RTE - News Update from Ireland 6/3/99 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - "John Navin" ---------------------------------------------- UPDATE - The email news service from RTE Online ---------------------------------------------- 03 June 1999 17:33 with Cristin Leach ON RTE UPDATE TODAY --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Trimble outlines steps to breaking Northern impasse 2. Hospital waiting lists increase by 20% in two years 3. Strike averted, fire-fighters to vote on agreement 4. Court hears from eyewitnesses to the murder of Veronica Guerin 5. Gardai to extend remains search 6. Assault case against secondary school teacher adjourned 7. Sport: FAI says tickets valid for rescheduled game 8. Business: Dramatic increase in share ownership 9. Almost 150 RUC officers study Irish language 10. Gardai to crack-down on speeding this bank holiday weekend 11. Man injured in Armagh gun attack 12. Fishermen angry at cuts proposal 13. Executive Director says sale of Gaiety has assured its future 14. Teagasc unveils "new super cow for the next millennium" 15. New fellowship scheme for nursing launched plus Business News and Ireland's Weather TRIMBLE OUTLINES STEPS TO BREAKING NORTHERN IMPASSE --------------------------------------------------------------- Northern Ireland's First minister has spelt out how the logjam blocking political progress could be broken. Writing in this evening's Belfast Telegraph, David Trimble said a sequence of events beginning with initial steps towards forming an executive could hold the key. He said it was not his intention to humiliate Republicans. David Trimble says the process faces a difficult crisis, but there could be no co-operation in government with those who retain the option of returning to violence. The First minister says that the problem can be resolved if all concerned "jump together" as Gerry Adams suggested last March. Mr Trimble proposes a sequence of events beginning with the initial procedural steps towards creating an executive. Paramilitaries would then respond by actions to show they had left violence behind. Then the executive would be formed and power devolved. But he warned there would have to be crucial supporting elements to the deal. Even though he appreciated the offer from Seamus Mallon that the SDLP would stand guarantor, Mr Trimble said all parties would have to underwrite any progress which he stressed was needed now. The Ulster Unionist leader seems now to have publicly abandoned his insistence on prior decommissioning in favour of the kind of choreography he has often privately urged. His suggestions have been rejected by Sinn Fein as lacking any fresh thinking. HOSPITAL WAITING LISTS INCREASE BY 20% IN TWO YEARS --------------------------------------------------------------- Hospital waiting lists have risen by 20 percent over the past two years. Almost 35,000 public patients are now in the queue for operations. Some of the largest increases in the backlog are in the major Dublin hospitals. Several of Dublin's major hospitals began summer closures of hospital wards this week and others are unable to open wards because of staff shortages. Irish Nurses Organisation said that both staff and patients are losing out at a time of high demand for hospital beds in the capital. Fine Gael says that their analysis of waiting lists shows that over 40 % of people on the national waiting lists are waiting for a hospital bed in one of the major Dublin hospitals. Every year, the country's major hospitals close hospital wards while consultants take holidays and the demand for beds is reduced. This year, however, the closures in Dublin come against a background of high demand for beds and growing waiting lists for elective surgery. Two days ago, one of the city's largest hospitals, St James's, closed 25 beds in two wards in the hospital, while a similar number of patients required beds from the Accident and Emergency dept. According to the Irish Nurses Organisation, the patients were nursed on trolleys in the corridors. In St Columcille's hospital in Loughlinstown, a 15-bed ward remains closed following refurbishment because of a lack of nursing staff. STRIKE AVERTED, FIRE-FIGHTERS TO VOTE ON AGREEMENT --------------------------------------------------------------- The result of a ballot by more than a 1000 fire-fighters on the deal which avoided a nationwide strike in the early hours of this morning is due to be known next week. The fire-fighters are expected to accept the agreement, which was finally hammered out in the early hours of the morning, at talks in Dublin led by City manager John Fitzgerald and SIPTU Vice President Des Geraghty. The deal, which will cost Dublin Corporation more than #6 million, means that the fire-fighters stand to receive backpay of up to #8,000 each and it will mean movement on a list a productivities which had been held up in the stalled talks with the unions. Thirteen productivities were agreed and will be implemented immediately, and in return the fire-fighters are to receive a seven percent pay increase. They are to receive an additional two percent, on account, for a second phase of productivities yet to be agreed. An evaluator from each side will cost the productivities, overseen by an independent chairman. Because the deal is backdated to 