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McGrath not satisfied with Shatter’s response

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:15:21 +0000

Independent TD Mattie McGrath is still questioning whether the Minister for Justice was stopped at a Garda checkpoint in 2011.

The Tipperary Deputy asked in the Dáil yesterday whether Alan Shatter provided a breath sample after being stopped between the general election of that year and being appointment to Cabinet weeks later.

The Minister admitted last night that he was stopped in either 2008 or 2009 and was unable to complete a breathalyser because of his asthma.

Alan Shatter's statement explained that he was then waved on by gardaí after explaining that he was returning home from the Dáil.

However this evening Mattie McGrath said that he will stand corrected when he see's all the documentation relating to the incident in question.

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Kenny blasts ‘political opportunism’ amid Shatter controversy

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:25:01 +0000

The Taoiseach has pledged his support for the Justice Minister.

Alan Shatter is to face a Fianna Fáil motion of no confidence in the Dáil next week as the controversy over his breathalyser continues.

Enda Kenny has revealed this evening that the Minister made two attempts to blow into the bag when he was stopped at a garda checkpoint sometime in 2008 or 2009.

Alan Shatter said that he could not complete the test because of his asthma and was waved on after telling gardaí he was on his way home from the Dáil.

However the Taoiseach stopped short of stating the Minster had his 100% support, but he said that government will fight what he has called Fianna Fail opportunism.

"The government will refute strongly a political opportunism by Fianna Fáil in terms of a private members motion," he said.

"Minister Shatter has set out the most reforming agenda for the legal system in this country in the past 200 years

"The government look forward indeed to dealing with the motion of no confidence when it comes forward next week."

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Less than five days to pay property tax

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:44:31 +0000

Members of the public have less than five days to pay the local property tax

The Revenue Commissioners has issued a reminder to people who have yet to pay the charge ahead of next Tuesday's deadline.

Over 1.1 million completed tax returns have been filed to date.

Those who have not received a return are still liable for the tax.

People are being reminded that they can file their returns by logging onto www.revenue.ie

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Three charged in connection with Dublin burglaries

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:32:27 +0000

Three men are due in court this afternoon, in connection with a series of burglaries around Dublin, in areas like Blackrock and Dun Laoghaire.

They were arrested during planned searches yesterday.

Gardaí also recovered goods believed to have been stolen, including jewelry, watches, locksmiths tools and foreign currency.

Gardaí have said that the three men have been charged, and are due to appear in the Court of Criminal Justice this afternoon.

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Three charged in connection with Dublin burglaries

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:32:27 +0000

The post Three charged in connection with Dublin burglaries appeared first on Evening Echo.

BBC sorry for question time gaffe

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:55:20 +0000

The BBC has apologised for a Question Time production gaffe that saw a Stormont minister labelled as being a member of "Sinn Fein/IRA".

Sinn Fein Education Minister John O'Dowd, who was a panelist on last night's show in Belfast, was referred to by the term in a seating plan.

The title directly linking the republican party to the paramilitary organisation has long been used in a pejorative way by members of the unionist/loyalist community in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein, which while closely associated with the Provisional IRA during the Troubles has always insisted it was a separate and solely political organisation, claims the tag was created to justify attacks on its members in the conflict.

The BBC said the seating plan, which was attached to a camera in the studio, was written by a "technical staff" member working on the programme.

It was not broadcast during the transmission but an audience member took a picture of the plan and tweeted it.

The BBC admitted the wording was "insensitive and naive".

"The BBC is very sorry for any offence caused," said a statement from the corporation.

"The note was written by one of the technical staff on the programme for his own use.

"It was not authorised or endorsed by anyone on Question Time. The person responsible has been left in no doubt that it was insensitive and extremely naive.

"We are sure viewers of last night's programme will be clear that this note had absolutely no bearing on the content of the show."

Question Time is produced by independent company Mentorn.

Mr O'Dowd had earlier demanded an explanation.

"Last night I had agreed to take part in the Question Time programme on the basis of respect and equality," he said.

"After the programme was finished I was made aware of the floor plan pinned to a camera branding me a member of 'SF/IRA!'.

"This was not on the floor plan previously shown to me before filming.

"This is a serious issue. The SF/IRA tag was one created at the height of the unionist murder campaign against my party colleagues in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was an attempt to justify attacks on Sinn Fein members and our families. For the BBC to adopt the tag 20 years into a peace process is beyond belief.

