The Irish Emigrant - THE IRISH EMIGRANT

In Ireland it now seems that every week is eventful. This one started with us poring over the detail of the Revised Programme for Government, and quickly moved on to the drama of John O'Donoghue addressing the Dáil for the last time as Ceann Comhairle. He went out fighting and gained some sympathy on the way. His successor is Fianna Fáil TD for Louth Séamus Kirk.

The focus on the country's economic plight then intensified, starting with the National Asset Management Agency legislation as it made its way through the Oireachtas. After that Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan delivered an uncompromising speech at a Dublin Chamber of Commerce dinner, confirming that the Government had no option but to cut public service pay, despite all the threats being made by the trade unions. The Taoiseach and other ministers then made similar comments in what appears to be a concerted effort to win acceptance for unpalatable decisions.

Away from politics it was equally eventful, with the death of two members of the Air Corps while on a training flight over Connemara. We also had the funeral of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, following his untimely death in Majorca, but the week culminated in a good-news story when two GOAL workers were released in Sudan more than 100 days after they were kidnapped.

GOAL volunteers freed

Kidnapped GOAL workers Sharon Commins (32), from Clontarf in Dublin, and Hilda Kawuki (42) from Uganda, were released by their captors in the early hours of Sunday. The news was immediately conveyed to Ms Commins' family by Sudan's State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Abdelbagi Algilanee. Sharon was also on hand to speak to them.

Throughout Sunday morning we heard expressions of relief and satisfaction. Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin was first to react, issuing a statement in which he praised the resilience of the two woman, the dignity of the Commins family, the efforts of the Sudanese Government and in particular Minister Algilanee, and the work of GOAL staff and Irish Government officials. Ireland's Ambassador to Sudan Gerry Corr would, he said, be travelling to Darfur to meet the two women.

President Mary McAleese and Taoiseach Brian Cowen also issued statements expressing delight and relief, but apart from the Commins family the happiest person was GOAL CEO John O'Shea who spoke of a "sense of overwhelming relief and joy" descending on all GOAL staff.

Later the two women issued a statement in which they said they were "thrilled to be released after such a long period in captivity" and acknowledged what was a "traumatic period" for their families and friends.

They continued, "We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the Irish Government, the Sudanese authorities and our colleagues in GOAL, who all worked tirelessly to secure our release. We'd also like to thank everyone in Ireland and in Uganda who offered so much support to our families - we know our families appreciated that very much.

"It was of course, a difficult time - but we found strength in each other and in our friendship. We now can hardly wait to get home and spend time with our loved ones".

The two women have been flown to Khartoum from where the Government jet will bring Sharon home later today.

Back on July 3 Sharon and Hilda were taken at gunpoint from a GOAL compound in Kutum, in north Darfur. Their abductors were said to be non-political and described as criminals hoping to extract a ransom for the aid workers release. According to Minister Martin no ransom was paid.

Missing priest spotted in the Philippines

Concern is increasing for the well-being of Fr Michael Sinnott who was kidnapped in the Philippines last Sunday. The 79-year-old Columban father had a bypass operation four years ago and requires medication which he was not carrying when abducted.

Reports from The Philippines say that the military have caught sight of Fr Michael Sinnott with his captors on a number of occasions, but efforts by troops and navy gunboats to encircle them have so far not proved successful. Rescue attempts have not been carried out due to concern for the safety of the Wexford-born priest. The area where the kidnappers and their hostage were spotted is close to a stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which is suspected of being responsible for the abduction.

O'Donoghue steps down

John O'Donoghue stood down from the position of Ceann Comhairle on Tuesday afternoon after addressing the Dáil on how he handled the controversy surrounding expenses incurred both as Minister for Arts and as Ceann Comhairle. Mr O'Donoghue gave a very robust defence of his position and accused his political detractors of denying him the opportunity to defend himself in the proper forum.

There was a mixed reaction to Mr O'Donoghue's speech. The majority agreed that it was an impressive address delivered with passion. Some concluded that, given many of the clarifications given by the Kerry South TD, he was indeed wronged. Others argued that he failed to explain some of the more contentious items of expenditure, the ones which they claim were his downfall. In particular they mentioned the coincidence of official trips to Paris when major horse-racing events were taking place, although when Éamon Gilmore said he would table a motion of no confidence he did single out that as an issue.

Mr O'Donoghue started by saying that he had remained silent when the controversy broke, out of respect for the office of Ceann Comhairle. He had hoped to address the issues in what he believed was the appropriate forum, a meeting of the Oireachtas Commission, but this opportunity was denied him by the actions of others.

Explaining that he could not hope to cover all the issues in the time available to him, he took a few examples aimed at showing how the accusations against him were distorted; the €900+ per night hotel in Venice turned out to be a Best Western which had charged €312.50 per room. It was a similar situation in Cannes and the limo to transport him between terminals at Heathrow is explained below.

An accusation that he had sought a refund of €1 donated to a charity particularly riled him. This in fact arose because a hotel had an agreement to pay €1 of every bill to a charity and it happened to appear on the hotel invoice. He had also been accused of being a lavish tipper to a limousine driver while on a trip to the US. The amount involved, he said, was the standard percentage and the whole transaction had been handled by the Washington embassy and cross-charged to his department.

Whatever wrongs Mr O'Donoghue thought had been done to him, none matched that inflicted by Labour leader Éamon Gilmore whom he accused of surfing "the political wave of competitive outrage" rather than givinig him a fair hearing. He did not, of course, mention Mr Gilmore by name but no one was in any doubt as to the object of his ire.

During the nominations for the new Ceann Comhairle, Mr Gilmore defended himself, claiming that he "had a duty" to call for Mr O'Donoghue's resignation in the Dáil.

The new Ceann Comhairle is Fianna Fáil TD for Louth Séamus Kirk. Only Fine Gael opposed him, with Donegal South West TD Dinny McGinley as its candidate.

Last Sunday it emerged that Green Party leader John Gormley, in his role as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, had been linked to some strange travel arrangements. He too had a limo to take him from one terminal to another at London Heathrow but Mr O'Donoghue has now explained in the Dáil that for years it has been standard practice for an Embassy official to take a limo from central London to meet any arriving Government minister and transport him or her to the appropriate departure terminal. The practice, which had been in place for some 30 years, has now ended.

The London embassy mustn't have been informed that Mr Gormley is a member of the Green Party or it would have made alternative travel arrangements for him when he arrived off the ferry in Holyhead. He had chosen the eco-friendly mode of transport to cross the Irish Sea but was met at Holyhead by a people carrier which had come from London some 290 miles away to take him 150 miles to an event at Hay-on-Wye. The cost of hiring the vehicle for two days came to €2,200.

The London embassy has since claimed that it had chosen the most cost effective method as Mr Gormley flew out of Cardiff late in the day and the car was able to bring an embassy official back to London that night rather than have him stay in a hotel and come back by train the following day.

