ireland.com - The Irish Times

Family believes remains are their mother's
The family of Jean McConville say they now believe that the remains found at Shelling Hill beach on Wednesday are those of their mother. p

O'Callaghan potential backer of theme park
Cork property developer Owen O'Callaghan has emerged as a potential backer of the proposed €7 billion theme park in north Co Dublin. p

Time for teaching Irish to be reduced
The amount of time devoted to the Irish language in 3,000 primary schools is to be scaled back by 30 per cent from next Monday. p

Less than 50% go on routine visits to dentist
Less than half the population routinely visit the dentist and the poor go much less regularly than the wealthy, according to a new survey. p

Other Stories

DNA database provided for in McDowell Bill
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has announced plans to give the gardaí powers to take DNA samples from criminal suspects without their consent. p
Ballsbridge restaurant could be source of E coli infection outbreak
One of Dublin's best-known restaurants has temporarily closed after being identified as the possible source of an outbreak of the potentially fatal E coli O157 infection. p
TDs fear miscarriage of justice with new Garda Bill
Most Opposition parties have called for safeguards to help protect against potential miscarriages of justice in response to the Government's plans to strengthen the power of the Garda. p
New card system takes a swipe at truancy rates
A growing number of secondary schools are introducing "swipe cards" for pupils in a bid to reduce truancy and cut down on time spent recording pupil attendance. p
Dukes criticises funding freeze on third-level research
The Government's decision to freeze funding for third-level research has been criticised by the former Fine Gael leader and director general of the Institute of European Affairs, Mr Alan Dukes. The move was directly contrary to the needs of the State, Mr Dukes told a conference in Galway yesterday. p
Many worthwhile courses are still available
Going to College/Kathryn Holmquist: There should be a repeat Leaving Cert in August for students who were unable to achieve to their potential in June due to illness or family bereavement. p
Institute courses 'being ignored'
Taxpayers' money is being wasted on courses that students no longer want, according to the Institutes of Technology. As nearly 1,000 IT courses go begging for students on the CAO vacant places list, the institutes believe that the sooner they become autonomous from the Department of Education, the better. p
DCU defends setting points
Dublin City University is standing over the right of its heads of departments to say what the minimum number of points required for courses should be.The academic council of the university insists that it will not leave places unfilled if there are eligible applicants. p
GAA says No to disabilities flag
Special Olympics athletes have been refused permission by the GAA to carry a flag promoting the European Year of the Disabled at this year's All-Ireland finals. p
Gardai say shooting in city may be part of feud
Gardaí in Dublin have not ruled out the possibility that a shooting in the city early yesterday morning may be linked to a feud which has already claimed at least two lives. p
Catholic papers 'sapped' C of I morale
Two Catholic Church documents have "sapped" the morale of Protestants, according to the Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, the Right Rev Michael Jackson. p
Criticism from business 'misleading'
SIPTU conference: Criticism by business leaders of the benchmarking pay awards to public servants was dismissed as misleading and disingenuous yesterday by the vice-president of SIPTU, Mr Jack O'Connor. p
Cap on building land price urged
A Bill aimed at stabilising and capping the price of building land will be published by the Labour Party later this year, its leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said last night. p
Smoking ban could cost EUR190m - vintners
A blanket ban on smoking in pubs would result in between 3,100 and 8,500 job losses, and a loss to the Exchequer of between €69 million and €190 million, according to the latest economic assessment p
Census shows big rise in women with no children
The number of women aged between 25 and 34 with no children has increased dramatically since 1996, according to the latest census figures. p
Health board closed service, says Barnardos
A leading children's charity has accused the East Coast Area Health Board of forcing the premature closure of a dedicated support service for young asylum-seekers in Co Dublin set up last year. p
Disney-style 'plan' for Fingal would need 2,000 acres rezoned
Public-transport access, energy and water supplies need debate if the mooted 7 billion theme park for north Co Dublin is to fly, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Editor p
Happy ending for Italians who lost their way
Three Italian tourists forced to sleep in their car because they could not remember the location of their guest house were yesterday reunited with their luggage after the owner of the guest house contacted gardaí following a radio appeal. p
Film board gets new chief executive
The Irish Film Board has announced the appointment of Mr Mark Woods as its new chief executive. p
Exhumed body test results due in days
Gardaí investigating the activities of a nurse suspended from Naas General Hospital expect to receive within days the results of toxicology tests carried out on the body of a man exhumed from a graveyard in Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, at the end of last month. p
Waterford taxi-drivers disagree with chamber on car-free area
Taxi-drivers in Waterford have clashed with the city's Chamber of Commerce over the organisation's support for further pedestrianisation. p
Magdalen inquiry sought
The National Women's Council of Ireland has called for an official investigation into the exhumation and cremation of the bodies of 155 women from a Dublin Magdalen laundry graveyard a decade ago. p
New move may reduce insurance
Motor insurance premiums should fall with the introduction of a new car repair estimation system, according to the insurance industry and the Competition Authority. p
Tullamore train users forced to take the bus
Iarnród Éireann passengers in Tullamore, Co Offaly, were forced to travel to Dublin by bus yesterday when unexpectedly high numbers filled the early morning train from Westport to Dublin. p
Bail for teen on roof-top
A teenager who was arrested by gardaí, when they found him drunk on top of a high-rise building, has been released on bail, on condition that he keeps off the roofs of the flat complexes in Dublin's Fatima Mansions. p
Call to avert school traffic chaos
The Irish Road Haulage Association has called on the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, to show that a school transport management strategy will be operated at the start of the new school year next week. p

In the North

Sinn Fein mayor backing Claudy bombing inquiry
The Sinn Féin Mayor of Limavady Borough Council in Co Derry said yesterday that members of the Provisional IRA should co-operate with any inquiry which was set up to investigate the Claudy bombings. p
NI citizens willing to inform on criminals
People in Northern Ireland are more prepared to inform on drug dealers and racketeers, new research suggests. p

Regional News

Galway Hospice subject to second review
The troubled Galway Hospice is now the subject of two investigations, following the suspension of all new admissions to the cancer care facility. p
Shannon Development pulls out of Cliffs of Moher visitor centre
Shannon Development has pulled out of a proposed joint venture with Clare Co Council to develop the €25 million visitor centre at the Cliffs of Moher p
Homeless couple in council protest
A couple who are expecting their first child are camping outside the Waterford City Council housing office in an attempt to secure suitable accommodation. p
Dunnes staff in Limerick to strike
Dunnes Stores workers in the Parkway Shopping Centre branch in Limerick will today stage a one-day strike in protest at what they claim is the company's failure to address issues of bullying and harassment at the store p
Farmers and Third World groups urged to agree joint policy on trade
Farmers and Third World activists should agree a common position on trade liberalisation, including access to European markets for exports from poor countries, according to the Minister of State for Development Co-operation, Mr Tom Kitt. p
Beet growers face wipe-out, says IFA
Ireland's 3,700 sugar beet growers are facing "a total wipe- out" if proposals to reduce import tariffs drastically and remove export subsidies are agreed at the upcoming Word Trade Organisation negotiations in Mexico, it was claimed yesterday. p
Campaign to brief farmers on CAP reform proposals
A month-long countrywide campaign to brief farmers on the reforms in the Common Agricultural Policy will begin on September 9th, the Department of Agriculture and Food said yesterday. p

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