The Irish Times - Ireland

• Child report dismissed by diocese committee
  A HIGHLY critical Catholic Church report on child protection practices in Cloyne diocese was dismissed last July by a committee of the diocese as "seriously flawed", "false" and "defamatory" of its members.
  
  
• Boy (9) choked on burger in hospital, inquest told
  AN INQUEST has been told how a nine-year-old boy with cerebral palsy died five days after he choked on a chicken burger in an isolated ward room in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
  
  
• Sebastian Barry novel wins Costa Prize for fiction
  HAVING ALMOST but not quite won the 2008 Man Booker prize, Sebastian Barry's novel, , was yesterday declared winner of the Costa Prize for Fiction.
  
  
• Search continues for missing teen at Wexford beach
  DIVERS AND drainage equipment will be used today to assist the search for the young man who went missing in the vicinity of Curracloe Beach in Co Wexford six days ago.
  
  
• HSE says it only 'recently' received girl's death report
  THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) says it has "only very recently" received a copy of an independent report into the death after four years in State care of Dublin teenager Tracey Fay.
  
  
• English social services much more responsive
  The social services here said it would be in best interests of Tracey Fay and her unborn baby to remain in England, writes , Social Affairs Correspondent
  
  
• High-rise areas set out in latest draft plan
  DUBLIN CITY Council's planners are to refine and clarify their latest draft policy on high-rise development before going for public consultations later this month - subject to the council's approval.
  
  
• Plans for city subverted by height arguments
  Ever-optimistic Dublin city planners insist that they must set out the right policy on high-rise development before the the capital once again sees a forest of tower cranes on the skyline, writes , Environment Editor
  
  
• €6m Gate Theatre development opens
  THE ACTORS and director of a new production of Tom Stoppard's gathered at the Gate Theatre yesterday morning to start rehearsals in the new rehearsal room of the Dublin theatre.
  
  
• ESB to pay rebates on 100,000 overcharged bills
  THE ESB says the payment of rebates to about 100,000 of its customers who were overcharged on estimated bills will be completed by the end of next month.
  
  
• 'Healthy' breads not what they seem to be
  MANY HIGH-FIBRE breads marketed as healthy actually contain refined flour and additives and are high in salt, according to a new survey.
  
  
• More than half of litter fines unpaid
  MORE THAN half of litter fines imposed by local authorities go unpaid, according to anti-litter lobby group Irish Businesses Against Litter (Ibal).
  
  
• Applications for asylum continue to fall as departures of illegals rise 23%
  THE NUMBER of people seeking asylum here continued to fall last year with the highest proportion of applicants now coming from Nigeria, figures just published show.
  
  
• More than 600 drink- driving arrests
  MORE THAN 600 motorists were arrested for drink driving over the Christmas and new year period, provisional figures from An Garda Síochána indicate.
  
  
• Husband accused of murder freed on bail
  THE HUSBAND of murdered Howth woman Celine Cawley has been released on bail after raising a bond of €150,000.
  
  
• Two cousins die in Australian car crash
  TWO IRISH cousins were killed in a car crash in Victoria, Australia, on New Year's Day.
  
  
• Childline appeal as 604 call up on Christmas Day
  SOME 350 children in distress contacted Childline on New Year's Day to talk about problems such as family rows and abuse of alcohol.
  
  
• FF not able to claim Flynn's allowance
  FIANNA FÁIL would not be able to claim a €41,000-a-year State allowance for Mayo TD Beverley Flynn, even though she rejoined the party's ranks last summer.
  
  
• Concern for fate of designer puppies bred at dog farms
  LONG-AWAITED legislation aimed at controlling puppy farms has been put on hold due to legal difficulties.
  
  
• Ban on goods containing cat and dog fur
  GOODS CONTAINING cat and dog fur have been banned under an EU directive which has come into force this month, writes Caitlin McBride.
  
  
• Committee to inquire into dioxin pork crisis
  THE SECRETARY general of the Department of Agriculture Tom Moran will be the first witness on Thursday at the Oireachtas agriculture committee inquiry into the handling of the dioxin crisis.
  
  
• Farmers launch campaign to allow slurry spreading to begin
  FARMERS WANT to spread slurry immediately despite rigid new laws, designed to protect water quality, which designate January 12th as the start date. The Irish Farmers Association has launched a campaign to allow slurry spreading to begin because conditions now are favourable.
  
  
• 23 BSE cases recorded in 2008, down two on previous year
  IRELAND RECORDED two fewer cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in 2008 than in the previous year, official figures have shown.
  
  
• Recyling: Christmas trees
  WITH CHRISTMAS ending today, thousands of Christmas trees will be taken to recycling centres in the coming days.
  
  
• In Short
  A round-up of today's other news in brief
  
  
• Surgeon's details will not be published
  TRANSCRIPTS OF the Medical Council's fitness to practise inquiry into the former Drogheda surgeon Dr Michael Shine will not be published, it has emerged.
  
  
• Waste group fined €3,500 over landfill foul odours
  A LEADING waste management company has been fined for breaching its licence after complaints of foul odours from a landfill site in Co Galway.
  
  
• Bail for sister of man killed at party
  A YOUNG woman charged in connection with the death of her brother, who was stabbed at a house party after Christmas, has been freed on bail.
  
  
• Victims of 1979 Whiddy Island inferno to be remembered on anniversary
  RELATIVES AND friends of those killed in the oil tanker explosion in Bantry Bay will gather in the west Cork town tomorrow for a civic reception before attending a special memorial Mass on Thursday to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy.
  
  
• Objections raised to plan for Clare helicopter pad
  A CLARE couple have told Clare County Council their lives have been made a living hell with the circling of helicopters above their home.
  
  
• Donaldson says President trying to 'rewrite history' over British recruits
  DUP JUNIOR Minister Jeffrey Donaldson has accused President Mary McAleese of seeking to "rewrite history" by emphasising the role of poverty in motivating Irish people to join the British army during the first World War.
  
  
• Political unity against proposed news cuts at UTV
  Proposed cuts at UTV have prompted a rare show of political unity, writes , Northern News Editor
  
  
• Tory/UUP electoral alliance body named
  PLANS FOR a new Conservative/Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) electoral alliance were advanced yesterday with the appointment of a joint committee to advise on the selection of candidates ahead of the forthcoming European and Westminster elections.
  
  
• 'Persuasion' behind the scenes brought report to light
  SO NOW we know. We know why a damning report - completed by June 30th, 2008 - on the management of two child protection cases in Cloyne diocese was not published until December 19th last.
  
  
• Journey of atonement nearly over for priest who vowed to walk the walk
  A WINTER-BLUE sky looked down on the country road outside Blessington as Fr Michael Mernagh began his penultimate day's walk yesterday from St Colman's Cathedral in Cobh to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin.
  
  
• Letter warned of 'defamatory' attributions in abuse report