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Gardaí and the AA called on motorists to slow down when driving in fog on motorways after 27 people were injured, one critically, in Ireland's first major motorway pile-up yesterday morning.

Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Fashion chain founder makes €6.41m payment to Revenue
The founder and driving force behind the Pamela Scott women's fashion chain has made a tax settlement for €6.41 million with the Revenue, according to the latest list of defaulters from the tax authority.

Gardaí say speeding in fog caused motorway pile-ups
Driver error has been blamed for yesterday morning's motorway crashes in which up to 60 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes in dense fog on the M7 and M9 in Co Kildare.
Paisley holds firm to deal despite MEP's resignation
DUP leader Ian Paisley was holding firm last night to his commitment to share power with Sinn Féin in May despite the resignation of senior colleague MEP Jim Allister.

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Ireland

Consultants' talks extended by three weeks
The Government has extended the deadline for the completion of talks on a new contract for hospital consultants by three weeks to allow negotiations to continue. p
Call for ratification of child convention
The Law Reform Commission will today call on the Government to ratify an international convention on the protection of children involved in intercountry adoptions. p
Concern at system of inspecting children's services
The Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, has expressed concern about a lack of independent assessment of residential care services for children with disabilities. p
Plan to cut tribunal's legal fees shelved
The Government has abandoned plans to cut the pay of lawyers at the Mahon tribunal from the end of this week. It means that senior counsel will continue to be paid almost €2,500 a day rather than a new lower fee of around €950 a day. p
Lowry denies connection to Doncaster deal
Moriarty tribunal: Former government minister Michael Lowry told the tribunal he had no connection with the stg£3.8 million Doncaster Rovers transaction. p
Supreme Court grants 'Lusitania' owner divinglicence to explore wreck
The American owner of the wreck of the Lusitania has secured a licence to carry out a $2 million (€1.5 million) research expedition, including permission to dive into the vessel which lies off the Old Head of Kinsale, Co Cork. p
Alcoholic gets life for murdering boxing coach
A chronic alcoholic has been jailed for life for the murder of a boxing coach in Cork. It was the first case to come before the Central Criminal Court in which the defence was based on diminished responsibility. p
Shell denies link to rising aluminium levels in water supply
Shell E&P Ireland has said it is not responsible for highly elevated aluminium levels in Carrowmore lake, the public water supply for Erris, north Mayo. p
Dartmouth Square put up for sale
The owner of Dartmouth Square park, who is embroiled in a row with Dublin City Council over the site, has put it up for sale. p
Ikea could be left on shelf for year till M50 upgraded
A Bord Pleanála inspector has warned that the Ikea outlet planned for Ballymun in Dublin could become a "white elephant" that would lie idle for a year or more pending the M50's upgrade. p

Finance

Fear over collapse of housing market 'spreading'
Fear that the housing market will collapse is spreading among consumers, who are now holding off on spending their Special Savings Incentive Accounts (SSIAs) amid concerns about the economic outlook, a new report suggests. p
MEPs may amend plan to cap roaming fees
Plans to cap the cost of mobile roaming fees for consumers have run into trouble at the European Parliament. Following intensive lobbying by industry, MEPs are preparing to back a watered-down regulation that will force customers to "opt in" to benefit from tariff protection. p
IBM plans to create 130 jobs in Cork, Galway
Cork and Galway both received jobs boosts yesterday when multinational IBM announced that it is to invest €24 million in technology laboratories that will create 130 jobs over the next three years. p

World

Blair hints at firmer action over captive sailors
UK: British prime minister Tony Blair continued to walk a diplomatic tightrope yesterday, saying attempts to secure the release of 15 sailors and marines being held by Iran would enter "a different phase" should diplomatic efforts fail, writes Frank Millar , London Editor p
Mid-East leaders agree to talk every fortnight
MIDDLE EAST: Israeli and Palestinian leaders have agreed to hold confidence-building talks every two weeks that could eventually lead to discussions on a Palestinian state, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said yesterday. p
Queen must apologise, says protester
UK: A protester interrupted the church service to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade yesterday to demand an apology from the queen and the prime minister. p

Sport

Dublin may end where they began
GAA: Dublin still have the option of ending their football league fixtures where they began and playing their final-round game against Kerry in Croke Park. p
Fortune to favour bold Stan
Republic of Ireland v Slovakia : With the benefit of hindsight, it could be that the Ireland manager's record-breaking press briefing on Monday was just his opening gambit in a game of Good Stan, Bad Stan. p
Easterby happy to drop friends for 80 minutes
RUGBY: Ireland star Simon Easterby says his Llanelli Scarlets side have been boosted by a double dose of good news ahead of Friday night's big Heineken European Cup clash against Munster. p
Brennan lodges appeal against decision
Rugby Digest: Former Ireland and Toulouse secondrow Trevor Brennan has lodged an appeal against the decision of the ERC's independent Disciplinary Committee regarding the misconduct complaint against him arising from the Heineken European Cup game against Ulster Rugby at Stade Ernest Wallon last January, writes Johnny Watterson . p