ireland.com - The Irish Times

Coughlan and Lenihan could be future contenders for FF leadership
THE BIG WINNERS: NEW MINISTER for Finance Brian Lenihan said last night his promotion was a "fantastic honour" given that he had been a senior minister for only 11 months. p

Detention of suspect unlawful, report says
THE MORRIS tribunal has found the arrest of Frank McBrearty jnr on December 4th, 1996, on suspicion of the murder of Richie Barron to be unlawful. p

Shortage of pupils delays opening of Dublin school
ONE OF the three State-run community primary schools – due to open in September – will not now proceed after just 13 children applied for places. p

Conference told of dramatic progress in cancer treatment
DRAMATIC BREAKTHROUGHS in the treatment of leukaemia and colon cancer were outlined yesterday when the sixth international cancer conference opened at Dublin Castle. p

Cowen Appointment

Captain Cowen shuffles around the deckchairs of radically unchanged crew
Brian Cowen, licensed to rule, bore the look of a man who didn't quite believe his time at the helm had come, writes Miriam Lord p
In country wedding style, contented culchies showed the axis has turned
In what must have been a difficult day for locals, most of Offaly emptied into Dublin to celebrate their Taoiseach p
Cowen will face challenging times with gruff but pragmatic manner
New leader, new style: Brian Cowen will bring a different approach to the job of Taoiseach, writes Political Correspondent Deaglán de Bréadún p
Urgent need to restart stalled treaty campaign
IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES: BRIAN COWEN faces many immediate challenges, including the Lisbon Treaty referendum, the national pay talks and falling revenues. p
Ministers of State will not have vote in Cabinet
JUNIOR MINISTERS: TWO MINISTERS of State nominated for appointment by new Taoiseach Brian Cowen will be entitled to attend Cabinet meetings but will not have a vote there. p
Party man who did things by the book in five ministerial roles
The new Taoiseach is a vastly experienced politician who has served a long apprenticeship, writes Stephen Collins, Political Editor p
What they said
"One of the challenges we face today is to temper a rising tendency towards individualism within Irish society." - Mr Cowen speaks to the Dáil on becoming Taoiseach p
ECONOMY In tough times Lenihan must cut costs but invest in future
Ray MacSharry could teach Brian Lenihan how to curb spending and boost productivity, writes Paul Tansey p

Morris tribunal

New bodies have the potential to clean up corruption
ANALYSIS: The true extent of Garda corruption and misconduct will soon emerge, writes Conor Lally p
Government criticised over timing of report
POLITICAL REACTION: THE GOVERNMENT last night maintained that there were no hidden agendas in its decision to publish the sixth report of the Morris tribunal on the day Brian Cowen became Taoiseach. p
McBrearty criticises report and denies he exaggerated abuse
McBREARTY REACTION: FRANK McBREARTY jnr has criticised the findings of the sixth report of the Morris tribunal and said he never exaggerated the level of abuse he suffered in Garda custody. p
'Crude attempt to put pressure on the chief suspects' and 'clear abuse of power of arrest' Main points
ARREST OF MICHAEL AND CHARLOTTE PEOPLES: MICHAEL AND Charlotte Peoples were arrested on the morning of December 4th, 1996 and questioned about the death of Ritchie Barron on the night of October 13th that year. p
Garda O'Dowd knowingly took false statement, tribunal concluded
ARREST OF FRANK McBREARTY SNR: FRANK McBREARTY snr was arrested by gardaí on December 5th, 1996, on suspicion of trying to frustrate by intimidation the Garda's investigation into the Richie Barron murder. His house at Tullyrap, Raphoe, Co Donegal, was also searched. p
Gardaí abused suspect, tribunal finds
ARREST OF MARK McCONNELL: THE TRIBUNAL found that Mark McConnell, the husband of Roisin McConnell and cousin of Frank McBrearty jnr, was arrested three times between 1996 and 1998 in relation to offences he did not commit. p
Morris tribunal: timeline
October 14th 1996: Cattle dealer Richie Barron of Raphoe, Co Donegal, is found dead along the side of the road. Initially it was thought he was the victim of a hit-and-run, but within days gardaí had re-designated the case to a murder inquiry. p
Commissioner apologises over mistreatment
GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy has apologised to a group of people who were arrested and mistreated by gardaí in the Donegal division during the investigation into the death of Richie Barron in Raphoe in 1996. p

Other Stories

Gardaí investigate alleged sexual assault on girl (14)
GARDAÍ HAVE confirmed reports that they are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl by a 15-year-old boy in a house on Ailesbury Road in Dublin’s southside after a recent teenage disco. p
Manic quality added to Oxegen line-up
WELSH ROCK veterans Manic Street Preachers, The Kooks, Bell X1 and MGMT are among more than 30 new acts who have been added to the bill of Oxegen. p
Parents reject allegations they were too drunk to care for their children
THE CO Derry couple whose children were taken into care in Portugal have denied they drank excessively or were incapable of being responsible parents. p
Acute mental health unit closed
THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has closed the Lakeview Acute Mental Health Unit at Naas General Hospital as a consequence of the ongoing dispute between the psychiatric nurses' unions and the HSE. p
Key part of licence competition appeared 'strange', says Bacon
MORIARTY TRIBUNAL: THE ECONOMIST Dr Peter Bacon told the Moriarty tribunal he thought a key part of the 1995 mobile phone licence competition was “strange” and “odd”. p
MacSharry told to seek political donations
MAHON TRIBUNAL: FORMER EU commissioner Ray MacSharry told the Mahon tribunal he was asked to look for donations to Fianna Fáil of between £50,000 and £100,000 each from a number of businessmen in 1993. p
High Court to rule today on Ahern's tribunal challenge
THE HIGH Court will give judgment today on the challenge by former taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the handling by the Mahon tribunal of its inquiries into controversial lodgements to Mr Ahern’s accounts when he was minister for finance in 1993 and 1994. p
In Short
A round-up of today's other stories in brief p

