THE IRISH EMIGRANT

August 10, 2009        Issue No.1,175

The free news service for the global Irish community

Editor: Liam Ferrie                      ©2009 Irish Emigrant Ltd

Nobody wants to make an unquestioning gesture towards turning the economy around and so we are daily exposed to the gripes of those who think they are being hard done by. Most of the squealing in the past week came from the country's pharmacists, many of whom are now refusing to fill prescriptions for their regular customers who, on a monthly basis, had been collecting their Government-subsidised medication. The pharmacists who are fighting the new lower fees do not seem to realise that no section of the community has shown any sympathy with their  cause.

Also taking a parochial view were two Fianna Fáil TDs who resigned the party whip over the closure of cancer services in Sligo General Hospital. Dr Jimmy Devins and Éamon Scanlon argue that Sligo is different from 19 other locations that lost similar services in a major effort to upgrade cancer care nationally by providing eight centres of excellence.

Another TD made news for the wrong reasons, although he obviously didn't think so, when he waited outside Castlerea Prison to greet two men being released after serving 10.5 years for killing Det. Garda Jerry McCabe. Sinn Féin's Martin Ferris also ensured that the two could not be followed by gardaí or journalists as they made their way to an unknown destination.

In contrast with the "me féin" attitude that has become so prevalent, two young men lost their lives while trying to rescue others on Wednesday evening. Both entered a small Co. Cavan lake when they saw six people struggling in the water after their boat capsized; the six were rescued or made their way to shore.

Pharmacy dispute becoming bitter

Minister for Health Mary Harney has appeared on radio and television to tell the country's pharmacists that the fees available to them for filling prescriptions under Government-funded drug programmes will not be changed and she urged them to honour contracts they have with the Health Service Executive.

The Minister was speaking on Thursday night, and again on Friday morning, after days of recriminations during which pharmacists and the HSE blamed each other for the hurdles the sick and the elderly were forced to overcome in their efforts to obtain their medication.

Typical of the stories reported in the media was one of an elderly man who travelled into New Ross to have a prescription filled, only to be told that he would have to travel to Waterford and, when he arrived at a pharmacy there, he was advised to go to Tramore. As he was travelling by bus that wasn't possible.

At the other end of the country in Co. Donegal, dozens of pensioners and others on Tuesday morning handed in prescriptions at Carndonagh Community Hospital and at the Buncrana Nursing Unit. These were then faxed to Stranorlar to be dealt with. For some reason the actual prescriptions then had to brought to Stranorlar by car. That night at 10:00pm the medication was supposed to be distributed in Carndonagh and Buncrana but only a fraction of the prescriptions had been filled. Those who didn't receive their medicine on Tuesday night were told to return on Wednesday night but some again left empty handed despite waiting until 1:00am.

Some Inishowen pharmacists relented on Thursday and opened for a  period to fill prescriptions for those in most need. By then the trouble was that the prescriptions were in Stranorlar and the patients were unsure of what medication they were on.

The Irish Pharmacy Union claimed the problems were the result of the Health Service Executive's failure to prepare for the withdrawal by pharmacists from the various schemes, but Ms Harney virtually accused the pharmacists of sabotage. She insisted that adequate provision had been put in place to meet the shortfall created by pharmacists who had given the required month's notice to cancel their contract. The difficulties arose because other pharmacists had failed to honour their contract without warning. She said she would support the HSE should it decide to take legal action against these pharmacists.

On Friday the HSE initiated that legal action and obtained injunctions against two pharmacy chains controlling a total of 35 outlets in Dublin and surrounding counties.

The IPU argues that the matter could be resolved if Minister Harney would agree to negotiations or would appoint an independent mediator. She rejects both options as, under competition law the IPU, which is a trade organisation rather than a trade union, cannot negotiate on the prices its members will charge. On Saturday Ms Harney agreed to meet the IPU to discuss the future role of pharmacists but made it clear she would not be negotiating on the new fee structure.

The man who chaired the group that devised the contentious new fee structure was Seán Dorgan, former head of IDA Ireland. In an interview on RTÉ radio on Friday he noted the enormous increase in the volume of drugs being dispensed over the past few years and the even greater increase in the cost to the State. Drugs worth €2.2bn are prescribed in Ireland every year and the State's share of this is €1.7bn. The fees which had been paid to pharmacists, he said, could not be sustained; they had to accept the reality of the situation.

Earlier in the week an HSE spokeswoman claimed that locum pharmacists working in the temporary community pharmacies were being intimidated to the extent that in one case the matter was reported to gardaí. It was also reported that one locum resigned as a result of the intimidation.

McCabe killers freed

The last two men imprisoned for the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe were released from Castlerea Prison on Wednesday morning. Kevin Walsh (52) and Pearse McCauley (44), who had served ten and a half years of their 14-year sentences, were collected from the prison at 7:00am by the Sinn Féin TD for Kerry North, Martin Ferris.

While few approved of a TD providing the welcoming party for the convicted killers of a garda officer, few were surprised that Mr Ferris took on this role. Similarly few were surprised at the scenario which followed. The van transporting the TD and the two released prisoners stopped under a narrow bridge a few miles outside Castlerea and blocked the road. At that point Walsh and McCauley transferred to a waiting car while the van prevented a garda car and a number of vehicles carrying journalists from following the two men any further.

It had been thought that McCauley might have been rearrested when he emerged from Castlerea. The British authorities had at one stage been seeking his extradition. In 1991, along with Nessan Quinlivan of Limerick, McCauley escaped from Brixton Prison while awaiting trial on a charge of conspiracy to murder. Shortly after his release from Castlerea Prison on Wednesday the Crown Prosecution Service in London issued a statement in which it said that it no longer planned to pursue the prosecution of McCauley and Quinlivan and two other named individuals. This news did not go down at all well with the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldon and other unionists.

