IrishExaminer.com - Ireland

Homeowners handing their houses back to the banks

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

HOMEOWNERS who can no longer afford to pay the mortgage are voluntarily giving up the keys to their property as they see no other way out of the debt, according to a housing charity.

Blarney Castle owner donates family archives

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

THE owner of Blarney Castle has donated his entire family archive, some of which dates from the 17th century, to the Cork City and County Archives.

Drink-driving limits delayed 18 months

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

NEW drink-driving limits will be delayed for at least 18 months it was revealed last night as opposition parties accused Transport Minister Noel Dempsey of presiding over a “fiasco”.

Harney tells ‘under-utilised’ surgeon to talk to manager

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney said she could not accept that a surgeon could be left with nothing to do at a busy hospital.

Public drive to save cinema

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

AN ONLINE fundraising campaign was launched yesterday to help save the arthouse Kino cinema in Cork from closure.

Abuse survivors’ ‘lives transformed’ with counselling

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

UP to 80% of child abuse survivors availing of the state’s National Counselling Service (NCS) say their lives were transformed by the service.

Armed raiders tackled in shop

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

AN armed robber suffered serious head injuries after staff at a jewellery shop and passersby thwarted a raid by a three-man gang.

Concern at use of disability funding

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

DISABILITY advocacy groups have expressed concern about how much of the money officially being allocated to the sector is actually being spent on disability.

Three-year wait for dental visit

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

YOUNG children with special needs are being forced to wait up to three years to see a public dentist because of the HSE recruitment ban, according to the Irish Dental Association (IDA).

Three arrested in drug swoops

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

THREE people were arrested and two were still being held last night after a triple Garda swoop led to an estimated €1.25 million worth of cocaine being seized by officers.

Stonewall win for Boyzone

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

BOYZONE have been honoured by gay campaign group Stonewall for the late Stephen Gately’s contribution to raising awareness.

Cystic fibrosis sufferer among first vaccinated

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

CAROLINE Heffernan is a 39-year-old from Tuam in Co Galway. She is also a cystic fibrosis sufferer.

Clinics inoculate 25,000 in the first week

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

“I’VE always said there are some advantages to being over-65,” jokes Mary Patton, administrative co-ordinator at the HSE’s swine flu clinic in Mallow, Co Cork.

Emergency services fear 25% of members could be infected

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

EMERGENCY services have warned as many as one in four of their members could contract human swine flu when responding to sick people needing hospital care.

80,000 flu deaths predicted in Europe

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

A MAJOR medical monitoring group has claimed 80,000 Europeans could die from swine flu in the coming months, naming Ireland as one of the EU’s hotspots for the deadly pandemic.

Appeal not to cut vital overseas funding

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

FORMER President Mary Robinson has appealed to the Irish government not to cut vital funds for overseas development as such a move could lead to an increase of violence against women.

Poll: One in five expect economy to improve

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

ONE-in-five people expect the economy to improve in the next six months as a poll shows consumers are beginning to perk up.

Waiting times for dole at all-time high despite Hanafin’s vow

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

DOLE processing times remain at an all-time high despite commitments by the Social Affairs Minister to commit more staff to speed up welfare payments.

Fall in numbers signing on Live Register in all regions

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

ALL regions of the country experienced a decrease in the number of people signing on the Live Register last month.

‘Seismic change’ needed in public sector attitudes

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

A “SEISMIC change in attitudes” is needed in the public sector if we are to overcome cuts in public services, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said yesterday.

Dividing workers ‘a ploy’ by government

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

DIVIDING public and private sector workers is merely a Government-inspired attempt to weaken the labour movement, was the key message from trade union leaders to tens of thousands partaking in ICTU’s National Day of Protest yesterday.

Twins set for hair-raising number

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown might not like them, Simon Cowell might even hate them but X Factor duo John and Edward won’t care as they belt their way through the Ghostbusters theme tune on tonight’s show.

Reports of pay gripe as Little takes career break

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

PRIME Time presenter Mark Little has insisted he has taken a year-long leave of absence from RTÉ to focus on new digital media opportunities, despite reports of a major row over his comparatively low salary at the station.

Three-bed Kenmare homes selling for €130k

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

THE Kerry town once voted by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top Ten places worldwide to retire has houses cheap enough that even reduced pension retirees can aspire to.

HSE to axe bed pans for elderly patients

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

ELDERLY and disabled patients will no longer be provided with essential aids such as toilet frames, bed pans, commodes and drip stands in what has been described as a “new low” in crippling health cutbacks.

Tens of thousands of workers take to streets

IrishExaminer.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

THE Government dropped plans to increase taxes on the rich and powerful because of their “huge influence”, the country’s most senior union leader has claimed.

Gardaí to seize unlicensed firearms

IrishExaminer.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

GARDAÍ in Cork have warned they will seize firearms if their owners don’t apply for the new €80 three-year licence.

Bylaws to target antisocial behaviour in parks

IrishExaminer.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

A RAFT of new bylaws, including a ban on children over 12 from using playground equipment, are to be introduced to crack down on anti-social behaviour in Cork’s city parks.

Diesel switch cheers Greens

IrishExaminer.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

THE Green Party has said the swing towards buying energy efficient diesel cars confirms that “green policies do work”.

States cannot cut off net access over illegal downloads

IrishExaminer.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

GOVERNMENTS will not be able to automatically cut off internet access to users who illegally download copyright material under draft new EU legislation just agreed.