ireland.com - The Irish Times

Ahern warns NI parties on cost of failure
The Taoiseach has warned the political parties in Northern Ireland that the Irish and British governments have agreed a blueprint for running the North if there is no agreement on a powersharing executive by the end of this month. p

Children's rights poll likely to be held in autumn
The Government is hoping to get Opposition parties to sign up to a commitment over the coming weeks to hold a referendum on children's rights in the autumn. p

Original sentence overly lenient, court rules
The Court of Criminal Appeal has jailed a former spiritual director of Gormanston College, Co Meath, who sexually abused four pupils there some 30 years ago "with almost catastrophic consequences", to 2½ years in prison. p

Other Stories

Irish speciality food producers honoured
Producers of speciality cheeses, smoked silver eel and high-quality honey were among those recognised in the 13th annual Irish Food Writers' Guild awards, which were announced in Dublin yesterday. p
Park at site of Newgate Gaol reopened after refurbishment
A park built on the site of one of Dublin's most infamous prisons has been reopened after a €300,000 refurbishment. p
Further details emerge on crash incident
A postmortem was carried out last night on the body of 24-year-old Derek O'Toole to determine the exact cause of death. Further details emerged yesterday of the circumstances in which Mr O'Toole was hit by a car containing four off-duty gardaí. p
How 'mafia birds' ruffle feathers to secure a nest egg
The Cosa Nostra has nothing on the cowbird, a species that routinely lays eggs in other birds' nests. Like a mafia enforcer the bird uses violence to ensure co-operation. p
Algerian died on footpath, inquest hears
An Algerian national died in Dublin after he collapsed outside his home with a high level of carbon monoxide in his system that remains unexplained, an inquest has heard. p
Study finds that if you eat less you live longer
Eating a little less might help you live longer. Like the Methuselah mice who enjoyed increased longevity after a reduced food intake, humans might also see more years by eating less dinner, according to new research. p
Nurses want forum to discuss pay
A forum proposed by Minister for Health Mary Harney as a way forward in solving the nurses dispute will not stop industrial action next week, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said yesterday. p
Mother says Derek a model son who never came to attention of gardaí
Derek O'Toole was "a model son" who was never in trouble in his life, his mother said yesterday. p
Judge seeks evidence from rapper
A High Court judge has directed that a letter be issued to the American courts requesting them to direct US rap star Eminem to give evidence on oath to a US district court about the circumstances of his pull-out from a gig at Slane two years ago. p
Council claims incinerator risk is minimal
Dublin City Council has claimed that the risk of a major incident at the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg is minimal, and that the risks to people in the vicinity are remote. p
MRSA a factor in death of burns victim, says coroner
A 40-year-old woman who deliberately set herself alight, subsequently developed MRSA and died at the burns unit at Dublin's St James's Hospital, an inquest has heard. p
Move to target bogus self-employed
The Government said yesterday it will introduce new measures to target bogus self-employment later this year with the establishment of joint investigative units to examine suspected non-compliance with labour laws. p
Roche to meet tribunal judge over fees
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is to meet the chairman of the Mahon tribunal today to discuss reducing tribunal lawyers' fees following the recent row over spiralling costs. p
All-weather soccer pitch gets go-ahead
A controversial plan for an all-weather soccer pitch in Deerpark in Mount Merrion, Co Dublin, was given the go-ahead by councillors in Dundrum last night. p
PD Dardis will not contest election
Progressive Democrat Senator John Dardis has announced he is not contesting the general election and is to instead chair the party's election campaign team. p
Woman found dead in laneway may have been killed elsewhere
Gardaí are exploring the possibility that a woman found dead in a laneway in Longford may have been killed elsewhere and her remains dumped where they were discovered on Sunday morning. p
Councillors vote to stop tile 'showroom' at Ranelagh park
Dublin City councillors have voted to stop Athlone businessman Noel O'Gara from operating a tile "showroom" in Dartmouth Square park in south Dublin. p
Public asked for views on stem-cell research
The destruction of embryos for research, when an embryo becomes "human" and what controls, if any, should be placed on scientists are key questions to be considered in a public consultation that got under way yesterday. p
Ahern unveils €25m cemetery plan
A €25 million redevelopment of Glasnevin Cemetery to honour the State's "national heroes and personalities" has been announced by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. p
Hospital cancelled 15% of operations
At least 15 per cent of the operations scheduled to take place at Cavan General Hospital since the beginning of the year have had to be cancelled, it was confirmed yesterday. p
Clericalism one 'cause of abuse'
Clericalism was described as "a contributory cause of clerical child sexual abuse [ and therefore a danger to children]" in a submission yesterday to the Commission of Investigation into Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese. p
InShort
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

In the Courts

Man gets prison term increased to eight years
A Co Offaly man, who had been jailed for 5½ years for trying to kill his mentally ill brother by dousing him in petrol and setting him ablaze, has had his prison sentence increased to eight years by the Court of Criminal Appeal. p
Judge says caseof teenager 'one of saddest'
A prosecution against a young woman, who was arrested for allegedly engaging in prostitution while her mother and six-year-old sister were present, was yesterday struck out by a judge who described the case as "one of the saddest I have dealt with". p
Sentence increased for gun crime
A Limerick man jailed for firing a sawn-off shotgun at a patrol car carrying three gardaí has had his prison sentence increased from five to eight years by the Court of Criminal Appeal. p
Cari Foundation accused of negligence
A father has applied for the directors of the Cari (Children at Risk in Ireland) Foundation to be brought before the High Court to explain their alleged failure to obey court orders requiring the production of documents relating to how it investigated "unfounded" allegations made in 1995 that he sexually abused his three-year-old daughter. p
Rape sentence appeal dismissed
The Court of Criminal Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a Cork man against his conviction and 10- year sentence for raping and indecently assaulting his then girlfriend's daughter in the 1980s. p
Man convicted of raping tourist
A north Dublin man has been convicted of raping a foreign tourist at a hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry, in 2005. p

In the North

One of the most unpredictable constituencies
Constituency profile/West Tyrone: "We're trying to free Ireland, will you help us?" says Barry McElduff on the doorsteps. p
DUP and Sinn Féin to make further gains
Assembly election predictions: Polling day tomorrow, so it's that time of the campaign when a journalist must make new-found political enemies by forecasting how it will look when all the votes are counted - about lunchtime on Friday, we hope. p

Morris Tribunal

Howlin has 'no regrets' over bringing Garda corruption details to minister
The Labour spokesman on justice Brendan Howlin has told the Morris tribunal that he has "no regrets" about bringing anonymous information to the then minister for justice alleging that a Garda inquiry into corruption in Co Donegal was "compromised". p

Regional News

Woman set to be elected as president of Macra na Feirme
Macra na Feirme, one of Ireland's oldest farm organisations, is expected to elect a woman today as its president for the first time. p
Dundalk inquest jury discharged
The jury hearing the inquest into the deaths of two young people who died after their car crashed at high speed while a Garda patrol car was following them has been discharged by the coroner because two of the jurors are Customs and Excise officers. p
Man claims council owed him €14,000
A councillor charged with attempting to defraud Galway County Council of €7,000, has claimed that the council owed him more than €14,000 for stone it had taken off his lands. p
Archaeology of Burren in danger from scrub growth - report
Changing farm practices in the Burren, Co Clare, are endangering the archaeology there as hazel and blackthorn scrub are increasing at an estimated annual rate of 4.4 per cent. p

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