In June 1996 Det. Garda McCabe was sitting in an unmarked garda car, providing an escort to a post office van, when he was shot dead by an IRA gang in Adare, Co. Limerick. When the case came to trial the State withdrew murder charges after the four accused pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Gardaí would like to speak to two other suspects who are believed to have fled to South America after the killing.

Future of Liam Carroll's empire in doubt

The media spent Tuesday morning predicting that the Supreme Court would reject property developer Liam Carroll's appeal against the High Court's rejection of his application to have an examiner appointed to his companies. In the afternoon they were proved wrong.

The Supreme Court decided that Mr Carroll had "arguable grounds for appeal" and extended the stay on the High Court ruling until tomorrow when it will have a full hearing of the case.

Mr Carroll has borrowings of €1.1bn and ACCBank has been demanding repayment of a €136m loan, a move that could force the appointment of a receiver. The other banks that are owed money by the developer would rather wait to see what the future, in the shape of the National Assets Management Agency, will bring.

In a separate case the High Court ordered that Dashaven, Clubko, and Thomas Read Holdings, all companies owned by hotelier Hugh O'Regan, are to be liquidated since there is no prospect of their survival. The companies own the former Kilternan hotel and sports club, the former Hibernian United Services club on St Stephen's Green, and a building on Parliament Street respectively. Mr O'Regan is best known as the founder of the Thomas Read chain of pubs in Dublin.

The company's debts exceed €200m, with the Irish Nationwide Building Society facing an exposure of €171.5m relating to the redevelopment of the Kilternan complex. Mr O'Regan paid €12.7m for the hotel and had ambitious plans to turn it into a major conference and sports resort on 330 acres.

Two drown in Cavan lake rescue attempt

Two young men drowned on Wednesday after entering a small lake in Co. Cavan in an attempt to rescue a family of six whose boat had capsized. The incident happened on Gallon Lough between Virginia and Baillieborough before 7:00pm.

Local man Simon Delaney (21) was on his way to a football match and was driving past Lough Gallon and saw what was happening. He was first to enter the water and helped some of those in the water to reach the shore before, according to his friend, exhaustion set in and he became trapped in a heavily silted area.  Meanwhile Matthew Gibbons (20) from Phibsboro in Dublin, who had been standing on the lake shore, had also entered the water and got into difficulties. 

Simon Delaney's body was recovered from the water that evening but it was Thursday before Matthew Gibbons' body was found. Simon had played minor and under-21 football for the Cavan team and was from nearby Stramaquarty.

All those who had been in the capsized boat managed to make their way to shore.

A 73-year-old man drowned while swimming in the sea at Portmarnock in north Dublin on Thursday. The man's wife became concerned at around 4:00pm when he hadn't returned and his body was found in the sea by Howth Coast Guard some 90 minutes later.

Sligo TD rebellion fails to impress

Sligo's two Fianna Fáil TDs on Wednesday resigned the party whip but failed to impress anyone. Former Minister of State Jimmy Devins and his constituency colleague Éamon Scanlon said their action was in protest at the closure of breast cancer services at Sligo General Hospital.

The two TDs said that they came to their decision after Taoiseach Brian Cowen failed to respond to their pleas at a meeting last week. Their action is seen as too little too late by those campaigning for the retention of the Sligo unit, while most others believe they were simply responding to the fear of losing their seats at the next election.

Cancer services have already closed at 20 hospitals around the country as resources are channelled into eight specialist cancer units. As of Thursday the Sligo unit is closed and patients in Sligo will now have to travel the 86 miles to Galway or 130 miles to Dublin. The ones who are really affected are those living in north Donegal, with some having to travel 200 miles to Galway or 170 mile to Dublin.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan, whose Donegal constituents have the furthest to travel for cancer treatment, made it clear in the hours after the resignations that there could be no reversal of the decision to close the Sligo unit. I should add that the unit isn't closing entirely; while it will no longer have a role to play in diagnosis or surgery it will continue to deliver chemotherapy and other treatments.

The defection of the two TDs means that the Government no longer has a majority but both are expected to vote with the Government when needed. On Sunday another Fianna Fáil TD commented on the matter by questioning Taoiseach Brian Cowen's leadership of the party. John McGuinness, TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, called for Mr Cowen to take "rounded action in relation to the economy so that we can move the country forward”. He went on to say that there are others in the Fianna Fáil party willing and capable of taking over the leadership of the party and the country.

This week on our website

• Around the 32 Counties: A Galway island is to have a new transport link, a Leitrim man receives an ancient honour in London, and a Wexford instrument is returned to its owners. http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73156&Itemid=23

• US Visa Q&A: This week the Irish Immigration Center in Boston warns against the use of unauthorised advisers on immigration procedures. http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73157&Itemid=170

Bits and Pieces

Did gardaí foil murder attempt?

The Garda Press Office on Monday reported that, as part of an ongoing operation targeting serious crime in Dublin city centre, a 24-year-old man was found to be in possession of a loaded semi-automatic handgun when he was stopped and searched on Charleville Avenue in the north inner city shortly after 11:00pm on Sunday. Tuesday's newspapers reported that the man in question is a well-known Dublin criminal and that he was on his way to shoot a pub doorman.

The Irish Times went into considerable detail, with a complex story of the criminal seeking revenge for the death of one of his accomplices who was shot by gardaí while attempting to carry out a robbery on a cash-in-transit van in Lucan in May. The dead man was viewed as a petty criminal who was considered unlikely to become involved in a major armed robbery. It is suggested that he had only agreed to take part as he needed money to meet an INLA demand that he pay compensation to a man he had assaulted. The intended victim of Sunday's abortive murder attempt was one of the INLA members who had demanded the money.

