ireland.com - The Irish Times

Autistic boy gets €61,000 over delay in handling case
A six-year-old autistic boy has been awarded almost €61,000 damages by the High Court against the Health Service Executive because of "unreasonable" delay in diagnosing his condition and in providing appropriate therapies to him. p

Data commissioner received 658 complaints
A record number of complaints were made to the Data Protection Commissioner last year, according to his latest annual report. Paul Cullen , Consumer Affairs Correspondent, reports. p

Three face prison for attack on gay man
Three men who admitted being involved in a gay-bashing incident at a gay rendezvous area on the promenade in Salthill, Co Galway, have been remanded in custody for sentencing on May 24th. p

Election2007

Ahern and Kenny prepare for crucial leaders' debate on TV
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will engage in their long-awaited head-to-head television debate on RTÉ television tonight. The debate, which will be the centrepiece of a special Prime Time programme to be chaired by Miriam O'Callaghan, will be aired at 9.40pm after the news and a party political broadcast. Stephen Collins reports. p
Parties dismiss Blair, Clinton praise for Ahern
TV advert: Opposition parties were last night playing down the significance of contributions from former US president Bill Clinton, British prime minister Tony Blair and former US senator George Mitchell, all of whom pay warm tribute to the Taoiseach in the latest party political broadcast from Fianna Fáil. Deaglán de Bréadún , Political Correspondent, reports. p
Minister denies low-profile role
Cullen reaction: Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has denied that he has been "sent to ground" by Fianna Fáil strategists, saying that he has been spending time canvassing in his constituency. p
Greens' steely White may upset Fianna Fáil applecart in Kilkenny
On the canvass: From a distance, Cllr Mary White looks nice - a nice, middle-aged, middle-class woman in a nice white shirt and jacket, who runs a nice, successful bookselling business with her husband. Kathy Sheridan with Mary White
Leaders pledge to sack wasteful ministers
FG/Labour: The leaders of the alternative alliance, Enda Kenny and Pat Rabbitte, have again committed themselves to sacking ministers who waste public money when they spoke at separate events in Dublin yesterday. p
FG must win at least one seat here for challenge to be credible
If Fine Gael is on the way back to government it must retake at least one seat in Dún Laoghaire, write Stephen Collins and Liam Reid. p
SF to start Irish unity moves when in power
Sinn Féin manifesto: Sinn Féin in government would complete a Green Paper on Irish unity within the first year, "to promote and assist a successful transition to a United Ireland". Deaglán de Bréadún , Political Correspondent, reports. p
Sinn Féin manifesto
The main points of Sinn Féin's manifesto. p
SF criticises 'scam' on tax cuts by other parties
Manifesto launch: Sinn Féin drew a clear line yesterday between itself and most of the other main parties on personal tax rates. Speaking in Dublin at the launch of the party's election manifesto, Gerry Adams accused other parties of perpetrating a "scam" by pledging tax cuts along with more support for public services at the same time. p
SF tensions on taking up power surface
Analysis: many SF members are cautious about entering government, writes Mark Hennessy , Political Correspondent. p
FF seems to be leaving old fiefdom to Flynn
There's been an air of suspended disbelief among various party workers on the canvass in Mayo over the past couple of weeks. Why has Fianna Fáil all but abandoned parts of the county to former party member and Independent TD Beverley Flynn? p
McDowell's intended return to pole position ends in shambles
Like a myopic mongrel recognising the scent of his favourite lavatory, Michael McDowell panted blissfully down Ranelagh Avenue towards the fourth telegraph pole on the left, writes Miriam Lord. p
Campaign trail: an election miscellany
Compiled by Shane Hegarty p
At a glance
What happened yesterday. p

