Other news in brief
Most farmers 'would hide mental illness'
Some 57 per cent of Irish farmers would not want others to know if they had a mental health problem, and 42 per cent would hide diagnosis of a mental health problem from friends, according to a new survey.
In addition 45 per cent said they would not know what to do to help someone with mental health problems, and 27 per cent would delay seeking help for fear of someone knowing about it.
Dog Bill 'could bring down the Government'
Fianna Fáil Senator Denis O’Donovan said last night he was bracing himself to lose the party whip after he abstained on a vote on the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill.
He also claimed that the issue had the potential to bring down the Government.
The Bantry-based Senator abstained three times on Fine Gael amendments in the Seanad on Wednesday on the report stage of the Bill which is being introduced by Minister for the Environment John Gormley to regulate the dog breeding industry.
“I’ve been in the Dáil and Seanad for 16 years and I’ve always obeyed the party whip but I felt I was being railroaded into this by John Gormley,” Mr O’Donovan said.
FG MEPs vote to defeat food label system
Four Fine Gael MEPs have voted with the majority in the European Parliament to defeat proposals for a new “traffic light” system of food labelling designed to combat rising levels of obesity.
The MEPs, Seán Kelly, Mairéad McGuinness, Jim Higgins and Gay Mitchell, voted with their colleagues on the EPP group against the proposal, which would have seen a red, amber and green colouring code placed on food packets according to the levels of calories, sugar, salt and fat they contain.
Woman charged over rugby flights
The book of evidence in the case of a Limerick woman charged with illegally chartering aircraft to bring Munster rugby supporters to away European Cup matches is expected to be completed by September.
Pamela Hickey (37), Ashford, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, is charged with chartering the services of Monarch Airlines by deception on dates in September 2004 and January 2005.