It is also reported that the man detained  on Sunday had been arrested in May in the vicinity of the attempted armed robbery in Lucan, had been arrested a month earlier in relation to an attempted armed robbery in East Wall and was a suspect in relation to a successful armed raid in Clontarf in July of last year. Shots were fired during all three incidents.

Hotel raiders leave guests locked in fridge

A gang of five, armed with iron bars and axes, forced their way into the Arklow Bay Hotel, Co. Wicklow in the early hours of Monday and escaped with a small amount of cash, having failed to open the hotel safe which was controlled by a time lock. During the course of the robbery the noise disturbed a husband and wife from Co. Clare and they left their room in their night attire to see what was happening.

The couple were overpowered and locked in a fridge while the night porter was left tied up on the floor as the gang made their getaway in an SUV belong to the two hotel guests.

Shots fired at security staff outside St James' Hospital

Gardaí are investigating a shooting incident in the grounds of St James' Hospital in Dublin on Tuesday morning. Two security staff were treated for non-life threatening injuries after they suffered gunshot wounds when two masked and armed men approached them at around 4:30am.

Gardaí seem to have little idea as to the possible motive for the attack. They are considering the possibility that the gunmen were disturbed while about to carry out a robbery or that it was a revenge attack for the arrest of a man who had earlier been causing a disturbance in the hospital's A&E unit.

Confirming what we knew on prices

Consumer Choice magazine, published by the Consumers' Association of Ireland, has published details of a survey which confirms that the cost of services north of the broder are much lower than in the Republic. Taking average prices being charged in Belfast and Dublin the survey found that Dublin was invariably more expensive, by 45% for a car service, 33% for a driving lesson, 33% for servicing a gas boiler, and 100% for a routine dental check up.

Increase in number of deportations

Figures released by the Department of Justice show that in the year to date 156 foreign nationals have been deported, compared with a total for 2008 of 162. The number of deportation orders signed last year was 776, while 602 have been signed this year already. The greatest number of those deported, at 99, came from Nigeria, while other nationalities deported included Georgians, South Africans, Chinese and Brazilians.

A further 261 immigrants requested or agreed to be returned to their homeland without going through the deportation process. The majority of these were Brazilians, followed by Moldovans, Nigerians and Georgians. They availed of a scheme which covers their travel costs and provides reintegration assistance.

Protesters object to being photographed

Residents of Blackrock, Co. Dublin who were having an on-site meeting with county manager of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Owen Keegan, raised objections when they noticed that the meeting was being photographed and recorded by men in hard hats and yellow jackets. The protesters from Brookfield Park and Rowanbyrn estates are opposing the introduction of bus lanes on a local road and they have held up construction on a number of occasions. Later the council issued a statement admitting that the taking of photographs was inappropriate.

Some of the protesters have received solicitors' letters warning that they might be liable for the costs accrued through delays in the construction work on the Monkstown ring road.

Gang take €200k from Meath BoI branch

A three-man gang wearing navy blue boiler suits and carrying iron bars entered the Bank of Ireland, Oldcastle, Co. Meath at around 5:00pm on Wednesday and escaped with an estimated €200k. The gang had previously cut through iron bars guarding a rear window and taped the bars together so that they were able to enter and leave the bank quickly. One member of staff was still on the premises but was upstairs at the time and when he heard noises he contacted gardaí. Although officers arrived within minutes the gang had already fled.

Garda critical after being stabbed

Garda Daryl Mullen (32), a native of Tuam, Co. Galway, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being stabbed in the stomach while dealing with an incident in Westport Co. Mayo in the early hours of Sunday. A 16-year-old youth was arrested at the scene and has since been charged in connection with the stabbing. He is due to appear in court in Mulligar this morning.

Snippets:

• The Irish Examiner claims that An Garda Síochána is losing too many experienced senior officers due to early retirements. It is claimed that many senior gardaí are retiring early as they fear that the 1.5 times salary which they receive as a tax free lump sum on retirement will be taxed with effect from January 1.

• Frank Hogan, who has become a familiar sight at matches with his yellow billboard reading “John 3:7”, is appealing for its return after it went missing on the train from Dublin to Limerick. Frank was travelling back from the Tyrone v Kildare match last Sunday and he believes the board was taken while the train was in Kildare.

• Two men in their mid-30s were arrested after six kilos of cocaine were seized at a house in the Donacarney area of Co. Meath on Thursday. In a follow up operation, a car was stopped nearby and a small amount of cocaine was recovered and 33-year-old man arrested. The entire seizure is estimated to have a street value of €430k.

• Marine equipment with a value of €60k has been stolen from areas of west Cork over the past month. Boats moored at Goleen, Crookhaven, Kinsale, Skibbereen and Ballinspittle have been targeted and gardaí have set up an incident room in Bandon to investigate the thefts of the equipment, engines and small boats.

• Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea appears to be following the recommendation of the McCarthy report in deferring the construction of a replacement for the Asgard II, which sank off the French coast last September. His department has also said it is considering abandoning the national sail training programme in order to save €0.8m annually.

National Lottery Winning Numbers:

• Wed: 10, 13, 24, 25, 37, 45 (44) - two winners shared the  jackpot of €2m
• Sat: 1, 3, 4, 8, 16, 39 (18) - the jackpot of €2m was not won

Northern News

FAIT action includes Deputy First Minister

Among those named in legal action being taken by Families Acting for Innocent Relatives is Martin McGuinness. The Deputy First Minister is one of five senior republicans on whom writs are to be served by the victims' group, which intends to sue the men for directing and profiting from terrorism. Three of the four named are Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, Michael Caraher, and Brian Arthurs.

FAIT is essentially a loyalist organisation run by Willie Frazer.

Holland family disappointed but unsurprised by denial of review

The family of Harry Holland (65), who was murdered in Belfast two years ago, have said they are disappointed but unsurprised at the decision of Britain's Attorney General Baroness Scotland not to review the sentences handed down to the three teenagers responsible.

