More news in brief
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has announced that regulations increasing the retirement age for gardaí, sergeants and inspectors from 57 to 60 years have come into effect.
The Tánaiste said: "The State requires the services of experienced officers. The regulations I have made increasing the retirement age for gardaí, sergeants and inspectors from 57 to 60 will help maximise Garda strength and ensure continuity of key skills within An Garda Síochána.
"Furthermore, these regulations are in line with the commitment I gave to the Garda representative associations earlier this year in the context of acceptance of the Garda Reserve."
Protest by animal rights activists
About 40 animal rights activists gathered to protest at the St Stephen's Day meet of the Waterford Foxhounds in Tramore, Co Waterford, yesterday. The protest lasted for about an hour as activists held banners condemning fox-hunting and calling for a blood sports ban.
Gardaí said the protest passed off peacefully.
Language support system criticised
The Government has failed to respond to the new pressures on the education system brought by the growth of multiculturalism, according to Fine Gael education spokeswoman Olwyn Enright. She said it was not providing enough language support teachers to schools to help students whose first language was not English.
According to the Department of Education, 18,000 primary school children and about 6,000 post-primary students do not speak English as their first language.
Ms Enright said special English-language classes be introduced aimed at adult immigrants.
DNA database should be priority
Ireland should expedite plans to establish a DNA database similar to that used by British police in Ipswich, according to a Galway-based Fianna Fáil general election candidate.
Such a database would help the Garda to trace repeat offenders, according to Galway city councillor Mike Crowe. It could be modelled on the English and Welsh national DNA database, he said.
FG claims health service unit axed
Fine Gael claim that a key health service unit which was to deliver €100 million in savings is to be axed.
Health spokesman Liam Twomey said that the HSE's national shared services unit was now to be abandoned after two years and the work sent back to the regions. A HSE spokeswoman said the shared services unit was not being dismantled but it was to change the way that it was managed.