Other Stories

Parents at a loss how to explain death of classmate to children
The local community is struggling to come to terms with the tragic sudden deaths of a mother and her daughter in their midst, writes Carl O'Brien in Letterkenny p
Tallaght to get children's care centre, says Harney
One of three urgent care centres to be provided for children around Dublin when the new national children's hospital is built at the city's Mater hospital site is to be located in Tallaght. Eithne Donnellan , Health Correspondent, reports. p
'No need' for more acute hospital beds
A review of hospital bed capacity for the Health Service Executive has found there is no need to increase the number of acute hospital beds. p
Concession to nurses may spark demands from others
Analysis: Many other groups will be seeking a shorter working week, writes Martin Wall , Industry Correspondent. p
New office on domestic violence rejected by NGOs
NGOs working in the area of violence against women have said they will not support the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (Cosc) if it is established in its proposed form. p
Call for vitamin D boost for babies as rickets reappears
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is calling for all babies under 12 months to be given vitamin D supplements following a rise in cases of the bone disease rickets, particularly among dark-skinned babies. p
Obesity expert warns on health risks of fad diets
Fad diets and "functional foods" that claim to improve health are a waste of time and money, according to the State's leading obesity specialist. p
Helpline gets 1,000 calls after drug is withdrawn
A helpline set up by the Irish Medicines Board (IMB), following its recall of a widely used anti-inflammatory drug, has received almost 1,000 calls in its first two days in operation. p
Former Labour TD resigns from party
A former Labour Party TD yesterday tendered his resignation from the party citing serious concerns about the direction it has taken under the leadership of Pat Rabbitte. p
Work of 161 young artists rewarded
More than 150 of Ireland's best young artists were acknowledged as the winners of the 53rd Texaco Children's Art Competition at an award ceremony yesterday. p
Thunderbirds are go for Salthill air show
Thunderbirds, the United States air force aerobatic display unit, are to perform at the Salthill, Co Galway air show next month - its first engagement in Ireland and first outside the US since the 2001 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. p
'Irish Times' journalist wins award
Irish Times writer Sylvia Thompson has won print journalist of the year at the GlaxoSmithKline Irish Medical Media Awards. p
Farmers lobby store despite €250m deal
A support package for the sheep industry worth €250 million over the next seven years was announced yesterday by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan. Seán Mac Connell , Agriculture Correspondent, reports. p
Cannes festival gets rolling for the 60th year
Sunbathers lined the beaches in Cannes yesterday as an army of film festival staff put dozens of security barriers in position and laid out the red carpet that stretches from the street up the steps of the Festival Palais. Michael Dwyer , Film Correspondent, in Cannes p
Heritage group calls for repeal of monuments Act
Leading academics and archaeologists yesterday launched the Heritage Protection Alliance, to campaign for repeal of the National Monuments Act 2004. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

In the North

Internet game on the Troubles branded as 'insensitive' to victims
The Ulster Unionist Party has described as "tasteless and insensitive" an internet website game in which players sign on as republican or loyalist paramilitaries to engage in virtual killing and criminality. p
North-South autism support unit to open soon, says McGuinness
The North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has pledged that a North-South autism support centre, which has been on hold for the past five years, will be open in the near future. p

In the Courts

Family 'vindicated' by decision
The mother of an autistic boy awarded €61,000 damages by the High Court yesterday said her family felt "vindicated", but described the reasoning behind Mr Justice Michael Peart's ruling as "bewildering". p
Woman can sue bishop and diocese, court rules
The High Court has cleared the way for a woman to sue the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry, alleging vicarious liability over alleged physical and sexual abuse of her by a now deceased former chaplain at Benada Abbey industrial school in Co Sligo. p
Man withdrew statement on priest
A man who claims he was sexually abused by a priest in Co Wexford during the early 1990s has told the High Court he withdrew his initial statement of complaint against the priest following pressure from his own family. p
Candidate O'Gara advised to reflect on risk of prison
Election candidate Noel O'Gara was warned yesterday he could be in jail by the time voters go to the polls this day week. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

Regional News

Council plans to delist Georgian Clonmel hotel
Councillors in Clonmel, Co Tipperary plan to remove a Georgian building from the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) in order to allow the development of a multistorey car park, hotel and shopping centre, which was refused by An Bord Pleanála last week. p
Hanafin backs retention of Kinvara secondary school
The Government has reversed its stance on the closure of a Mercy Order girls' secondary school in south Galway. p
Call to give walkers unrestricted access
The Mountaineering Council of Ireland has called for open, unrestricted access for walkers to all unenclosed hill and coastal land. p
Judge warns Laois family to clear up illegal landfill site
A High Court judge has warned three members of a Co Laois family that they will go to jail if they fail, within one year, to clear up lands where an illegal landfill was operated and where the scale of pollution was "truly enormous". p
Cullen opens new sections of road
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen was in Westmeath yesterday for the opening of an extension of the new N6 to Kilbeggan, and the N52 Mullingar to Belvedere road improvement scheme. p
Galway council to bring in water conservation
Galway City Council intends to introduce conservation measures as part of its response to the current drinking water crisis. p
'Racist' council motion causes row
A town councillor refused to withdraw a motion from the formal agenda at Killarney Town Council when pressed to do so by fellow councillors who said it could be seen as racist. p

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