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Law Society seeks freeze on accounts of solicitor with deficit
THE LAW Society has applied to the High Court for an order freezing the accounts of a solicitor because more than €1 million is allegedly missing from his client account. p

Garda has made just one-third of reforms, report says
AN GARDA Síochána has implemented just one-third of the 134 recommendations for its reform made by the Garda Inspectorate since 2006, according to a status report published yesterday. p

Dublin Zoo rejects criticism after escaped ape incident
DUBLIN ZOO yesterday dismissed criticism from animal rights activists after an orang-utan escaped from its enclosure. p

Other Stories

Cosmetic surgery firm sued by its patients wound up
A COSMETIC surgery company which is the subject of litigation from dozens of its former patients has debts of more than €1.7 million, it has emerged. p
Rise in complaints over public jobs
THERE WAS a significant increase in the number of complaints received by the Commission for Public Service Appointments last year from people who were dissatisfied with their experience in competing for posts in public sector organisations. p
Department of Health decides not to reissue iodine tablets
THE DEPARTMENT of Health has decided not to reissue householders with iodine tablets. Packets of the tablets were distributed to every home in the State back in 2002 at a cost of about €2 million and it was intended that they would be taken in the event of a major nuclear accident. p
Centre will look at age issues
A NEW Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (Cardi) was launched yesterday at a function in Dublin attended by Ministers from north and south. p
Taoiseach supports transfer of justice and policing
THE TRANSFER of powers over policing and justice from Westminster to the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly must take place quickly, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday. p
Gormley to target windfall profits of developers
DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS: MINISTER FOR the Environment John Gormley has told local authority planners he intends to bring in new legislation to tap into windfall gains made by landowners and property developers. p
Sutherland says Lisbon gives virtually no new extra powers to EU
THE LISBON Treaty is "by far the most minor" of any EU treaty the Irish people have ever been asked to vote on, former EU commissioner Peter Sutherland has said. p
Surprise over suggestion to 'preserve' west
WESTERN DEVELOPMENT: REGIONAL ENTERPRISE agencies and planners have reacted with surprise to a suggestion that attempts to foster urban development outside the east coast may be misplaced. p
Siptu asks Aer Lingus for local talks
SIPTU HAS said that many of its members at Aer Lingus have reached the point where they are not prepared to make further large-scale changes to work practices to boost the profits of the airline. p
Man may have died from reaction to drug, court told
A MAN who suffered a seizure hours after he was assaulted and then died weeks later, may have died because of an adverse reaction to penicillin administered at a hospital, a court has heard. p
Orange Order puts its faith in superhero Diamond Dan
THE ORANGE Order last night revealed the name of the organisation's new superhero - Diamond Dan, the Orangeman p
Binge drinking linked to memory loss in teenagers
BINGE DRINKING by teenagers could put them at risk of memory loss. That's the conclusion of a new study to be discussed at the British Psychological Society's continuing annual conference at the RDS in Dublin today. p
Dixies singer Brendan O'Brien (66) dies
STAR OF the showband era Brendan O'Brien of the Dixies - who had their biggest hit with Little Arrows, which reached No 1 in 1968 and stayed in the charts for 20 weeks - died suddenly yesterday, aged 66. p
Ahern praised as 'architect and ambassador for peace'
TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern had "brought everything to bear" to achieve peace in Northern Ireland, Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward declared. p
New staff to boost cancer services in Limerick hospital
A NUMBER of extra staff are to be appointed soon to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick to increase its capacity to deliver cancer services, Minister for Health Mary Harney confirmed yesterday. p
InShort
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

Ahern Resignation

Tribunal's treatment of secretary 'appalling'
ATTACK ON MAHON: THE MAHON tribunal's treatment of his former secretary, Gráinne Carruth, had been "appalling" and "low-life stuff", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday. p
Ahern leaves open interest in presidency of EU council
FUTURE PLANS: TAOISEACH BERTIE Ahern has left open the possibility that he might be interested in being a candidate for the president of the European Council post that is due to be created next year if the Lisbon Treaty is passed. p
Ministers declare support for Cowen's candidacy
LEADERSHIP CONTEST: ALL OF Brian Cowen's potential rivals said yesterday that they would support his candidacy. p
Cowen likely to prefer pruning shears to the axe for his reshuffle
CABINET: THROUGHOUT YESTERDAY, Fianna Fáil TDs gathered in eager huddles in Leinster House in search of information in a place where only rumour and half-truths abounded. p
Overwhelming support for Cowen
VIEW FROM THE BACKBENCHES: THERE WAS overwhelming support for Brian Cowen as the next leader of Fianna Fáil from backbenchers who expressed a public preference yesterday. p
Backing Brian: how the potential leadership contenders declared for Cowen
MICHEÁL MARTIN: The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment declared his support for Brian Cowen yesterday shortly after 8.15am. On RTÉ's Morning Ireland he said: "I certainly won't be
contesting the election". p
FF to elect new leader next week
LEADERSHIP NOMINATIONS: NOMINATIONS FOR the leadership of Fianna Fáil will close at noon tomorrow and the new leader will be formally elected on Wednesday morning, the Government Chief Whip, Tom Kitt, announced last night. p
Boy scout Bertie begins his next adventure
The morning after his worst day in politics revealed a relaxed and revitalised Bertie. He bounced back in front of the cameras like a boy scout about to embark on a new adventure p
O'Rourke contrasts stylish exit with earlier turmoil
REACTION: FIANNA FÁIL TD Mary O'Rourke has contrasted what she said was the stylish manner in which Bertie Ahern announced his departure from power with his earlier years when his life had been in turmoil for a time. p
Harney refuses to comment on who should lead FF
COALITION PARTNERS: THE ACTING leader of the Progressive Democrats Mary Harney said yesterday that it would be inappropriate for her to comment on who should lead the Fianna Fáil party following the departure of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. p
World media credit Ahern with prosperity and peace deal
INTERNATIONAL PRESS: Irish Times correspondents around the world assess how the Taoiseach's resignation has been interpreted by the media abroad. p
Both sides claim departure will bolster their campaign
LISBON TREATY CAMPAIGN: CAMPAIGNERS ON both sides of the Lisbon Treaty campaign believe the departure of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will bolster their campaigns or have no effect on the outcome of the referendum in June. p
Way cleared for Beverley Flynn to rejoin Fianna Fáil
REBEL READMITTED: FIANNA FÁIL'S national executive last night cleared the way for the readmission of Independent Mayo TD Beverley Flynn to the ranks of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, and she will thus be able to vote in next week's election for the new party leader. p

