ireland.com - The Irish Times

Changes to be made to electoral law in new year
The Government is to bring forward electoral law changes early in the new year, following a Supreme Court judgment that could threaten to put some TDs over legal spending limits. p

Urgent inquiry into youngest case of BSE
An urgent epidemiological investigation is being carried out by the Department of Agriculture and Food into the youngest case of BSE found so far in the Republic. p

Ministers clash on golf sponsorship
Two Government Ministers have clashed over Bord Fáilte's controversial €250,000 sponsorship deal with the Irish Open golf championship, which is to be held at Portmarnock Golf Club next year. p

Other Stories

No evidence uncovered to tarnish Brennan
After a thorough inquiry into the allegations about the Minister there is no smoking cigar, reports Mark Brennock , Political Correspondent p
Murder victim may have been targeted
A night-club security man shot dead in Limerick early yesterday may have been the victim of a drugs gang he thwarted. p
Dublin Bus says it's within limit on fare increases
Dublin Bus has insisted its ticket fares have not risen beyond a Government-sanctioned 9 per cent, despite increasing prices on some of its most popular routes by more than double that. p
Europe talks moving too fast, TDs warn
Talks in the Convention on the Future of Europe are proceeding too fast and threaten to leave the Irish people behind, the Government has been bluntly told by some of its TDs and MEPs. p
Finance 'playing down' revenue receipts
Fine Gael has accused the Government of playing down the Exchequer's potential tax revenues for next year, following the publication of the end-of-year figures. p
Bullying 'still not taken as serious problem'
There is still great difficulty in getting the message across to schools that bullying is a serious problem, a conference on bullying and suicide was told yesterday. p
Government urged to lead alcohol fight
The Government must take the lead in changing the "deep-rooted cultural dimension" of alcohol in the State, the chief executive of Barnardo's said yesterday. p
160 jobs to go as textile mills faces closure in Kilkenny
Workers at Comerama textile mills, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, face a bleak Christmas following the decision of the company to close its operations in the south-east in favour of another plant in the north-west. Two hundred workers at a plant in Bunbeg, Co Donegal, will keep their jobs for the moment, while 160 will be lost in Kilkenny. p
Consumers association calls for food ministry
The Government should establish a new ministry for food, according to the Consumers Association of Ireland. p
Scotland investigates foot and mouth alert
Scotland was investigating a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth yesterday after a steer developed symptoms of the contagious disease that devastated Britain's livestock industry last year. p
Costly but effective exercise for State
When the first BSE case of BSE was identified here in 1989 the Government decided it would adopt a "slaughter out" policy, removing all animals in a BSE-infected herd. p
Locals oppose bog removal for gas terminal
The benefits of local knowledge in relation to the removal of bog from the area surrounding the proposed gas terminal at Bellanaboy, north Mayo, was welcomed at the continuing oral hearing into the project yesterday. p
EU farm ministers agree GMO labelling
EU farm ministers at the Agricultural Council have agreed new rules this week to label food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which have been embraced by the US but remain deeply suspect in Europe. p
Department refutes claims over its role in project
The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources says it "absolutely refutes" the allegation that "huge pressure" was placed on Mayo County Council's planning committee over the Corrib gas field project. p
An Taisce criticises once-off housing in the countryside
An Taisce has strongly criticised the National Spatial Strategy, saying it appeared to be "an exercise in rhetoric with no likelihood of implementation". p
Rent freeze could lead to increased homelessness
A freeze in the maximum amount of rent low-income people can pay for accommodation without losing their entitlement to state subsidies could lead to increased homelessness, a union representing welfare workers has warned. p
Agencies' help sought to solve crisis for homeless
Homelessness in the Dublin region is still at crisis point, the Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Noel Ahern, said yesterday. p
President marks Chanukah at synagogue in Dublin
The President, Mrs McAleese made history last night, as the first Irish Head of State to officially attend a synagogue of the Liberal and Progressive Jewish Community of the UK and Ireland. p
LUAS works to be suspended for Operation Freeflow
Gardaí on bicycles tackling gridlock will be a feature of Operation Freeflow when it begins in Dublin tomorrow. An extra 110 gardaí have been drafted into the capital in an effort to keep the city's traffic flowing over the Christmas period. It will run until January 6th, 2003. p
State urged to take initiative in changing views on schizophrenia
The Government was urged yesterday to take the initiative in changing attitudes by highlighting "the true facts" about schizophrenia. p
Revenue remains silent on Conor Cruise O'Brien's alleged tax debt
The Revenue Commissioners have refused to comment on a newspaper report that the writer and former Government minister, Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien, has been issued with a large demand for unpaid tax. p

