Ireland is to contribute an extra €500,000 to help eradicate polio around the world.
Minister of State for Development Co-operation and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan, announced the funding yesterday as part of the Polio Eradication Initiative. It brings Ireland's contribution to the fund this year to €1.67m.
The number of polio cases has been reduced from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to just under 700 at the end of 2003. Further funding is needed to wipe out the condition completely.
GPs expected to accept proposals
GPs are expected to have voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting recommendations aimed at solving grievances with health service employers over pay and other issues when their ballots on Labour Relations Commission proposals are counted today, writes Eithne Donnellan.
Under the LRC recommendations, doctors who had pay rises withheld under four separate national pay agreements are to receive these payments now. This will amount to €48.5 million in back pay. They are also to receive a 9.75 per cent increase under benchmarking. In addition, in a deal worked out to allow the introduction of new doctor-only medical cards, GPs are to get payments to set up structures to administer these cards.
11 on trial in dogfight case
The trial of 11 men charged in connection with running an illegal dogfight in Co Kildare began at Naas Circuit Court yesterday.
Anthony Burke, Corstown, Oldcastle, Co Meath; Richard Bernard, Dark Road, Castletown, Carlow; Troy Jordan, Blackthorn Cottage, River Road, Allenwood, Co Kildare; James Ferris, Allenwood South, Co Kildare; Richard Somerville, Dunard Drive, Navan Road, Cabra; Karl Breen, Nangor Crescent, Clondalkin; John Moody, Coolamber Crescent, Templeogue; Thomas Codd, Cloonmore Crescent, Tallaght; David Deegan, Maplewood Park, Springfield, Tallaght; Michael Quinn, Slieve Bloom Road, Drimnagh and Joseph Blake, Loreto Avenue, Rathfarnham, have been charged with two counts of animal cruelty.
The alleged offences are said to have occurred on October 31st, 2003 at Brockagh, Robertstown, Co Kildare. Gardaí say they found two pit-bull terriers in a square pen with lacerations that were in a distressed state. The court was told some of the men had money on them. The case continues.
Nursing home details withheld
The Health Service Executive (HSE) said last night that it will not be able to publish details of the 33 nursing homes which received adverse inspection reports last year.
In the Dáil last month the Minister of State for Health Seán Power promised he would provide details of the nursing homes involved. However a spokesman for the HSE said last night that following legal advice it would not be able to reveal the names of the nursing homes.