ireland.com - The Irish Times

Talk of second Lisbon poll in spring 'premature'
MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin dismissed as "premature" speculation surrounding a second referendum in the spring or of a two-speed Europe in which Ireland was left behind. p

Roads blocked, power lines down as wild storm causes weekend chaos
WINDS GUSTING at more than 100km/h and torrential rain brought down power lines, blocked roads and caused the cancellation of ferries at the weekend. p

Labour to pressure Government with Bill on same-sex unions
THE LABOUR Party will seek to pressure the Government into publishing a civil union Bill for same-sex couples by retabling its own legislation on the issue before the Dáil’s summer recess. p

Other Stories

Work permits proposed for non-EEA students
STUDENTS FROM outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will only be able to work for one employer at a time for up to 20 hours per week during term time and 40 hours per week during holidays, under proposals for a new work permit scheme drawn up by the Department of Enterprise and Employment. p
Destruction of cyanide postponed
THE PROPOSED destruction today of 15kg of hydrogen cyanide in the Wicklow mountains is understood to have been postponed. p
Dutch army statement details Chad attack
DUTCH MARINES serving alongside the Army in Chad have issued a statement about a rebel attack on a United Nations compound in the east of the country which details their view of how the contentious incident unfolded. p
Inmates linked to €5m heroin and cannabis haul
TWO OF three men arrested in connection with the discovery of drugs valued at over €5 million are due to appear before the courts this morning. A third man has been released without charge. p
Congress will give thanks to God and offer us food for thought
OPINION: The 2012 Eucharistic Congress in Dublin will reflect the faith challenges facing Ireland, writes Archbishop Diarmuid Martin . p
Archbishop appoints new canons to Christ Church
TWO NEW canons were appointed to Christ Church Cathedral by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Most Rev John Neil. Rev Mark Gardner and Rev Robert Deane will replace retired canons Ivor Power and Tom Haskins. p
1932 Eucharistic Congress: display of Irish Catholicism unmatched even by papal visit
IT IS doubtful whether the 50th International Eucharistic Congress will witness such crowds in Dublin as did the 31st in 1932. That took place from June 22nd to June 26th and its final Mass in the Phoenix Park was said to have been attended by a quarter of the population of the Irish Free State at the time, writes Patsy McGarry . p
New code to link housing plans with schools
LOCAL AUTHORITIES will be obliged to make sure there are enough schools to meet demand when drawing up development plans, under a major piece of planning policy being proposed by the Government. p
FG, Labour question Lenihan on protecting economy
FINE GAEL and Labour have called on Brian Lenihan to spell out how he will protect the economy, following ad-libbed remarks about his misfortune on becoming Minister for Finance just as the building boom came to a "shuddering end". p
Pilot project aims to cut commuting times
DUBLIN'S COMMUTERS may be able to avoid the worst of rush-hour traffic in future by using a high-tech system being developed by the Department of Energy. p
Care for terminally ill falls far short of targets
THE NUMBERS of beds and staff available to treat terminally ill patients still falls far short of what was recommended in a report which became government policy seven years ago. p
Bonus points for maths in Leaving urged
STUDENTS TAKING higher-level maths in the Leaving Cert should be awarded bonus CAO points to boost the supply of technology graduates at third-level, a Government taskforce has recommended. p
First summer solstice walk through Dublin
DUBLIN CITY enjoyed its first summer solstice walk through history in what is scheduled to become an annual event. p
Ireland will miss road deaths target by 10 years, says European report
IRELAND IS set to miss by more than a decade a European Commission target of halving road deaths by 2010, according to a report published in Brussels today. p
Road deaths
How countries fare, according to the European Transport Safety Council. p
Three Irish killed on Australian roads named
THREE IRISH people who were killed in two separate car crashes in Australia last week have been named. p
Ambulance bridgade's heroics recalled at annual Dublin gathering
Saving lives: St John Ambulance Brigade holds church service p
Too cold for blushes from city's hardy nudists
TAKING PART: THE FIRST thing you noticed was the cold. It being summertime in Dublin, about the only guarantee for the 2,500 people stripping off for a massive nude photoshoot was that there would be plenty of wind circling around our nether regions, writes Charlie Taylor . p
Naked truth proves liberating as thousands shiver for art
GETTING NAKED for Spencer Tunick’s art installation had seemed like a fantastic idea to twentysomethings Teresa and Krystle while enjoying drinks p
Teenager found dead in River Lee
A TEAM of Navy divers searching for a missing 15-year-old boy who got into difficulty swimming in the River Lee yesterday evening found his body just after midnight this morning. p
Taoiseach launches restoration plan for Rahan monastic site in Offaly
TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen joined his younger brother councillor Barry Cowen on their first official function together since Cllr Cowen was elected cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council last week. p
In short
More news in brief. p

In the North

Housing protest by Currie 'a catalyst for change'
THE SDLP has marked the 40th anniversary of a housing protest by Austin Currie in Caledon, Co Tyrone, with a call for the legacy of segregation to be recognised. p
Sinn Féin wants Wilson to act on climate change
STORMONT’S NEW Minister for the Environment Sammy Wilson needs to enact a plan to counter greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, Sinn Féin has urged. p

Inside Irish gambling

Pastime for some, road to misery, penury and death for others
There is no specific psychiatric expertise available to deal with compulsive gambling in Ireland, writes Paul Cullen . p
CASE HISTORY: DAVE'S STORY
"Then it hit - I had three options: the grave, insanity or recovery". p
CASE HISTORY: MARTIN'S STORY
MARTIN WAS a compulsive gambler for over 30 years before seeking treatment through Gamblers Anonymous. p
A round of mahjong instead of a round of drinks
Whereas the Irish tend to socialise in pubs, many Chinese like to visit casinos, where they might not gamble, but play cards or mahjong with friends, writes Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, Migration Correspondent. p

Regional News

Killeen issues offers to decommission vessels from whitefish fishing fleet
MINISTER OF State for Fisheries Tony Killeen has issued first-round offers to decommission vessels from the Irish whitefish fleet, under a €41 million scheme. p
Hold elections or lose funds, Ó Cuív warns Leader groups
MINISTER FOR Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon Ó Cuív, has told the Leader rural development groups he will not give them funding after July 4th next if they do not hold elections to the new groups that replace them. p
Hotelier offers free petrol to entice guests
A HOTEL owner has taken drastic action to overcome the drastic rise in fuel prices – he has started buying petrol and diesel for his guests. p
Athletes revel in epic 400-mile race through the west
"THERE ARE gods among you. You are lucky to share the grass with them," said Con Moriarty, course director of the Turas, the first ever Irish round of the Adventure Racing World Series. p

Angling Notes

A sea of information
ANGLING NOTES: A NEW WEBSITE dedicated to establishing the full extent of our marine resources was launched yesterday by Seán Power, the Minister of State at the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources. The website, www.infomar.ie, will contain a broad range of information on the nature, physical habitats and water depths of the Irish sea-bed, writes Derek Evans . p

Law Matters

Murder trial should proceed despite delay and media coverage
RATTIGAN -v- DPP p
Exceptional feature of case prevents prohibition of trial
RATTIGAN -v- DPP p
An absence of research can impede policy-making
Ian O'Donnell argues that the decision to build Thornton Hall took place in the absence of informed debate p
Law briefs
More news and dates on the legal calendar p

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