Limerick men caught red-handed digging drug money from field

Men caught digging drugs up from field.

A convicted drug dealer was caught red-handed by police as he flicked through money he had just removed from a field.

Elite gardai found the 53 year-old trying to dry the notes in a tumble dryer after using a mechanical digger to take them out from their hiding place six feet below a field near Castleconnell in Limerick.

The cabin the man was found operating in had drying and packaging equipment, although police are unsure how long the sum of money – which amounted to €1.25m ($1.72m) – had remained under the soil.

The sting followed a major drugs surveillance operation which resulted in the arrest of another accomplice, who was found close to the site of the heist.

The two, who are in their 40s and 50s, were being held under money laundering and terrorism legislation at Henry Street garda station in Limerick; one has since been released.

A garda source told the Belfast Telegraph that police believed the operation was long premeditated adding that the field was probably "the most valuable" in the country for a long time.

Police spent two days trying to count the cash, some of which was also found in a container on the farmland.  Much of the money was saturated as a result of being under the ground for such a long time.

The find was the culmination of a major five-month police operation into the drug supply in the Limerick area that saw cooperation between a major drug-fighting unit and local drugs police.

The criminal had previously been sentenced to six years in prison after being caught with 14 kilograms of marijuana in Limerick city in 2000.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), which is charged with investigating and seizing the proceeds of crime, has said that it will attempt to claim the sum if enough evidence can be gathered to prove the case.

Prominent Irish politician in social media slip with "MILFS of the Day"

Fianna Fail TD Michael McGrath makes risque Facebook gaffe.

Prominent Irish politician and opposition finance spokesperson Michael McGrath was lighting up Twitter over the weekend after a status update announced his fondness for an adult Facebook page was inadvertently posted through his own official social networking account.

McGrath's Facebook page posted an update announcing his like of the 'MILFS of the Day' account shortly.

The page has over 83,000 likes on the social networking platform and features softcore pictures of older women in erotic poses.

The story was covered on popular Irish news website Broadsheet.ie shortly after it was broad to their attention.

The news also prompted a thread on popular political discussion forum Politics.ie where one user speculated whether the Cork TD would blame the mishap on "a passing comet interfering with his computer."

Reaction on Twitter ranged from amusement at McGrath's extra-political interests to outrage that the status had been posted through a Facebook page he reserves for dealing with constituent matters and other political affairs.

McGrath is particularly active on Facebook and other forms of social networking, but the only remaining evidence of that presence this afternoon was a saved cache after the page was hastily pulled down following the slip.

No reaction has been forthcoming from the senior Fianna Fáil spokesperson this afternoon.

The embarrassing ordeal will likely give other Irish politicians pause for thought about their engagement with constituents through the ever-growing social media channels, where minute changes to privacy settings can mean the difference between broadcasting an update to tens of thousands of 'fans' or keeping it quietly to yourself.

Research published this summer showed that 146 of the parliament's deputies were active on Twitter to varying extents, with Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams emerging as the surprise top-dog, commanding a following of over 37,000 users on the network.

The research also found that the incumbent Fine Gael party was the leading user of the platform, with 100 percent of its TDs maintaining an active account.

Half of Irish 30 somethings have tried marijuana but disapprove of drunk driving

Half of all respondents used
soft drugs

Almost half of Irish thirty somethings have tried marijuana and other soft drugs, a new survey has revealed, although numbers were far lower for harder illicit substances such as heroin and cocaine.

The 'Ireland's Thirty Somethings - Living on the Edge' poll also surveyed approval ratings for a number of traditionally frowned-upon behaviors such as drunk driving and pre-marital sex, as well as current issues such as same sex marriage and gay rights to adoption.

In a sign of changed times, drunk driving was found to provoke the strongest moral disapproval rating, with an average disapproval rating of 9.1 (out of a maximum ten), while pre-marital sex was the least offensive to those surveyed.

While almost half of all respondents said that they had 'dabbled' in soft drugs, such as marijuana, only 14% had experimented with harder substances, such as heroin and cocaine.

