ireland.com - The Irish Times

EU orders car makers to cut CO2 emissions
The European Commission has ordered car manufacturers to cut CO2 emissions by 18 per cent over five years to help tackle climate change. p

Garda inquiry after death of student in custody
A Garda inquiry was under way last night into the death of a university student who fell into a coma and died while in Garda custody in the early hours of yesterday morning. p

Motorists warned to take care
Road users have been warned to exercise extreme caution when driving today with Met Eireann predicting overnight snowfall. p

Other Stories

Car industry says EU proposals will mean higher prices
The European car industry has warned that new car prices may rise by €4,000 as a result of the new proposals by the EU Commission to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. p
Improved vehicle efficiency being offset by larger cars
Improvements in vehicle fuel efficiencies by international manufacturers have been eroded in Ireland by the tendency of consumers to buy larger vehicles such as high-performance executive cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). p
EU-wide laws proposed for 'green crimes'
The European Commission wants to punish the most serious crimes against the environment. p
Carbon dioxide: a leading greenhouse gas
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted from cars after the burning of fossil fuels such as petrol, diesel or even natural gas/LPG. It is one of five main emissions from petrol and diesel cars. The others are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons and particulates. p
Coughlan announces bio-mass crop supports
The crop energy sector has received a major boost with the announcement of a scheme which will pay 50 per cent of the cost of planting elephant grass and willow for bio-mass. The cost is estimated to be €3,000 per hectare. p
Agriculture rejects claim that poultry ban against EU law
A claim that Ireland had acted illegally and broken EU law by banning the importation of poultry from Britain for gatherings and shows, was rejected last night by the Department of Agriculture. p
Broken de-icer to blame for Aer Lingus flight delays
Icy weather conditions at Dublin airport yesterday morning resulted in major delays to Aer Lingus flights throughout the day following the breakdown of one of the airline's de-icer machines. p
Bodies of unidentified Stardust victims exhumed for DNA tests
The exhumation of five unidentified bodies of victims of the 1981 Stardust fire has been completed, it was confirmed yesterday. p
Meeting hears of anger with managers in HSE
General health service workers feel demoralised and undervalued and find it increasingly difficult to get their seniors in the Health Service Executive to make decisions on anything, a conference has been told. p
Alcohol a factor in pedestrian road deaths
Five of the 63 pedestrians who were killed on the State's roads in 2003 were over the alcohol limit and lying on the road when they were struck by a vehicle, the chief executive of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said. p
Reaction of doctors in Neary case 'disgraceful'
One of the women who complained to the medical council about the three obstetricians who provided reports in 1998 exonerating the practice of Drogheda obstetrician Dr Michael Neary said yesterday she could not understand the doctors' reaction to having been found guilty of professional misconduct. p
No quick solution to health insurance anomaly, says Ahern
The Taoiseach has signalled that existing health insurance legislation may not have foreseen circumstances such as the takeover of Bupa Ireland's operation by the Quinn Group and its plans to seek a derogation from risk equalisation payments as a new entrant to the market. p
Postmasters to run in general election
The Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) is to run candidates in up to 10 constituencies in the general election to highlight what it described as a crisis facing the post office network. p
Harney rules out alternative hospital site
Minister for Health Mary Harney has again ruled out developing the proposed new national children's hospital on a site offered by a businessman in west Dublin. p
Concern over suicidal Castlerea inmate
The Prison Inspectorate has expressed concern about a prisoner in Castlerea prison who has tried to kill himself three times. p
Irish Muslim council welcomes plan to tackle radical imams
The Supreme Muslim Council of Ireland has welcomed a proposed EU document calling for action to tackle radical imams. p
Some southside pubs offering free drink to rugby supporters
Offering free drinks to rugby fans if they return to their usual post-match pub on the Southside is not in breach of alcohol legislation, according to a senior counsel. p
Pubs to consider reflective bibs for patrons
Publicans are to consider giving high-visibility bibs to customers who are walking home from pubs at night, a Dáil committee was told yesterday. p
Study finds NI is the 'hate capital of western world'
Northern Ireland is the "hate capital of the western world", according to an international study. p
Bid to stop blood transfusion had 'no role' in girl's death
The father of a teenage girl who died from head injuries following a road accident has said after an inquest that the family's bid to stop a blood transfusion on religious grounds played no role in his daughter's death. p
Court told of 'extraordinary' Garda hepatitis C case file
The Garda file on the investigation into the deaths of 55 women who contracted hepatitis C from infected blood products was the "most exceptional and extraordinary" file the DPP's office has ever had to deal with, the High Court was told yesterday. p
Trainee teachers protest over lack of funding
Hundreds of trainee teachers from around the country yesterday converged on Dublin city centre to highlight their concerns over a lack of Government financial support for their studies. p
Dublin Brigade tackles big Christmas tree mulch fire
The environmentally-friendly disposal of Christmas trees caused a fire which sent thick black smoke across west Dublin and north Kildare throughout yesterday. Dublin Fire Brigade was continuing last night to battle the fire which broke out at around 4am yesterday at the Baily Waste recycling plant at Greenogue, Rathcoole, Co Dublin. p
End means test for carers, says Labour
The Labour Party has promised to abolish the means test for carers as one of its five "Commitments for Change" if elected to Government later this year. p
Locals object to Airfield land plan
Residents in Dundrum, Co Dublin, are to object to an application to develop land that was formerly part of Airfield urban farm. p
DPP to examine change of policy
The Director of Public Prosecutions is examining the possibility of changing policy to enable him comment on individual criminal cases. p
TCD will not be drawn on fate of acting degree
Trinity College Dublin has refused to say whether it is willing to revisit its controversial decision to cancel its renowned three-year undergraduate acting degree course. p
Inaugural engineer showcase aimed at children
A week-long series of events aimed at showcasing Irish engineering is to run in various locations around the State from February 19th to 23rd. p
Cork link in Florida bribe scandal
A former US county attorney has gone on trial in the Florida Keys accused of using bribes to pay for the Cork holiday home of a local mayor. p
Discrimination claim by Chechen woman fails
A Chechen woman who has already been awarded €15,000 compensation after she complained that she was victimised because of her religion and nationality, has failed with a separate claim she had suffered discrimination at work. p
McBrearty denies he wanted questioning to continue
Morris tribunal: Donegal publican Frank McBrearty snr has told the Morris tribunal that he did not tell a Garda sergeant he wanted to continue being questioned in order to clear his name. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other news stories in brief p

