ireland.com - The Irish Times

McCreevy makes concession on FoI
In a significant concession to the campaign against its proposals, the Government has dropped a controversial amendment to the Freedom of Information Act on the release of personal information. p

Protest over state of school buildings
Some 200 pupils in a Galway national school walked out of classes yesterday as part of a national protest at the poor state of the school buildings. p

Pier or terminal debate set to take off
TERMINAL CONFLICT/Aer Rianta v Ryanair: Plans for an independent terminal at Dublin Airport could affect the building of Pier D, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Editor p

Other Stories

Call for congestion levy on Dublin traffic
Dublin's "dire traffic problems" could be alleviated by introducing a congestion charge similar to London's, according to Mr Derek Turner, transport director for the British capital. p
Home help cutbacks criticised
The decision by the North Eastern Area Health Board to cut home help services for disabled and elderly people was criticised yesterday. p
State may fund Enable meals scheme
A hot meals service which was due to be removed from a school for children with disabilities may now be funded by a State-run school meals scheme. p
Long wait on information appeals
Appeals to the Information Commissioner's office relating to the Freedom of Information Act are taking up to three years to handle due to a processing backlog. p
Method to detect food parasite found
A European research team, led by a Teagasc scientist, Dr Geraldine Duffy, has achieved a world first in the development of a new method to detect a parasite, cryptosporidium parvum, in food. p
Oireachtas to look at TD's phone bill dispute
The row between Labour TD, Mr Joe Costello and mobile phone company Vodafone over a disputed phone bill is to be investigated by the Oireachtas Committee on Communications. p
Quality of information on war causes concern
SEANAD REPORT: While RTÉ and The Irish Times had been outstanding in their unbiased commentary on the war in Iraq, most of the journalists reporting on the hostilities had "let us down on this issue," Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind) told the House. p
Off-licences warned of thief with expensive taste in wines
Off-licences in Dublin, Meath and Kildare have been warned to be on the look-out for a thief or thieves with expensive tastes in champagne and wines. p

In the Dáil

Minister praised for dropping proposal
DAIL COMMITTEE/Finance: In a surprise move last night, the Minister for Finance dropped one of the most controversial proposed changes to the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act dealing with access to personal information. p
McCreevy on alert for April Fool's Day
DAIL SKETCH/Frank McNally: The Minister for Finance was "a very honest man", said Labour's Joan Burton. Fine Gael agreed. If there was one criticism you could never level at Charlie McCreevy, suggested Richard Bruton, it was reluctance to take responsibility for his decisions. p
Baldonnel not now used by US aircraft, Ahern tells House
No US military aircraft has landed at Baldonnel since the summer of 2002, although foreign aircraft occasionally use the facilities there, the Taoiseach told the Dáil. p
FG demands aid to Iraq be co-ordinated by UN
Fine Gael has demanded that humanitarian aid to Iraq be co-ordinated by the United Nations. p
Renovation plan for schools
The Department of Education is negotiating with the Department of Finance to secure a five-year plan for the renovation and provision of facilities in primary and post-primary schools, the Dáil was told. p

In The Courts

Shannon challenge to resume tomorrow
A legal challenge to the Government's allowing Shannon airport to be used by US aircraft engaged in the war in Iraq will proceed at the High Court tomorrow. p
Judge orders disturbed girl to be held in Mountjoy
An extremely disturbed girl who was missing from health board care for more than two weeks was located by gardaí yesterday in Dublin. p
Man is sentenced to life for murder of workmate
A 35-year-old worker at a poultry factory in Co Monaghan has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of the murder of a workmate last year. p
Life sentence for murder of man during assault in Kilkenny city
A Kilkenny man has been jailed for life at the Central Criminal Court for murdering a man in Kilkenny city in 2001. p
Man stopped with #9,740 has seizure order for cash extended
A man who was stopped with more than £9,000 on his return from a trip to Britain failed yesterday to prevent the continued seizure of the cash pending investigations into its origin. p
Clare man denies being member of illegal organisation
A Co Clare man arrested at a suspected Continuity IRA meeting in Limerick denied at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday that he was ever a member of an illegal organisation. p
Soldier settles claim for injury to her back
A part-time soldier who injured her back while undergoing training manoeuvres has settled a €38,000 damages claim against the Minister for Defence for an undisclosed sum. p
Action to recoup legal costs at rail inquiry adjourned
The widow of the former chief executive of CIÉ, Michael McDonnell, has taken legal action to compel the Oireachtas sub-committee inquiry into cost overruns in the mini-CTC rail signalling project to pay some €220,000 towards the cost of her legal representation at the inquiry. p