The Green way

The revised programme for government was the subject of considerable analysis over last weekend. It included dozens of items in addition to the high profile agreement to abandon the re-introduction of third-level tuition fees and the recruitment of 500 teachers over three years.

Of most interest to readers of this publication was the decision to establish a commission which will report within 12 months on whether it is feasible to allow the Irish abroad to vote in presidential elections. The same commission will consider the appropriateness of 16-year-olds voting in local government elections.

Many of the changes included in the document did not have specific dates, others didn't commit to do anything other than give consideration to pursuing some objective, some had a very general goal which could be achieved without making a difference to anyone's life, and there were a few that in the end of the day will be totally meaningless.

Among the items included were:

Remove the ceiling for employees' PRSI contributions.

Start the valuation process in preparation for a site-value property tax.

Introduce new measures to protect families having difficulties with their home mortgage payments.

Introduce a ban on corporate donations to political parties.

Establish a political fund to which corporations can contribute and which will be shared between the political parties, based on how they performed in the previous general election.

1,000 graduates to be employed by Government departments.

17% of land mass to be given over to forest by 2030.

Produce plan for All-Ireland walkways.

Reduction of processing time for jobseeker's allowance (by a day, a week, a month?).

Referendum to replace constitutional reference to "role of women in the home" to "role of parent in the home".

New trains to have extensive bicycle capacity.

Cycle and pedestrian routes to be created between Balbriggan and Bray on the east coast and between Oranmore and Barna in Co. Galway.

While there was no mention of greyhound coursing the document called for an end to stag hunting, a ban on fur farming within three years, and a more effective and humane method than culling badgers, for stopping the spread of bovine TB.

The full 43-page document is online.

Economic medicine

Everyone seems to believe that the economy is critically ill but there is a wide diversity of views as to the medicine required for a full recovery. There are even those who think that the cure is worse than the disease and argue in favour of prolonging the illness rather than takiing any more nasty tasting medicine.

While trade unionists took every opportunity to argue against any further pay cuts for the public sector, Government ministers launched a publicity onslaught to explain that there was no other option. Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan started the campaign on Thursday night while addressing the Dublin Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. He warned that failure to take action will make "Bord Snip look like a picnic" and that a future Government will require two or three Bord Snips.

The Minister confirmed that he was in possession of the report from the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector and, in implementing its recommendations, Ministers and senior civil servants will be setting an example for others in the public service who will face pay cuts. The message was that he will be applying significant cuts in his December budget, while the only tax change will be the introduction of a carbon tax.

Minister for Health Mary Harney and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley on Thursday went out of their way to stress the need for major cuts in public spending. Taoiseach Brian Cowen did likewise and repeated the message on Sunday when the Fianna Fáil party held its annual commemoration at the grave of Wolfe Tone.

Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe very emphatically took the same position when he addressed economists at the Dublin Economic Workshop's annual conference in Kenmare, Co. Kerry on Friday.

On Tuesday, in his first public comments since taking on the role as Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Patrick Honohan called for wage cuts. A failure, he said, to make Irish wage rates competitive will only lead to further job losses and increased emigration.

Include us out

For all the emphasis on the need to reduce public spending by €4bn in 2010, there are still many who feel that they should not be asked to make a contribution or feel some of the pain. Repeated reminders that the country is borrowing €400m per week seem to have little effect.

Twenty-nine towns around the country experienced traffic disruption on Monday as disgruntled farmers drove their tractors in protest at falling farm incomes. Tractors assembled at marts, GAA clubs, hotels, golf clubs and other places with parking facilities before travelling slowly through the town centres. The protest in Portlaoise was led by Irish Farmers' Association president Pádraig Walshe. The IFA claims that the crisis in the rural economy has been caused by Government cutbacks, adverse weather and declining global commodity prices. Irish farmers are of course the world's most experienced protesters.

On Tuesday night the last of four meetings organised by the "24/7 Frontline Services Alliance" took place in Dublin, with an estimated 1,300 public servants in attendance. Speakers vociferously rejected any further cuts in their take home pay. Damien McCarthy, vice-president of the Garda Representative Association, received most publicity when he appeared to suggest that his members were ready to break the law if salary cuts were imposed.

The arts world is the latest group to protest at possible cuts in their funding and on Wednesday high-profile representatives addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Included in the delegation were actors Brendan Gleeson and Gabriel Byrne, novelist Sebastian Barry and Garry Hynes, artistic director of Druid.

The Civil Public and Services Union, which represents lower paid civil servants, has warned its members that further pay cuts are being planned and has forecast industrial action by its members in advance of the December Budget. Meanwhile talks between the Government and the social partners are due to begin tomorrow.

NAMA legislation passes second stage

The Dáil on Wednesday passed the second stage of the legislation required to establish the National Asset Management Agency. Opposition TDs continued to oppose the legislation and voted against.

During the debate Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan announced that copies of NAMA's business plan were about to be released. When the plan became available it predicted that 20% of loans would default but that this would allow NAMA to make a profit for the Exchequer of €5.48bn by 2020.

Although the Government claims that the forecasted 20% default rate is conservative, citing a a 10% rate when property prices collapsed in Britain some 20 years ago, the Opposition ridiculed the potential profit figure. However UCD's Professor Ray Kinsella, a critic of NAMA, came on RTÉ radio on Thursday to say that he was very impressed with the quality of the business plan.

Something of a political row blew up on Thursday as the Opposition parties said they had dozens of amendments which they wished to put before the Dáil. In the end the Government agreed that the Committee stage would be debated in the Dáil chamber with all TDs allowed to participate.

During Wednesday's debate Labour leader Éamon Gilmore demanded that the legislation be amended to prevent banks from repossessing the private homes of people who default on their mortgages. This was rejected as the revised Programme for Government is committed to protect homeowners who genuinely experience difficulty in meeting mortgage repayments.

Two killed in Connemara air crash

Two Air Corps pilots were killed on Monday evening when their training aircraft, a Pilatus PC-9, crashed some three miles north west of the village of Cornamona in Co. Galway. No mayday signal came from the aircraft prior to it coming down in rugged terrain about two kilometres from the nearest road.

The bodies of chief flight instructor Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens were eventually brought to University Hospital in Galway while air accident investigators arrived in Connemara in an effort to establish the cause of the crash.

Captain Furniss (32) was originally from Ballinteer in Dublin and Cadet Jevens (22) from Glynn, Co. Wexford.

A prayer service was held on Wednesday night for the two Air Corps pilots. The funeral cortege of Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens arrived at the Garrison church in Baldonnel where the service was attended by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea and Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Lieutenant-General Dermot Earley. President McAleese, who was in Luxembourg, was represented by Brigadier General Ralph James.