In the Dáil

'Politics is about public service above all else'
NEW TAOISEACH Brian Cowen told the Dáil that he accepted the “honour with a genuine sense of genuine humility”. p
Ahern says Cowen is 'uniquely qualified'
BRIAN COWEN is “uniquely” and “immensely well qualified” to take up the duties of Taoiseach, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil as he nominated his successor for the position. p
Taoiseach appoints two new Ministers to Cabinet
TWO NEW Ministers have been appointed to Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s new Cabinet, while all senior Ministers kept their seats, six staying in their old departments and eight reshuffled to new positions. p
Bertie's long goodbye ends as does Brian's long lead-in
BRIAN COWEN appeared uncomfortable as the tributes flowed before and after his election as Taoiseach. p
Gregory calls for an end to 'inequalities'
INDEPENDENT TONY Gregory, Dublin Central, urged Brian Cowen to end the “divisive inequalities” in Irish society. p
Cowen complacent about economy, says Kenny
FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny accused Brian Cowen and his Government of “a dangerously complacent attitude” to the economy. p
Yes campaign starting blame game - Doherty
SEANAD REPORT: SOME POLITICIANS arguing for a Yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum seemed to be starting the blame game for its likely defeat, Pearse Doherty (SF) said. p

In the Courts

State ordered to give court files on Monaghan and Dublin bombings
THE STATE has been ordered to produce to the High Court documents of the McEntee Commission of Investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings sought by relatives of victims for their legal action to secure a sworn public inquiry into the bombings. p
Supreme Court rejects bid to prevent murder trial
A DUBLIN man Rattigan has lost his Supreme Court bid to prevent his trial for the murder of another man outside a fast-food outlet on grounds including prosecutorial delay and "lurid" pre-trial media publicity. p
Court rejects pharma group's bid to stop case
THE SUPREME Court has upheld a decision by the High Court and rejected a bid by a pharmaceutical group to stop a father bringing a case against it alleging wrongful death following the death by suicide of his 20-year-old son. p
Woman found guilty of cruelty to animals fined €500
A WOMAN who ran a dog rescue centre has been found guilty of cruelty to more than 40 animals under her care. Cassidy Sinclair (50) appeared before Portlaoise District Court yesterday on two charges of cruelty to animals. p
'One inescapable conclusion' in Walsh case, argues prosecution
THE TWO sides in the trial of a Waterford man accused of murdering his wife have been making their closing speeches at the Central Criminal Court. John O'Brien (41), Ballinakill Downs, Co Waterford, denies murdering Meg Walsh (35) between October 1st, 2006, and October 15th, 2006. p
Ethiopian man can appeal on status
AN ETHIOPIAN man who claims he fled to Ireland after he was arrested and tortured by the authorities in his native country has secured leave from the High Court to challenge the refusal to grant him refugee status here. p

Regional News

Fire crews deal with more car crashes than fires
FIRE CREWS are spending more time responding to emergencies on the roads than at fires, Government statistics reveal. p
Widow (86) 'homeless' after row with family
AN 86-YEAR-OLD widow has claimed before the High Court that she is homeless after a falling out with her daughter and son-in-law whom she claims she helped buy a house. p
Company offers compensation to lay gas pipeline across land
SHANNON LNG, the firm planning to build the State’s first liquified natural gas terminal on the Shannon Estuary, Co Kerry, has offered to compensate more than 60 landowners for permission to lay and operate a pipeline on their land. p
New C of I bishop of Limerick has worked for reconciliation in NI roles
CANON TREVOR Williams, rector of Holy Trinity and St Silas with Immanuel parish in north Belfast, has been elected as the new Church of Ireland Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe. p
26 bathing places fail EU standards, says EPA
TWENTY-SIX beaches and freshwater sites around Ireland failed to meet the strict EU guide grade for bathing water quality last year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). p
Illegal dumps found near Sally Gap in Wicklow
UP TO six tonnes of waste paper and promotional material, and general refuse dumped over the last three days, have been discovered by anti-litter authorities in the Wicklow mountains. p

The Emerging Northern Ireland

Ulster-Scots makes its voice heard
Some dismiss Ulster- Scots as a dialect, but Stormont is spending more on it than on Irish p
Reviving a language that was a world apart
WHEN CHARLIE Reynolds moved from his native North Antrim to Coleraine as a child, it was like entering a different world. p
BRYAN COLL is the winner of the 2008 Irish Times Douglas Gageby Fellowship, awarded by the Irish Times Trust to a young journalist at the start of his/her career in memory of the newspaper’s former editor Douglas Gageby. p

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