ireland.com - The Irish Times

'As soon as I saw her I knew she had been murdered'
The mother of murdered Rachel O'Reilly told a jury in the Central Criminal Court yesterday that she was the first person to discover her daughter's body. p

Sargent to act quickly on issue of GM-free food
The first moves to have Ireland move to where it can claim its food is produced without the aid of GM feed will be made soon by Minister for Food Trevor Sargent. p

At-risk children sent abroad as suitable care unavailable
Thirteen children in the care of the State are in residential units outside the jurisdiction because there is nowhere suitable for them in Ireland, it has emerged. p

'We'd like to see him looked after at home, it would mean a lot to him'
Family life began to disintegrate for Michael at an early age. As early as six years of age he started to show worrying signs of challenging behaviour. p

Other Stories

Food guide writer says restaurant prices are too high
While Ireland has world-class food and restaurants, the prices being charged in some establishments are too high, according to food writer John McKenna. p
Watchdog calls for new legislation on political donations
The Standards in Public Office Commission has called for new laws requiring political parties to declare all donations after a number reported no disclosable donations for 2006. p
Anglers' facility among nine winners
An anglers' facility, a hospital and an arts centre were among the nine winners in the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) annual awards announced yesterday. Five of the winning projects were publicly funded, while eight of the prizes went to projects outside Dublin. p
Prison Service accused of defeatism over Mountjoy killing
Gardaí are continuing to investigate the death of a 24-year-old prisoner at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, from stab wounds received in an altercation with a fellow inmate on Monday evening. p
Greens to push for amending of Bill on tribunals
The Green Party is to push for significant changes to legislation that would give the Government power to suspend or dissolve tribunals of inquiry, including the Mahon tribunal investigating Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's finances, it has emerged. p
Defence Forces a well trained body, says retiring chief
The Defence Forces have changed from a badly resourced organisation "under the thumb of the Department of Defence" when he first joined, to a well trained force today, its retiring Chief of Staff said yesterday. p
Former MEP McKenna to enter race for Green Party leadership
Former Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna, who failed to win a Dáil seat in Dublin Central, is to contest the party leadership to help ease "the wounds" of party members opposed to coalition with Fianna Fáil. p
Former 'Irish Times' finance editor dies
Jim Dunne, a former business and finance editor of The Irish Times , has died suddenly aged 65. p
Gormley on spot as MEPs visit Poolbeg
MEPs will today visit the proposed site of the Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin, just days after Dublin City Council announced that the project was back on track following an agreement with developers. p
Dozens ring victim helpline after RTÉ broadcasts rape drama
The Rape Crisis Centre's free-phone helpline has said it received "a huge increase" in calls after RTÉ 1 broadcast a drama about rape on Sunday. p
Liam Reid to become adviser to Gormley
The Irish Times journalist Liam Reid is to become press adviser to the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley. p
Government denies seeking treaty opt-out
The Government has said it has not sought to distance itself from the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, following its decision to seek legal clarification of an opt-out granted to the British government during last week's European Union summit. p
HSE asked to defer filling posts for 68 consultants
The independent chairman of the talks on a new contract for hospital consultants has asked health service management not to take steps to fill 68 controversial posts, which were advertised on revised terms several weeks ago, until after the middle of September. p
Private hospital bids represent value for money, says Harney
The Minister for Health Mary Harney has said that the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) has advised that the tenders submitted for the first six co-located private hospital sites represented value for money. p
Patient groups query US firms on HSE contracts
Patients organisations have called on the Government to investigate the non-compliant records of US health companies before allowing them to operate Government contracts. p
Third of pupils too hungry to do school work, survey finds
Up to a third of primary school pupils in Dublin's south inner city are either often or every day "too hungry to do their work in school", while up to 15 per cent regularly do not get enough sleep, a study on early school leaving has found. p
'We can't ask parents for money they don't have'
The boys at St Francis national school for boys, just off Patrick Street in Dublin, "love coming to school". p
State aid for fishermen set to get green light
EU fisheries commissioner Joe Borg has indicated preliminary support for a Government plan to give millions of euro to fishermen who are losing their livelihood. The industry has become highly technology-based and is facing rapidly depleting fish stocks. p
Transatlantic flight by 'forgotten hero' 72 years ago is celebrated
An epic transatlantic flight 72 years ago which ended when the Lithuanian pilot crashlanded his tiny aircraft in a Co Mayo field was commemorated last evening in the town of Ballinrobe. p
Second emergency landing at Shannon
A small cargo aircraft made an emergency landing at Shannon airport yesterday, its second in two days, after its crew reported problems with its undercarriage and expressed fears that its wheels might not deploy properly. p
Irish rise in cocaine use highest in Europe
Cocaine use is increasing at a higher rate in Ireland than in any other developed country, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). p
Pharmacy body warns of risks to drivers
Motorists were yesterday warned to be wary of the effects that both over the counter and prescribed medicines can have on their driving. p

