Click the above links to navigate.

BComm Group 5

No immunity for secret service agents: Conroy
March 22, 2004 17:16                                           

Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy, has said two secret service agents who will travel with US President, George W Bush, on his visit here have not been granted immunity from prosecution in the event that they discharge their firearms.

Mr Conroy was speaking at a two-day European Chiefs of Police conference in Dublin dealing with the terrorist threat in the wake of the Madrid bombings.

Mr Conroy said the gardaí were in charge of security for the visit of Mr Bush and that anyone suspected of being involved in a criminal offence would be investigated and prosecuted if necessary.

Mr Conroy also said that the threat to Europe from Islamic extremists at the moment was high, but that in relation to Ireland it was much more reduced.

Speaking at the conference earlier, the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, confirmed that US security personnel travelling to Ireland with US President George W Bush will be armed and could open fire if they deem it is necessary to save life.

Mr McDowell said he did not believe the threat to Ireland from Islamic extremists was heightened by the forthcoming visit of the US President.

Mr McDowell added, however, that there was the potential for trouble at the forthcoming EU Accession day meeting on 1 May.

IMO alarmed at TB consultant removal
March 22, 2004 17:03

The Irish Medical Organisation has said it is alarmed and concerned at the removal of the only hospital consultant from the country's TB service.

Peamount Hospital terminated the contract of its medical director, the respiratory consultant Dr Luke Clancy, today. Peamount insists that TB services will continue as normal.

In July 2003 the new chief executive of Peamount hospital published a five-year strategy for the hospital. It took the former sanatorium in a new direction - becoming a centre for rehabilitation and continuing care services.

The strategy rejected the option of having a chest hospital on site, which means it will gradually transfer its 60-bed respiratory and TB unit to another hospital. However the strategy did not outline a timeframe.

Two health boards offer acute hospital services for TB patients. The rest of the country refers to Peamount, which saw 63 new cases of TB last year.

Many are concerned that the changes in the hospital will put added pressures on the nearby Tallaght and Naas hospitals, and many staff are disputing the management's decision to close the TB services.

The Irish Medical Organisation is supporting Dr Luke Clancy in his opposition to his removal.

More suspensions likely in row at An Post
March 22, 2004 17:43                                                                               

It is likely there will be more suspensions at An Post's main mail centre in Dublin as an industrial dispute there escalates.

Postal worker group the Communications Workers' Union has said it will be happy to go into mediation with An Post to resolve the dispute.

The CWU's national officer, Sean McDonagh, told RTÉ Radio that the union – which represents postal workers – was 'absolutely' happy to go into mediation.

An Post's Director of Corporate Affairs, Larry Donald, meanwhile, has called on the union to deliver on the deal that staff had already been paid for.

420 workers have been suspended so far.

People in Dublin, parts of Counties Wicklow, Meath, Monaghan & Louth have been advised not to post letters.

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Dermot Ahern, said the dispute could be addressed by the State's industrial relations mechanisms.

The minister said neither the country nor the company could afford a dispute at this time.

Earlier a senior manager at An Post, Eoin Morgan, said he expected the dispute to get worse. He added that the company would keep customers advised on developments.

Speaking on RTÉ radio, Mr Morgan blamed the CWU for not delivering on deals. However, he ruled out going to the Labour Relations Commission, saying An Post had no choice but to implement deals that had been bought and paid for.

In advertisements taken out in today's national newspapers, An Post requested customers ‘not to post any mail until further notice in Dublin City and County’.

Two missing people sought by gardaí
March 22, 2004 17:05