A round-up of other home news in brief
Community workers protest cuts
More than 1,000 community workers from across the State protested in Dublin yesterday at proposed cutbacks which they said would “devastate” the most disadvantaged communities, writes Kitty Holland.
They are calling for a reversal of a 15 per cent budget cut already imposed on the sector, and a commitment against further cuts proposed in the report by the group headed by economist Colm McCarthy.
The 180 Community Development Projects (CDPs) around the State could close, they say.
Cathleen O’Neill, of Kilbarrack CDP in Dublin, described Mr McCarthy’s summation that CDPs showed no evidence of positive outcomes, as “chilling”.
Equine disease in Meath stables
Horse industry representatives will meet Department of Agriculture officials to devise a plan to prevent the spread of equine Piroplasmosis, following an outbreak at a Co Meath stables, writes Seán MacConnell.
Equine Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne protozoan disease of horses, mules, donkeys and zebra caused by blood parasites and gives rise to anaemia and jaundice in affected animals.
While it has not been officially reported in Ireland before, the disease is not readily contagious and no public health concerns arise, according to the department.
Man held over Finglas assault
A man in his 30s was being questioned last night over a serious assault on a woman at an apartment in Finglas in Dublin last week.
The assault, during which two of her fingers were severed, took place at an apartment in Prospect Hill last Wednesday.
The victim, a woman in her 30s from eastern Europe, went to answer a call at her door. When she answered, a masked man armed with a knife pushed his way into the apartment.
The woman struggled with the man and suffered slashes across her hand which severed two of her fingers.
The intruder took a bank card owned by the woman and a number of other belongings. Gardaí believe a small quantity of cash was taken and the attack was most likely an opportunistic robbery.
Witnesses sought in jockey's death
An appeal has been issued by British police for witnesses to come forward and help them establish the circumstances which led to the death of Irish jockey Jamie Kyne at the weekend.
Detectives want to speak to all people who were near or in the building in which the 18-year-old Galway jockey died in a fire along with a 19-year-old apprentice jockey from Scotland, Jan Wilson.
They have been carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the Yorkshire village of Norton where the two young jockeys perished in a fire which was discovered at 2.15am on Saturday. A local man in his 30s was released on bail on Sunday.
Police are treating the fire as suspicious. Forensic experts are sifting through the scene in an effort to find the cause of the fire.
Jamie Kyne’s mother Madeleine, and an uncle, have travelled to Norton to make arrangements to bring his remains back to Kiltrogue near Claregalway in Co Galway.
No funeral arrangements have yet been made.