed by fellow Sinn Féin colleague Maire Devine and seconded by Labour’s Eamon Tuffy.
King intends to use the office to highlight...
Woman released over Dublin attack
A 21-year-old woman has been released without charge in connection with an attack on another woman in Dublin city centre last weekend in which a large section of the victim’s nose was bitten off.
The 23-year-old injured woman from Blanchardstown has since undergone corrective surgery in an effort to rebuild the missing part of her nose.
The incident occurred on the street close to Tara Street...
Ulster Bank refuses to reveal whether boss Jim...
Ulster Bank is refusing to reveal whether or not its boss Jim Brown will give up his bonus after the serious technical problem at the bank.
Up to 150,000 customers in Ireland have been affected by the glitch which happened 12 days ago.
The bank is still working to clear the backlog in processing payments.
Stephen Hester, the head of RBS, which is Ulster Bank’s parent company, has already said...
Sean Quinn escapes jail sentance
Bankrupt ex-billionaire Sean Quinn, his son Sean and nephew Peter Darragh Quinn have avoided jail for contempt of court after hiding a €500m property portfolio from the former Anglo-Irish Bank.
The three were found in contempt this week for trying to move holdings in the Ukraine and Russia into shelf companies and hide them from the ban
Bust business tycoon Quinn owes the Irish Bank Resolution...
9 tags
Finance Minister says EU Deal Means Easier Budgets
The Finance Minister has said the latest EU deal will mean easier future budgets for Ireland.
Last night in an EU Leaders in Brussels, it was agreed to allow bank debt be moved off sovereign balance sheets.
Ireland had been hoping to get a deal on €30-€40bn of the €63bn that has been pumped into Irish banks. It’s now up to finance ministers to work out the details of the arrangements...
7 tags
Monet Painting Damaged in the National Gallery of...
The National Gallery of Ireland has confirmed that a painting by Monet was seriously damaged during an incident, involving a member of the public at the Gallery this morning.
The painting Argeteuil Basin with a Single Sailboat (1874) has been taken off display and is being evaluated by the Gallery’s conservation team.
Gardaí have said that the incident is under investigation.
6 tags
Gardai Appeal for Witnesses to Luas Collision
Gardai have made a fresh appeal for witnesses to a collision on the Red Luas line last night.
The incident happened near the junction of the Naas and Davitt roads near Inchicore at around 5 past 8 yesterday evening.
A woman in her 30s remains in a serious condition in hospital after she was hit by a tram at the Black Horse stop.
Gardaí are asking anyone who was travelling on the Luas line or in...
Gardaí seek information about serious assault in...
Gardaí are appealing for information about a serious assault that occurred in Dublin city centre in the early hours of Sunday morning. A woman in her twenties sustained serious facial injuries during a disturbance outside a pub at Georges Quay at around 2.45 am. The woman, who had part of her nose bitten off during the altercation, was due to have surgery today. Gardaí have released the...
Gardaí seize large quantities of cocaine and...
GARDAI IN DUBLIN have seized cocaine and herbal cannabis each with an estimated street value of €280,000 euro. The drugs were found during the search of a car and a van at an apartment complex in the Rathfarnham area yesterday afternoon. Two shotguns and a large quantity of ammunition were also recovered in the operation. Two men, aged in their 20s and 30s, were arrested at the scene and are...
Historic handshake between the Queen and Martin...
The Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Mr. Martin McGuinness met and shook hands with the Queen at a private function in the Lyric Theatre in Belfast earlier today. Mr McGuinness said that meeting the Queen was his way of extending the hand of friendship and reconciliation to the unionist population. He also said that he had noted the Queen’s comments on victims in the course of her visit...
News at 1
Hi, I’m Danielle Stephens and this is your lunchtime news update on Dublin South FM.
The Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness has met and shaken hands with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.
The Sinn Féin and former IRA member shook hands with the queen in the privacy of a room in Belfast’s lyric theatre.
The occasion was also attended by the Duke of Edinburgh; the...
Two men have been arrested in connection with the...
Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 55-year-old man in Dublin city centre at the weekend.
Former Irish Independent journalist Eugene Moloney died following an alleged assault on Camden Street on Sunday morning.
He was taken to St James’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone who was in the area between 3.45am...
Property prices have risen up for the first time...
New figures released from the Central Statistics Office show that property prices have risen up for the first time since 2007.
In Dublin, residential property prices rose by 0.2% in May. Elsewhere around the country, the price of residential properties rose by 0.1% in May. Overall, house prices in Dublin are 55% lower than at their highest level in early 2007.
Problems continue for Ulster Bank custumers
Ulster Bank has said 80 branches will have extended opening hours today as the bank continues to attempt to clear the backlog in payments caused by a technical failure.
