ireland.com - The Irish Times

Lawlor named as man who sought #5m, tribunal told
Mahon Tribunal Developer Mr Tom Gilmartin identified Mr Liam Lawlor in 1989 as the man who sought a £5 million bribe from him, according to Dublin's top local authority official at the time. p

Many complaints against public bodies
Public service bodies came second only to licensed premises in complaints made against them under equality legislation, according to the Equality Authority's annual report. There were 171 complaints against public bodies under the Equal Status Act in 2003, compared with 272 against licensed premises. There were 124 complaints against educational institutions. p

'A form of educational apartheid is at work'
Second-level education is becoming more socially divided. Increasingly, better-off parents are opting out of the State system, writes Seán Flynn , Education Editor p

Other Stories

Feely defends decision not to call in gardai over Gilmartin's claims
Mahon Tribunal Former Dublin city and county manager Mr Frank Feely has defended his decision not to inform the gardaí first about the allegations made to him by developer Mr Tom Gilmartin. p
EU ends GM foods ban with approval of sweetcorn
The European Commission has authorised the marketing of a genetically modified form of sweetcorn, ending a six-year ban on new GM foods in the EU. p
Strong opposition to lifting of ban from Opposition parties
There was strong political opposition here to the lifting of the GM ban by the EU and this was led by the Labour Party spokesman on Agriculture and Food Safety, Ms Mary Upton TD. p
GMO: What is a genetically modified organism?
A GMO is a plant, animal or microbe that carries extra genetic material, usually an extra gene built into the organism to give it new traits. Selective breeding of animals and plants does the same thing but in a slower and far less targeted way. p
High-tech packaging needs strict control
New food packaging: types The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday said strong legislation was needed to ensure high-tech packaging, aimed at extending the shelf-life of food products, does not pose a health risk to consumers. p
Farmers warn nitrates directive will force cut in cattle numbers
The farm organisations are set on a collision course with the Government over its handling of the EU Nitrates Directive which will limit the use of fertiliser on Irish land and force farmers to store organic fertiliser for long periods in winter on their farms. p
Involvement of loyalist paramilitaries 'not proven'
Dublin/Monaghan bombings inquest The Dublin City Coroner has told the jury at the Dublin and Monaghan bombings inquest that it has not been proven loyalist paramilitaries were involved in the atrocities of May 17th, 1974. p
Doctors threaten strike action over insurance
Hospital consultants have threatened industrial action if members are refused insurance cover, after one of the leading providers announced yesterday it was scaling back some of its services. p
Garda says he's being 'singled out as fall guy'
Morris Tribunal The Garda superintendent alleged to have prepared bogus explosives-finds in Donegal a decade ago in order to advance his career has told the Morris tribunal he was a fall guy and had no case to answer. p
Expert says no EU state is safe
All EU member states are at continued high risk of an al-Qaeda terrorist strike and none, including Ireland, should consider itself a safe haven immune from such attacks, the EU's new EU Counter Terrorism Co-ordinator has said. p
Strike ballot taken at 'Independent'
Union members in Independent Newspapers are to finish balloting today on whether to serve strike notice on the company. p
Judge Curtin inquiry free to set rules
The Oireachtas inquiry into the conduct of Circuit Court judge Mr Brian Curtin will be able to set down its rules and procedures. p
Call for clarity in benchmarking
A new benchmarking process with increased transparency is to be demanded today by members of the State's largest public sector union. p

Elections2004

European court decision casts doubt on policy of deportation
The Government fears that it may not be able to deport many of the 11,000 families with Irish-born children facing deportation following a Supreme Court case last year. There are concerns in Government circles that Tuesday's Chen judgment in the European Court of Justice will give many of these families the right to reside in Ireland. p
Lawyers unite against referendum
The proposed citizenship amendment would introduce discrimination between children born in Ireland, and deprive some of them of full constitutional protection, according to Prof William Binchy. p
Change will not cure abuses, says Morrisson
Former US congressman Mr Bruce Morrison said the Government's citizenship referendum will "do nothing" to stop abuses of the asylum system. p
ICTU wants poll on citizenship deferred
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions last night called for the citizenship referendum to be deferred. p
Labour could gain at expense of FF and Greens in three-seater
European constituency profile: East The growing urbanisation of ther East constituency may bring changes, writes Mark Brennock , Chief Political Correspondent p
Greens call for local government ombudsman post
Green Party: local government reform proposals The Greens are aiming to triple their tally of local government seats in the elections on June 11th, the party said yesterday. p
Triple Crown star to try his luck
Local election candidates One of the stars of Ireland's 1982 Triple Crown-winning team is to run in the local elections in Limerick. p
Deaths of Italian troops in Iraq make war key electoral issue
Country profile: Italy The war in Iraq, pension reforms and the uncertain economic climate are the key issues dominating an Italian European election campaign that has clearly become a major test for the centre-right coalition government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.Italy: by the numbers p
Youth in a determined mood to have its fling in elections
On the doorstep of a house in the neatly maintained housing estate of Cherrywood Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin, Fianna Fáil's Trevor Gilligan (21) is trying to convince Vincent, a middle-aged father with folded arms, that he has something new to offer politics. p
Health issue puts pressure on FF
Council profile: Wicklow County Council The "swing" on Wicklow County Council in 1999 was effectively a one-seat gain for Fine Gael at Fianna Fáil's expense. The incoming council saw nine new faces in the chamber - but the party representation remained unruffled. p