"Last night we lodged a formal complaint with the BBC in Belfast seeking an immediate explanation for the sign and what action is to be taken against those behind it."

Mr O'Dowd said he would not let the corporation sweep the issue under the carpet.

But Ulster Unionist Assembly member Tom Elliott questioned Mr O'Dowd's stance.

"For a Sinn Fein representative to ask why that party would be linked to the IRA is utterly laughable," he said.

"If this is evidence of Sinn Fein wishing to distance itself from the murderous activities of the IRA then that is of course to be welcomed.

"The trail of death and destruction wreaked across Northern Ireland, into the UK Mainland, the Republic of Ireland and even further afield is something which any right thinking person or political party should be ashamed of."

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Varadkar: Teachers can strike if they want but cuts will be introduced July 1

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:30:59 +0000

The Transport Minister said that teachers will have to face legislated pay cuts, if they do not accept the Haddington Road Agreement.

The TUI and the ASTI have both indicated they will reject the latest agreement, because they say it is too similar to the Croke Park II deal.

Legislation will be brought before the Dáil next week, which will give effect to public sector pay cuts and a freeze on increments.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said the teachers will face those cuts, if they do not sign up to the revised pay agreement.

"The legislation will pass through the Dáil next week so the choice is between the Haddington Road Agreement and the pay cuts that are being imposed by government," he said.

"It's really up to secondary teachers themselves, strike if they want to but those changes will come in on the 1st of July."

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SIPTU workers call off waste water plant strike in Dublin

Echo Reporter — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:46:22 +0000

A strike at a waste water plant that treats water for a quarter of a million people in Dublin and Wicklow has been called off.

SIPTU staff at Shanganagh Waste in Shankill in South Dublin had been on strike since Tuesday in a row over pay, conditions and union recognition.

However, a deal was reached between the company and workers and the staff have now gone back to work.

SIPTU's Martin Meere said there are still a number of outstanding issues that have been sent to the Labour Court.

He said: "We have a letter from the Labour Relations Commission and it acknowledges the progress that we have made.

"The two issues that remain outstanding, namely the shift allowance and an incremental salary, will be addressed by the Labour Court."

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Man, 80, dies in crash

Ann Murphy — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:18:50 +0000

GARDAÍ were today investigating if a car involved in a horror accident between Mitchelstown and Cahir was travelling in the wrong direction on the motorway.
A man in his 80s was killed when the car he was driving was in collision with a lorry on the M8, outside Cahir at around 2am this morning.
His body was removed from the scene to South Tipperary Hospital where a post-mortem examination was due to take place today.
The driver of the lorry was uninjured but was shocked after the incident.
Fire crews from Mitchelstown and Cahir responded to the accident, along with gardaí and ambulance personnel.
This morning, the Cork to Dublin road was closed southbound from J11 Cahir South to J12 Mitchelstown North as a result of the crash.
Gardaí carried out a forensics examination of the scene before the road reopened.
Traffic was being diverted onto the old N8.
Investigating Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact Cahir Garda Station on (052) 7445630, the Garda Confidential Line 1-800-666-111 or any garda station.

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UCC aims to be Ireland’s top university within five years

Maria Rolston — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:14:02 +0000

UCC aims to become Ireland’s top university within five years and to sustain its position in the top 2% of universities globally, it announced today.
The college — which is currently ranked third in Ireland and in the top 200 worldwide based on the QS World University Subject Rankings — also plans to generate 150 jobs by 2017. They will do so by doubling the number of “high potential start-up companies” grown from UCC research spin-offs, from its current 10 to 20.
The university, which has had its Government funding reduced by 32% since 2008, plans to increase its annual research income from 79 million to 90 million, and boost its non-State funding to 50% of its total income within the five year time frame.
The plans were announced today by UCC President Dr Michael Murphy at the launch of the college’s five year strategic plan, Sustaining Excellence 2013 — 2017.
Dr Murphy said that although he is “mindful of current straitened economic times,” his vision is for UCC “to be a world-class university connecting our region to the globe.”
The plan outlines how the university aims to ensure its continued financial stability, since reducing its capital deficit by 28 million to now “manageable levels”, by increasing the cohort of international fee-paying students to 17%, thus generating 32 million.
Non-exchequer funding will also be boosted by 14 million in philanthropic donations and a further 2.75 million in cost saving measures over the period of the plan.
It also aims to eliminate its capital deficit entirely by 2017.

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