More news in brief.
Woman wins claim after pub-crawl fall
A WOMAN injured when she fell during an organised pub crawl on holiday in Greece eight years ago secured an award of €27,300 against the travel agents in the High Court yesterday.
Lisa Moran (28), of Castle Park, Tallaght, Dublin, received seven stitches as a result of the fall and will need plastic surgery which will cost about €4,500.
She sued Falcon Leisure Group (Overseas) Limited trading as JWT Holidays who denied the claim and said there was contributory negligence.
Ruling that each party was 50 per cent responsible for the accident, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan reduced his award of €54,600 by half to €27,300.
No foul play in park body case
Foul play has been ruled out in the death of a man whose remains were found in thick undergrowth in St Anne's Park in Raheny, north Dublin, at around 9pm on Tuesday.
An initial examination at the scene by State Pathologist Marie Cassidy suggested the body had been at the location for some time. The dead man's body was found in a small tent and it appears he was living there when he died.
Gardaí did not release the results of the full postmortem last night, but sources said foul play had been ruled out.
Mayo crash victim named
The man killed in a road crash in Ballina, Co Mayo on Tuesday night was named as Jackie Kirby, a married man in his early 70s, from the local Amana Estate.
Mr Kirby, a retired Telecom employee, was alone in his car when it crashed at O'Rahilly Street, Ballina, around 8pm on Tuesday.
A postmortem was carried out yesterday at Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar.
Calls to outlaw genital mutilation
Legislation should be introduced in this country outlawing female genital mutilation, according to a report published by the Women's Health Council.
The practice, the report says, is a form of violence against women and an act that ensures the continuance of gender inequality.
Staff at the Dublin maternity hospitals see the effect of female genital mutilation on a regular basis, the report says.
No cases have ever been investigated by the Garda but law enforcement agencies are aware the practice might be taking place within ethnic communities.
Nurses in talks for shorter week
Health service management and nursing unions were in talks held by the National Implementation Body last night in a bid to resolve disagreement over the introduction of a shorter working week for 40,000 nurses.
The Government agreed to introduce a 37.5-hour week for nurses from the beginning of June as part of the settlement to last year's seven-week dispute. However, this was to be achieved on the basis that it would not cost additional money and would not involve reducing the level of services available for patients.
As of last night, agreements to reduce the working week on this basis had been approved by an independent verification body in respect of around 10,300 nurses. But it is understood there has been little progress made in the mental health and disability areas.
Decision delayed in Cork port plan
An Bórd Pleanála has postponed a decision on plans by the Port of Cork to develop a new €160 million container terminal at Ringaskiddy until later this month because of the volume of submissions received during a 15-day oral hearing.
A decision had been due on Tuesday on the application by the Port of Cork for a new container terminal but a decision will now be delivered on June 25th.