Cadet Jevens was buried on Friday after Requiem Mass in St Alphonsus Church, Barntown, Co. Wexford. Captain Furniss' funeral took place on Saturday. He was buried at Kilmashogue cemetery in Co. Dublin after a service at St John the Evangelist Church, Ballinteer. Both were accorded full military honours and President McAleese attended both funerals, as did Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea.

Boyzone singer laid to rest

The untimely death of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately dominated the tabloid newspapers throughout the weekend and received extensive coverage in the broadsheets and on radio and television. He was cremated in Glasnevin on Saturday after Requiem Mass in St Laurence O'Toole's Church in Dublin's north inner city.

Monday was a holiday in Spain so a post-mortem on the body of the singer was delayed. Relatives of the 33-year-old Dubliner rejected suggestions that he had been drinking heavily prior to his death. On Tuesday the post-mortem established that he died from natural causes. He suffered a pulmonary oedema, an accumulation of fluid on the lungs.

The members of Boyzone accompanied home the body of their former colleague on a private flight from Majorca to Dublin on Friday. That night they kept a vigil in St Laurence O'Toole's Church.

The funeral Mass took place at midday on Saturday with large crowds gathered outside as the service was relayed over loudspeakers.

An article in the Daily Mail in England caused outrage among the singer's many fans and others who knew little of him. It questioned the cause of death and raised questions about a Bulgarian man who had returned home with Mr Gateley and his civil partner, Andrew Cowles, hours before the singer was found dead. More than 1,000 complaints have been made to the Press Complaints Commission. The article did not appear in Irish editions of the newspaper.

This week on our website

Around the 32 Counties: Cavan welcomes a long-lost footballer, cries of 'mush, mush' are due to echo in Down, and one last dance is to be held in a Tyrone 'ballroom of romance'.

US Visa Q&A: This week the Irish Immigration Center in Boston explains the difference between primary and secondary inspections at points of entry to the US.

Bits and Pieces

Difference of opinion on Irish language documents

The translation into Irish of three documents by Clare County Council, in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, has led to a difference of opinion as to their worth. The development plans cost a total of €30k to translate and not one copy has been sold, leading Green party councillor Brian Meany to point out that the money could be better spent on improving homes. A spokesperson for Conradh na Gaeilge, however, defended the measure, saying that it is everyone's right to have the documents available in Irish. An amendment to the Official Languages Act was one of the recommendations in the McCarthy report.

EU funding secured to complete Smithfield Plaza

Construction work is again due to begin on Smithfield Plaza in Dublin, the first phase of which opened ten years ago. The untouched southern end will receive an upgrade which is due for completion at the end of next year following funding of €2.4m having been secured by Dublin City Council from the EU. The amount must be matched by the council, which intends to raise its share through development levies.

Record numbers in prison

Figures released by the Irish Prison Services show that the numbers in Irish prisons have passed 4,000 for the first time in the State's history. In addition to those in prison, there are some 500 prisoners on indefinite periods of temporary release. Three weeks ago Judge Michael Reilly published his report on Mountjoy earlier than expected due to his concern at overcrowding in the prison. In the report he warned the Government that lives are being put at risk due to the numbers of inmates.

The Irish Prison Service has responded by saying that 100 spaces have been opened in Castlerea Prison, while building projects currently under way at Mountjoy, Wheatfield and Portlaoise will result in the availability of another 400.

No comparative figures have been reported so we don't know whether 4.000 is low or high in relation to our population.

Abuse report to be published

The report into how State and Church authorities dealt with allegations of child sex abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin has been cleared by the High Court for publication. Justice Paul Gilligan did exclude one chapter relating to a particular priest as well as all other references to the priest contained in the report. The judge will revisit the issue in May next year.

It is expected that the edited report will be published this week.

Snippets:

It is estimated that more than 5,000 of those visiting Knock Shrine in Co. Mayo last Sunday did so because a Dublin clairvoyant predicted that Our Lady would appear at the old parish church at 3:00pm. Some of those in the crowd claimed to see the sun change colour or dance in the sky.

It emerged during the week that gardaí are investigating a fraud at Iarnród Éireann which cost the company €2.5m and led to the dismissal of three staff.

Gardaí investigating an ongoing feud between Traveller families in Co. Kerry stopped a car on the Tralee/Castleisland road shortly after midnight on Wednesday and seized a shotgun. The sole occupant, a 26-year-old man, was arrested. In a follow-up search of a house in Tralee gardaí discovered another shotgun, three petrol bombs, two samurai swords, a slash hook, a knife and two balaclavas.

Gardaí in Dublin seized two kilos of heroin, worth an estimated €300k, from a car which was stopped on Windmill Road, Dublin 12 at noon on Friday. The vehicle was targeted as part of an ongoing operation into the sale and supply of drugs in the capital. A 36-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

In what appears to have been an unconnected operation at lunchtime on Saturday, gardaí stopped a car and truck at the Airside Business Park in Swords and found drugs with an estimated street value of €750k. The haul included 49 kilos of cannabis pollen and nine kilos of cannabis herb. Two men, aged 44 and 41, were arrested at the scene.

National Lottery Winning Numbers:

Wed: 9, 12, 15, 17, 31, 39 (34) - the jackpot of €2.54m was not won
Sat: 3, 17, 19, 23, 37, 45 (16) - the jackpot of €3.33m was not won

Northern News

Hillary Clinton in Belfast

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Belfast on Monday meeting First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and addressing the Stormont Assembly. She told the assembly that she didn't want to meddle but hoped that agreement would soon be reached on devolving justice and policing from Westminster to Stormont. The Secretary of State went on to formally open the refurbished Belfast City Hall.

Former Stormont Speaker Eileen Bell of the Alliance party missed out on that event after falling and breaking her arm at the City Hall. She was taken to hospital before the US Secretary of State had arrived. However she was delighted to receive a call on her mobile phone from Mrs Clinton, asking how she was and expressing the hope that they would soon meet again to discuss the Vital Voices organisation in which they are both involved.

New book reveals plan to bomb Sinn Féin offices

A memoir published by former RUC Special branch officer George Clarke has revealed a plan in 1971 to place a bomb in the Dublin offices of Sinn Féin. Mr Clarke was asked to use his IRA mole to carry out the detonation, but the plan was later abandoned.

"Border Crossing" also contains information about a senior IRA man having sold details of the perpetrators of the 1973 London bombing in return for £15k.

Memorial service for Brighton bombing anniversary

Among those who attended a memorial service in Brighton to mark the 25th anniversary of the IRA bombing during the Conservative Party conference were former Government minister Norman Tebbit and his wife Margaret, both of whom were injured in the incident; Margaret Tebbit was left paralysed.

Five people were killed and 34 seriously injured in the explosion, though the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was unharmed.

Reynolds' role in the peace process highlighted

Speaking at the Belfast launch of Albert Reynolds' autobiography on Tuesday, Sir Kenneth Bloomfield paid tribute to the "remarkable" contribution made by the former Taoiseach to the peace process. The former head of the NI civil service acknowledged that Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair had carried out great work in finalising the Good Friday Agreement but stressed the importance of the foundations carefully laid in earlier years by Mr Reynolds and John Major.