The bank says the scale of the backlog is unprecedented and that the problem may not be resolved until the end of the week.
Payments from Ulster Bank into other banks are said to be nearly cleared.
However, a major issue remains...
Gas customers look set to see an increase in their...
Gas customers look set to see an increase in their bills next autumn.
A spokesman for the Commission for Energy Regulation has said that a 10% rise is likely.
Bord Gáis is due to make a submission to the Commission regarding the increase shortly.
Any price increase would come into effect on 1 October
8 tags
Martin McGuinness to Shake Hands with the Queen
Sinn Fein have confirmed that martin McGuinness will meet and shake hands with the Queen of England in Belfast next week. The occasion is an historic first for the North’s peace process. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, said the decision had been taken after consulting with the party’s grass roots support. The landmark occasion will take place at a cross border event in Belfast on...
5 tags
Ulster Bank to open This Weekend After Techinical...
Ulster Bank has confirmed its customers will be able to access the funds in their bank accounts this weekend. Sixty branches of the bank will open tomorrow, and possibly Sunday, to help resolve the backlog created by technical problems. The company said a software glitch meant automatic salary and social welfare payments have not been processed, and it has estimated that at least 100,000 customers...
5 tags
Green Party Call Child Cyclist Safety Improvements
The Green Party is calling on the government to improve the safety of child cyclists. The party wants to introduce automatic liability for drivers involved in accidents with child cyclists - a move which would bring Ireland into line with Germany and the Netherlands. Speaking at a conference in Dublin today, the party’s Ciarán Cuffe argued that making motorists liable would result in cars...
6 tags
Gardai Investigate Fire at Panda Waste Collection...
Gardai are investigating after a fire broke out at at a waste collection plant in Ballymount. The blaze broke out at around 11:30pm last night at the Panda depot. 10 units of the Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and brought the blaze under control shortly before 1am. The incident comes 10 days after a different fire at the company’s recycling plant in Beauparc in Meath.
Aung San Suu Kyi Visit Dublin
The Burmese pro-democracy campaigner, Aung San Suu Kyi will make a six hour visit to Dublin today. She will attend a concert at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Following this, she will sign the Roll of Honourary Freedom of the City of Dublin and make a public address at Grand Canal Square at 8pm.
Wallace to address the dail
Independent TD Mick Wallace is due to address the Dáil later on this evening. Mr Wallace has been given 15 minutes to speak to the House in reference to information about his tax affairs. The information will be used to decide whether or not there is jurisdiction to investigate the deputy’s conduct.
Gardaí appeal for witnesses or information...
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a road accident in Dublin yesterday afternoon in which a man in his 30s was killed. The man was struck by a car on Kill Avenue in Dun Laoghaire at around 2.15pm on Tuesday. Gardaí have asked anyone with information about the incident or anyone who was in the Kill Avenue area yesterday between 2pm and 3pm to contact them at Dun Laoghaire Garda station on...
Number of Gardaí being disciplined and charged...
The number of Gardai being disciplined and charged with criminal offences is increasing, according to the Annual Report of the Garda Ombudsman published today.
The Report shows that 154 gardaí were disciplined in the past year, 16 gardaí were prosecuted, six of whom were convicted and two of whom were jailed.
Of the 2,275 complaints received about gardaí last year, over one third related to...
25 new jobs to be created at educational publisher...
The Irish educational publisher Folens is to create 25 new jobs in Dublin with the establishment of a high-tech online and mobile learning company Apierian. Half of the positions will come on stream over the next 12 months, with the remainder being filled in the following two years. The new roles will bring the total number of people employed by the Folens Group to 100.
Women's Aid reveals 25% increase in reports of...
Figures released today by Women’s Aid show that there was a 25% increase in reports of child abuse in 2011. According to the organisation’s Annual Report, over 2,000 of the 13,000 calls to its helpline last year were disclosures of direct emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children, in homes where mothers were also being abused. The report also notes that almost 3,000 calls related to...
Tesco sees first sales increase in two years
Tesco has reported its first increase in Irish sales since 2010.
Sales grew by 0.4 per cent in the first three months of 2012.
Tesco’s chief executive Philip Clarke said the company had “performed robustly” despite what he described as “subdued consumer confidence.”
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses following...
Gardaí in Dublin are appealing for information after an assault in Clondalkin left a man with serious head injuries.
The assault took place at around 1am this morning when a 25-year-old man sustained the injuries during an altercation at Wheatfield Avenue.
The man was taken to Tallaght Hospital and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital.
A man in his thirties has since been arrested and is...
Penalty Point review calls for higher points for...
Transport Minsiter Leo Varadkar has today published proposals for a review of Ireland’s penalty points system.
