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National News Briefs

Post-mortem to be carried out on man who died following Drogheda altercation

A post-mortem examination will be carried out later on the body of a man who died in hospital following an altercation in Co Louth last Thursday.

The 53-year-old was injured during the incident in Drogheda which involved a number of youths.

Gardaí say 'all' of the circumstances surrounding the man's death are being investigated, after he was involved in the altercation in Drogheda last Thursday afternoon.

On Sunday he was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin for treatment for a head injury and he passed away there yesterday afternoon.

Gardaí are appealing for information about the altercation between the dead man and the group of youths at the junction of Bessexwell Lane and Shop Street in Drogheda at about 2.30pm last Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station.
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ALONE celebrate 35 year anniversary

ALONE, the charity representing older people, will celebrate its 35 year anniversary at Glasnevin Cemetery today.

It is honouring volunteers who have been with the charity in excess of three decades.

The charity will unveil a newly designed Millennium Plot, where older people have been buried and unclaimed by family.

Spokesperson Sean Moynihan says it is symbolic: "We've had the grave papers checked to make sure that everybody that's passed away unclaimed in the (Dublin) city since 1988 and is buried in the plot has their names and dates on it.

"If their families ever come looking for them, and they may not have been alone and were remembered."
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NI suicide rates soar after peace deal

Suicide rates in the North have doubled since the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998, new research has revealed.

Queen’s University in Belfast found suicide levels have soared since the end of the Troubles, though the deaths are occurring among those who grew up during the worst years of violence.

Social upheaval was said to have caused “mass medication” through anti-depressants, alcohol and illegal drug use, while aggression that was once widespread in the divided society has become more internalised.

The overall rate of suicide in the North doubled in the decade following the Good Friday agreement, rising from 8.6 per 100,000 of the population in 1998 to 16 per 100,000 by 2010.

Researchers also found that levels of self-harm in Derry far exceeded the rates detected in other major cities in the Republic of Ireland and Britain.
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Cork oil field exceeds expectations

Experts have said an oil field off the Cork coast contains four-times as much oil as previously thought.

Providence Resources estimates their Barryroe well is home to more than 1.6 billion barrels.

It has far exceeded expectations of previous estimates released just a few months ago.

Newstalk Business Editor Ian Guider said it is very promising for the company.

Mr Guider said: "They have been doing further testing there and looking at some data on the field and this morning they are saying they have found a four-fold increase in the potential amount of oil they could recover from this field.

"The average North Sea gas field would be about that size and they were found over 30 years ago.

"That gives you an indication of how big this field could be."
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Revenue to collect property tax

The forthcoming property tax is to be collected by the Revenue Commissioners.

At its final cabinet meeting before the summer break yesterday, Ministers agreed that the replacement for the household charge will be administered by officials at the Revenue.

It is understood that the move will counteract the high 'non compliance' rate of the Household Tax.

The tax – which could be based on property or land value – is expected to be introduced next year.
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Child protection recommendation

The special rapporteur on child protection has recommended that a person be able to apply to the courts to have a child at risk placed in the care system.

Geoffrey Shannon’s report, published yesterday, also called for the shortage of foster placements in Ireland to be addressed, for the children’s rights referendum to be held as soon as possible and consider whether greater family support is needed in the current economic climate.
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