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Ictu delegates vote overwhelmingly to enter pay talks
THE IRISH Congress of Trade Unions has voted overwhelmingly to take part in talks on a new national pay agreement. Martin Wall , Industry Correspondent, reports. p

Hospital contract likely to be rejected - consultants
NEW DIFFICULTIES have emerged in long-running talks aimed at securing a new contract for hospital consultants. p

Local elections to decide fate of PDs, says Cannon
NEXT YEAR'S local elections will be "the litmus test" that will decide if the Progressive Democrats have a future, the party's newly elected leader Senator Ciarán Cannon has said. Mark Hennessy , Political Correspondent, reports. p

Other Stories

Barroso gives strong defence of Lisbon Treaty
FORUM ON EUROPE: THE PRESIDENT of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, gave a passionate defence of the Lisbon Treaty at the Forum on Europe yesterday, after he was attacked in strong language by some of the No campaign groups represented at the forum. p
Farmers threat on Lisbon Treaty
THE FARM organisations brought more than 10,000 protesters to Dublin's streets yesterday and delivered a message to the Government and the EU that a bad deal for farming in the world trade talks would bring a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. p
Tractorless troops make presence felt
"DID YIZ leave the tractors behind you this time?" a middle-aged Dublin woman on Dame Street quizzed a bunch of midland farmers as they marched on Dublin Castle yesterday. p
Public forum in Galway told national parliaments will have more power
THE OIREACHTAS Joint Committee on European Affairs convened for the first time at a location outside Dublin last night, holding a public forum on the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty referendum in Galway city. p
Groups condemn attack on De Rossa
A COALITION of groups campaigning against the Lisbon Treaty has condemned a reported attack on Labour Party MEP Proinsias De Rossa on Monday night. p
Government accused of deceptive approach on treaty debate
THE DEBATE on the Lisbon Treaty has not got very far because the Government is taking a deceptive approach to the issue, former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins claimed last night. p
Denial of rights to sperm donor is 'anti-father'
A COURT judgment that refused a biological father guardianship rights and recommended that a lesbian couple be considered as a "de facto family" has been described as being "anti-child and anti-father". p
Facilities and care for the terminally ill criticised
A STUDY of hundreds of facilities for dying people has criticised the lack of palliative care beds and the lack of privacy for people in their last days. p
Age Action calls for lifting of age ban on jury service
AGE ACTION has called on the Government to relax the age restrictions on jury service, saying the ban prevents hundreds of thousands of older people from performing their civic duty. p
Lynn's wine stock sold at auction
A NUMBER of items, including wine and household goods, owned by missing solicitor Michael Lynn were sold at auction in Dublin yesterday. p
Irishman expelled from Afghanistan no 'fall guy'
AN IRISH political adviser expelled from Afghanistan for speaking to the Taliban has said he did not make an error of judgment and was not a "fall guy", as was suggested in some quarters. p
Importance of migrants stressed
MIGRANT WORKERS account for almost one-third of employees in the hospitality and tourism industry, and their contribution is critical in promoting Ireland as a welcoming place for visitors, according to Minister for Integration Conor Lenihan. p
Use of PPPs to build schools to continue
THE DEPARTMENT of Education and Science is to press ahead with the construction of schools under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, despite concerns about the way in which a previous €150 million five-school pilot project was managed, a Dáil committee heard yesterday. p
Gilmore favours southeast university
LABOUR LEADER Eamon Gilmore yesterday became the first leader of a major political party to publicly speak out in favour of a university for the southeast. p
Church owes State €36m in property
THE STATE is still owed almost €36 million in properties which the Catholic Church agreed to transfer as part of an indemnity deal with the Government relating to compensating victims of clerical abuse, a Dáil committee heard yesterday. p
Conference on mental health told of focus on recovery
THE TREATMENT of patients with mental illness across the State should in future be focused on their recovery, rather than on just the medical treatment of their symptoms, the Mental Health Commission has said. Eithne Donnellan , Health Correspondent, reports. p
Press council forum queries coverage of gangland crime
SOME ELEMENTS of the media are more concerned with tarnishing Limerick city's reputation than dealing with the core problems of gangland crime, a seminar on crime and the media has heard. p
Dodgy kettles and rattles taken off shelves
CORDLESS JUG kettles, imitation brand toothpaste, car parts, nail varnish and toy rattles were among 32 products removed from Irish shelves last year, according to a European Commission report on "dangerous" consumer goods. p
HSE set flat pharmacist fee without prior approval
A DRAFT interim contract for community pharmacists which set out a new flat-rate dispensing fee was sent out by the Health Service Executive (HSE) without the agreement of either the Department of Health or Department of Finance, it has emerged. p
Medicine errors among complaints reported to pharmaceutical society
SOME 35 complaints were made about pharmacists last year to their regulatory body, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI). p
'Emergency' in A&E beyond Government, says ill woman's son
IT IS laughable that the Government is sending booklets to every home in the country on how to cope with an emergency when it can't sort out the "emergency" in A&E departments, the son of a woman who spent more than 60 hours on a trolley has said. Eithne Donnellan , Health Correspondent, reports. p
Call for new health insurance system
A NEW social health insurance scheme to fund an equitable health service has been called for by the Adelaide Hospital Society. p
Remembrance procession will mark deaths by suicide and call for action
A PUBLIC "remembrance procession" to commemorate those who have died through suicide is due to take place in Dublin next Wednesday. p
Seamus Heaney to headline Writers' Week at Listowel
THE COUNTDOWN to the long-standing Writers' Week in Listowel, Co Kerry, began last night with the launch of its programme of events and the announcement that Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney will officially open and read at the event next month. p
Taoiseach urges DUP to honour policing deal
THE DEMOCRATIC Unionist Party freely agreed during the St Andrews talks in Scotland to the transfer of control over policing and justice from Westminster to Stormont taking place on May 8th, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has insisted. p
Department opposes Clarence Hotel plan
THE DEMOLITION of the Clarence Hotel in Dublin and its rebuilding for a new design could go against both local guidelines and Government legislation, an An Bord Pleanála hearing into the development has heard. p
Integrity of Michael Mills recalled
FORMER JOURNALIST and ombudsman Michael Mills shared qualities of integrity and courage with his great friend, the late president Dr Patrick Hillery, who predeceased him by just one day, the chief celebrant at Mr Mills's Requiem Mass said yesterday. p
FG member in threat to sue as council row simmers on
A FINE Gael councillor in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has threatened legal action against a Green Party councillor following a row in council chambers. p
Bird experts in a flap over singing sentries
A BIRD species in Africa has learned a new trick - posting sentries who watch for predators while the others in the group eat. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

