ireland.com - The Irish Times

FG man arranged O'Brien's meetings with ministers
The businessman Mr Denis O'Brien met two former Fine Gael ministers at Government Buildings in May 1995 as part of a campaign to "raise his profile" within the party, the Moriarty tribunal heard. p

Trial of 'Colombia Three' creates doubts over court's ability
The trial of the Colombia Three has descended into near farce, writes Deaglán de Bréadún , Foreign Affairs Correspondent, in Bogota. p

Leading politicians at Mitchell removal
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and politicians from parties north and south were among the large attendance at the removal of the remains of former Fine Gael TD and Cabinet minister Mr Jim Mitchell in Dublin last night. p

Other Stories

Child health campaigner killed in crash
A mother of six and leading child health campaigner was killed on Monday when her car skidded off a road in Co Kilkenny. Her four-year-old son Bobby survived the accident, writes Sean Keane . p
HEA study points to high fees for college tuition
New figures from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) suggest that if third-level tuition fees are reintroduced next year the costs facing students and their parents could be extremely high. p
Getting best value from Japan's rich
Mine was the only rucksack on the luggage carousel at Tokyo's Narita Airport. Some backpackers do go to Japan, but they go in much smaller numbers than to anywhere else in Asia; in 11 days, I ran into very few. Any child can tell you why: Japan is arguably the world's most pricy country to be trotting around in without the cushion of a paid-for business trip and an expense account. p
Roscommon man freed in Greece on smuggling charge
A young Roscommon man has been freed from jail in Greece after his conviction for cigarette smuggling was overturned. p
Stolen boat is found intact in Kildare
"Lucky Lucky " lived up to her name yesterday when the €30,000 Dragon racing boat, stolen from outside its owner's home on Monday morning, was found "intact and undamaged" in a Co Kildare car-breaker's yard. p
New inquiries may replace tribunals
An outline scheme which would replace most tribunals of inquiry has been given the go-ahead by the Government. The new scheme will initially be directed towards an inquiry into the handling of allegations of clerical child sex abuse, but it is intended for general use in the future. p
Head of organs inquiry sought fees boost
The chairwoman of the inquiry into the retention by hospitals of human organs, Ms Anne Dunne SC, was refused an increase in her fees last year, The Irish Times has learned. p
Braun package accepted
Workers at Braun Ireland in Carlow voted yesterday to accept a redundancy package which, the company says, secures the future of the plant. p
Workers to share payout after €18.1m sale of sports ground
About 400 workers and retired employees of the failed Irish Glass Bottle Company in Ringsend, Dublin, are to share a lottery-type payout following the sale of their sports grounds in Goatstown for €18.1 million. p
Attack fear forces students to cancel charity sleep-out
The annual Christmas sleep-out by students of Belvedere College in Dublin has been cancelled due to fears that those sleeping rough to raise money for the homeless may be attacked. p
Bruton accuses RTE of 'secular puritanism'
The former Fine Gael Taoiseach, Mr John Bruton TD, has accused RTÉ and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) of "engaging in a form of secular puritanism, which should have no place in a liberal society". p
Hospital waiting pledge set to be broken
The Government is set to fail in its promise to eliminate the number of sick people waiting more than 12 months for hospital treatment by the end of the year. p
Concern at 2% public jobs for those with disabilities
The number of people with disabilities employed in the public sector is growing at an "unacceptably slow" rate, the Disabilities Minister has said. p
Demands of nurses for better pay rejected
Nurses' demands for improved pay and conditions in a number of areas were rejected by health service managers yesterday in talks at the Labour Relations Commission. p
Homosexuality seen as wrong by more than half NI young
More than half of young people in Northern Ireland believe sex between men is always or mostly wrong, according to a survey published today by the Family Planning Association and the University of Ulster. p
Final report on licensing laws delayed over traveller issues
The Government-appointed Commission on Liquor Licensing laws is to issue an interim report on its findings next week. p
Derry landmark is destroyed by fire
One of Derry's most historic buildings was destroyed in a fire last night which the police believe was started deliberately. p
Irish family planning aid may rise
The Minister of State for overseas aid has said the Government may increase funding for family planning programmes in the developing world this year, despite some opposition to the move. p

Moriarty Tribunal

Desmond denies conversation on Lowry
Mr Tony Boyle, a representative of one of the losing consortia in the second mobile phone licence competition, has told the tribunal in a statement that Mr Dermot Desmond told him in 1995 that he, Mr Desmond, knew who Mr Denis O'Brien would use to "get to" Mr Michael Lowry. Mr Desmond has told the tribunal that the conversation never took place. p
Plan for Irish investors to make 20% of consortium
The Norwegian company Telenor became involved in discussions with Mr Denis O'Brien in late April 1995, the tribunal has been told in a statement by Mr John Callaghan, a director of Mr O'Brien's company Communicorp. p
Phone bid process for applicants changed by Lowry
The former minister for transport, energy and communications, Mr Michael Lowry, changed the bidding process for applicants for the second mobile phone licence when he took up office in December 1994, the Moriarty tribunal has heard. p