In July of this year Stephen McKee (18) was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years, Patrick Crossan (18) received a four-year sentence and an unnamed 17-year-old girl was given two years' probation for affray and common assault. At the trial the charges of murder were dropped against the latter two, both being charged with affray and Crossan also being charged with possession of a knife.

Teenagers rescued from flooded cave

A crew member of Portrush lifeboat station was hailed as a hero after he successfully rescued two teenagers trapped in a cave near Castlerock in Co. Derry. Anthony Chambers swam to the rescue of Matthew Rathfield-Forsythe (13) and Reece Sufferin (14) after they became trapped in the cave at high tide, where waves were crashing over their heads.

Fortunately the two boys had told family what they were planning and the rescuers knew where to find them. They were only in the cave a short time when the force of the incoming tide made it impossible to leave. They remained inside for three hours before being rescued and were suffering from mild hyperthermia.

Tall ships in Belfast

The first of the 40 tall ships expected in Belfast for the festival on Thursday, the Brazilian Cisne Branco, arrived on Friday. The city is expecting up to 100,000 people to attend the festival and view the ships which have sailed from Halifax in Canada. The vessels will be berthed in the port until Sunday and there will be no admission charge.

Couple charged with child cruelty

A 22-year-old woman and 24-year-old man from Omagh have been charged with two counts of child cruelty after a two-year-old girl was found wandering barefoot in the snow last winter. The child walked a quarter of a mile from her home in Gallows Hill and was found knocking on the door of a supermarket in the town. The couple, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, are due to appear in court again on August 18.

Unionist opposition fails to halt police station closures

At a four-hour meeting held on Thursday the decision was taken to close 26 PSNI stations, despite strong opposition from unionist members of the Policing Board. While the Policing Board believes the move will save £1.8m a year, unionist board members argue that the stations should be left open to deal with a perceived increased threat from dissident republicans.

Most of the stations in question are either unmanned or occupied for short periods.

Police respond to accusations of facilitating protest

The PSNI has defended its actions in failing to arrest any of those who took part in an illegal midnight protest march in Larne in July. The Catholic family outside whose home some 80 loyalists gathered complained that the PSNI appeared to be escorting the marchers, the majority of whom had their faces obscured.

A PSNI spokesman said that such incidents are policed with a view to ensuring that no violence occurs. Evidence was, however, gathered on the night and charges may follow.

Romanians return to the North

A number of the Romanians who fled the North following racist attacks in June have returned. So far more than ten men have come back, with their families due to join them when the schools re-open. Their return has been welcomed by Alliance Assembly member Anna Lo, who had campaigned on their behalf.

The Department of Social Welfare also welcomed their return although it provided the £32k required to fly them to Romania in June.

Campaign to save Belfast building

Members of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society are campaigning to prevent the demolition of a former warehouse on Queen Street in Belfast. The impressive four-storey building, which dates from 1911, is the subject of a proposal by Carlisle Property Developments Ltd to replace it with 69 apartments, and shops at ground level. Although the original door and corner turret are to be preserved, the UAHS has decided to seek a judicial review.

Apprentice Boys parade passes off peacefully but...

Two policemen were injured when violence broke out in Derry on Saturday night following the annual Apprentice Boys parade through the city. Some 26 people were arrested when gangs of youths engaged in the throwing of stones, petrol bombs and other missiles

Road deaths in Counties Antrim, Tyrone and Armagh

• Edward Manly (64), from Co. Meath, died when his motorcycle crashed on the Causeway Road near Bushmills, Co. Antrim at about 5:30pm on Tuesday.

• Also on Tuesday Elizabeth Compton (83), from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, was killed in a road accident near Dungannon.

• A man lost his life in Keady, Co Armagh sometime before 6:30am on Sunday. It is believed the victim lost control of his van at the bottom of a steep hill and crashed into the trailer of an articulated truck that had been parked in a lay-by.

Other News:

• The Irish News on Tuesday led with a story about Maghaberry inmate Steven Brown (28) being moved after other prisoners threatened to kill him. Earlier this year Brown was convicted of the murder of two teenagers near Tandragee, Co. Armagh, in 2000.

• A man arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of two soldiers at Masserene army barracks in March is Paul McGlinchey (51), the brother of the former leader of the INLA, Dominic McGlinchey. Paul McGlinchey's two nephews, Dominic Óg and Declan McGlinchey, had previously been released without charge after being questioned in connection with the murders.

• A 46-year-old man who was questioned in Belfast about the seizure of 1.7 tonnes of cannabis in Kilrush harbour, Co. Clare 13 years ago, has been released while a report is submitted to the Public Prosecution Service. Three crew members on the Whisky Plongeur were arrested at the time of the seizure.

• Bombardier Lee Porter from Coleraine, Co. Derry, who died from swine flu in Surrey two weeks ago, is believed to be the first member of the British forces to die from the disease.

• The PSNI's Historical Enquiries Team arrested a 58-year-old man in relation to the 1973 murder of Alfredo Fusco (58) in York Road, Belfast . At the inquest into Mr Fusco's death an RUC inspector described the killing as sectarian.

• Children in the Ardoyne area of Belfast found a second loaded gun that was apparently abandoned by dissident republicans who instigated riots during the Twelfth marches. This latest weapon was a pistol loaded with two bullets. In the aftermath of the riots a loaded rifle was found.

• A building opposite the main entrance to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast was badly damaged in an arson attack on Tuesday.  The former nurses' home, which had had all its windows bricked up some time ago, had to be demolished on Wednesday.

• Call centre operator TeleTech is to create 80 new jobs in Belfast to service new and existing contracts. Over the next four weeks the company hopes to recruit people fluent in any of 15 European languages.

