UPDATE - News from Ireland - 13 June 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ---------------------------------------------- UPDATE - The email news service from RTE Online ---------------------------------------------- 13 June 1999 17:14 with Harry Guerin ON RTE UPDATE TODAY --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Local government referendum passed 2. Man charged with rape and sexual assault 3. Several injured in Portadown clashes 4. Wife of former Taoiseach dies 5. Man killed by articulated lorry 6. Business: Government to sell entire Telecom stake 7. Man drowns off Galway coast plus Ireland's Weather LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFERENDUM PASSED --------------------------------------------------------------- The local government referendum was passed by a majority of over 3-1. There were nearly 1,025,000 "yes" votes and almost 292,000 votes against. Close to 110,00 votes were spoiled - approximately 7.5% of the total poll. Counting is continuing in the local elections and so far 667 seats have been filled. At the moment the standing of the parties is Fianna Fail -285, Fine Gael -204, Labour -73, Sinn Fiin -19, the Progressive Democrats -19, Green Party -7 and others 60. Given the background of scandal and tribunal revelations against which Fianna Fail fought this campaign, Fianna Fail have done well and look set to at least regain the ground they lost in the 1991 local elections. The Progressive Democrat vote is down, especially in Limerick but the demise being predicted by many has not materialised. The Progressive Democrat leader, Mary Harney TD, says that she is extremely pleased with the party performance in the local elections and says that it can look forward to the future with confidence. She said it now looked as if the party would win about 30 seats in local authorities around the country and secure 4% of the national vote. Meanwhile, Fine Gael say that they have gained extra seats through good vote management although they will not meet their campaign target of 300. Labour, which had hoped for some positive spin off from its merger with Democratic Left, have had disappointing performances in Clare, Cork and Meath. The combined vote of the two merged parties will be down on 1991. Sinn Fiin have polled strongly around the country and have done particularly well in the local elections in Dublin. The Sinn Fiin President, Gerry Adams, has said that the party's good performance in the local elections will make them a radical force in local government. Speaking at Hillsborough Castle, after his meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Mr. Adams said: "the results in Dublin, in Cavan-Monaghan and on the west coast indicated the growing support and relevance of Sinn Fiin in that level of politics and hopefully will put the party in a pivotal position to win seats in Leinster House, next time around". MAN CHARGED WITH RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT --------------------------------------------------------------- A man has appeared at a special sitting of Dublin District Court in connection with the rape and sexual assault of a minor. The 32-year-old man, who for legal reasons cannot be named, was arrested earlier yesterday in Dorset Street in Dublin and brought to Kilmainham garda station. Karin O'Brien, solicitor for the accused, asked Judge Gillian Hussey to grant her client bail, however Detective Garda Gerard Keane objected - citing the serious nature of the charges and the fact the accused is currently of no fixed abode. The accused was refused bail and was remanded in custody to appear again on the June 17. SEVERAL INJURED IN PORTADOWN CLASHES --------------------------------------------------------------- Two RUC officers and a number of civilians were injured after Orange Order parades in Portadown last night. The first officer was struck by a bottle as thousands of Orangemen assembled near the nationalist Garvaghy Road for four separate rallies in the town. Later, a second officer and several civilians were injured when police and loyalists clashed on Drumcree Hill. The clashes came after thousands of Orangemen from all over the North attended four separate 12 of July rallies in the County Armagh town, which passed off relatively peacefully. Yesterday, Nationalist community leaders and representatives from the Orange Order appealed for calm following The Independent Parades Commission's decision to allow marches in Portadown town centre, at Drumcree Church, at Corcrain Orange Hall and at the lower end of the Garvaghy Road. It was feared that trouble would erupt as the parades came a week after a loyalist pipe bomb killed Portadown grandmother Elizabeth O'Neill in her home. WIFE OF FORMER TAOISEACH DIES --------------------------------------------------------------- The death has been announced of Joan Fitzgerald, wife of the former Taoiseach, Dr Garret Fitzgerald at the couple's home in Dublin. The couple had been married for 51 years. Mrs Fitzgerald, who was 76, had been ill for some time. President McAleese paid tribute to Mrs Fitzgerald's strength and spirit through many years of illness and said that the strong bond of love and support between the former Taoiseach and his wife was evident to all that knew them. The President will be represented at the late Mrs Fitzgerald's funeral by her aide-de-camp since she will be travelling to South Africa at the time of the funeral. An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern said that it was with profound sadness that he learned of the death. The Fine Gael leader John Bruton described Mrs Fitzgerald as a woman of acute political intelligence and great personal courage. The Tanaiste Mary Harney said that Mrs Fitzgerald was a formidable woman and made a great political team with her husband Garret. Removal will be to the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook at six o'clock tomorrow evening and the funeral mass will be at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning. http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0613/1News/1News3A.ram MAN KILLED BY ARTICULATED LORRY --------------------------------------------------------------- Gardam say that the man who was killed on the Bandon road at the Forge outside Inishannon this morning was fatally hit by an articulated lorry. The dead man had been walking along the road at the time. Prior to the incident, Gardam believe that he was either pushed out of or fell out of a white Opal Combi van in which a group of what are believed to be fishermen were travelling. Gardam at Bandon are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the man either shortly before or at the time of the fatal incident. They are also seeking to speak to the men travelling in the van, which was last seen in the vicinity heading towards Cork city. The body is still at the scene and Gardam have informed the local Coroner and State Pathologist, a post mortem is expected to take place this afternoon. BUSINESS: GOVERNMENT TO SELL ENTIRE TELECOM STAKE --------------------------------------------------------------- The Government will sell its entire shareholding in Telecom Eireann when the company is floated on the stock exchange next month, Public Enterprise Minister Mary O'Rourke announced today. The application forms to buy shares in Telecom will be sent tomorrow to the 1.2 million people who registered an interest in purchasing shares in the state company. Individuals will be able to apply for a minimum of #250 worth of shares or any amount up to a maximum of #100,000. While the actual share price will not be decided until early July, a prospectus published today said that the shares are likely to be priced at between #2.64 and #3.27 each. A low flotation price suggests an increase in share value in the short term, but also means less money for the Exchequer. People who did not register for the shares can still apply by getting an application form from Telecentres or branches of AIB from tomorrow. The applications must sent in by June 30. Telecom staff are expected to receive an average windfall of between #78,000 and #90,000 worth of free shares each. MAN DROWNS OFF GALWAY COAST --------------------------------------------------------------- A 33-year-old man drowned after his boat was overturned by a freak wave off the County Galway coast last night. He was one of a three-man crew on the small sailing vessel which went down in the waters off Gorumna Island in Connemara shortly after 8pm last night. The two other boatmen were rescued by other vessels. The body of the remaining crewman was recovered later. Ireland's Weather Mostly cloudy overnight with occasional outbreaks of rain/drizzle, persistent at times in Connacht and Ulster. Misty also with hill and coastal fog. Mild and Humid. Lowest temperatures 10 to 13 Celsius (50 to 55 Fahrenheit). Dull and misty tomorrow in many areas at first, but dry apart from a little patchy rain and drizzle. Persistent rain will become more widespread for a time but brighter mainly dry weather will develop later. Continuing mild and humid. Highest temperatures 16 to 20 Celsius (60 to 68 Fahrenheit) ---------------------------------------------- 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/ If you experience any problems with this service then please email postmaster@update.rte.ie or webmaster@rte.ie To subscribe or unsubscribe from UPDATE please go to the email page on the RTE ONLINE website at http://www.rte.ie/email.html ================================================================= 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-06.16.99-03:51:31-15866