There was little support for the decriminalization of all drugs, a proposition which just 18% of those polled said they would support.

Strong support was also evident for gay marriage with three quarters of respondents responding affirmatively when asked if the institution of marriage should be extended to same sex couples. However, only 66% of respondents were supportive of affording such couples the right to adopt children.

More than 40% of respondents believed that there were currently too many immigrants coming into the country.

On religion, only 55% of those surveyed said that there were members of the Catholic Church and two thirds of those asked would have their children baptized. However, almost one third of respondents - 28% - said that they had never attended a religious ceremony in their lives.

Despite soaring rents, 84% of those polled said that they expected to own their own house or apartment if they didn't already do so.

The poll was carried out by market research firm Behavious and Attitudes on behalf of the national radio station Today FM and the Sunday and Irish Independents and surveyed approximately 1,000 randomly sampled individuals between the ages of 30 and 39, according to a report in the Kildare Nationalist.

Further installments of results from the survey will be published during the week.

Ireland's Senate referendum poster boy subject to racist abuse

Irish actor Daryl McCormack suffers racist abuse
as result of referendum spokesperson work

The twenty year old Dublin student who effectively became the poster-boy for the defeated Seanad referendum has been subject to racist abuse because of his skin colour, it has emerged.

Daryl McCormack (20), who hails from Tipperary, appeared on televised informational adverts by the Referendum Commission, an independent body charged with informing the general public about the topic of upcoming referendums.

McCormac, who studied at Dublin Institute of Technology and is a part time model and actor, appeared in the adverts informing viewers about the upcoming referendum in both English and Irish, which he is fluent in.

The adverts were carried repeatedly on national television in the run up to the election, last Thursday, which saw the government suffer an embarrassing defeat when voters chose to retain Ireland's second electoral chamber, the Seanad.

Some family members are reported to be livid at the abuse, posted on both the actor's personal Facebook page as well as that of the Referendum Commission, while others have maintained that McCormack is a "proud Irish man" and will simply rise above the denigrating remarks.

His uncle, Gary McCormack, said that he had forewarned the young man to expect abuse given the prominence of his work.

"We sat down a number of months ago and said 'Daryl, you will be getting this type of abuse," the uncle told the Herald newspaper in Dublin.

However, it is understood that the actor, who had previously encountered racism, hasn't read the comments and has no intention of doing so.

"It's like water off a duck's back [for him," the proud uncle commented.

The Referendum Commission said that it informed McCormack of the abuse once it had been spotted, and remove, from their Facebook page, but did not deem it serious enough to warrant referring the matter to the authorities.

A spokesperson for the Integration Center, an organization promoting the integration of immigrants to Ireland as well as minority rights, branded the comments "disgraceful".

"The culprits are foolish and nothing short of racist," the organization's CEO, Kilian Forde, commented.

Constitutional Convention backs emigrant vote for Irish Presidential elections

Constitutional Convention debates emigrant vote.
Majority in favor.

The Constitutional Convention -- a representative sample of Irish citizens and politicians convened to make non-binding recommendations for policymakers -- has backed giving Irish emigrants a vote.

Although the Convention's suggestion have no legislative or governmental authority by themselves, its findings do have to be debated in parliament, and the result may serve as a surprise to the government who may not have been aware that support for the controversial proposal is strong at home as well as in the diaspora.

The issue was the fourth in the series of the eight topical issues that the Convention is set to debate.

78 of the Convention's 100 members balloted in favor of the proposal after two days of debate and discussion at Malahide in North Dublin, with 5 less members saying that they would be happy to extend the right to those resident in Northern Ireland.

Just 38 of the respondents also voted in favor of stipulating a time-limit to how long ex-pats could exercise the right.

Over 120 countries have provisions allowing for their overseas emigrants to vote, but successive governments have proven themselves less than enthusiastic about the possibility of extending the privilege to Irish citizens now resident overseas -- a group which is reckoned to number at least 3 million, although the figure is in constant fluctuation.