Margaret Ritchie to bid for SDLP leadership

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has confirmed that she is to stand for the leadership of the SDLP, left vacant after Mark Durkan's decision to stand down. Also said to be in the running, though not to be confirmed until next week, is current deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell, MP for South Belfast. The new leader will be elected at the party's annual conference in February.

Party leaders to meet in North

The funding on offer to finance the devolution of justice and policing powers was the subject of discussion at a briefing on Thursday by the First and Deputy First Ministers to other party leaders at Stormont. The briefing follows recent meetings with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness.

The figure of £800m has been mentioned in relation to the funding and it has been suggested that Alliance Party leader David Ford might be offered the justice portfolio; the party has no minister at Stormont at present.

Man shot in Belfast

Another shooting, believed to be carried out by dissident republicans, has taken place in west Belfast. During an attack on the Lenadoon estate a 28-year-old man was shot in the stomach, hand and leg. He is reported to be in a stable condition in hospital. The motive behind the shootings is believed to be an attempt by the dissidents to show themselves in a good light by attacking drug-dealers in the area.

In Derry on Saturday up to five men forced their way into a house in the Gobnascale area of the city and shot a 17-year-old youth in both legs in what was viewed as another punishment attack.

Two jail terms in three days for former IRA prisoner

On Wednesday former IRA prisoner Seán Hughes (38) was sentenced to 11 years in jail for the tiger kidnapping of the 19-year-old daughter of a postmistress. Also sentenced were his fellow-accused, Patrick Smyth (46) from North Belfast and Mark Neill (33) of no fixed address, who were jailed for 11 and ten years respectively.

On Friday Hughes again appeared in court, this time charged with the attempted kidnapping of a female in Newtownabbey, Co. Down in December 2006. Although he received a one-year sentence for assault and three years for possession of an offensive weapon, it is understood that the sentences will run concurrently with the 11-year sentence handed down on Wednesday. Two charges, of attempted false imprisonment and attempted robbery, were left on the books.

Senior midwife reports maternity services 'at breaking point'

A senior midwife at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast has reacted to directives from the management of Belfast Health and Social Care Trust by declaring the maternity services to be 'at breaking point'. The Trust management has suggested that 40% of new mothers could be sent home between six and 12 hours after giving birth. They have also proposed the closure of 20 of the 54 post-natal beds and the establishment of a holding area where new mothers would be assessed before being discharged. The unit expects more than 6,000 births this year while the Trust maintains it has money to handle 4,900 deliveries.

Derry clergyman condemns Hallowe'en celebrations

Rev Jonathan Campbell of Newbuildings, Derry has begun an online campaign to bring an end to the elaborate Hallowe'en celebrations in Derry, some of the largest in Europe. Rev Campbell believes the celebrations to be 'satanic' and claims they encourage an unhealthy interest in the occult. Derry City Council has responded by saying that the main focus of the celebrations is on families rather than the occult.

Reinstatement plea by doctor turned down

An appeal to the General Medical Council by Dr Charles Boyle (71) from Enniskillen that his name be restored to the Medical Register was turned down on the grounds that he had tried to minimise his offences. Five years ago Dr Boyle was struck off the register after being convicted of making false tax returns and claiming £185k. A year prior to that court appearance, at which he received a three-year suspended sentence, Dr Boyle also pleaded guilty to 73 offences including theft and forgery committed at Kinawley Health Centre between 1991 and 1999.

Clady device was a hoax

Following a controlled explosion carried out on Thursday night by a British Army bomb disposal unit, a major bomb alert in Clady, Co. Tyrone was declared a hoax. A phone call claiming that a 600lb bomb had been left in a van abandoned on the bridge in the village had led to Clady being cordoned off for almost 24 hours. Two men, aged 28 and 34 and believed to be connected to dissident republicans, were questioned by police but have since been released.

Booby-trap device injures woman

On Friday morning a woman was injured in an explosion in Belfast. She was reversing her car out of the driveway of a house in Kingsdale Park in east Belfast when an under-car device exploded. The woman, whose partner is a police officer, was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.

According to reports the woman often drove her partner to work and the device was placed under the passenger side. Police say that she would have been more seriously injured but for the fact that the car was a convertible and the soft-top failed to contain the blast.

Other News:

The latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reports that house prices in the North appear to have stabilised, with some 60% of estate agents reporting no change in prices over the last quarter. Many agents are reluctant, however, to forecast a rise in prices over the next three months.

In a raid on a diesel-laundering plant in Coagh, Co. Tyrone, Revenue and customs officers seized 15,000 litres of fuel. The fuel was being filtered through cat litter to remove the distinctive dyes.

On Friday the Irish News reported that former UDA boss Andre Shoukri had held talks with General John de Chastelain in relation to a proposed handover of weapons taken after he split with the UDA. He is believed to have met the head of the Independent International Committee on Decommissioning while on pre-release parole from a nine-year sentence for extortion and blackmail.

The funeral took place on Saturday of landscape gardener John Reid from Banbridge, Co. Down, who died suddenly in New Zealand two weeks ago. Mr Reid, who was 38 years of age, had been on a three-month visit to a bible college.

The Courts

Man charged with 1997 double murder

Mark Nash (36), originally from Huddersfield in England, appeared before a special sitting of Dublin District Court last Saturday where he was charged with the 1997 murder of Sylvia Shiels and Mary Callinan. The two women were found dead from multiple stab wounds in a seemingly motiveless attack which took place in their sheltered accommodation in the grounds of St Brendan's Psychiatric Hospital in Grangegorman, Dublin.

Soon after the murder homeless drug addict Dean Lyons confessed to the murders and spent time in custody. Eventually it became clear that he couldn't have been responsible and the charges were dropped. Mr Lyons has since died.

Two charged with Wexford murder

Two men were charged at a special sitting of Wexford District Court on Monday with the murder of Rebecca French (30), whose body was found in the boot of a burnt car in Ballindinas on the previous Friday evening. Ricardas Dilys (27) and Ruslanas Mineikis (25), both with addresses in Wexford town, were remanded in custody.

The two men, both from Lithuania, were among six arrested in connection with the murder; two other men, Polish national Piotr Pasiak (30) and local man Patrick O'Connor (40), were also remanded in custody to Clover Hill on charges in relation to impeding the prosecution of a person known to be guilty of an offence.

Two women, one Irish and one Lithuanian, who had also been detained, were released without charge; a file is being prepared for the DPP.

Murder trial collapses when witness changes evidence

When evidence that the prosecution expected to produce failed to materialise, a murder trial collapsed at the Central Criminal Court on Monday. Jason Curry (20) and Karl Fay (18), both from Crumlin in Dublin, had been charged with the murder of David Rooney (35) in Crumlin in July, 2008. It was alleged that one was armed with a snooker cue and the other with a golf club and that they beat Mr Rooney so badly that he died in hospital ten days later.

