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Staff at Abbott Galway yesterday after the announcement that the pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is to close next year with the loss of 498 jobs

Photograph: Joe O'Shaughnessy

Family issues drugs plea as son dies after house party
The family of a young Waterford man who died after taking drugs at a party has issued a plea to people "young and old who may be tempted to dabble in potentially lethal substances to simply say No!"

Welfare increases in Budget to match inflation
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen indicated last night that he will increase all welfare payments by at least as much as inflation in today's Budget. Mr Cowen gave a commitment to protect the standard of living of all social welfare recipients, with pensioners in particular expected to benefit.
Galway plant to close with loss of nearly 500 jobs
Nearly 500 people face losing their jobs when one of the State's biggest multinational investors closes a manufacturing plant in Galway next year.

In Focus

Head2Head
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Education
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World

Iran a threat despite intelligence report, insists Bush
US: President George Bush has urged the international community to maintain pressure on Iran despite a United States intelligence report that Tehran abandoned its nuclear weapons programme in 2003. p
Polish PM urges tough EU stance on Russian poll
POLAND: In his first visit to Brussels since being elected prime minister last month, Mr Tusk urged EU member states to demand that Russia comply with democratic standards. p
World faces surging food prices, falling production, report warns
CLIMATE CHANGE: The world demand for food is outstripping supply; food prices may climb for years; and climate change will make it harder for the world's poorest people to get enough to eat, according to a report released yesterday. p
'Teddy' teacher she was well treated
BRITAIN: A British teacher jailed in Sudan for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Mohammad arrived in London yesterday after being pardoned and said she had been well treated in prison and was sorry to leave the country. p

Ireland

Ahern says O'Connor money was a loan
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted that the money he received from Pádraic O'Connor was a loan. p
Irish teens among most literate in OECD
Irish teenagers are among the top performers in the OECD when it comes to reading and literacy. But their ranking in maths, just above the OECD average, is continuing to cause concern. p
Lenihan rules out 'divisive' referendum on gay marriage
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan yesterday ruled out the prospect of a referendum to allow for gay marriage, insisting that such a move would be divisive and unsuccessful. p
French remains seriously ill in hospital
Model and socialite Katy French remained in a seriously ill condition in hospital last night, following her collapse at a house party in Co Meath in the early hours of Sunday morning. p

Finance

Five firms approach ISTC with investment proposals
Dublin firm International Securities Trading Corporation (ISTC), which is under court protection from its creditors, has received direct approaches from five parties interested in investing in the company. p
US and Icelandic firms size up Nationwide
US private equity firm JC Flowers, which is trying to buy troubled British bank Northern Rock, and Icelandic bank Kaupthing have joined forces to assess a bid for Irish Nationwide Building Society. p
€3bn wiped off value of Irish pension funds' last month
More than €3 billion was wiped off the value of Irish pension funds last month. p

Sport

Losing has never tasted so sweet
AC Milan 1 Celtic 0 Soccer is a team game and sometimes it takes more than one of them to achieve success. Celtic are in the last 16 of the Champions League because of a combination of the nine points they already had before touching down in Milan and the victory for Benfica at Shakhtar Donetsk. p
English FA invited to speak to Mourinho
Jose Mourinho would be "honoured" to be asked to succeed Steve McClaren as England coach. p

Features

A season for slaughter?
Fur farms have been banned in other countries. But despite concerns about animal welfare and methods of slaughter, five continue to be licensed to operate in the Republic, writes Eileen Battersby p
Three fruit from the one tree
THE ARTS: A decade ago, a trio of musicians created a work of novelty, infused with varied musical backgrounds. They're back touring, but the sound is still fresh, writes Arminta Wallace p

Opinion

Chávez still popular, but problems lie ahead
Venezuela's president is durable enough to recover from Sunday's polls defeat, but he faces tough economic and corruption issues, writes Tom Hennigan p
Budget talk will ignore inequality
The hours and reams of commentary on today's Budget will be concerned with the minor adjustments to tax and welfare, some incremental changes to budgets for health and education, a surprise stroke here or there that will amount to nothing at all (remember decentralisation?), the macro effects of the statement, whether the Budget marginally favours the poor or the rich, and some other incidentals. One of the central points of taxation - and, therefore, of the Budget - will be ignored, entirely or almost so, writes, Vincent Browne p

Motors

NRA drops rest area plan
Just one week after an infant died after a crash between a parked car and a van on the N2 near Ashbourne, Co Meath, it has emerged that plans for "rest areas" on the State's national road network have been dropped. The baby boy was seriously injured when the family car was struck from behind by a van, after the baby's mother got out of the car with her sister, leaving other family members with the infant in the car.