The deliberations saw experts present either side's argument before the issue was submitted to vote.

Representing traditional opposition to an emigrant vote, Dr Paul O'Connor argued that emigrants were not sufficiently well informed about Irish current affairs to be able to add a thoughtful and useful voting contribution to important national issues.

That argument was countered by the claim that the global information flow between Ireland and its diaspora -- led by widely-read diaspora websites and newspapers -- alongside freely-available VoIP services such as Skype, made the point irrelevant in today's world.

Others have argued that extending a vote to the diaspora should have been a necessary quid pro quo for the Diaspora's financial backing of tourist initiatives such as The Gathering.

Emigrant organization representatives from around the world, along with a number of Irish embassies, joined the proceedings by video feed, something the Convention's chairperson said added a "powerful insight" into how that group feels.

A number of missions issued circulars to local ex-pats soliciting submissions about their feelings on the topic which were then shortlisted and circulated to those in attendance at the plenary.

Jennie McShannong of Irish in Britain said that the Irish community there wanted to "play a part" and "have a real stake" in the running of the country.

A number of campaign groups and websites are active in lobbying for the vote including the Vote for Irish Citizens campaign, VICA.

Although the Convention's recommendations are not binding, they are reported to government, who can decide, based on the issue and strength of the vote, whether or not to hold a referendum on the issue.

Irish university launches first ever alcohol free dorms

UCC to pilot novel drink-free accommodation

As Irish universities return for the start of a new college term, one school is piloting an unlikely new initiative: alcohol free dorms.

University College Cork (UCC) has become the first university in Ireland to offer such accommodation and says that the move will allow students who want to experience university in a more sober mind-frame the ability to do so.

The university's Health Promotion Officer, Deirdre Griffin, said that the specialist hall would allow students and staff to "take control over and improve their well-being" adding that it developed on UCC's broader selection of specialist need accommodation, which already includes dorms specifically for fluent Irish language speakers, single-sex dorms, as well as one for mature students only.

The college added that the alcohol free dorm, at Victoria Lodge, would appeal to international students whose "religious and cultural backgrounds" might preclude them from drinking alcohol altogether or limit the frequency with which they imbibe.

Final year and postgraduate students have also reportedly expressed a strong interest in the new trial project.

The news gained national and local media coverage and even spawned a #dryapartments hashtag on Twitter. Most blog commentary was positive on the new option.

The healthy new dorms were announced after a 2010 health and well-being survey at the university showed up a "concerning" pattern of binge drinking among both male and female undergraduate students, which found that almost half of the cohort engaged in binge drinking more than once a week.

Almost all students that reported partaking in the frequent binge drinking said that it had led to adverse consequences, with "regretting something said or done", experiencing the "adverse effects" of drinking while at lectures, and missing school altogether among the most frequently reported negative consequences.

Those looking to gain a spot in the drink-free accommodation must provide the university with a detailed personal statement outlining why they specifically wish to live under such arrangements.

Those found to have drunk on the dorms will face penalties "in line with current university disciplinary procedures," according to the college, whose subsidiary, UCC Campus Accommodation, manages most of the non-private college rental market in Cork.

Despite Ireland's heavy drinking culture, the university's accommodation office has reported a "very strong uptake" on the new flats, with another Irish university -- the University of Limerick -- considering introducing the novel form of housing for the 2014 term.

The move follows on from previous efforts to clamp down on problem drinking at the college which included a ban on "mystery tours" -- bus trips with an unknown location --- effected in 2010.

Woman in emergency airlift after jellyfish mauling in Dublin

Jellyfish swarm

A woman diving with her friends in a popular Dublin swimming spot was airlifted by the Dublin Coast Guard after being mauled by a jellyfish, it has been reported.

An inshore lifeboat was also rushed to the scene after the viscous attack.

The rescue missions were deployed at 11am yesterday after two women were reported missing offshore.

When rescued, the woman was suffering from hypothermia and has visible jellyfish stings to her face; the boat crew described her condition as 'serious'.