In The Courts

Woman with guide dog refused service in restaurant
A partially sighted woman who was refused service in a restaurant because she had her guide dog with her was discriminated against on the grounds of disability, the Equality Tribunal has ruled. p
Gay man who was asked to leave hotel awarded €1,000
A gay man was discriminated against on sexual orientation grounds when he was asked to leave a Waterford hotel, the Equality Tribunal has ruled. The decision was one of 15 published yesterday. p
Three jailed for copying bank cards and withdrawing money
Three Romanian men have received two-year jail sentences for their involvement in withdrawing money from people's bank accounts using their bank card details obtained by devices attached to an ATM in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. p

In the North

SF to challenge the legality of IMC sanctions
Sinn Féin is to mount a legal challenge against the British government's decision to sanction the party following the Independent Monitoring Commission's (IMC) recent adjudication that the IRA is still engaged in paramilitary violence. p
New moves to ensure calm marching season
A new initiative from the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, aimed at ensuring that this summer's marching season passes off relatively peacefully, as it did last year, has prompted an initially positive response from republican and loyalist organisations. p

In the Dail

Smith says parts of Hanly report were changed
The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, insisted that the parts of the Hanly report dealing with Nenagh and Ennis hospitals had been changed. p
O'Keeffe praises AIB exchange rate
A former Fianna Fáil minister of State said that AIB offered the most competitive foreign exchange rates at the time it was overcharging its customers by up to €25 million. p
Concerns on Iraqi prisoner abuse were made known
The Minister for Foreign Affairs rejected opposition claims that the Government had failed to adequately condemn the abuse of prisoners in Iraq by US and UK forces. p
Civil servants in dark over relocation - FG
Civil servants who do not wish to decentralise feel they are "being left high and dry" because they are getting no information about what is in store for them if they do not move, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, claimed. p
Safety of 'Colombia Three' requested, says Cowen
The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs sent personal messages to the Colombian president and foreign minister about the release of the "Colombia Three", the Dáil was told. p
Smith's F-words are just French
Dail Sketch Marie O'Halloran The Minister for Defence has a "penchant" for F-words, the Dáil discovered recently. p
Query on US military traffic
Seanad Report Mr David Norris (Ind) asked for information on what measures were being taken to inspect US military traffic in transit through Shannon Airport to Iraq. He said he wanted inquiries made because it was apparently possible that torturers from the US, or their victims, were being transported through our air space and through this airport. "I'd like to know whether or not this is a fact." p

Regional News

Clampers refused to release car at request of doctor
A clamping company has apologised for an incident where its staff clamped two cars outside a doctor's surgery in Galway during a medical emergency. p
€20,000 fine for death on site
A judge said yesterday that shortcuts and chances taken on a construction site resulted in an accident in which a workman died. p
Bishop publishes guidelines to protect children
The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, yesterday launched new diocesan guidelines aimed at ensuring that sexual abuse of children involved in church-related activities will not occur in the future. p
Six arrested after shots fired at patrol car
Three gardaí responding to a routine call narrowly escaped injury when a masked gunman blasted their patrol car with a shotgun. p
Doonbeg golf project likened to Intel or Dell moving to Clare
The chief executive of Shannon Development has described the impact of the new Doonbeg Golf Club in Co Clare as being akin to "Intel or Dell setting up in west Clare." p
Women urged to challenge canvassers on social welfare
The National Women's Council of Ireland has called on women to challenge canvassing politicians on how they propose to reform the "male breadwinner" focus of the social welfare system. p
Hopes for international art gallery in Kerry
The director of the Cill Rialaig Project artists' retreat and gallery in south Kerry said yesterday she was confident of the backing of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, for an international art gallery in the county. p

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