• An advice service set up by the Housing Rights Association to help people having problems making their mortgage repayments has been "inundated" with calls, dealing with 80 cases in the first month. Some 150 houses a month were being repossessed in the first quarter of this year.

• The closure of east Belfast company Central Group Services has led to the loss of 50 jobs. The company, a leading provider of mechanical and electrical services founded in 1994, also employs 20 people in the Republic.

The Courts

Man charged with possession of gun and ammunition

The courts are closed while the judiciary take their summer holidays and only urgent cases are being dealt with. One of these involved Derek Hutch, of Lusk, Co. Dublin. who was charged at Dublin District Court with possession of a Czech semi-automatic pistol, possession of seven rounds of ammunition and with having a silencer. He was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court tomorrow.

Employment & Industrial Relations

Travel agency staff arrested and released

Gardaí moved into the premises of the Thomas Cook travel agency on Dublin's Grafton Street, at around 5:00am on Tuesday, and arrested up to 30 former staff members and others who had defied a court order to vacate the building. The occupation began after the business closed a month ahead of schedule when the company reacted to threats of strike action in a dispute over redundancy pay. Staff had rejected an offer of five weeks pay per year of service and were demanding eight weeks.

In the afternoon around 20 former staff members were allowed to walk free from the High Court after they purged their contempt of court. A number of political activists, who saw a publicity opportunity in joining the staff, were also allowed to leave the court without a fine or prison sentence.

At that stage union representatives were hoping to negotiate increased redundancy payments at a meeting with Thomas Cook management in London on Wednesday. The latest, however, is that no progress was made and the union is now taking the matter to the Labour Relations Commission.

One of those occupying the building was a pregnant woman who was taken to hospital where she gave birth to a daughter a few hours later.

Trade union objects to leaked hospital memo

SIPTU, the State's largest trade union, has described as “an unusual way to conduct business” the leaking of a memo to the press on Tallaght hospital's methods to deal with swine flu. It was reported on RTÉ on Tuesday that staff at the hospital who were pregnant, severely obese, had chronic conditions or HIV, and were therefore at increased risk of developing the disease, should report to the occupational health department.

The hospital claimed that such a survey was necessary to ensure there were sufficient staff numbers to care for patients in the event of an outbreak of flu. The trade union, however, said the memo would alarm staff members and queried why it had not been consulted.

Tánaiste announces investigation into electricians' dispute

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has appointed Peter Cassells, chairman of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, and Finbarr Flood, a former chairman of the Labour Court, to investigate last month's electricians' dispute. The dispute, between the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union and employers in the electrical sector, led to a week-long strike.

It is not clear what Ms Coughlan hopes to achieve though this inquiry other than to meet the demand of the TEEU after the Association of Electrical Contractors (Ireland) rejected the Labour Court recommendation for a pay increase for striking electricians.

Minister announces €250bn employment subsidy scheme

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan on Thursday announced details of the €250bn employment support fund promised some weeks ago. Exporting companies that are experiencing financial difficulties but have a good chance of medium to long term survival can claim €200 per week per employee for a six-month period. Over the following nine months the amount reduces at quarterly intervals to €150, €100 and €50 per week.

Ulster Bank to seek 250 redundancies

Ulster Bank, which reported a loss of more than €9m in the first half of the year, is to seek a further 250 voluntary redundancies and is planning to restructure its business. In February the bank, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland. closed First Active, leading to 750 job losses.

More staff needed at IKEA

Such has been the success of the IKEA furniture store since it opened in Ballymun last month that the company is to recruit a further 100 temporary staff, initially for a two-month period. At present the store has 500 employees. If the current level of business is maintained the new temporary staff will be made permanent.

Politics & Politicians

Joining the Cahirciveen jet set

Last week the Sunday Tribune released some more details of Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue's travel arrangements when he was Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. The latest key revelation was that on May 18, 2006, the Kerry South TD and his wife used the Government jet to go to Cannes for the premier of the Ken Loach film, "The Wind  that Shakes the Barley".

Over the next six days  the couple, accompanied by some departmental officials, used  the jet to travel back to Kerry for a number of engagements, to fly to Cardiff for the Heineken Cup Final, to return to Cannes for the film festival and when they were finished there to fly to Northholt near London.

Ahern to become sports columnist

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to become a sports columnist for the Irish and British editions of the News of the World. Known to be an avid sports fan, Mr Ahern last year presented an edition of RTÉ's The Road to Croker.

For those of you unfamiliar with the status of various British newspapers, the News of the World would be considered by many to be on a par with the National Enquirer in the US.

Leinster House car park to revert to lawn

The lawn in front of Leinster House is to be restored, ten years after it was converted to a car park while new offices were being built. Work on the €230k project has began, though Fine Gael's Alan Shatter has questioned the expenditure in the present economic climate. However his party colleague Tom Hayes has said the planning laws must be complied with; a condition of creating the car park was that it be restored to its original state when the offices were complete.

Health

First swine flu victim suffered from CF

It was widely reported on Saturday that a young woman from the west of Ireland had become the Republic's first victim of swine flu. Since then it has been revealed that the victim was Darina Calpin (18), from Templeboy, Co. Sligo who suffered from cystic fibrosis.

Darina, who was awaiting her Leaving Certificate results on Wednesday, took ill last weekend and died in Tallaght Hospital on Friday.

The threat posed by swine flu has been a dominant news story throughout the week. Six Irish language students attending a college in the Donegal Gaeltacht were diagnosed with the virus on Friday and sent home. When a further five were found to be ill on Saturday a decision was made to send all students home and to close the college. Almost 300 students, mostly from the North, had signed on for the course at Coláiste Mhuire, Loch an Iúir in northwest Donegal.