Flood Tribunal

Rezoning of land cost taxpayer
The rezoning of property owned by the controversial English company, Jackson Way, cost the taxpayer money by increasing the value of land that had to be acquired for the south-eastern motorway, the Flood tribunal has heard. p

In The Courts

Court told woman suffered personality change
A woman suffered a personality change after she was sucked into the grasp of the Church of Scientology and subjected to mind-control techniques, the High Court was told yesterday. Ms Mary Johnson has sued the church for damages. p
Wife and lover jailed for life for killing husband
Mother of two Julie McGinley and her lover Michael Monaghan were jailed for life last night for the brutal murder of her 34-year-old husband Gerry. p
Five years' jail for €3.5m drugs operation
A diabetic who used her nine-year-old daughter to disguise her role in a €3.5 million heroin and ecstasy operation has been jailed for five years by Judge Des Hogan. p
Hurlers to pay into poor box
Four Tipperary hurling stars from Mullinahone were each ordered by a judge yesterday to pay €350 to the court poor box to avoid a conviction arising from high jinks in a Border town. p
Teenager jailed for his part in bank raid
A Dublin teenager who was involved in what gardaí described as a well-planned and well-executed armed robbery of a bank in Tipperary has been jailed for four years. p
Child abduction case deferred until January
The case of a woman accused of aiding the abduction of six-year-old Deirdre Crowley has been adjourned until January. p
Doctor sues over sale of reading glasses
A doctor seeking to sell non-prescription "reading glasses" to the public claimed at the High Court yesterday that successive governments have failed since 1995 to implement EU deregulation provisions relating to such glasses. p

In the North

DUP deputy leader could be First Minister
DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson does not discount the possibility that he could be elected First Minister following fresh elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. p
Robinson claims core principle of Agreement elevated terrorists
The spotlight is turning once again on Mr Peter Robinson, potential majority unionist leader-in-waiting. As the peace process stumbles from crisis to crisis some - particularly in Dublin - wonder if he might be the better man to deal with. p
Trimble tells republicans to end 'love affair with gun'
Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble has demanded closure, finality and an end to the republican movement's "love affair with the gun". p
Claims of suppression denied
The family of one of the Bloody Sunday victims yesterday accused the British government of suppressing documents about former prime minister Sir Edward Heath's knowledge of the killings. p

Dail Report

Government is accused of being 'enabler' of drinks industry
The code of practice for the drinks industry had not been complied with in the spirit in which it was intended, the Taoiseach told the Dail. p
FG criticises cuts in community job schemes
The Government was accused of sharply reducing the number of places to be available in community employment schemes next year by the Fine Gael spokesman on trade, enterprise and employment. p
Minister set to review charity legislation
A report on the reform of charity legislation is under consideration by the Minister of State for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs. p
TD warns on prison land sale
Any "Fianna Fáil land speculator" eyeing up the Shanganagh open prison with a view to making a "big killing" on its sale, should think again, the Dáil was told. p
Discrimination against women in sport raised
SENATE REPORT: The Minster for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, said he understood that a discrimination complaint against "a certain club" was currently before the courts and he believed that a decision in that case would obviously set a precedent for other cases. p

Regional News

Firm seeks €157m for Corrib gas stake
One of three oil groups behind the Corrib gas development is seeking to sell its stake for up to €157 million. p
Objectors to gas pipeline question accuracy of documents
Documentation submitted by both Enterprise Energy Ireland (EEI) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the proposed gas terminal at Bellanaboy Bridge in north Mayo was called into question at the oral hearing into the project in Ballina yesterday. p
Doctor warns on methadone clinic
The medical officer of Castlerea Prison in Roscommon, Dr Greg Kelly, has warned that the recent opening of a methadone clinic in Galway could attract a "tourist industry" of drug addicts to the west of Ireland. p
Building is not blamed for floods in Meath
Last month's flooding in Co Meath did not happen because of building or development on flood plains but was due to "an incredible amount of rain falling over a period of a few hours", the county manager, Mr Tom Dowling, has stated. p
Recycled glass used for road resurfacing
Recycled glass has been used to resurface a section of road in Tallow, Co Waterford. p
Premises are told to close because of health dangers
A Wexford pub and a take-away and pub in Co Galway were ordered to close last month because they posed a danger to public health. p
Leap at the chance to count frogs
A major survey of frogs will get under way in Ireland early in 2003, led by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC). p
Union to ballot hotel group staff on strike
SIPTU is to ballot staff in the Great Southern Hotel Group on strike action "on the basis of the privatisation of any hotel". The decision was taken at a meeting on Monday evening of staff representatives and shop stewards from the nine Great Southern Hotels. p

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