In the Courts

Detective says he felt threatened by Livingstone
A DETECTIVE investigating the murder of Grace Livingstone said he felt threatened by the victim's husband when he learned that James Livingstone had walked into Malahide Garda station with his RSI number and address. p
Statement by senior garda 'deliberately misleading'
JAMES LIVINGSTONE'S legal team yesterday accused a detective who investigated Mr Livingstone's wife's murder of making a "deliberately misleading" statement about the case. p
Ex-prisoner doused with boiling water by inmate sues governor
A FORMER prisoner has brought an action for damages against the governor of Wheatfield Prison for serious injuries sustained after a bucket of boiling water was thrown over him by another inmate while he was jailed there. p
Man jailed for webcam sex act
IN THE first case of its kind, a disabled civil servant, who performed a lewd act in front of a 13-year-old girl over the internet, was jailed yesterday in Northern Ireland and put on the sex offenders' register for life. p
Woman claims partner beat and tried to hang her
A MAN allegedly tried to hang his partner to make it look like a suicide, and severely beat her and threw a knife at her head, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard. p
Court appeal by families of Omagh bomb victims
THE SUPREME Court has begun hearing an appeal by the families of some of the victims of the Omagh bombing. p
Republican inmate asks court to lift jail ban on Easter lilies
A REPUBLICAN prisoner launched a High Court bid yesterday to overturn a ban on the open wearing of Easter lilies within Maghaberry Prison. p
Call for immigration Bill to assist children
THE OMBUDSMAN for Children says the new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill does not sufficiently take account of the vulnerability of children and the need to give them special assistance and protection. p

In the Dáil

Bertie still in office, but Brian's now in charge
DAIL SKETCH: THE TRANSITION is already evident. Bertie Ahern is still in office as Taoiseach. Brian Cowen is in power. Yesterday, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance took the Order of Business, as he does on Thursdays in Ahern's absence. p
Cowen open to all-party committee on constituencies
TÁNAISTE BRIAN Cowen suggested an all-party committee to examine constituency boundary changes. p
Cabinet Irish language group to meet
THE CABINET sub-committee established five months ago to consider Irish language usage in the Gaeltacht will meet next week for the first time. p
Roche condemns SF attitude to EU treaty as 'bizarre'
MINISTER OF State for European Affairs Dick Roche has castigated Sinn Féin for its "bizarre" opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, claiming it had fought "tooth and nail" against Ireland joining Europe but was still proclaiming to be committed to the EU. p
Education key to fighting poverty
CHILDREN WHO are disadvantaged do not automatically get in trouble with the law as adults, Kathleen Lynch (Labour, Cork North Central) said. p
Public to be consulted on drugs strategy
PUBLIC MEETINGS to develop a new national drugs strategy from 2009 to 2016 will be held between April 22nd and June 3rd, according to Minister of State for Community Affairs Pat Carey. p
Dempsey urges 'flexibility' from bus drivers
DUBLIN'S PUBLIC transport problems will not be resolved unless bus drivers are more flexible about their working hours, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey told an Oireachtas committee yesterday. p

Mahon Tribunal

Ex-AIB banker 'never told' about £10,000 payment
A FORMER AIB banker has said that Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan never told him a £10,000 expense put down to the Quarryvale development was actually paid to former councillor Colm McGrath. p

Regional News

Navan to get new hospital, TD claims
A DECISION has been made to site the new regional hospital planned for the northeast in Navan, Co Meath, it emerged yesterday. p
Man jailed for five years had been shot in same feud
A 21-YEAR-OLD man jailed for five years yesterday for a feud-related gun attack was himself shot in the leg as part of the same feud, a court has heard. p
Setback for Shannon airport as US military carrier files for bankruptcy
ONE OF the largest carriers of US troops through Shannon airport has filed for bankruptcy and ceased its operations. p
Inquest told girl died after crashing bike
A GIRL died from serious head injuries after she lost control of a bicycle on a hill and hit a stone wall, an inquest into her death heard yesterday. p
Man (18) remanded over Kerry murder
A MAN has appeared in court charged with murder in Killarney, Co Kerry. Shane O'Riordan (18), Arbutus Grove, was brought in custody to Killarney courthouse yesterday morning. p
Pensioner's sexual assault case adjourned
A PENSIONER who sexually assaulted three women had his case adjourned at Dundalk District Court yesterday. In each case, he engaged them in conversation before fondling their breasts. p

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