Travel & Tourism

Galway Races still a huge attraction

This year's Galway Races, which came to an end last Sunday evening, proved to be another economic boost for the city. Over the seven days of racing more than 140,000 people paid to go through the turnstiles while an estimated 25,000 settled for the free area away from the stands and the ring. Last year, when some people had still to come to terms with the fact that the boom was over, the total going through the turnstiles was 175,000.

An estimated €20m was placed in bets with bookmakers and on the Tote but of course the actual total in circulation was much less as much of the same money was being recycled throughout the week.

Dublin Horse Show opens

The annual Dublin Horse Show opened on Wednesday and continued through Sunday at the RDS and enjoyed mostly good weather. Despite the recession the number of exhibitors was up on last year, as was the prize fund.

The big event of the week, the Nations' Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy, took place on Friday but the Irish team finished back in eighth place. The Italians, who were rank outsiders, became the most unlikely winners. There was a four-way tie for the Land Rover Puissance on Saturday, with four Irish riders still in the competition when the wall was put up to two metres and 20 centimetres; none managed to clear it.

Big crowds  also turned out for Ladies' Day on Thursday. Winner of the best dressed woman prize was Emir O'Shea from Killarney. 

Fewer tourists visit Ireland

According to data released on Thursday by the Central Statistics Office, overseas visits to Ireland fell by 15.1% to 636,600 in June 2009, compared to the same month in 2008. Visits by residents of the two main visitor markets declined substantially, Britain was down 19.8% to 260,700 and "Other Europe" fell by 12% to 219,600. The number of visitors from North America fell by just under 8% to 121,900.

http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/tourism_travel/current/overseastravel.pdf

Shannon passengers now enter US through domestic gates

On Wednesday Shannon became the first airport in Europe to offer US Customs and Border Protection Inspection clearance services, a move that allows passengers to be treated as domestic arrivals at any US airport. It is hoped that airlines across Europe will divert at least some off their flights to Shannon to avail of this facility.

Irish Hotels Federation seeks Government help

The Irish Hotels Federation has asked the Government to help ease the situation in which a number of hotels have been forced into receivership or liquidation. According to IHF chief executive John Power, most hotels are operating at a loss this year and at least 50% are experiencing serious financial difficulty. He is urging the Government to guarantee additional  capital provided to the hotel owners by banks.

Mr Power also asked for a change in the tax laws to allow hotels built under tax relief schemes to close without the owners now having to repay the tax they saved on their initial investment. With 20,000 additional hotel bedrooms becoming available in recent years he argues that some hotel closures are now necessary if others are to survive.

Nothing would stop Tullamore Show this year

The organissers of Tullamore Show, which has had to be cancelled for the last two years due to bad weather, vowed that this year nothing would stop it taking place. The show, with is the largest agricultural show in the country, took place on the Butterfield estate close to the town, a site considerably more suitably than the low-lying Charleville Castle site.

Some 60,000 people attended the event yesterday and all seemed to consider it a huge success. The organisers were particularly pleased when the rain stayed away and the new venue wasn't put to the test

The Irish Abroad

Three Irish women survive Thai air crash

Three young Dublin women, who had been touring southeast Asia for the summer, survived Tuesday's plane crash in Thailand. Sisters Aoife (24) and Orlagh Creamer (20), from Rush, and Lesley Dowdall (23), from Swords, escaped with a few scratches and bruises when the Bangkok Airways ATR-72 crashed into an old control tower on landing in the resort island of Ko Samui.

The crash, which took place in wet and windy conditions, claimed the life of the pilot and left five passengers seriously injured.

Irish aid worker murdered in Zanzibar

Robert Stringer (26), from Newcastle, Co. Wicklow, was found dead on a beach in Zanzibar on Friday morning. It is believed that the aid worker had been mugged while walking on the beach; he suffered head injuries and his wallet and shoes were missing. A man has since been arrested.

Mr Stringer worked for the Irish charity Camara which delivers recycled computers to a number  of African countries, including Tanzania. It is understood that he had just completed an eight-week tour of duty with the charity.

Dubliner to be held in Dutch custody

Peter Mitchell (40), from Summerhill in Dublin, will remain in custody in the Netherlands for a further 60 days while a police investigation is completed. The alleged drugs and weapons trafficker, a former member of John Gilligan's gang, was arrested in Amsterdam while under surveillance during an investigation by British and Dutch police; it is alleged he was carrying two weapons at the time of his arrest.

Chef Conrad Gallagher declared bankrupt

The High Court in South Africa has declared bankrupt celebrity chef Conrad Gallagher, a native of Co. Donegal. Gallagher owes almost €200k to two main creditors in relation to a failed property transaction and equipping a restaurant and four cafes he owned in Cape Town. He is also under investigation for failing to register employees with a mandatory insurance fund.

The 38-year-old Letterkenny man is currently in Ireland and says that he hopes to settle here in time for his two younger children to start their schooling in this country. He told the Irish Times that he will be visiting South Africa shortly in an effort to resolve his financial problems.

Irish team finalised for World Transplant Games

A team of 19 Irish athletes will this month travel to a major World Games with 13 new kidneys, five new livers and one new kidney-pancreas – and, in their own eyes, they’re winners already by just getting to the starting-line.

The competitors, all of whom have had transplants, will wear the Irish colours in the 17th World Transplant Games in Gold Coast, Australia, from August 23 until August 30.

The athletes come from all over Ireland and range in age from 22 to 64. “It’s not really about winning, it’s all about taking part. We honour our donors by showing that organ transplantation works,” said team captain Mick Dwyer, who ten years ago had a kidney transplant.

