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Losses omitted from flood relief plan
The humanitarian flood relief scheme approved by the Cabinet will not provide compensation for losses, the Dáil has been told. p

Inspectorate will oblige gardai to aid inquiries
The proposed new Garda Inspectorate will have the power to compel gardaí to co-operate with disciplinary inquiries, the Minister for Justice has confirmed. p

Tribunal gets another 'no' from McBreartys
MORRIS TRIBUNAL: The McBrearty family, whose experiences form the basis of the Morris tribunal, have again refused to participate in the proceedings. p

Other Stories

Morris to rule on legal teams on Friday
Garda organisations and a number of individuals will learn on Friday if they have been granted legal representation at the Morris tribunal. Mr Justice Morris reserved his decision on a number of applications made yesterday when the tribunal moved to Dublin. p
Martin plays down reports of a Cabinet clash with McCreevy
Criticisms by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, about the value for money given by the Department of Health are "nothing new," the Minister for Health said yesterday. p
Labour to renew rezoning attempt
An attempt by Labour to have the lands owned by the controversial English shelf company,Jackson Way, returned to their original low-value agricultural status has failed. p
Council to begin interim flood defences
Dublin City Council is to advance work on flood defences in the areas of the city worst affected by last week's flooding of the Tolka pending the completion next May of a full survey of the river. p
Flood alert as extensive rain forecast
Emergency services were on alert last night as Met Éireann issued a fresh flood warning. p
Fahey wants more women in workforce
Women currently working in the home could displace foreign workers if they re-entered the labour force, the Minister of State with responsibility for Labour Affairs said yesterday. p
Villagers win fight to halt housing scheme
An Taisce has welcomed An Bord Pleanála's decision to refuse planning permission, for the second time in two years, for a suburban-type development in the picturesque canal-side village of Vicarstown, in Co Laois. p
Projects may collapse because of cutbacks
Some large-scale research programmes could collapse because of cutbacks in the estimates, according to a group that represents scientific researchers. Third-level institutions may not be able to meet contractual agreements because of undefined delays in spending, the group's spokesman has claimed. p
Appeals body to tape all hearings on refugee status
The body which determines refugee appeals has started tape recording its hearings in an attempt to resolve subsequent legal disputes over their contents. p
Disability Authority produces design guide
Everybody has a basic right to be able to make full use of the buildings and environments where they live, work and visit, said Mr Seán Benton, newly appointed chairman of the Office of Public Works. p
Child sex abuse activists to picket five cathedrals
Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) will hold "silent" protests outside cathedrals in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Armagh next Sunday. Leaflets will be handed out asking people attending Masses not to contribute at collections. p
Racism against Travellers 'actively fostered' in 1920s
Racism against the Travelling community is not recent and was an integral part of the ethos and practice of the State from the 1920s, according to a Canadian academic. p
Bishop sympathises with victims
The Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty last night sympathised with victims of Donegal paedophile priest Father Eugene Greene over the hurt they suffered. p
Taxi regulator role to be revealed as drivers protest
An announcement on the appointment of a taxi industry regulator is expected to be made by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, today as taxi-drivers prepare for a protest in Dublin tomorrow. p
Transport union ballots on privatisation plan
The National Bus and Rail Union will begin balloting its members today for industrial action in protest at the Minister for Transport's planned privatisation of public transport. p
€7,500 fine after boy (6) killed on site
The family of a six-year-old Cork boy who fell to his death on a building site have criticised the imposition of a €7,500 fine on the builders responsible after the company pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Safety, Health and Welfare Act. p
Four steps to protect children demanded
An umbrella group of children's rights organisations has urged the Government to introduce a scheme for vetting staff in the community and voluntary sector to help prevent child abuse. p
Bill to ban incineration is presented to Dail
A waste management Bill that would ban incineration and enshrine a zero waste strategy in Irish law, was introduced in the Dáil last night, but rejected by the Minister for the Environment as lacking "political maturity". p
Taoiseach responds to criticism of Estimates
The Taoiseach defended the Government's Book of Estimates during sharp exchanges with the Opposition. p
Cork Council 'cannot afford' pay rise
Cork County Council has told the Government that it cannot afford to pay a €23 million wage increase due next year to its 2,500 workers. p
FF backbench anger looms over house grant
The Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance will today face down backbench anger over the decision to abolish the first-time house buyers' grant in the Estimates. p
McCreevy calls for review of spending patterns
The Minister for Finance has made it clear to his ministerial colleagues that he expects them to prudently manage money allocated to their Departments. p
Carers, elderly to get cash priority
The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has said she will prioritise payment increases for carers, the elderly and the disabled rather than child benefit in next month's Budget allocation. p
GPs given assurance on primary healthcare strategy
The implementation of the Primary Health Care Strategy will continue despite last week's sharp cut in Government spending, according to Dr Tony Holohan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health. p
Shoplifters looking forward to Christmas
Whatever about its image as a time of giving, Christmas for retailers means just the reverse, with shoplifting due to exceed €30 million in Ireland over the festive period, according to new research. p
Hospital warned on junior doctors
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has told the North Eastern Health Board that Louth County Hospital in Dundalk will effectively be without junior doctors in surgery or accident and emergency medicine from January 1st next. p
Parents protest over special-needs centre
Parents of children in a Dublin special-needs centre will withdraw children from the school roll on December 9th if a long-running dispute is not resolved. p