In the Courts

Murdered woman's friend says O'Reilly marriage was not happy
The marriage of Joe and Rachel O'Reilly was not happy, a jury in the Central Criminal Court has been told. Jacqueline Connor, a nurse who had been a close friend of Rachel O'Reilly since they were in secondary school, told Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, that Ms O'Reilly would often confide in her. p
'He said there would be rumours about an affair'
The jury at the Central Criminal Court has learned a little more about Rachel O'Reilly, the 30-year-old mother of two, whose husband Joe stands accused of her murder. p
PR adviser claims article repeated lewd libel
An article published in the Irish Independent about a call to RTÉ's Liveline show repeated a scurrilous libel which wrongly meant that PR consultant Monica Leech had performed sexual acts for the former minister for the environment, Martin Cullen, in exchange for contracts, the High Court was told yesterday. p
Counsel tells court of work awards
It is "a peculiar thing" that when men succeed in business, it is put down to their being good at business but when a woman succeeds, there is almost a feeling that must owe itself to something other than her ability in the business sphere, counsel for Monica Leech said. p
Two charged with murder conspiracy
An Ennis woman has appeared in court charged with conspiring with a Nevada man to murder her partner's two sons. p
Man admits having child pornography
A Co Waterford man has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography including photographs and videos he took of Chernobyl children from Belarus who were in his care. p
Woman sues over inflamed colon
A woman who suffers from an inflamed colon has sued for damages over the alleged failure of doctors at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co Louth, to properly diagnose and manage her condition. p
Stud farmer jailed for animal cruelty
A stud farmer has been sent to prison for animal cruelty after an ISPCA inspector found a horse in his care to have injuries, including pus oozing from his head and a foul smell coming from a wound 15cm long and 3cm deep across his nose. p
Registrar says O'Gara paid a pittance for ground rents
Noel O'Gara bought the freehold interest (ground rents) of 17 houses in Dartmouth Square, Dublin, for a pittance, Dublin County Registrar Susan Ryan was told yesterday. p
Real IRA explosives for extortion use, court told
The Real IRA tested an explosive device at Mount Leinster in Co Carlow for use in extorting money from drug dealers, the Special Criminal Court has been told. p
Man not guilty of fatal stabbing
A jury at the Central Criminal Court has found a man not guilty of the fatal stabbing of another man outside an off-licence in Ballyfermot, Dublin. p
In short
More court reports in brief. p

In the North

Call for pension deal for RUC Reserve
The Assembly has backed a unionist motion calling on the Northern Secretary to address pension provision for former part-time officers of the RUC. p
Brown to defer first visit to North as British PM
A first visit to Northern Ireland by Gordon Brown as the new British prime minister that was pencilled in for Friday week in Belfast is now likely to be postponed, according to official sources. p
Titanic to fore as North delegates woo US
Two weeks of events showcasing Northern Ireland have begun in Washington with the opening of a major exhibition on the Titanic , highlighting Belfast's history as an innovative industrial centre. p

Morris Tribunal

Daughter may have retyped file
A document containing allegations similar to those in a document sent to an opposition justice spokesman in 2001 may have been retyped by the teenage daughter of Frank McBrearty snr as a typing exercise, the Morris tribunal has heard. p

In the Dáil

Uproar as Ceann Comhairle lays down the law
The Dáil was adjourned twice amid uproar as Michael Ring (FG, Mayo) refused an order by Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue to leave the chamber. p
Labour and Fine Gael break ranksover Howlin nomination
Fine Gael and Labour had their first public disagreement since the "Mullingar Accord" over the election of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, following Labour's deal with the Government. p
Taoiseach refuses to detail deals with Independents
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declined to give a breakdown of the agreements his Government has made with a number of Independents. p
FG attacks 'cynical' Government policy on decentralisation
Fine Gael has accused the Government of "cynicism and dishonesty", and of trying to hide behind the decentralisation implementation body over the low numbers willing to relocate from State agencies. p
Burton says Bill a threat to tribunals
Legislation to allow the Government to suspend or dissolve a tribunal of inquiry should not be restored to the Dáil's order paper because it might be seen "as a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the tribunals". p
Cowen defends move on stamp duty
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen defended the Government's abolition of stamp duty for first-time buyers in the face of strong Opposition criticism. p
Opposition jibes worse than a red rag to a raging 'Bull'
Pamplona politics has arrived in Kildare Street. The running of the bull looks set to become a big weekly draw in the Dáil (Or the Plaza de Toro, as we aficionados like to call the chamber). p

State of the Unions

Unions launch recruitment drive
As the Irish Congress of Trade Unions prepares for its biennial delegate conference next week, The Irish Times , in a series beginning today, examines the critical issues confronting trade unionism in Ireland. p
High staff turnover eroding efforts to build membership
Recruitment: One of the most serious problems facing unions is the rapid turnover of staff in some sectors. Mandate, which represents workers in the retail and bar trade, says it has to recruit 12,000 new members each year just to stand still. p
Firms prefer to stay quiet on staff relations
Non-unionised workplaces: While a majority of Irish workers (more than 60 per cent) are not in trade unions, companies with non-unionised workplaces seem reticent to talk about their arrangements. p
Ictu critical of health reforms
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has said that the Government's main health service reform, the establishment of the centralised Health Service Executive (HSE) had taken the last remnant of democracy out of the health service. p

Regional News

Donegal councillors fail to register interests
Donegal County Council is remaining silent on the issue of councillors and council employees who failed to make any declarations of interests to the Ethics Register for 2006. p
Holiday homes may be demolished
Fifty-two holiday homes may have to be demolished because they do not comply with planning permission. p
Student celebrates recovery, Christmas
The Galway student who was seriously injured when a traffic cone was hurled off a bridge in Edinburgh last December has celebrated Christmas - six months late. p
Labour mayor to head Tralee council
Tralee Town Council has elected a Labour councillor as mayor. The new mayor of Tralee, Cllr Miriam McGillycuddy, a solicitor and law lecturer, takes over from another woman, Cllr Norma Foley (Fianna Fáil), to head the 12-member council. p
In short
More regional news in brief. p

Changing Places

We need vision of who we are and what we want to make migration work
Douglas Gageby Fellowship: Migrants enrich us in many ways at little cost in racial tension but we need a guiding vision to see and treat them as part of society, not just as workers, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic reports. p
A 'colony of Nigeria' or a 'culturally diverse' society
This is a broadly representative sample of recent readers' letters, e-mails and online comments. Some letters have been edited. p

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