Tribunals

Witness 'saw thousands' in package for garda
THE MORRIS TRIBUNAL: Ms Adrienne McGlinchey told the Morris tribunal yesterday that Det Garda Noel McMahon had told her to pick up a package from a man in a car and when she opened it she found thousands of pounds in cash. p
Oireachtas may indemnify in Howlin and Higgins case
The Government is expected to call on the Houses of the Oireachtas to indemnify a legal case by two politicians against the Morris tribunal after it decided against supporting the action. p
Former planning official disputes meeting claim
THE FLOOD TRIBUNAL: A former planning official with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Mr Dermot Drumgoole, has denied to the tribunal that he met the lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop and the former Fianna Fáil TD Mr Liam Lawlor in connection with the rezoning of lands in Carrickmines, Co Dublin. p
Cosgrave to respond to allegations today
THE FLOOD TRIBUNAL: The former Fine Gael senator Mr Liam Cosgrave gets his chance today to respond to allegations at the Flood tribunal that he took more than £15,000 in bribes in return for his vote on rezoning motions. p
Tribunal forming clearer picture of selection process
THE MORIARTY TRIBUNAL/Analysis: The team to select who should get the most lucrative government concession yet did not follow its own working model and was subjected to intervention by Michael Lowry, according to the Moriarty tribunal. Colm Keena reports p
Judge fears tribunals may hurt our reputation abroad
A High Court judge has expressed his concern that evidence from the various tribunals may be damaging Ireland's reputation abroad. p
Carthy 'seemed quite well' a month before shooting
THE BARR TRIBUNAL: Mr John Carthy seemed quite well a month before his death and was looking forward to getting on with his life, a doctor told the Barr tribunal yesterday. p

In the North

Trimble says Blair visit a waste if IRA do not move
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, yesterday insisted it could be a waste of time for the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, to join the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at Hillsborough next week. p
Rape accused forced to wear placard
The mother of a 24-year-old Co Tyrone man has blamed the Provisional IRA for forcing him to walk through Coalisland with a placard branding him a rapist. p
Chief of Staff to give evidence on Monday
THE BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY: The Chief of Staff of the British defence forces is to give evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in London next Monday. p
Colonel not told men had been shot
THE BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY/Day 316: The officer commanding paratroopers on Bloody Sunday admitted yesterday it was surprising that two of his soldiers did not inform him they shot two men before he ordered other troops into the Bogside area. p

Regional News

Locals object to Lisdoonvarna music festival
Locals in Doolin yesterday voiced their opposition to the return of the Lisdoonvarna music festival. p
Family hit by second tragedy
A Limerick family is mourning a son who was killed early yesterday morning, less than seven months after his brother was killed.The accidents occurred within a mile of each other. p
Row over access to stone circle
A stone circle in Co Kerry, one of the largest in the south-west, has been turned into "a feature garden", according to an environmental group. It has complained to Bord Fáilte, Kerry County Council and the Garda. p
90% of new food products fail
Some 90 per cent of all new food and drink products fail to survive more than a year in the market, a Minister said yesterday. p
Appeals against one-off houses
An Taisce last year recorded a 90 per cent success rate in appealing decisions to An Bord Pleanála against one-off housing developments throughout the State. p
Airport services to be restored
Negotiations on funding between the Government and the board of the South East Regional Airport at Waterford are expected to conclude within days, the airport chairman, Mr Nicholas Fewer, said yesterday. p
Bookie granted Killarney licence
A district court judge yesterday granted a certificate of suitability of premises to a bookmaker for what will be Killarney's eighth bookmaker's office, despite objections from the Garda that Killarney already had enough betting offices for a town of its size. p

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