In the North

Accused SF man 'risked his life' for Keenan
The former Beirut hostage, Mr Brian Keenan, has told the High Court in Belfast that Mr Denis Donaldson, a senior Sinn Fein official accused of spying for the IRA, was one of two people who "put their lives at risk on my behalf." The other was Mr Terry Waite, he said in a letter to the court which is hearing a bail application by Mr Donaldson. p
Haass calls for end to IRA actions
President Bush's special envoy on Northern Ireland, Mr Richard Haass, believes the IRA can complete the transition from paramilitarism to democracy. He said he was also hopeful that Sinn Féin would join the Policing Board. p
Blame traded in new Short Strand violence
Shots were fired during serious violence between nationalists and loyalists in the Short Strand area of east Belfast on Monday night. Police have blamed both sides for the trouble. p
Officer says he gave order on day
BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY: The officer commanding the British army's operation in Derry on Bloody Sunday has claimed he gave the order to launch the arrest of stone-throwing hooligans. p
Cost of inquiry could be #155m, Lords are told
BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY: The cost of the judicial inquiry into Bloody Sunday in 1972 could rise to £155 million, the Leader in the House of Lords, Lord Williams of Mostyn, disclosed yesterday. p

In The Courts

Jail for man who recorded abuse of children
A psychiatric nurse who made video tapes of himself engaged in sexual activities with children from the ages of four to 13 has been jailed for six years at the Circuit Criminal Court in Dublin by Judge Des Hogan. p
Pyramid scheme risk obvious, court told
The woman at the centre of a lawsuit over a pyramid investment scheme said yesterday that "any fool" could have seen the risk involved as it was mathematically impossible for everyone to make the 800 per cent profit it promised. p
Motorist convicted of 'drug' driving
A 22-year-old man was convicted of driving under the influence of amphetamines and cannabis at Killarney District Court yesterday.Judge Humphrey Kelleher said it was the first time in 23 years he had come across such a case. p
Accused in sex abuse case claims gardai lied
A teacher on trial for sexually abusing mentally handicapped youths claimed in several dramatic outbursts to the jury in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that gardaí had lied and poisoned the minds of the alleged victims. p
Private driveway danger to her children, says Rocca
A former Miss Ireland, Ms Michelle Rocca, has told the High Court that a private driveway up to the Dalkey home she shares with singer Van Morrison poses a danger to her three teenage children because it is narrow and dark. p
Residents query leachate treatment
Three residents who successfully secured a High Court order closing a controversial landfill site near Lough Corrib almost four years ago have brought new court proceedings related to their concerns about the treatment of leachate from the site. p

Regional News

Multiple drownings in river baffle town
The people of Enniscorthy are bewildered. Eithne Donnellan reports from a town trying to cope with tragedy p
IFA calls off dispute with meat plants over prices
The Irish Farmers' Association has officially called off its dispute with the Irish meat plants which caused major disruption to the industry throughout October. p
Fears of population crisis in north-west Co Mayo
Mayo is being divided in two, with the north-west in "crisis" due to a declining population, according to archaeologist Prof Seamus Caulfield. p
E-mail campaign set up to halt badger cull
An animal welfare group has enlisted the help of e-mail to prevent the legal slaughter of thousands of badgers in the drive to rid the cattle herd of bovine TB. p
Council chief to review ban on non-locals building homes
New proposals relating to the ban on non-locals building houses in the countryside are promised by Clare County Council's head of planning Mr Ger Dollard in response to pressure from councillors from west Clare. p

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