The full Irish team is:

Paul Donohoe (Cavan); Michael Dwyer (captain, Dublin); Deirdre Faul (vice-captain, Dublin); Tony Gartland (Wicklow); James Hannon (Longford);  John Loftus (Limerick); Philip Martin (Dublin); Tom Metcalfe (Dublin); Linda Meyler (Galway); Catherine Murphy (Cork); James Nolan (Kildare); John Paul O’Neill (Kilkenny); Paul Prendergast (Dublin); Orla Hogan-Ryan (Tipperary); Charlie Ryan (Cork); Leonard Ryan (Dublin); Angela Sherlock (Dublin); Harry Ward  (Dublin); and Vienna White (Donegal.)

The team will be accompanied by manager Colin White; team doctor Emer Kilbride; physio Clare Hogan; and Mark Murphy, the CEO of the Irish Kidney Association.

They will compete in lawn bowls, race-walking, golf, tennis, track and field, table tennis, ten-pin bowling, cycling, badminton, squash, and swimming.

A special website has been built – www.transplantteamireland.com – where supporters can follow the teams. For an organ donor card FREETEXT the word ‘DONOR’ to 50050. - Liam Horan

Conservation & The Environment

Campaign to save Beamish and Crawford site in Cork

The campaign to have the old Beamish & Crawford brewery in Cork retained as a heritage site is continuing. Earlier this year Heineken transferred brewing from the Beamish complex to its Lady's Well brewery in Cork. The company now plans to sell the 4.5-acre site where beer has been brewed since the 1500s and where Beamish started operations in 1792.

Damien Cassidy, chairman of the National Conservation and Heritage Group, appears to be spearheading the campaign to persuade Heineken to retain and develop the site as a tourist attraction. Donating the site to the City Council for the same purpose would be equally welcome. Heineken has already rejected a proposal to retain a microbrewery on the site.

Zebra mussels found in Lough Mask

The discovery of zebra mussels in Lough Mask, Co. Mayo has led to the Western Regioinal Fisheries Board urging boat-owners to sterilise their boats before transferring to other waterways. Washing facilities have been installed at Cushlough Pier to facilitate this.

The zebra mussel first appeared on Irish lakes at the beginning of the 1990s and has caused ecological damage by consuming the plankton normally eaten by small fish. Their presence has also led to the clogging of water pipes.

Public servants show little interest in bike scheme

The Cycle to Work scheme launched by Minister Éamon Ryan in May has been taken up by just 170 of the 28,000 civil servants in Government departments, with only one in the Minister's own department having availed of the offer. Under the scheme employers cover the cost of a bicycle up to €1,000 and employees are exempt from taxes and levies as the perk is not treated as benefit-in-kind.

Where an employer is not willing to cover the cost, the employee can purchase a bike and accessories and have the cost treated as  tax fee pay.

Record wind power recorded

On two days last week levels of windpower entering the national grid were sufficient to meet 39% of national electricity demand, according to figures released by EirGrid. This is enough to supply more than 650,000 homes.

More eagles for Kerry, despite poisoning

Despite the fact that seven sea eagles have been poisoned in Kerry in the last year or two, a further nine were released in Killarney National Park during the week. Another batch will be introduced in the coming week. Conservationists are hoping that Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley will soon outlaw the practice of placing meat bait to kill foxes and crows.

Entertainment & The Arts

Concerts and festivals attract crowds

Concerts and festivals are attracting crowds in different parts of the country.  Last weekend the annual Spraoi Festival enjoyed mostly good weather for the 200 or so free performances that brought locals and visitors out onto the streets of Waterford city.

The Kilkenny Arts Festival opened on Friday and continues until next Sunday. After a slow start the organisers are now pleased with attendances.

Also last weekend two quite separate audiences of 30,000 turned up at Marley Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin for music concerts. On Saturday the star attraction was the band Metallica and on Sunday Fat Boy Slim topped the bill.

The Mary from Dungloe Festival came to a close on Monday. The highlight of the ten-day event was the Cabaret last Sunday night at which Kate Ferguson (25), from Portstewart, Co. Derry, was named the 42nd Mary form Dungloe.

Public spat over name of traditional group

A dispute between traditional fiddler Frankie Gavin and fellow-musician Alec Finn over the right to use the name De Dannan was aired in public during the week when Mr Finn, backed by Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh, challenged Mr Gavin on using the name for his new group. The pair were heard on RTÉ's Liveline programme when the group's former bouzouki player argued that the new group had no members of the original band and that he had copyrighted the name five years ago.

He was supported by the original bodhran player but opposed by Co. Clare accordion player Tony McMahon, who cast aspersions on the musical ability of both of them and didn't win any friends by doing so.

Frankie Gavin himself, who played with the newly-formed group in Castlebar during the week, claims that he built up the reputation of the group over the last 30 years and was entitled to use the name. He argued that anyone familiar with the group's earlier work will have no difficulty in associating the name with the music played by the current line-up.

Deaths

Injured rugby player dies in England

Stuart Mangan (25) , from Fermoy, Co. Cork, who was left paralysed from the neck down as a result of a rugby injury has died in a London hospital. The UCC graduate was injured while playing for Hammersmith and Fulham Rugby Club in London last year but had adapted well to life in a wheel chair and major fundraising efforts were being organised on his behalf. On Thursday, however, he was admitted to a London hospital with pneumonia and he died on Friday.

Death of former newspaper chairman

The death took place ten days ago of George Crosbie, former chairman of Thomas Crosbie Holdings, at the age of 83. Mr Crosbie served the group which publishes the Irish Examiner for 50 years until his retirement in 2001. He is survived by his wife Joan, their eight children and 16 grandchildren.

Elderly man dies in Kerry house fire

An 88-year-old man died in a house fire at Coolownig, about five miles from Lauragh, Co. Kerry, in the early hours of Monday. The victim, who was named as Robert Veget, was originally from the Netherlands but had lived in the area for a number of decades and had family living around Kenmare.

Two other Dutch nationals who were also in the house managed to escape but were beaten back by flames as they tried to re-enter to rescue their friend.