When the main witness, a 12-year-old boy, appeared via video link he spoke of two men in hooded sweatshirts chasing the victim and then hitting him. When asked if he could identify the assailants the boy claimed that he couldn't see their faces because of the hoodies. The police officer who questioned the boy during investigation had expected him to say that he had recognised Jason Curry.

86 previous convictions

Alice Connors (36), described as a "career criminal", was jailed for eight years but had the final three suspended, after she pleaded guilty to two burglaries, two attempted burglaries and the theft of a purse in Dublin city centre. Connors, from Tallaght, had 86 previous convictions, 22 of them burglaries.

She specialised in thefts from elderly people. She would knock on their doors, force her way inside when they answered and grab a handbag or whatever else of value was available before running off. Sometimes she was accompanied by her children when she carried out her thefts against victims, some as old as 84.

Four years on, woman admits to having been driver in fatal accident

Sligo woman Rebecca McLoughlin (25) has been jailed for three years after she pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. McLoughlin was involved in a road accident, in which her friend Melissa McManus died, while returning from a beach party in 2004. At the time of the accident McLoughlin claimed that her friend had been driving.

Four years later, after complaining to gardaí that she was being harassed by members of the McManus family, she admitted that she had been driving on the night on question.

Man jailed for underage sex

Jason Higgins (19) of Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, received an 11-month jail sentence when he appeared at Mullingar District Court on Thursday charged with having sex with a 16-year-old. The incident took place near Mullingar in August 2006 and the court heard that both Higgins and his young girlfriend had believed the age of consent to be 16, rather than 17.

Higgins remains free until Judge John Neilan is provided with victim impact and probation reports in January.

Inquest into death of 'disappeared'

The inquest in Dublin into the death of Belfast man Daniel McIlhone (21) in May 1981 has revealed that he became involved in a struggle while being questioned by the Provisional IRA, and was shot a number of times. Mr McIlhone's body was found in the Wicklow Mountains in November last year; he had been living in Dublin at the time of his abduction. Under the direction of coroner Dr Brian Farrell, the jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing by person or persons unknown.

A spokesman for the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains said that the IRA was co-operating in the search for five other victims but that, with the passage of time and the featureless terrain chosen to dispose of the bodies, it is a difficult task. The current searches are talking place in Counties Monaghan, Meath and Louth.

11-year sentence for Dublin manslaughter

Ian Daly (26) of Priorswood in Dublin was given an 11-year sentence at the Central Criminal Court on Friday for the manslaughter of Estonian Valeri Ranert (28) in April 2007. Daly, who has 65 previous convictions, had earlier pleaded not guilty to Mr Ranert's murder but changed his plea to not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Mr Ranert was kicked to death after being hauled from his car where he was sitting with his girlfriend watching planes take off at Dublin Airport.

'Boxer' receives 12-year sentence

Former Irish super-heavyweitght boxing champion John Kinsella (38), known as 'The 'Boxer', received a 12-year sentence with two years suspended after he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to conspiring with others to import drugs to the value of €7m. The court heard that Kinsella, from Navan, Co. Meath, had arranged to shipment of cocaine and heroin to enter Ireland through Weston airport outside Dublin.

Retrial fails to secure verdict

A second trial in the case of the death of a garda and fireman who were attending the scene of an accident has failed to reach a verdict, leading to scenes of upset among the men's relatives and colleagues. A year ago Niall Shannon (21) of Ballylongford, Co. Kerry was convicted of driving with excess alcohol; his car struck Garda Brian Kelleher (46) and fireman Michael Liston (47) on the Limerick to Tralee road in February 2007. At that trial the jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge of dangerous driving causing death, and at Friday's trial the jury once again failed to agree a verdict.

Garda who made false attack claim given community service

Garda Niamh O'Connor (25), serving in Bray, Co Wicklow, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with a false claim that she had been attacked in a taxi by the driver and two other men. In addition to facing Garda disciplinary measures Garda O'Connor was given 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18-month prison sentence. Two years ago she was disciplined for a similar offence, and she has now been suspended from duty.

Other cases:

A Co. Kildare man in his 60s has been remanded in custody after he pleaded guilty to a number of sample charges of raping his younger sisters between June 1963 and January 1969. The man, who is said to be of "limited intelligence", will be sentenced in the coming week.

At the inquest into the death of ten-year-old Paul Whelan, who drowned in the swimming pool of the Coolmine sports complex in Dublin in March 2008, it was heard that a lifeguard had been texting messages on his mobile phone shortly before the accident. The use of mobile phones by lifeguards while on duty is now totally banned at the complex.

Justice Mary Irvine awarded Carol and Laurence Pullen €20k each as compensation for being evicted from their local authority home in Donnycarney for alleged anti-social behaviour. The judge decided the couple were entitled to compensation as Dublin County Council had not given them the opportunity to contest the allegation.

Budget Travel and Sunway Travel have settled, for an undisclosed sum a claim by Fidelma Allen,of Goatstown in Dublin, who was bitten by a rat on her face and neck while she slept in a hotel in Tunisia. Ms Allen, who was awakened by her daughter's screaming after she had seen the rat on her mother's bed, had claimed €38k in damages.

Employment & Industrial Relations

PayPal to bring further 100 jobs to Dublin

Online payments company PayPal announced that it is to add a further 100 jobs at its customer service centre in Blanchardstown, where it already employs almost 1,000 staff. The jobs will be based at the company's European Centre of Excellence, opened six months ago by Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Hope of 200 jobs in telecoms company

Telecoms company Imagine has suggested that up to 200 new jobs could be created following its investment of €100m in upgrading technology to support high-speed broadband. WiMAX, which enables faster wireless internet access, will be available to 250,000 homes in Dublin, Wexford, Sligo, Tralee and Athlone by the middle of next month.

119 jobs are to go in Cork with the closure of Harris Corp.

US company Harris Corporation is to close its operation in Cork with the loss of 69 full-time positions and 50 part-time. The Cork unit, which manufactures electronic security devices, was formerly owned by Tyco Electronics. The decision to close was based on the availability of similar capabilities elsewhere in the corporation.

Traffic wardens lose jobs over "danger money" claim

Three traffic wardens in Ennis have been fired for failing to carry out their full range of duties. The three had claimed they were entitled to "danger money" as they were being frequently assaulted in the course of their duty.

Government warns of redundancy in semi-State sector

A draft document presented to trade unions on Friday by the Department of Finance warns of redundancies within the non-commercial semi-State sector if agreement is not reached on redeployment. The document indicated that initially voluntary redeployment would be sought but in cases where insufficient volunteers came forward compulsory redeployment might be introduced.

