A glance at the week that was
€40mThe amount the Department of Finance and its agencies have spent on legal and consultancy fees in the last three years.
€10The fine that householders will face every week if they do not pay the Government's new €100 a year household charge.
34The number of asthma-related deaths in Ireland last year, a record low.
£50,000The sum left by fashion designer Alexander McQueen to his pet dogs in his £16m will.
708The new world record for the most ride-on lawnmowers driven simultaneously, set in Dunnamaggin, Kilkenny.
2,812The number of patients in Irish psychiatric units and hospitals on March 31st, a 17 per cent reduction since 2006.
We now know
The presidential election and three referendums will be held on Thursday, October 27th.
3D displays cause eye strain, according to a study published by the Journal of Vision.
A documentary about U2 will open September’s Toronto Film Festival.
Golden opportunity for civic-minded dog owners in Taiwan
A Taiwanese city is trying to persuade dog owners to clean up after their pets by offering a chance to win gold bars. From Monday, any resident of New Taipei City who hands bags of dog litter over to government cleaning teams will receive raffle tickets for three gold bricks worth T$60,000 (€1,460), T$18,000 (€440) and T$12,000 (€290).
To step up the incentive, there will also be rewards for photographing dog owners who leave mess behind, as well as regular poo patrols in popular dog haunts.
