A Waterford cable-manufacturing company has announced it is to close with the loss of 75 jobs.
Kromberg & Schurbert (Ireland) Ltd in the Waterford Industrial Estate, Cork Road, will cease operations in December.
In a statement yesterday, the company said it had continued to invest in manufacturing equipment, resources and logistics to improve competitiveness, but costs beyond its control had spiralled.
"The group is facing an extremely high pressure from its global customers to continue to reduce prices," the statement said.
SIPTU, the main union at the company, is negotiating redundancies for the 75 staff. The secretary of the union's Waterford branch, Ms Marie Butler, said yesterday that there had been a long winding-down process at the company.
In the early 1990s there had been 1,200 people employed there. It would finally close down in Waterford and would continue its operation in Slovakia, she said.
The company opened in Waterford in 1973.
Youth with 50 convictions jailed
A 17-year-old boy who has 50 convictions has been given his first term in detention.
The boy had earlier pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to riding a stolen bicycle and to being drunk and disorderly on Amiens Street, Dublin, on May 22nd last.
Prosecuting Garda Domhnaill Carroll told the court that the boy had been using a bicycle which had been stolen earlier that day.
The teenager had admitted using the stolen bicycle and also being intoxicated but when questioned by the judge he refused to name the person he claimed had loaned him the bicycle.
The boy has been living in a community-based care home and has regular contact with his mother who is very supportive of him, the court was told by a care worker.
The case had been adjourned until yesterday pending a probation report.
Judge Michael Connellan decided to detain the boy for six months in St Patrick's Institution after noting that he had not been co-operative with probation officers, was still drinking and taking drugs and had since been arrested for further offences.
It is his first time to be detained; he had been placed on a probation bond earlier this year on 48 charges, relating to offences committed over two years.
Procession to mark Papal visit
A procession of an estimated 400 pilgrims made its way through Dublin city centre last night to a special Mass at the Pro-Cathedral, writes Patsy McGarry.
Organised by various Catholic groups, including the Legion of Mary and Youth 2000, the procession was held to mark the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul's visit to Dublin and the Year of the Eucharist.
Between October 10th and 17th the Catholic Church will celebrate its 48th International Eucharistic Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The congress's closing ceremonies will be addressed by Pope John Paul, via satellite.
It had been intended that he would fly to Mexico for the congress, but this will not now happen as it was decided the journey would be too taxing for him.
Last night's procession began at 6.30 p.m. with the recitation of the Rosary's Sorrowful Mysteries outside the University Church on
St Stephen's Green and continued to Westmoreland Street and O'Connell Street, led by a banner with the words "Year of the Eucharist". Along the route pilgrims recited the Rosary and sang hymns. They were also blessed at intervals by a priest before arriving at the Pro-Cathedral. Mass there began at 8.30 p.m., celebrated by the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazarotto.