Archive for July 2010

€30m contract for St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra

July 14, 2010 Irish News & Sport No comments

Big investment for St. Patrick's College Drumcondra

Building work is set to start on a new €30 million building project at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin, after the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD, approved the contract for the project this week.

The new 12,000sq/m facility, which includes new lecture theatres, libraries and offices, in addition to the refurbishment of 6,000sq/m of existing space, is expected to be finished in 2012.

Announcing the move, the Tánaiste said: ‘This project will transform the campus in St Patrick’s College of Education and bring its facilities to a new level of state-of-the-art modernity. Read more

200th gun murder since 1998

July 14, 2010 Irish News & Sport No comments

The murder of Stephen Byrne in the North Inner City is the 200th gun murder in the state recorded since the beginning of 1998, Labour TD Joe Costello revealed today.

“This truly awful statistic is made even worse by the confirmation given in the Dail last month by the Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, that the conviction rate for gun murders since 1998 is running at just over 12%,” he said. Read more

Banks €12billion lending commitments must help local SMEs’ – Blaney

July 14, 2010 Donegal News & Sport No comments

Niall Blaney TD

The commitment by AIB and Bank of Ireland to lend €12 billion over the next two years to small to medium sized businesses must be adhered to and will be closely monitored by the Government and its appointed Credit Review Office, according to Donegal North East Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney.

“One of the conditions of the Government’s recapitalisation of the banks was that they would make credit available to viable small and medium sized enterprises.

“The banks have effectively been bailed out following years of reckless habits and they must now show their respect for the taxpayer who has invested in their recovery by lending to SMEs, and in turn helping to create and maintain jobs,” Deputy Blaney said. Read more

Yearly car sales figures reached – 5 months ahead of schedule

July 14, 2010 Irish News & Sport No comments

SIMI say that cars sales are very positive

Official figures released by SIMI today (Wednesday 14th July) show that 70,103 new cars have been sold so far this year in the Republic of Ireland. At the start of the year, the SIMI predicted that, with the assistance of the scrappage scheme, 70,000 new cars would be sold for the entire year.
 
Commenting on the milestone, SIMI’s Press Officer, Suzanne Sheridan said, “With such an abysmal year last year, we knew that even an increase of around 20% on last year, or 70,000 new car sales, would help the industry get back on its feet.

Read more

90 jobs for Swinford with new Tesco store – Calleary

July 14, 2010 Irish News & Sport, Sligo News & Sport No comments

Dara Calleary TD and Junior Minister

Minister for Labour Affairs and local TD Dara Calleary from Mayo has welcomed the announcement that 90 new jobs are to be created in Swinford with the opening of a new Tesco store next year.

The announcement was made by Tesco this morning. Seven new stores are to be opened across the country, creating 688 new jobs. Read more

Harps have no real injury fears ahead of Waterford game

July 14, 2010 Donegal News & Sport No comments

Finn Harps manager James Gallagher, has confirmed that Harps have no real injury worries ahead of their weekend clash with waterford, after Harps 1-0 victory over Athlone Town. 

Kevin McHugh, who scored the winning goal in Athlone last weekend, will be available as it is not the following weekend that he begins a three match suspension.  Gallagher is hoping to add Keith Cowan and Shane O’Connor to the squad provided their clearance comes through in time for Friday’s match.  There is also a possibility that Tony Shields, who had a spell at Harps in the 2007 and 2008 seasons will also join the squad. 

Read more

European Commission appoints new Head of Representation in Dublin

July 14, 2010 Donegal News & Sport No comments

Barbara Nolan who will take up her new appointment in October

Barbara Nolan will take office as the new Head of Representation in Dublin at the start of October this year. 
Ms. Nolan, currently Head of Unit for Higher Education and Erasmus at the Education and Culture Directorate-General, joined the Commission in 1985.

She was the Commission’s spokesperson for Employment, Social Affairs and Health matters between 1993 and 1999, as well as spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs issues between 1993 and 1994. Ms. Nolan also served as Assistant to the Director-General and head of the communications unit between 2002 and 2007. Read more

Oireachtas proposals For European scrutiny welcomed

July 14, 2010 Irish News & Sport, Sligo News & Sport No comments

Sligo based MEP Marian Harkin

If the opportunity provided in the Lisbon Treaty to enhance the democratic processes of the EU is to be maximised, many of the recommendations contained in the report ‘Role of the Oireachtas in European Affairs’ should be implemented, MEP Marian Harkin has said.  

 
In a statement welcoming the publication today of the Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs and European Scrutiny, Sligio based MEP Harkin said: “While there are many practical recommendations proposed in this report it has been my experience as an MEP dealing with problems associated with EU law that the way in which Ireland transposes EU Directives is the most significant factor requiring the involvement of Irish parliamentarians.  We have had obvious cases of unnecessarily draconian interpretations of EU Directives, an example of which was the over designation of Special Areas of Conservation and other land related regulations. Read more