Politics & Politicians

The morality of a bonus payment in the current climate

Much has been made of a €70k bonus payment to Professor Brendan Drumm which has been approved by the board of the Health Service Executive. The payment to the Health Service Executive's chief executive officer relates to 2007 and should have been paid more than a year ago. In today's climate, when there is talk of downsizing and pay cuts, this constitutes something of a public relations disaster for the HSE.

It also became a political issue as Opposition TDs sought answers from Minister for Health Mary Harney. The Minister distanced herself from responsibility, saying that it was a matter for the board and "the last thing we need is a meddlesome Minister getting involved in contractual issues surrounding individuals". In yesterday's Sunday Independent she was quoted as saying that he deserved the payment for doing "an incredible job".

Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe became involved on Thursday by saying that Prof. Drumm had to make a "moral call" in relation to the bonus which has yet to be drawn down.

The performance of the HSE in 2007 became a discussion point but didn't add any value as HSE chairman Liam Downey pointed to positives for the year and critics highlighted failures, at least one of which occurred in earlier years and was corrected in 2007.

FÁS cannot stay out of the news

It was claimed in the Dáil by Fine Gael's Fergus O'Dowd that a firm in the north-east contracted to provide training on behalf of FÁS had falsified exam results but, despite this, was given further contracts and repeated the offence. Paul O'Toole, Director General of FÁS, confirmed that one tutor in the company had falsified results and that he had been dismissed. The company, at its own expense, had rerun the exams. Speaking on RTE radio Mr O'Toole said that up to 15 other courses are under investigation in the north-east.

Separate from this, the question of Rody Molloy's severance package was raised in the Dáil. While the Government had argued that the former FÁS director general had only received his legal entitlements, Fine Gael insisted that the package received was only a legal requirement if Mr Molloy was being fired. Taoiseach Brian Cowen said, at the time, that Mr Molloy was doing the "honourable" thing by tendering his resignation.

President ratifies Lisbon Treaty

Returning from a State visit to Luxembourg on Thursday night President Mary McAleese signed the Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty of Lisbon) Bill 2009, in accordance with Article 46 of the Constitution. This in effect ratifies the Lisbon Treaty on behalf of Ireland and comes after 67% of the electorate approved the Treaty earlier this month.

With Poland ratifying the Treaty in recent days that just leaves the Czech Republic to come into line.

Health

New children's hospital due in 2014

The new National Children's Hospital of Ireland, which is to be built as part of the Mater Hospital complex, is due to open in 2014, three years later than the original completion date. The hospital will incorporate three existing hospitals, Temple Street, Our Lady's Crumlin and Tallaght, and will provide private rooms for every child, with accommodation available for parents who wish to stay with their children.

The new €750m hospital will be designed by a consortium comprising Murray O'Laoire, Brian O'Connell and NBBJ. It will have 399 beds and 800 parking places. There had been strong opposition to the site, particularly from Crumlin, but all three hospitals are now backing the plan and will have representatives on the development board. Efforts will be made to establish a single governance structure over the three existing hospitals to make them more effective in advance of the opening of the new unit.

Teen turned down for HSE funding

Fourteen-year-old Adam Costello-Doherty, who has been receiving treatment in the US for the past seven years for treatment for immune deficiency under the HSE's Treatment Abroad Scheme, has been refused funding to cover his next check-up which is now due. When Adam's mother, Judi Costello, applied for funding she was informed by the HSE that her application was refused because the treatment was not based in an EU country or one which accepted the E112 form.

The HSE has not offered an explanation as to why this restriction has not been applied to any of Adam's visits to Newark, New Jersey over the past seven years.

Travel & Tourism

Motorways to have service areas

Ireland's motorways are at last to have service areas although only three have been approved so far. The National Roads Authority recently announced plans to construct two motorway service areas on the M1, at Castlebellingham, Co. Louth and at Lusk Co. Dublin, and one on the M4 in Co. Kildare, near Enfield.

Commuters' cars being stolen

Commuters who car pool or travel by bus or train from north of Dublin have been urged to park their cars in proper car parks or risk having them stolen. Many cars are left on the hard shoulder of approach roads to the M1 and the owners then use other means to make their way to their places of work in the city.

Criminals, who have become aware that cars will be left unattended for a number of hours, don reflective jackets and turn up in breakdown trucks to remove the more expensive vehicles.

Government commitment to rural transport welcomed

The commitment in the revised programme for government to the continuation of the rural transport scheme, confirmed at an Active Retirement Ireland meeting on Wednesday by Minister of State Áine Brady, has been welcomed by the group. A recommendation of the McCarthy report was that funding should be withdrawn from the scheme, which ensures that elderly people in remote rural communities can visit local towns and villages.

Free travel the solution to falling visitor numbers

The Irish Hoteliers Federation has once more proposed that free travel should be extended to all EU citizens over the age of 66, in a bid to increase visitor numbers. The Federation was responding to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office which show a 13% drop in visitor numbers to Ireland during the peak holiday season. In August there were 123,200 fewer visitors than in the same month last year.

Matthew Ryan of the IHF told the Irish Times that the scheme to provide free travel would cost the Exchequer nothing as it would be included in the €350m paid to CIE each year to subsidise the national scheme. It was also reported during the week that the Spanish Government is offering heavily subsidised holidays to EU citizens over the age of 55 during off-peak months.

Taxi commissioner announces reforms

Commissioner for Taxi Regulation Kathleen Doyle has announced changes in the licensing of taxis which include the stipulation that all new taxis will from next year have to be wheelchair accessible. In addition, the reforms stipulate that a taxi licence cannot be transferred from one driver to another. The requirement for all taxis to be less than ten years old has been brought forward by a year, to 2011, and the driver skills programme is to be fast-tracked.

Locals protest close to M6 in Co. Galway

A series of demonstrations were held by farmers and residents, along a section of the M6 Galway to Dublin motorway which is currently under construction. They were highlighting damage that has allegedly been caused to local roads, dwellings and farmlands between Ballinasloe and Galway. The protesters are seeking Government and National Roads Authority intervention, claiming that the Spanish-Irish consortium building the motorway has refused to accept responsibility for the estimated €10m worth of damage.

Monday opening for Waterford bridge

Pedestrians will be the first to enjoy the new bridge over the River Suir in Waterford, when it is officially opened today by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen, and Peter Malone, chairman of the National Roads Authority. They will be allowed to roam the bridge for three hours before motorised traffic is allowed to cross it. At 465m, it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country and has been completed ten months ahead of schedule.

The Irish Abroad

Do you own a home in Ireland?

Donegal County Council has asked us to inform the owners of residences in Co. Donegal that are not their sole or main residence that they are liable for a €200 charge - the same is true throughout the country. Owners are liable, irrespective of the country of their domicile and ordinary residence.

The due date for payment was September 30, with a one-month grace to October 31, before penalties at the rate of €20 per month per residence begin to accrue. If you do own such a property you should visit the website at www.nppr.ie or www.donegalcoco.ie for further information or alternatively you can contact Donegal County Council directly on +353-74-91 72222.