The unlucky bather was then airlifted to Our Lady of the Lourdes hospital in Drogheda where she underwent further treatment.

Although the identity of the jellyfish isn't known, Ireland does suffer from influxes of poisonous jellyfish during the late summer and early fall months due to to the proximity of the warm North Atlantic Drift.

The EcoJel project, a leading European jellyfish research study based in Haulbowline, Cork

According to its Jellyfish ID Card the compass, barrel, blue, and Lion's Mane jellyfish are all known to inflict stings capable of needing medical attention.

Although not strictly a jellyfish, the Portuguese Man O War, whose sting can be fatal, made its way to Irish beaches last summer, with sighting all over the southern Irish coastline.

Troll riddled Ask.fm insists changes will make their site safer

Erin Gallagher the 13-year-old Donegal girl who committed suicide
due to online bullies on Ask.fm

Ask.fm, the website implicated in the suicides of at least two Irish schoolgirls who suffered online abuse through its pages, has promised that a series of new safety features will make the website substantially safer for its users.

The site is particularly popular among young Irish adolescents and allows users to submit questions anonymously to other users' profiles.

The sites' founders said that a through safety review has now been completed and that a report functionality, similar to that found on Facebook, will be installed. More staff will also be hired to work as full time moderators to weed out abusive comments.

An extra website will also be created specifically for parents.


The website suffered an advertising backlash in the wake of the suicides, with major clients Vodafone, Laura Ashley, and charity Save the Children all pulling their campaigns from the site.

The site has cooperated in sending the IP addresses of offending messengers to law enforcement but many parents may justifiably fear that the latest series of changes will not go far enough in making the site a secure environment for online peer-to-peer communication.

A concerned parent told the UK Daybreak breakfast show that some schools were already taking the step of sending out text messages to parents advising them to keep their children off the site.

David Smith, the parent of Hannah, who took her life after receiving a torrent of abuse through the website, welcomed the news today; he had previously been an outspoken advocate for enhanced security on Ask.fm and other social networking websites.

Marketing group in hot water over sex night after 'knickers for drink' scandal

Crowds getting wild at Karma nightclub in Athlone

Irish parents are reportedly enraged after an Athlone nightclub decided to promote a sex themed party to coincide with Leaving Cert (SAT) results' night.

Raunchy rodeo games, a wet t-shirt contest, and all-out drinking contests were among the attractions promised on flyers advertising the 'F**k Results' night at the Karma Nightclub, in Athlone.

The story made the front page of yesterday's Irish Sun, a popular national tabloid publication.

A spokesman for the National Parents' Council, the group representing Irish school children's parents, said that the promotion was 'appalling.'

Another told the Sun that teenagers "should not be subject to this kind of promotion"; a local politician described the night as marketing companies trying to "take advantage" of young students.

The night was the work of the now-notorious Midnight Promotions, a marketing company that is no stranger to controversy and which previously caused media outrage after running a Dublin club night where female patrons could exchange their underwear for free drinks.

Remarkably, despite national media coverage of that promotion, Midnight ran a similar night offering free entry to women that sent in cleavage snaps just a number of days' ago.

The company, which has been regularly accused of misogynism, sexism, and 'crossing the line' with its edgy promotions, also suffered a massive publicity fallout from a night it ran at another Dublin nightclub, Alchemy, whose poster was sub-titled "if you're not up for it, don't cum."

A "significant number of complaints" were lodged to the country's advertising regulator in the wake of that event, but it said it did not have authority to regulate the contents of advertising via social media at the present time.

A Facebook group with 600 concerned members was even founded to "end Monday at Alchemy's sexist and dangerous advertising," still believed to be managed by Midnight.

The company is also largely behind a new tabloid-esque college news website, according to the University Times. which largely features content about sex, drinking, and celebrity news.

It's men's guides on one night stands recently, similarly, provoked a number of complaints.