Murder inquiry after body found in Phoenix Park

Gardaí in Dublin are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a wooded area at Military Road in the Phoenix Park at around 3:30pm on Wednesday. The woman, who has yet to be identified, had been stabbed a number of times. The area is often used by homeless people.

Gardaí have released photographs but to no avail. The deceased was 4’ 10”, of medium build, with short brown hair and thought to be in her late 30s or early 40s.

25-year-old is latest gangland victim

Pierce Reid (25) was shot dead outside his home at Lealand Close in Clondalkin, at 9:50pm on Friday, in what is believed to be the latest killing in a long-running feud between west Dublin criminal gangs. His assailants drove off in a stolen BMW car which was later found abandoned.

Some four hours later shots were fired at a house on nearby Lealand Avenue. No one was injured in this incident but a garda patrol was operating nearby and detained two men in their 20s. A shotgun and ammunition were recovered. It is widely reported that gardaí believe that the two incidents are related.

Road deaths in Counties Galway, Meath and Cork

• The woman who died last Saturday when the car she was driving went out of control and crashed on the main Galway road near Athenry, Co. Galway, was named as Saffron Ritchie (25) who was originally from Wales.

• Noreen McGoldrick (23) was killed at around 3:15am in Monday when she lost control of her car and crashed into a ditch near Athboy in Co. Meath. The dead woman had been living in Athboy for a number of years although she was originally from Rush in north Co. Dublin.

• For the third time in as many days a woman in her 20s died in a road accident. The latest victim was killed shortly before 10:00pm on Monday when the car she was driving collided with a truck near the Co. Tipperary village of Kilsheelin. The victim has not been named.

• Jake O'Donoghue (14) from Inishannon, Co. Cork died in hospital on Friday after being involved in a collision with a car on Wednesday while cycling near his home with friends.

Business News

AIB reports half year loss of €872m

AIB reported pre-tax losses of €872m for the six months to the end of June. This compares with a profit of €1.279bn for the same period in 2008. The figures included a provision for impaired loans of €2,373m.

Impaired loans at the bank now account for 8.1% of its loan book and criticised loans, or loans about which the bank is concerned, have risen to 25%.

Bord Gáis proposes price cut

Bord Gáis has submitted a proposal to the Commission for Energy Regulation that it cut the price of gas by 9.3% for a 12-month period, beginning in October. The reduction in price for small and medium sized businesses would be 13.6%. In May Bord Gáis announced a reduction of 12% in gas prices.

Meanwhile the ESB thinks it is doing us all a favour by suggesting a price freeze in electricity prices for the coming year. Critics noted the drop in international energy prices and the fact that the ESB increased prices by 17.5% last year and has so far only reduced them by 10% this year.

Eircom deal might be imminent

There is speculation that a deal for the sale of Eircom might be imminent, following the increase in its bid for the company by Singapore Technologies. While the board of what is currently an Australian-owned company is considering the new proposal, shares in the holding company have been suspended on the Sydney stock exchange.

Exchequer shortfall continues to increase

Exchequer returns for the first seven months of the year show the country's economic situation is continuing to deteriorate. The deficit to the end of July had risen to €16.4bn, a €1.7bn increase since the end of June and almost €10bn more than at the same time last year. This increase is partially accounted for by the €6bn used to recapitalise the banks.

The tax shortfall for the period of €575m was primarily the result of a dramatic slump in Value Added Tax returns, as consumer spending continues to slow.

Aer Lingus to transport Belfast civil servants

Aer Lingus has been awarded a two-year British Government contract to provide seats for all civil servants travelling between Belfast and London.  The contract is thought to be worth around £500k per year.

Earlier in the week it was reported that action was to be taken to stop civil servants travelling between the two cities by business class to build up air miles for themselves.

Unemployment rate increases to 12.2%

The Central Statistics Office released unemployment data for July showing that, while the number on the Live Register continues to rise, the rate of increase is continuing to slow. A further 17,143 people became unemployed last month, bringing the total out of work to 418,592.

Seasonally adjusted the increase was 10,500, comprising 5,100 males and 5,500 females. In June the increase was 12,000. The July increase was the lowest since last September.

The standardised unemployment rate now stands at 12.2%, up from 11.9% in June.

http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/labour_market/current/lreg.pdf

Weather

While we had nothing approaching a heat wave it wasn't such a bad week, with a reasonable amount of sunshine and not a great deal of rain, most of which fell overnight. If the winds had been gentler it might have been described as a fine week.

The forecasters are looking for better things in the coming week with little rain and temperatures in the low 20s. It will be wet on Tuesday night and early Wednesday and again on Friday.

Latest Temperatures: Day 18C (65F).................Night 14C (56F)

S P O R T

G.A.A.

All Ireland Senior Football Quarter Finals

All Ireland Senior Hurling Semi Finals

Soccer

Europa League Qualifying Round Two Second Leg

EA Sports Cup Semi Final

League of Ireland Premier Division

Sports Shorts

Golf:

At the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational in Firestone, Pádraig Harrington was back to his best, leading from Thursday until Sunday afternoon.  He went out on the final day with Tiger Woods, a pairing which will be repeated at the PGA Championship next week.  Woods soon overhauled the three shot lead held by Harrington and was ahead by one coming to the 12th.  Harrington scored his first birdie on the 12th and by hole 14 he was back in the lead.

It all went wrong on the par-five 16th where he took eight strokes. Woods managed a birdie to go three in front and another birdie on the final hole gave him a four-stroke advantage. Harrington parred the final two holes to finish on two-over for the day and eight under for the tournament. That gave him a share of second place.

Darren Clarke went round in par and shared 22nd place. Other Irish players were Graeme McDowell (+5), Rory McIlroy (+10) and Shane Lowry (+20). 

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