Electoral Spending Judgment

An electoral minefield for politicians
Although the Kelly judgment will have a long-lasting impact on Irish politics, it will not stop the binge-like spending indulged in by Fianna Fáil, writes Mark Hennessy , Political Reporter p
Challenge to poll results possible
A challenge to some of the results in the recent election would have a reasonable chance of success following the Supreme Court ruling on expenses, according to a legal expert. p
Court ruling could open way for poll challenges
A Supreme Court decision yesterday has opened the possibility of legal challenge to the election of certain candidates in the last general election. The five-judge court dismissed the State's appeal against a High Court decision declaring unconstitutional provisions of the Electoral Act relating to the election expenses of outgoing TDs, senators and MEPs. p

Moriarty Tribunal

Differing statements of O'Reilly and Lowry investigated
The Moriarty tribunal is conducting one of the most in-depth inquiries in the State's history. Colm Keena reports p
O'Reilly statement rejects Lowry claim
Sir Anthony O'Reilly, in his statement to the Moriarty tribunal, said he was "taken aback" when he was told what the former minister, Mr Michael Lowry, had told the tribunal. p
Lowry says O'Reilly voiced 'extreme displeasure' at failure to get licence
Mr Lowry, in his statement to the Moriarty tribunal, said he could recall attending the Curragh racecourse on the weekend of the Derby in July 1995. Someone whom he could not now recall asked him if he would go to see Sir Anthony in his executive box. He did and a discussion ensued. p
Impromptu meeting after Cork encounter
The former Taoiseach, Mr John Bruton, said in his statement to the Moriarty tribunal that he met Sir Anthony O'Reilly in August 1996 when an impromptu meeting was arranged after the two men met in Co Cork. p

Flood Tribunal

Ex-TD says Dunlop 'trousered' #175,000
Former Fine Gael TD and Senator Mr Liam Cosgrave has launched a blistering attack on lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop, describing him as dishonest, greedy, corrupt and a corrupting influence. p
Inquiries into dead must end - lawyers
Lawyers for deceased politicians under investigation by the tribunal are seeking an end to investigations into their clients on the basis that it cannot fairly inquire into someone who is dead. p
Bitter scenes as the stage is set for Dunlop
Analysis: This week was the calm between storms at the Floodtribunal, between the opening revelations and next week's long-awaitedappearance by Frank Dunlop. Paul Cullen reports p

DPP Annual Report

Number of charges brought in child sex abuse cases falls
The number of charges brought in relation to child sex abuse cases has fallen in the past 18 months, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions. p
Statistics show most jury cases end in conviction
Most cases that go to trial before judge and jury end in conviction, according to the DPP's statistics for 2001. p

In the North

Ahern meeting with Blair today suggests renewed pace in NI talks
TheTaoiseach, Mr Ahern, will meet the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Chequers this morning to discuss the continuing political impasse in Northern Ireland. p
SDLP promises to keep ministers under scrutiny
The SDLP will work to renew the Belfast Agreement while vowing to keep direct-rule ministers under scrutiny, Mrs Brid Rodgers told a seminar in Belfast yesterday. p

In The Courts

Life term for ex-girlfriend's murder
A Dublin man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death and seriously injured her mother has been convicted of murder and serious assault and jailed for life by a judge in the Central Criminal Court. p
Woman says radio personality regularly abused her as a child
A woman who claims a radio personality sexually abused her when she was a child told the Central Criminal Court that for a long time afterwards he used other children to taunt and torture her mentally. p
Assets freeze continues on accused in VAT case
An order freezing €22 million in assets was continued by the High Court yesterday against an Irish businessman, who is charged with one of the biggest VAT frauds in UK history, and two of his companies. p
Former aviation authority director jailed in drugs case
A former director of the Irish Aviation Authority and member of Shannon Town Commissioners has been jailed for 2½years for having cocaine valued at €50,000. p
Firearms case witness questioned on car sale
A witness in a firearms trial yesterday told the jury it was not the accused who paid him for a second-hand car later linked to the murder of two young men. p
Judge takes developer to task on site safety
A judge told a construction company director yesterday that it was "purely providential" he was in court, rather than attending a funeral or hospital, given the company's failure to comply with safety regulations on its site, particularly with scaffolding. p
Father gets four years for sexual abuse
Without Childline the sexual abuse of a young Sligo girl would never have come to light, a judge said at the Central Criminal Court when he jailed her father for four years. p

Regional News

Three Rivers final report on pollution indicts agriculture
Agriculture contributes about 60 per cent of phosphorus pollution in the Boyne, Liffey and Suir river catchments, according to the final report of the Three Rivers Project released in Waterford yesterday. p
Farmers' efforts 'not recognised'
Proper recognition has not been given to the "substantial work" being done by farmers to improve water quality, according to the deputy president of the IFA, Mr Ruaidhrí Deasy. p
Family of murdered woman believe gardai talking to the wrong man
Five years after the murder of Galway taxi-driver Eileen Costello- O'Shaughnessy, her family believes that the Garda has the "wrong suspect". Mr Martin Costello, the taxi-driver's brother, and her mother, Nora, are convinced that the culprit is still at large. p

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