Cork gets its own version of "Jersey Shore" (VIDEO)

'Corcaigh Shore' brings Jersey Shore Leeside

Ireland's second largest city, Cork, has gotten its very own version of popular TV format Jersey Shore with a 10 minute mockumentary appearing on YouTube and gaining over 35,000 views since it was published yesterday.

The first installment of the series follows the plights of seven local Corkonians as they are filmed enjoying a typical day in the 'Peoples' Republic,' as Cork is called by locals.

The clip is trending in Cork on Twitter, has amassed 13,000 likes on its corresponding Facebook page, and has even drawn attention from local and national media.

The project is the brainchild of production manager Stephen Randles who told a local newspaper that he came up with the idea after himself  "and a couple of friends decided that it would be a fun thing to do."

Auditions were held for the video, which is currently only available on the internet, and which was shot over a 24 hour period.

The concept is based on popular US TV show Jersey Shore which had a roll-out in the UK as Geordie Shore and in Tallaght, Dublin, as TV3's notorious Tallafornia.

A local nightclub sponsored the production costs.

Irish gay marriage vote may take place next year

Labour leader Gilmore says same sex
marriage vote could take place next year

The Irish Labour party has indicated that a referendum to decide whether to allow gay marriage could take place as soon as next year.

Its leader, Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore, said that there would be "no undue delay" in tabling the vote, which may take place during 2014 alongside a series of other proposals.

Gilmore's comments took place during a press conference following Dublin's ceremony for the National Day of Commemoration yesterday, a nationwide commemoration day for fallen war heroes.

Rumours are mouting that neither of the two government parties will adopt formal party policies on the gay marriage vote, to avoid the kind of acrimonious tensions and impositions of the party whip system that characterized the controversial passage of the Abortion legislation.

That Bill was formally passeed by the Dáil last week and iss now making its way through Ireland's largely insignificant second chamber, the Seanad (Senate), where six days have been set aside for its debate and likely passage.

Should the House approve the Bill, it will be forwarded to the President, who can either sign the bill directly into law as expected or refer it to the Supreme Court for judicial review.

The promised referendum follows the recommendation of the Constitutional Convention this April to hold such a vote on the hotly divise issue, which also endorsed, by overwhelming majority, such legislation.

The Convention, largely comprised of a representative sample of Ireland's population, can only make suggestived proposals, but its views have been proved influential in steering the political agenda.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has refused to take a public stand on the gay marriage debate, although other Ministers, including Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, have publicly backed the proposals.

Opponents of the legislation argue that civil partnership legislation, passed in Ireland in 2010, make giving formal recognition to gay marriage superfluous.  However, same sex marriage is estimated to enjoy about 75% frmo the Irish population, according to polls.

The move will also likely see negative campaigning from the Catholic Church and associated religious lobbies who reacted with disappointment at news of the recent Dáil vote on abortion.

Secret recordings of Irish Anglo bank executives enrages country - John Bowe and Peter Fitzgerald laugh about €7 billion and never paying it back

John Bowe: one of the two disgraced
former bankers in Anglo recording.

A secret recording of two senior Irish bank executives discussing lying to the government's financial regulator about the true extent of its losses has gone public after the damning tapes were leaked to leading newspaper The Irish Independent.

However, the two former executives at the center of the controversy, John Bowe, then head of capital markets at the bank, and Peter Fitzgerald, director of retail banking, have already denied misleading the Central Bank, or being involved in the decision making process prior to the bank's bailout.

The bank had told the Central Bank that €7 billion would be needed to stabilize the bank, but the recording shows that executives were aware that the real figure was in fact higher than that, a figure which was ultimately borne by the taxpayer.

The recording also shows the senior bankers laughing at the impossibility of the bank ever being in a position to pay back its massive financial burden: "The €7bn is bridged until we can pay you back .. which is never!" one banker can be heard saying.

In an anecdote relating to an earlier meeting with the Financial Regulator discussed early on in the conversation, Bowe recalls the Regulator's response to the executives' announcement of the funding they were seeking as being "Jesus, that's a lot of dosh!".

