ireland.com - The Irish Times

Curtin inquiry will see evidence
Evidence gathered from Judge Brian Curtin's home will be shown to the Oireachtas inquiry set up to investigate his conduct, the Government has privately told the Opposition. p

Labour says citizenship proposal 'deeply flawed'
No campaign/Labour Party document: Labour has published a detailed critique of the Government's citizenship referendum proposal arguing that it is "deeply flawed" and should be rejected. p

Access to school 'league tables' seems assured
Parents and the public are likely to have continued access to school "league tables" despite pressure from teacher unions and management groups to block their publication. The CAO last night emphasised that no move had been taken to block publication of the tables. p

Other Stories

Gardai treating death of man (27) as suspicious
Gardaí in Cork are treating as suspicious the death of a 27-year-old man, whose body was discovered at his home in the city yesterday. p
Equality Authority identifies areas of discrimination
The Equality Authority has suggested that the public and private sectors should have stronger equality provisions to help prevent discrimination and promote equal treatment of workers. p
Labour critical of plan to close Garda stations
Plans by the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, to close Garda stations, including some in urban areas, have been criticised by the Labour Party. p
President pays tribute to Farrell
The President, Mrs McAleese, yesterday launched a collection of essays written as a tribute to the distinguished political scientist, teacher and broadcaster, Prof Brian Farrell. p
Top grind school attempts to poach the best teachers
The State's largest grind school, the Institute of Education in Dublin, is actively seeking to poach teachers from State and other schools by asking students to help them identify good teachers. p
Creches may face closure as health boards halt funding
Crèches for vulnerable children in some disadvantaged areas in the State may face closure as health boards are unable to fund their services from next month. p
No sign of report on heart girl Roisin Ruddle's death a year on
Almost a year after an independent report was ordered into the death of a two-year-old Limerick girl within hours of her heart operation being postponed by a Dublin hospital, there is still no sign of the report. p
NI Secretary to study S Africa truth process
The British government is approaching its consultation on a truth and reconciliation mechanism for dealing with Northern Ireland's violent past with an open mind, Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy insisted last night. p
Man questioned over Galway pub incident
A young man was being questioned by gardaí in Galway city last night following an incident outside a pub which left a man in his 40s with serious head injuries. p
Experts want changes in prison drugs policy
The Government should continuously monitor the effectiveness of heroin injecting rooms for drug-users overseas and establish needle-exchange programmes in Irish prisons, its official drug advisory group has said. p
Confusion on hospital plan for north-east
The first indications of how hospital services in the north-east region may be reorganised under the second phase of the Hanly taskforce plan began to emerge yesterday. p
High compliance with smoking ban found
National compliance rates of up to 97 per cent have been recorded since the smoking ban was introduced, according to an official report to be published next week. p
Psychiatrist says binge drinking linked to suicide
A leading Irish psychiatrist has criticised the sponsorship of sporting and cultural events by the drinks industry and said that binge drinking of alcohol among young men, often associated with weekend and festival events, is linked to suicide. p
Gardai search for stolen ESB crane truck
Gardaí are searching for thieves who took an ESB crane truck in Dublin which they believe may have been stolen to order or to carry out a crime necessitating lifting gear. p
Urban rehousing move criticised
Dublin City Council's decision to drop a plan to demolish high-rise council flats at St Michael's estate in Inchicore has been criticised by a social and economic think-thank. p
Author gave up rocks for literature
A Dublin author and geologist, Mr Aubrey Flegg, won top prize in the 14th annual Bisto Book Awards, the most prestigious award for children's books in Ireland. p
DIT believes variety of courses on offer has contributed to its success
Third Level/Feeder schools: Unlike some other third-level institutions in the Dublin area, a significant proportion of the main feeder schools sending students to the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) are based outside the county. p
EU health spending criticised
The European Union was sharply criticised yesterday for spending more money on animal subsidies than on protecting the public health of its citizens. p