Payment can be made on-line at www.nppr.ie and this is the easiest and preferred payment option.

Foreign Affairs Minister to discuss undocumented

Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin discussed immigration reform while meeting political representatives from the two houses of the US Congress in Washington during a three-day visit to the US. In addition to alleviating the plight of the 'undocumented', the Minister is hoping to see the introduction of a two-year working visa similar to that at present in place between the US and Australia.

Body of infant found in New Zealand

The search in New Zealand for missing two-year-old Aisling Symes, whose father Alan is from Co. Waterford, ended on Monday with the discovery of the body of an infant in a storm drain at the rear of the house in Auckland, New Zealand, from which Aisling disappeared a week earlier.

A post-mortem confirmed that Aisling had drowned in the drain near her grandparents' home. Throughout the previous week it had been feared that the two-year-old had been abducted.

Single shot killed Irishman in Bolivia

An inquest into the death of Michael Dwyer (25), who was shot dead by security forces in Bolivia in April, took place in Dublin during the week. State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy found that the Terryglass, Co. Tipperary man had died from a single gunshot wound to the heart. The person who fired the shot was only a few feet from Mr Dwyer and standing slightly above him. Given that the incident took place in a hotel at 4:00am it was suggested that the victim, who was in his underpants, had just sat up in bed when he was shot.

An earlier post-mortem carried out in Bolivia concluded that Mr Dwyer had been shot six times but Dr Cassidy said that other marks on the body had been mistakenly taken for bullet wounds.

Mr Dwyer had travelled to Bolivia to take part in a bodyguard course and remained there when offered a job as a security guard. When he was shot dead with two associates in a Santa Cruz hotel, the Bolivian authorities claimed that he was involved in a plot to assassinate the country's president, Evo Morales.

Ronan Tynan's joke backfires in New York

Tenor Ronan Tynan did not give his usual rendition of "God Bless America" at the New York Yankees' play-off game on Friday, after they had received a complaint from a woman about a remark by Tynan that she deemed to be anti-Semitic. The incident occurred when Dr Gabrielle Gold-von Simpson was brought to view an apartment in the Manhattan building where Tynan lives.

Some time earlier he had had a conversation with the agent about some prospective tenants, two Jewish ladies whom the agent described as being "very particular". Last week the agent joked to Tynan that the prospective tenants were not Red Sox fans, to which the tenor replied, "At least they're not the Jewish ladies". Dr Gold-von Simpson has since accepted his apology and his assurance that he in no way intended his off the cuff comment to be anti-Semitic. He followed up on her suggestion that he make a donation to the children's hospital where she is a paediatrician.

Conservation & The Environment

Further plea to householders to check for radon gas

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland has found radon gas in a house in Tralee at almost 70 times the safe limit. It was claimed that this is the equivalent of the residents being x-rayed 47 times per day. Radon can seep from the ground and accumulate in houses unknown to the residents and the RPII frequently urges homeowners, particularly those in high risk areas, to have their houses tested.

Jarveys told no dung-catcher, no entry

Jarveys in Killarney who have refused to fit dung-catchers to their horses have been refused entry to Killarney National Park and have instead moved into the town to conduct their business. This is the second occasion on which they have been barred from the park and it follows the failure of talks with a facilitator, as recommended by the High Court.

Education

Teachers told to cooperate with other schools to provide courses

Secretary General of the Department of Education Brigid McManus told school principals attending the annual conference of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals in Galway that they could offer a wide range of courses by pooling resources. Ms McManus told the delegates that, despite the cutbacks, preference would be given to schools coming together to request the retention of a teacher.

Fears have been expressed by parents that schools are having to drop subjects, particularly in the science sector, due to staff cutbacks. Ms McManus advocates students travelling between schools for subjects in which the uptake is low.

Entertainment & The Arts

Proposal to house Abbey Theatre in GPO

The revised programme for government suggests an examination of the possibility of housing the Abbey Theatre in the GPO in Dublin's O'Connell Street. This has produced instant fans and opponents of the idea without the need for the proposed assessment. Those willing to look at the proposal note that the GPO occupies a four-acre site and houses many post office activities that could be carried out anywhere. They also suggest that there is enough space to allow for a theatre while traditional post office retail activities continue as before.

Sculpture raises record sum

'King and Queen' by sculptor Edward Delaney, who died last month, sold at James Adams Auctioneers on Thursday for €190k. The 2.5m bronze work was expected to realise between €12k and €18k and has now attracted the highest price paid for a sculpture by an Irish artist.

Spandau Ballet back on stage at the O2

Almost 20 years after their last concert Spandau Ballet performed at the O₂ in Dublin on Tuesday. The mainly female audience would have been in their teens or early 20s when the group were at the height of their fame.

Deaths

Death of man leads to murder investigation

Gardaí launched a murder investigation on Tuesday following the death in Beaumont Hospital of Barry Walsh from Castleknock, who was assaulted in the Fairview area of Dublin in the early hours of last Sunday. The 22-year-old was attacked during a row which broke out outside the Barcode nightclub at Marino Mart and suffered brain damage.

Gardaí issued a description of a man they were seeking in connection with the attack. Following confirmation that Mr Walsh had died a 22-year-old man presented himself to gardaí. He was accompanied by his father.

Death of Senator Peter Callinan

The death took place last weekend of Senator Peter Callanan who was in his 70s. A native of Clonakilty, the Fianna Fáil senator died suddenly at his home in Innishannon, Co. Cork. He was first elected to Cork County Council in 1979 and had been a senator since 1997.

Mystery leads to exhumation in Co. Longford graveyard

Gardaí in Co. Longford spent a number of days digging an unmarked grave in Kilmahon Graveyard in Drumlish but only found a bone which is currently being examined. Initially it was reported that they were acting on information from a member of the public who claimed that a body had been secretly buried there.

Yesterday the Sunday Independent reported that the story goes back almost 50 years when a grave was being prepared for a burial. Just under the surface the diggers found the body of a child, possibly a girl, wrapped in a bag. At the time it was decided to simply rebury the body in another unused part of the graveyard. No one knows why gardaí were not informed at the time but it now seems that one of those who knew about the discovery in the 1960s has decided to talk to gardaí.

Business News

North-South price differentials remain significant

Price differentials between North and South were again discussed after Consumer Choice magazine accused the Tesco supermarket chain of failing to live up to its promises on price cuts in the Republic. Earlier in the year Tesco staged an advertising campaign in which it claimed that it was bringing down prices to such an extent that it would no longer make sense for shoppers to travel north of the border for bargains. Prior to Christmas 2008 prices in the South were 30% higher than in the North.