PD Leadership

Puns-a-plenty as Cannon fires opening salvo
NO MATTER what happens, at least the headline writers will be happy, writes Miriam Lord . p
Profile: new leader Ciarán Cannon
Ciarán Cannon (42), from Kiltullagh in east Galway, was one of the Taoiseach's 11 nominees to the Seanad in 2007. p

In the Courts

Murder trial told of complaint to gardaí of assault
MEG WALSH made a complaint to gardaí about her husband less than two weeks before her disappearance, a Central Criminal Court jury has heard. p
Widow of man who died a month after surgery gets €300,000
THE WIDOW of a man who died about a month after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer has secured €300,000 in settlement of her High Court action against a doctor who examined her husband after his discharge from hospital. p
Brother fails in bid to stop abuse trial
A FORMER Christian Brother charged with more than 100 counts of indecent assault of 16 children in a national school where he taught almost 40 years ago has lost his Supreme Court bid to stop his trial. p
Jail for man who stabbed journalist through neck
A MAN WHO left a young Tipperary journalist fighting for her life after he stabbed her through the neck during an attempted robbery in Dublin has been jailed for seven years by Judge Patrick McCartan. p
Victim has no memory of sword attack
A MAN WAS left with life-threatening injuries after he was attacked with a sword and a slash hook, a court has heard. p
Court told of 'conspiracy' by airport authority and developer over land
THREE WOMEN who previously owned a tract of land beside Dublin airport, which was rezoned in the 1990s, have alleged before the High Court that there was a conspiracy between the Dublin Airport Authority and developers Dunloe Ewart plc to prevent their family getting planning permission for the property. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

In the Dáil

Talk of using veto at WTO 'defeatist' - Coughlan
A SUGGESTION that Ireland exercise its veto in the world trade talks was described as "premature and defeatist talk" by Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan. p
Minister refuses to be drawn on legalising slot machines
MINISTER FOR Justice Brian Lenihan refused to be drawn on whether legislation on gambling would include provision for slot machines. p
Health reforms will deal with problems - Cowen
TÁNAISTE BRIAN Cowen has insisted in the Dáil that the Government is trying "to bring reforms into the health service that will deal with many of the perennial problems we are facing". p
Lenihan says alcohol legislation due by summer
THE GOVERNMENT hopes to have legislation governing the sale and promotion of alcohol enacted by the summer, Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan told the Dáil. p
Attorney General to look at lesbian custody ruling
THE ATTORNEY General's office will examine the High Court judgment in a case involving the custody of the child of a lesbian couple and a biological couple, the Dáil has been told. p
Health headaches for Brian and treaty tribulations now looming large
DÁIL SKETCH: ONE THING seems certain after yesterday's Order of Business in the Dáil - the names of two of Brian Cowen's cabinet. There is the taoiseach-elect himself and the Minister for Health. No surprises for guessing it's Mary Harney. p
Financial regulation a laughing stock, says Ross
SEANAD REPORT: SHANE ROSS (Ind) said he believed that financial regulation in this country was in a state of chaos. The high-profile cases showed an inconsistency that was quite alarming. p

In the North

Robinson and Dodds elected to lead the DUP
THE DEMOCRATIC Unionist Party's ruling executive has unanimously elected Peter Robinson and Nigel Dodds as leader and deputy leader designate. They were elected when the ruling body backed a single motion of nomination. p
Huge cut in North's health waiting lists
WAITING LISTS for health services in Northern Ireland have been dramatically cut while trolley waits have been all but abolished, the Minister for Health has said. p

Mahon Tribunal

Banker has no memory of tax break talk on Quarryvale
A SENIOR AIB banker has said he has no recollection of Luton-based developer Tom Gilmartin discussing tax designation for Quarryvale or Blanchardstown at meetings in Allied Irish Bank in the early 1990s. p

Regional News

Dockers in Cork refuse to unload vessel over crew pay
DOCKERS IN Cork yesterday refused to unload a cargo of timber from a freighter in solidarity with crew members who claim they have not been properly paid. p
Mixed reaction to new pipeline route
SHELL E&P Ireland's publication of a modified onshore pipeline route for the Corrib gas project in north Mayo has drawn a mixed reaction from Erris community interests. p
Security tight for historic Paisley visit to Cobh
SECURITY IS expected to be tight in Cobh today for the visit of Northern Ireland's First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley. p
Inquest is adjourned for fifth time despite family concerns
RELATIVES OF retired schoolteacher Rose Duke, who died at Cavan General Hospital 4½ years ago, have urged that her inquest be held quickly to give them closure on her death. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief. p

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