1996, the firemen stand to receive as much as #8,000 each in backmoney. They are to begin balloting tomorrow morning on the package. A result is expected by the end of next week, but there is no doubt that it will be endorsed. The agreement was welcomed this morning by Labour Affairs Minister Tom Kitt. http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0603/morningireland/morningireland8A.ram http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0603/1News/1News3A.ram COURT HEARS FROM EYEWITNESSES TO THE MURDER OF VERONICA GUERIN --------------------------------------------------------------- A number of eyewitnesses have told the Special Criminal Court they saw a gunman fire six shots from a long double-barrelled handgun into Veronica Guerin's car on the day of her murder. Today was the second day of the trial of 33-year-old Brian Meehan, of Stannaway Road in Kimmage. He denies murdering the journalist three years ago. Two nurses also told the court how they tried in vain to help Ms Guerin just after she was shot. The State claims that Meehan was the driver of the motorcycle carrying the killer on the day Ms Guerin was shot. GARDAI TO EXTEND REMAINS SEARCH --------------------------------------------------------------- Gardai along with a representative of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains have revisited a number of the sites identified last week as burial grounds of people killed by the IRA. The representative has re-affirmed the locations as burial grounds. The Commission first made contact with the gardai last Saturday, regarding sites in Louth, Monaghan, Meath and Wicklow. So far nothing has been found at the six sites. The chairman of the Commission, former Tanaiste John Wilson, said his group is still trying to ensure that the best possible information is available. Gardai are now extending the digs at a number of sites on the basis of that information and they say they will continue digging throughout the weekend. ASSAULT CASE AGAINST SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER ADJOURNED --------------------------------------------------------------- A case involving an alleged assault by a secondary school teacher against a student at a school in County Limerick has been adjourned until July. Michael Crimmins, a 60-year-old teacher at John the Baptist Community College at Hospital denies assaulting 15-year-old Stephen Casey last November. Stephen Casey told Bruff District Court today that the accused punched him with a closed fist into his ribs after shoving open a classroom door. In a statement to Gardai, Mr Crimmins denied this. He said he did make contact with the boy's upper chest as he tried to get through the door of a classroom which he said was being held closed from inside. After prosecution evidence was given, Defence Counsel asked Judge Mary O'Halloran to state a case, seeking the opinion of the High Court, as to whether she is entitled to convict when there had been no identification of the accused in court. The case has been adjourned until July 1st. SPORT: FAI SAYS TICKETS VALID FOR RESCHEDULED GAME --------------------------------------------------------------- The FAI has said that tickets bought for Saturday's Euro 2000 game against Yugoslavia will still be valid for whichever new date the game is played on. But there's confusion over when that will be, as European soccer's governing body UEFA maintains that the game will go ahead. The Football Association says that it now views the situation as a postponment and that it will begin discussions with UEFA on a new date for the match. Earlier today the FAI said that it would not accept any punishment imposed by UEFA over the government's refusal to grant entry visas to the Yugoslavian team. The Yugoslav squad had been due to arrive in Dublin this morning to prepare for the match. Speaking on Morning Ireland, FAI Chief Executive Bernard O'Byrne said that the FAI cannot be held responsible for the actions of the Government and that the Association would not agree to play Yugoslavia at a neutral venue. There is also anger at government level that other EU countries, such as France and Greece, see no problems in allowing Yugoslav sports teams compete on their territories, but Ireland has been left alone to take a stand. Speaking on Morning Ireland, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that it would be appalling if EU members failed to support a motion passed by their own council of foreign ministers. http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0603/morningireland/morningireland5A.ram http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0603/1News/1News2A.ram BUSINESS: DRAMATIC INCREASE IN SHARE OWNERSHIP --------------------------------------------------------------- The number of Irish people owning shares in large companies has increased fourfold in the last seven years, according to a survey published this morning on private share ownership. An estimated 380,000 people, or 13% of the adult population are shareholders. These figures are likely to increase again in the coming weeks as over one million people have shown an interest in buying shares in Telecom Eireann when it is floated on the stock exchange early next month. The successful flotations of Irish Permanent and First National Building Societies have