ireland.com - The Irish Times

Lack of fostering services criticised
The State's fostering services are "in a state of crisis" the national co-ordinator of the Irish Foster Care Association has said. p

Recycling goes large in capital
Dublin city's first recycling centre for bulky items, including furniture, white goods and electronic equipment, has opened in the city's North Strand area. p

Mater to close 115 beds by the end of April
Some 115 beds are to be closed at Dublin's Mater Hospital before the end of next month, it was announced last night. p

USI says Government's student loan scheme is 'seriously flawed'
A student loan scheme would leave graduates with a mountain of debt and reverse progress in education, a student leader claimed yesterday. p

Other Stories

US police think body is Irish nun
US police believe that a decapitated body found in an abandoned car in Virginia yesterday is that of missing Irish nun, Sister Philomena Fogarty. p
Expert to assess tunnel damage
An independent assessor from the Imperial College in London has arrived in Dublin to examine damage to homes in the Marino area. p
Immigrants see value of education
Most Irish secondary school students are not as determined to continue to third level as their immigrant classmates, a new study shows. p
Anti-terrorism legislation causes concern
The Human Rights Commission has "substantial concerns" about the proposed anti-terrorism legislation published last December by the Minister for Justice. p
Emergency summit to discuss draft on June 30th
The war in Iraq will not delay the production of a constitutional road-map to manage the expansion of the EU, the president of the Convention on the Future of Europe said in Dublin yesterday. p
Cabinet to modify restrictions on access to personal information
The Government is to modify its proposals to restrict access to personal information held by public bodies but will press ahead with plans to limit the release of Government and other official records. p
Anti-abortion poll outlay €750,000
The two main anti-abortion groups spent €750,000 during their campaigns on the abortion referendum last year, the Standards in Public Office Commission said yesterday. p
Dempsey backs review of Leaving Cert
The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, has signalled his support for radical reform of the Leaving Cert exam with a greater emphasis on continuous assessment and project work p
Witness 'never had affair' with garda
At the Morris tribunal yesterday, Ms Adrienne McGlinchey said she never had a sexual relationship with Det Garda Noel McMahon even though she spent a lot of time with him. p
Architect 'was given confidential rezone map'
The Flood Tribunal: An architect employed by businessman Mr Jim Kennedy has told how he was given a confidential rezoning map prepared by Dublin county council 16 months before it was shown to councillors. p
Minister promises new disability law
The long-awaited Disability Bill will be introduced to the Dáil before the end of the summer session, the Minister of State for Justice, Mr Willie O'Dea, has promised. p
Customers favour letting Penneys go on selling cheaper Dublin shirt
Two department stores and the GAA will be in the High Court this morning in a row over shirts. p
Concerns about report expressed
The Moriarty Tribunal: A civil servant who formed part of the team that selected the winner of the State's second mobile phone licence competition said he had concerns about the report produced by the team but not about the decision as to the winner p
Employers, unions ratify pay deal
Implementation of the new social partnership programme begins next week following yesterday's decision by employers and unions to ratify it.Union delegates voted by 195 votes to 147 to endorse the agreement, Sustaining Progress, at a special conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Dublin. p
Centre follows EU guidelines on SARS
Amid concerns that airline passengers have contracted Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) during a flight from Hong Kong to Beijing, the National Disease Surveillance Centre has said that there is no need to follow up passengers who shared flights with the two victims of the disease in the Republic. p
Film censor bans video and DVD release of controversial French film
The film censor, Mr Sheamus Smith, has prohibited the video and DVD release of the violent, sexually-explicit French film, Baise-Moi . The film's distributors subsequently submitted the film to the Film Appeals Board, which upheld the censor's decision. p
Chernobyl project to deliver ambulances
A fleet of 20 ambulances from Ireland will be donated to a number of hospitals, orphanages and day care centres in Belarus next month.The donation is part of a humanitarian aid convoy being organised by the Chernobyl Children's Project. p
Coughlan to announce family policy initiative
Members of the public and organisations working with families will be invited to make suggestions on Government family policy at a series of public consultative meetings. p
McGlinchey stands by evidence of 'outrageous' activities
Morris Tribunal: Ms Adrienne McGlinchey told the Morris tribunal yesterday that she stood by her evidence of events no matter how outrageous they seemed. p