The Department of Transport’s review proposes to increase the number of penalty points incurred by drivers for using mobile phones while driving, as well as speeding or failing to wear seat belts, from two penalty points to three.
Simultaneously, it also outlines plans to cut the...
Ceann Comhairle refuse Wallace request to address...
Independent TD Mick Wallace has been refused permission to address the Dáil tomorrow to explain his non-payment of a VAT settlement with Revenue, and has stepped down as a member of the technical group. Mr Wallace admitted last week he has made a €2.1m settlement with Revenue for non-payment of VAT, but he says the money is unlikely to ever be paid as his company is insolvent. This morning he...
More than 32,000 public patients fail to turn up...
Newly released figures show that more than 32,000 public patients are failing to turn up for hospital appointments every month, despite delays of four years to see some specialists.
The huge number of no shows is revealed at a time when more than 200,000 people are waiting for outpatient appointments.
More than 800 patients are waiting longer than four years.
Dublin Bus employees face cuts as company need's...
Dublin Bus has announced an attempt to slash €15million from its annual operating costs, including a reduction in overtime and holiday allowances for staff.
Under the proposals, employees will see their overtime and other premium payments reduced, as well as their allowance of annual leave.
Management and clerical staff, meanwhile, will see an increase to their working week.
New recruits are...
Ceann Comhairle requests inquiry into Mick...
Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett has requested an investigation into Wexford TD Mick Wallace’s tax affairs.
The Independent TD had come under fire this week after admitting that his construction company MJ Wallace – of which he is the sole director – had under-declared its VAT by about €1.4 million.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Wallace said that he will give notice in writing to the...
Leaving and Junior Certificate exams get under way
Almost 117,000 Leaving and Junior Certificate students began their examinations today. Some changes have been introduced to the examinations this year with an additional 25 points for students who opt for the Higher Level Leaving Cert Maths papers and achieve a D3 or higher. As a result, there has been a 24% increase in the number of students intending to sit that paper. In the Irish exam, 40% of...
Senator Katherine Zappone and partner Dr. Ann...
Senator Katherine Zappone and her partner Dr Ann Louise Gilligan will launch a new legal challenge in the High Court this week in their fight to be married under Irish law. The challenge will seek to test the provisions of both the Civil Registration Act 2004 and the Civil Partnership Act 2010.
Atlantic Homecare placed in examinership with...
DIY chain Atlantic Homecare has been placed in examinership following an application by the company to the High Court in Dublin today. A statement on behalf of the 13-store chain said that since 2007, the company has accumulated losses of more than €21million euro. The company, part of the Grafton Group which also owns Woodies DIY, attributed the losses to a combination of high rents and falling...
Olympic Torch tours Dublin
Thousands of people turned out earlier today to see the Olympic Torch being carried through Dublin. The torch is visiting Ireland as part of the 70-day London 2012 torch relay. It was passed between two former Olympic boxers, Belfast’s Wayne McCullough and Dubliner Michael Carruth during a special ceremony at the border. Dublin is the only city outside Greece and the United Kingdom to host...
8 tags
The EU Fiscal Treaty Passed
The EU Fiscal Treaty has been passed.
The treaty was carried through with 60 per cent voting YES and 40 per cent voting NO.
The Dublin South saw on of the highest Yes vote rates in the country with 76 per cent, followed closely by Dun Laoghaire where the treaty was passed by 74 per cent.
TD for Dun Laoghaire Richard Boyd Barrett, who had been campaigning against the treaty, says it was passed...
9 tags
Tainiste Wants a Better Deal on Our Bank Debt
Tainiste Eamon Gilmore says Ireland needs a better deal on its bank debt.
Speaking following the passing of the EU Fiscal Treaty, the Tainiste said: this decision taken by the Irish people is a necessary step on the road to recovery but we now have to build on it,”
Mr Gilmore says he wants to see progress on the issue of our banking debts.
Fine Gael’s Dublin South TD Peter Matthews is...
McDonalds Due to Open in Temple Bar Square
Mc Donald’s have issued with a number of conditions for the setting up of the fast-food outlet.
The restaurant must close at midnight, and not re-open until 7:30am, in the interests of residents living in the area.
With work expected to begin in the near future - An Board Pleanála says the decor inside and outside the restaurant is subject to approval, so as to preserve the charater of the...
7 tags
Post Office Robbery in the City Centre
Gardaí are appealing for the public’s help in finding a gang who carried out a robbery at a post office in the city centre this morning. It is understood the thieves managed to get into the Post Office on Ormond Quay by breaking through from an adjoining disused hotel. Detectives believe four men were involved and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Gardaí suspect the gang made...