In the Courts

Dublin bus driver said 'it just took off'
The driver of a bus which hit and killed five people outside the Clarence Hotel in Dublin city centre three years ago was supposed to be on a day off, but was doing overtime to pay for his daughter to go on holiday. p
Woman tells of shock of pregnancies
A mother of seven broke down in the High Court yesterday as she told of her shock at learning, just weeks after she underwent a sterilisation operation, that she was pregnant. When she found out a year later that she was pregnant again, she thought her doctor "got a bigger shock than I did", Bridget Byrne said. p
Undisclosed damages for brain injury at birth
A High Court judge has described a severely disabled woman with cerebral palsy who is now pursuing a law degree as "the most remarkable, extraordinary young lady" he has ever met. p
Homeless man's suicide attempt in gas explosion
A homeless Waterford man whose suicide attempt in a gas explosion caused €126,000 worth of damage to a vacant house in which he was squatting has been given a four-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. p
Case against Christian Brother settled
A man who claimed he was sexually assaulted while a pupil at a Christian Brothers school in Dublin has settled his High Court action for damages. p
Sentences for beating youth deferred
Two south Dublin teenagers who beat up a friend, leaving him with a broken nose and fractured cheekbones because he broke a garden shed window at an 18th birthday party, have had their sentences postponed. p

In the Dáil

Ahern costs nurses' pay claim at €1bn
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has estimated the nursing unions' wage claim would cost the exchequer up to €1 billion and "nobody can negotiate on that basis". p
Gormley says no Mercedes if Greens in government
Cabinet ministers will be saying goodbye to their Mercedes cars if the Green Party gets into Government, the Dáil heard yesterday. p
Concern over end of tax relief for stallion fees
A call was made for the Government to delay the abolition of tax relief for stallion fees until it is fully costed. p
Cowen rejects call to publish cost studies of major projects
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen rejected a demand by Paul McGrath (FG, Westmeath) that the cost-benefit analyses of major State projects be published. p
Cowen defends transfer of State agencies
Fewer than one in 10 specialists is volunteering to move in the Government's decentralisation of State agencies, Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton claimed. p
Insulation is up to local bodies - Ahern
Implementation of minimum housing insulation standards was a matter for local authorities, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said. p
Tabloids let the Cat out of the bag on Bertie
Dáil Sketch: Another morning in Drumcondra, and Bertie's fork is poised above the modest kipper on his breakfast plate. He's always been partial to a bit of red herring. p
Senators criticise consultants who supported Neary
Seanad Report: The statement issued by three consultant obstetricians, following the Medical Council's upholding of a finding of professional misconduct against them, was rubbing salt into wounds which were still festering, a Fianna Fáil member of the House said. p

Regional News

R na G criticised for ending news show
Fine Gael and Labour TDs in Galway have expressed concern over Raidió na Gaeltachta's decision to drop a key current affairs programme from its schedule four months before the general election. p
Additional charges in sex assault case
xA 26-year-old man charged in connection with false imprisonment of a woman, sexual assault and assault causing harm in Leinster last November, has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Criminal Court. p
Meath meetings on rail link to Dublin
Public consultations were held in Co Meath yesterday on the reopening of a rail link between Navan and Dublin. p
Driver of pig lorry charged in Kerry
The driver of an articulated lorry used to carry pigs appeared at Listowel District Court yesterday in connection with the collapse of a bridge over a tidal river in Co Kerry. p
Safety instructor fined for careless driving
A judge heard yesterday how a health and safety instructor posed a serious hazard to drivers on the N2 Dublin/Derry road, forcing one driver to take evasive action before pulling on to the hard shoulder to alert gardaí. p
Ex-garda may face 'incitement' charge
A Garda superintendent has been delegated to investigate alleged "incitement to hatred" allegations against a retired garda officer living in Co Mayo. p

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