A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Callely's suspension remains despite High Court challenge
The 20-day suspension of Senator Ivor Callely remains in force despite the fact that the former Fianna Fáil politician has lodged a High Court challenge against it.
Seanad Éireann is to resume at 2.30pm next Wednesday after the summer recess, and the decision of the House to suspend Mr Callely for 20 sitting days will take effect from that date.
Mr Callely is still eligible to attend Oireachtas committees and he was present at last Tuesday’s meeting of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Innovation at Leinster House.
His legal challenge to the Seanad suspension is due for mention next week when the High Court is expected to set a date for a hearing.
Medal named after late former minister Jim Dooge announced
The creation of a medal named after the recently deceased former minister for foreign Affairs Jim Dooge has been announced by the European Movement Ireland.
The medal will be awarded annually to a student who has completed a dissertation on an EU-related subject.
“Jim Dooge has had a profound effect on the formation of the European Union with his work in the 1980s,” said Andrea Pappin, director of the European Movement.
She said that following his recent death, the board wanted to commemorate its honorary president and the incredible contribution he made to the development of the EU.
The Jim Dooge European Research Medal will be awarded to a student or group of students who undertake a dissertation during their college studies on a European Union-related matter.
President declines offer to be grand marshal of NY parade
President Mary McAleese has declined an invitation to be grand marshal of the St Patrick’s Day parade in New York city next year.
Mrs McAleese attended the event in 2002, but “scheduling constraints” in her final year in office meant it would be impossible for her to take part in 2011, according to a statement issued on behalf of the President.
The parade has been the subject of some controversy in recent years as a result of gay groups not being allowed to march under their own banners. When asked whether this had a bearing on the decision, a spokesman for the President referred only to the reason outlined in the statement.
Joyce centre co-founder dies
Ken Monaghan, co-founder of the James Joyce Centre in Dublin and nephew of James Joyce, has died, aged 85.
Mr Monaghan was the son of Joyce’s sister, May Monaghan. He was born in Oughterard, Co Galway. A former bank official, he became involved full time with the Joyce world in 1982.
He is survived by his wife Lucy and six children.
Consultant suspended after allegations
A locum consultant anaesthetist alleged to have used HSE hospital addresses as contact points for private work has been suspended by his employers.
Dr Laszlo Ruscsak (45) has been employed at Ennis General Hospital since July, and his suspension by the Global Medic recruitment agency was confirmed yesterday.
This followed claims on RTÉ’s Liveline that a female patient received no post-operative care. Another said she had to have emergency surgery after a procedure went wrong.