Dail Report

O'Malley criticises Cabinet over FOI
A Government TD has sharply criticised the Cabinet's handling of its amending Freedom of Information legislation, and expressed major concern about some of its proposed amendments. p
Ahern calls for position of stability on North
A system of accountability must be put in place in the peace process so that a "breach or difficulty" does not lead to instability and the collapse of the North's institutions, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil. p
TD says home for children left in chaos
The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, and the Minister of State for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan, have been condemned for their failure to take "any obvious action" to deal with the chaos and crisis in a children's home. p
Taoiseach refuses to condemn US Iraq attack
The Taoiseach told the Dáil he was not "answerable for pre-emptive strikes by anybody". Mr Ahern stood for and believed in the United Nations, but he refused to condemn the US's pre-emptive attack on Iraq. p
Trying not to mention the war
It would take a plastic surgeon to get under the skin of Bertie Ahern, but Pat Rabbitte is determined to try. p
Greens seek transport authority
The National Roads Authority is "Neanderthal" in its terms of reference and needs to be "shaken from top to tail" to be turned into a modern body, according to the Green Party. p
O Caolain attacks housing prices
Property developers are "literally screwing" young couples with huge increases in house prices, according to Sinn Féin's leader in the Dáil, Mr Caoimghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan). p
Three Fianna Fail members say Iraq war is unjust and immoral
Seanad report: Three Fianna Fáil members, including the leader of the House, Mrs O'Rourke, described the war in Iraq as illegal, unjust and immoral p
Indemnity not now likely for politicians
The Government is now expected to draw back from supporting a court action by two politicians against the Morris tribunal, which is investigating alleged Garda corruption in Co Donegal. p

In The Courts

Court ruling a setback for hepatitis C claimants
In a major setback for victims seeking additional compensation for hepatitis C infection from contaminated blood products, the Supreme Court has ruled that victims who accepted awards from the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal cannot appeal those awards to the courts p
Architect was set on fire, court told
An architect's clothing was deliberately set alight with a blowtorch by a builder, Mr Frank McKiernan, who had been asked to leave lands owned by Aer Rianta chairman Mr Noel Hanlon, the High Court was told yesterday. p
Man must give back €48,700 court award in asbestos case
A man who was exposed to asbestos dust while working in the basement of Leinster House has been directed by the Supreme Court to return a damages award of £48,700 made to him by the High Court. p
Tribunals not meant to add to legal layers
Analysis: If compensation tribunals are to work, they must award at least what would be available from the courts, writes Carol Coulter , Legal Affairs Correspondent p
Mandatory life for man who murdered partner
A Dublin man who stabbed his partner to death and then placed a photograph of himself and their baby in her hands was convicted of murder at the Central Criminal Court yesterday. p
Murder trial of Kilkenny man opens
A Kilkenny man went on trial yesterday for the murder of another Kilkenny man in the city two years ago. p

In the North

Commander defends tactics
The commander of the paratroopers responsible for the Bloody Sunday killings in Derry 31 years ago yesterday denied that he exceeded the orders given to him by his superiors on the day. p
SF says ardfheis to be biggest ever
The Sinn Féin ardfheis which takes places this weekend in Dublin will be the biggest ever, party sources predict. p
SDLP blames dissidents for arson attack on car
An SDLP spokesman in Strabane, Co Tyrone, said yesterday he believed a dissident republican group was responsible for an arson attack on a car belonging to the daughter of local SDLP councillor Ms Ann Bell. p
SF and SDLP vie for credit over police reforms
Sinn Féin and the SDLP yesterday welcomed the placing of amendments to policing legislation before the House of Commons, and each party claimed credit for the move. p
Orde challenged over arms discovery
The PSNI has been challenged to provide further information surrounding the discovery of a paramilitary arms dump in south Belfast on Saturday. p
Mallon raises SF policing role ahead of poll
The SDLP's Mr Seamus Mallon has suggested that a Sinn Féin decision to join the Policing Board might be a necessary "act of completion" before fresh Assembly elections take place. p

Regional News

'Drystock' farming chief sets out his stall
The new president of the 8,000- strong farming organisation, the ICSA, Mr John Deegan, plans to "apologise for nothing" during his four-year term of office which begins next week. p
Protest in support of laid-off staff
A protest involving 3,000 workers from chemical and pharmaceutical plants around Munster is being planned in support of 160 employees recently laid off by American firm ADM in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. p
Dust-blows in Silvermines area raises renewed health concerns
The return of dust-blows to the Silvermines area of North Tipperary has led to increased health fears among residents. p
Plans for aquatic centre without environment statement opposed
Hodson Bay: Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) have queried Roscommon County Council's decision to proceed with plans for an aquatic centre at Hodson Bay, north of Athlone, in the absence of an environmental impact statement (EIS). p
No funding for new bridge over Shannon
Plans for the construction of a new crossing point on the River Shannon have received a setback with Department of the Environment officials confirming there are no funds set aside for the project. p
Board defends new management position amid freeze on services
The Southern Health Board has defended its decision to create a new management post at a time when spending on patient services must remain at last year's levels. p

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