driven share ownership up. In Britain one in every four adults owns some shares, compared to one in every eight in Ireland. But Ireland is still ahead of countries like Germany, Japan or France. Today's report by Goodbody Stockbrokers shows that while most people's shares are worth less than #5,000, an estimated 50,000 people have shares worth close to #50,000. The study highlighted the rapid growth in shareholder numbers from 3.7% of all adults in 1991 to the current level of 13%. More than half of all shareholders are men, while 44% are women. http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0603/1News/1News6A.ram ALMOST 150 RUC OFFICERS STUDY IRISH LANGUAGE --------------------------------------------------------------- The RUC has revealed that almost 150 members of the force have completed a training course in the Irish language. A spokesman at RUC Headquarters said that the course was part of a cultural awareness programme. The spokesman said 145 police officers completed the basic training course in the national language. According to Eoghan O'Neill, editor of the Belfast Irish language newspaper La, this is the first formal acknowledgement by the RUC of the existence of an Irish language community in the North. GARDAI TO CRACK-DOWN ON SPEEDING THIS BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND --------------------------------------------------------------- Motorists are being warned of a tough Garda crackdown on speeding and careless driving around the country this bank holiday weekend. Around 2,000 Garda checkpoints will be mounted countrywide to target drink driving, speeding, non-wearing of seat belts and dangerous driving. 160 people have been killed on the roads so far this year. Last year's death toll was 462 people. MAN INJURED IN ARMAGH GUN ATTACK --------------------------------------------------------------- A 27-year-old man has been taken to hospital with gunshot wounds after being attacked in the front garden of his Armagh home. The RUC say five men forced their way into the house at Callan Bridge Park just before midnight. They took the man into the garden and shot him in the ankles before making off through nearby fields. FISHERMEN ANGRY AT CUTS PROPOSAL --------------------------------------------------------------- Irish fishermen have accused the European Commission of outrageous discrimination against them because of an attempt to introduce a 60 per cent cut in Irish fish catches. Killybegs fishermen are claiming that other European nations have "stitched up" Ireland in manipulating catches in their own favour. The Taoiseach met the fishermen last night and is to raise the matter at the EU Heads of Government meeting in Cologne. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS SALE OF GAIETY HAS ASSURED ITS FUTURE --------------------------------------------------------------- The sale of Dublin's Gaiety Theatre to businessman Denis Desmond has assured the long-term future of the venue, according to its Executive Director, John Costigan. Speaking at the launch of the new season's programme, he said extensive internal refurbishment and restructuring was planned, to improve the building for audiences and performers. TEAGASC UNVEILS "NEW SUPER COW FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIUM" --------------------------------------------------------------- The farm advisory group Teagasc has unveiled what has been described as "the new super cow for the next millennium." The new breed is the product of a major new dairy research project, which involves removing embryos from cows in New Zealand and transferring them to animals at the Teagasc centre near Fermoy in County Cork. NEW FELLOWSHIP SCHEME FOR NURSING LAUNCHED --------------------------------------------------------------- The nursing bodies North and South have joined to launch a #100,000 scheme to promote excellence in nursing education. The All-Ireland Research Fellowship scheme, being jointly organised by An Bord Altranais and hte National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland will enable around 20 nurses to engage in research or advanced studies this year. Business News -------------------- On the currency markets the euro traded at US$1.04, AUS$1.61, 125.80 yen and 64 pence sterling. The Irish punt traded at US$1.32, AUS$2.04, 159.73 yen and 82 pence sterling. (The euro is pegged at 0.78 Irish punts.) The ISEQ Index meanwhile closed up 44.71 points at 4939.61 Ireland's Weather --------------------- Scattered showers will die out this evening, but a spell of persistent rain will spread from the west overnight. Lowest temperatures 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 Fahrenheit) in a freshening west to southwest wind. The rain will clear early in the morning. It will be a bright cool blustery day with sunshine and showers. Some of the showers will be heavy with a risk of hail or thunder. Highest temperatures 12 to 15 degrees Celsius (54 to 59 Fahrenheit) in a fresh to strong southwest wind. ---------------------------------------------- UPDATE is a free 7-days a week service from RTE bringing you the latest news from Ireland. For regular news updates throughout the day check RTE News Online at http://www.rte.ie/news/ ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytire-06.06.99-11:47:58-27447