Elections2004

'Alarming' rise in HIV cases in maternity care
Referendum campaign: The Rotunda Hospital in Dublin asked the Government last year to give urgent attention to an "alarming" increase in the number of non-national patients who were HIV positive, it has emerged. p
All kinds of everything for a vote
On the campaign trail: Immigrants, tourists, shoppers - no one is safe from the Dana and Marian Harkin charm offensive in Galway, writes Lorna Siggins . p
Figures suggest Fine Gael is in line to gain a seat
Council area profile/Leitrim: The former Fine Gael TD and senator, Mr Gerry Reynolds, has changed electoral areas in a long-term attempt to regain a Dáil seat. p
Election success in Kenny's hinterland a must for Fine Gael
Council area profile/Mayo: If Enda Kenny plans to lead his party into the next general election, let alone lead it in a successful general election campaign, he must perform well in his home county. p
FG and FF row over election rule
Local election: The Government introduced last-minute regulations two days before the close of local election nominations to enable up to 30 local authority staff members to run in the election. p
Candidates in Galway seize on clamping issue
Council area profile/Galway city: If Garda Shaun Durkin ever had any political ambitions, he could have done well to seek a nomination in this year's local elections in Galway city. He has been identified as the hero of the hour in the controversial car-clamping incident earlier this month. p
Fine Gael has most women running
Local elections/women candidates: The Green Party and the Socialist Party have the highest proportions of female candidates in the local elections. p
'Dark horse' farmer hopes for Euro election success
Northern Ireland election/campaign launch: Independent European Parliament election candidate Mr John Gilliland has predicted that comparable to the success of Dr Kieran Deeny in the Assembly election he could spring a surprise and win one of the North's three European seats. p
Being heard is the big challenge for one of the Union's smallest countries
Country profile/Slovenia: As one of the smallest countries in the European Union, Slovenia is concerned about how it can possibly make its voice heard in Brussels or in Strasbourg. p

In The Courts

Troubled teenager offered semi-independent care
A troubled teenager has been offered a flat to live in and professional help after he took court action against a health board, alleging years of failure to provide appropriate care. p
Solicitor loses case over bank accounts
A Dublin solicitor has lost her High Court challenge to a District Court judge's direction permitting the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to inspect and/or take copies of the solicitor's client account in AIB. p
Action on claim to $160m estate in US struck out
The High Court has struck out proceedings in which a Cork businessman alleged that a university professor made a false claim that he was entitled to benefit from the $160 million estate left by a woman who died in the US 20 years ago. p
Two lose convictions appeal
Two young men each jailed for 15 months for reckless endangerment following the death of a friend lost their appeal against their convictions in the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday. p

In the Dail

Opposition support s Bill to compel judge
Opposition parties yesterday gave conditional support to legislation which aims to compel Judge Brian Curtin to appear before a committee reviewing his case. p
FG complains over child porn measure
The Bill to allow members of the Oireachtas committee reviewing the Judge Brian Curtin controversy view child pornography was passed without a division, despite strong opposition reservations. p
Action soon on Aer Rianta, says Brennan
The Minister for Transport said he intended that the legislation dealing with the break-up of Aer Rianta would be enacted before the Dáil's summer recess. p
Local election rules under fire
The Minister for the Environment has been accused of abusing his office by introducing regulations which the Fine Gael TD, Mr Michael Ring, has claimed will favour Fianna Fáil candidates in the local elections. p
Greens seek details on decentralisation plans
The Green Party has called on the Government to announce the arrangements for decentralisation which it promised to publish by the end of May. p
Cows 'are valued above people'
The average EU cow enjoyed a subsidy of about €1 a day, which was much more than was given in development aid to human beings, Ms Fiona O'Malley (PD, Dún Laoghaire) said. p
McDowell queries process of impeachment
Seanad Report: Mr Derek McDowell (Lab) expressed concern that a judge brought before an Oireachtas committee as part of an impeachment process might be afforded less protection than a person accused of stealing a chocolate bar. p

In the North

Northern Secretary moves to rectify 'Real IRA' loophole in Terrorism Act
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, is to move to plug the loophole that could allow members of the "Real IRA" to avoid being convicted of membership of an outlawed organisation in Northern Ireland. p

Regional News

EU payments at risk over nitrate plan, says Walsh
Farm organisations were warned yesterday that failure by the Government to submit a nitrates plan could result in their €1.7 billion direct payments being endangered. p
First civil servants to transfer are volunteers
The 50 Department of Agriculture clerical staff who will be transferred to Portlaoise in the next few weeks are all volunteers and were not taken from the so-called "CAO" list as part of the Government's decentralisation plan, it emerged yesterday. p
Three die in workplace accidents
The deaths of three people in separate workplace accidents on Wednesday has prompted the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to issue a warning to all workers, especially those involved in farming, to be extra vigilant. p
Wexford opera festival line-up unveiled
An opera first staged in Naples in 1840 will open this year's Wexford Festival Opera. p
Divers' council seeks lifejacket exemption
The Irish Underwater Council is seeking an exemption from the proposed new compulsory lifejacket rules for divers travelling to and from dive sites. p
Glendalough exhibition wins UK design award
A new exhibition at the Glendalough Interpretative Centre in Co Wicklow has won a design award from the British Association of Heritage Interpretation (AHI). p
Clare harbour plans halted
Plans were yesterday abandoned by Clare County Council to install a harbour master at Doolin this summer as tensions between two rival ferry companies at Doolin took a new turn. p

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