In its latest edition Consumer Choice claims that a typical shopping basket costs 18% more in Tesco branches in the South. A Tesco spokesperson later rejected this and said that the difference was 12%, but that is based on Tesco's entire range. Only one item, Tesco's own-brand kitchen towels, was cheaper than in the North; it was 6% less here.

Dunne's plan for AIB site runs into trouble

Members of Dublin City Council have voted to reject a planning application from Seán Dunne in relation to the development of the AIB Bank Centre site, opposite the RDS. Mr Dunne wants to demolish four existing office blocks and replace them with six taller blocks of between seven and nine storeys high. One block would be residential and the others offices.

The property was purchased from AIB although the bank remains as a tenant. AIB claims that the proposed development is in breach of the sale agreement. The first real decision on the application will be made by the council's planning department and, while it will take cognisance of the councillors' views, it is not bound by them.

Another garage group bites the dust

Casey Garages, one of the leading car dealerships in Co. Mayo, has gone into liquidation with the loss of 70 jobs. The group, operated by Gerard Casey, had showrooms in Castlebar and Ballina and a car hire business at Knock Airport. It held the franchises for Ford, Renault and Volvo.

In August a similar business owned by Mr Casey's brother Peter, in Roscommon and Athlone, also went into liquidation.

Liquidator appointed to Zoe group

It was confirmed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday that Declan Taite of accountants FGS has been appointed liquidator to Vantive Holdings and Morston Investments, the two companies that handled the €1.3bn in loans for the entire Zoe Group.

Seven banks have now appointed receivers to Zoe Group companies and some have taken control of particular properties to ensure that rents continue to be paid. The receivers have held a meeting at which a co-ordinated approach was agreed.

Anglo chief had €7.7m loans

The Irish Times reported on Friday that former chief executive of Anglo Irish Bank David Drumm had €7.7m in loans when the bank was nationalised in January. The newspaper also named four other former executives of the bank who had significant loans at the time, including head of Irish business Pat Whelan; the head of the bank's US business Tony Campbell; the head of UK business Declan Quilligan; and director of group finance with Anglo Matt Moran.

Mr Drumm was in Dublin in recent weeks to discuss the loans with the bank. He resigned last year, along with Willie McAteer, following disclosures about the concealment of loans taken out by the banks' former chairman, Seán Fitzpatrick.

Business to go to court over traffic restriction

A total of 13 businesses are in the High Court today challenging the establishment of the bus corridor which prevents private cars from using College Green during the morning and evening rush hours. The companies are members of the Dublin City Centre Business Association which claims that revenues are down 30% since the bus corridor was introduced, Cars are banned from College Green between 7:00am and 10:00am, and between 4:00pm and 7:00pm on weekdays.

Separately a trade union which represents shop workers has protested to Dublin City Council about the current situation.

Wyeth takeover completed

The takeover of pharmaceutical company Wyeth by Pfizer, approved by EU anti-trust authorities in July, has been completed. The $68bn deal makes Pfizer the largest multinational employer in Ireland with more than 5,000 employees at 13 locations.

Weather

It was a very pleasant week with long periods of sunshine, no wind and very little rain. Most days started dull and misty but the sun generally came through. Friday and Saturday were like summer days of old. On the downside, dull overcast conditions with no wind can be somewhat depressing.

Yesterday was a damp sort of a day and marked the end of the good weather. Heavy rain should reach us by this afternoon. After dark gales will develop and continue through Tuesday although by then we will have sunny spells and scattered showers. The wind will ease on Wednesday but it will again be rather wet. Thursday should show some improvement but the weekend doesn't look too promising.

Latest Temperatures: Day 13C (55F).................Night 10C (50F)

S P O R T

G.A.A.

AIB Connacht Senior Football Rnd 1

Tourlistrane 1-6 St Kevins 1-13
(Sligo) (Roscommon)

AIB Ulster Senior Football Prelim. Rnd

Cavan Gaels 1-10 St Galls 1-12 (aet)
(Cavan) (Antrim)

Limerick Senior Football Final

Drom/Broad 0-9 Fr Casey's 0-7

Armagh Senior Football Final

Harps 0-4 Pearse Óg 0-8

Carlow Senior Football Final

Rathvilly 2-08 Old Leighlin 0-7

Dublin Senior Football Final

St Jude's 1-13 Ballboden St E 2-12

Galway Senior Football Final Replay

Corofin 0-11 Mountbellew/Moylough 1-5

Kildare Senior Football Final

Moorefield 0-6 St Laurence's 1-13

Laois Senior Football Final

Arles/Kilcruise 0-7 Portlaoise 1-9

Tyrone Senior Football Final

Ardboe 1-13 Dromore 1-14

Waterford Senior Hurling Final

Ballygunner 1-17 Lismore 0-9

Limerick Senior Hurling Final

Adare 1-17 Na Piarsaigh 0-3

Offaly Senior Hurling Final

Tullamore 2-12 Kilcormac/Killoughey 0-11

Tipperary Senior Hurling Final

Drom & Inch 0-5 Thurles Sarsfields 0-14

Wicklow Senior Hurling Final

Glenealy 1-13 Carnew Emmets 0-18

Soccer

World Cup Qualifying Group 8

Ireland 0 Montenegro 0
Italy 3 Cyprus 2

World Cup Qualifying Group 3

Czech Rep 0 N Ireland 0

League of Ireland Premier Division

                   Sligo Rovers 1          Bray Wanderers 0
                   Cork City 0              Bohemians 2
                   Dundalk 2                Sligo Rovers 2
                   Galway Utd 3           Derry City 1
                   St Patrick's Ath 2      Bray Wanderers 0

Ireland prepare for World Cup play-off

Ireland and Montenegro played out a boring 0-0 draw (I fell asleep in front of the television) at Croke Park on Wednesday night, in the final game of the World Cup qualifying group stage. Italy won the group although Ireland also went through undefeated. A play-off, on a home and away basis, will take place next month with Ireland's likely opponent coming from France, Greece, Portugal or Russia. We'll find out at lunchtime today.

Even before Wednesday's results it was clear that the North would miss out on the play-offs.

Rugby

Heineken Cup

                   Munster 41              Treviso 10
                   Edinburgh 17            Ulster 13
                   Brive 13                  Leinster 36
                   London Irish 25        Scarlets 27

European Challenge Cup Group Two

Montpellier 19 Connacht 22

Sports Shorts

Golf - Harrington third in Portugal

Pádraig Harrington finished third in the Portugal Masters, equalling his best ever round on tour in the process, a ten-under 62 in round two. His 19-under total was four behind Lee Westwood who had his first tour win in two years. Harrington will have been disappointed with the 71 he shot in the third round when 40 players returned a 70 or better.

Other Irish players with under par scores were Gareth Maybin (-13), Paul McGinley (-13), Shane Lowry (-12), Rory McIlroy (-12), Peter Lawrie (-11), Darren Clarke (-10) and Damien McGrane (-9), but the best place those scores achieved was a share of 26th.

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