When Fitzgerald asks Bowe how the Central Bank bailout figure was derived at, the latter responds "as Drummer [CEO David Drumm] would say, 'I pull it out of my arse.'"

Later Bowe clearly shows that he -- and other Anglo executives -- were aware that the initial €7bn bailout would not be enough to forestall the bank's demise, saying "that number [given to the Central Bank] is €7bn but the reality is we need more than that."

The executive said that if the Irish government were aware of the enormity of the bill to the taxpayers, they likely wouldn't approve the bailout, but that if the bank intentionally under-stated the extent of its liabilities, that they might "stand a chance."

Commenting on the revelation this morning, Prime Minister Enda Kenny said that he was "constrained" in what he could say because of ongoing investigations into the matter, but added that he fully "understood" the public's rage.

The Government has already passed legislation necessary to undertake a banking inquiry, but the Taoiseach said that the sheer volume of material to be studied had left government perplexed as to how best to carry one out: over one million pages of internal documents and hundreds of hours of tape recordings would potentially have to be studied, a mammoth task even by lengthy Irish tribunal standards.

Solicitors for the bank unsuccessfully attempted to suppress the recording, according to RTÉ, claiming that no person had been authorized to leak the material.

Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter's erotic novel could bag him $129,000

An extract from Shatter's book. Image: Reddit/ Imgur.

An erotic novel written by embattled Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter could land him $129,000 if the book is cleared by Ireland's censorship body in time for Christmas.

'Laura', available on major book retailer Amazon, was published by Irish publisher Poolbeg Press, but has drawn the attention of censors after complaints were made about some of its seedy sex scenes.

The book's plot centers around an affair between a TD (Congressman) and his private secretary, and was first published in 1990. The TD is forced to compromise on his own pro-life abortion stance after the secretary, Colette, becomes pregnant.

If the novel gets the censors' green-light, a new print run may be forthcoming in as little as six weeks.

Books in Ireland may stilled be banned if they are deemed "indecent", "obscene", or "advocate the procurement of abortion", according to the Irish Censorship Board.

A list of currently banned titles available from the Department of Justice's website shows that there are currently no books banned on the ground of obscenity, but many have been black-listed for encouraging abortion.

Besides penning Laura, Shatter, who was one of Ireland's foremost attorneys before entering politics, has also written the leading textbook on Irish family law.

The Justice Minister last week faced a brewing political maelstrom after he accused an opposing member of parliament of having used political influence to evade prosecution for holding a cellphone while driving.

He now faces a motion of no confidence in the Dáil this Tuesday.

National hero Donal Walsh loses battle with cancer - teen's optimism and courage inspired thousands

Donal Walsh: Irish teen dies, 16, after
four year cancer battle

Kerry teenager Dónal Walsh, whose optimism and courage in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis saw him labelled a 'national hero', died last night aged 16.

Tributes from those inspired by Walsh's bravery have already flooded in. A Facebook page set up in his honour has already received almost 100,000 likes.

Fr Francis Nolan, the priest of Walsh's parish, called the rugby-crazed teen an 'inspiration' to those in Kerry and beyond.

His father said that his son was "at peace now" and that his long pain and suffering was now over.

The self-effacing Walsh had said that he resented the personal attention which had surrounded him ever since a letter decrying youth suicide had been published in a national newspaper, and only wanted to make whatever difference he could in helping other young people see their problems in perspective.

A series of appearances on other radio and television programmes soon followed, with Walsh eager to get across his message that suicide was never an answer, and outspokenly keen to emphasize that he had little sympathy with those who chose that option.

"Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem," he was quoted as saying.

"There are always options."

His message is thought to have resonated widely in an island that still has among the highest rates of young, male, suicide in the developed, Western world.

Walsh's family say that the teenager, who counted sporting starts among his friends and acquaintances, had received a large amount of correspondence after his appearance on the Saturday Night Show thanking him for providing them hope in their own struggle with mental illness.

He said that the illness, and its certain end, never fazed him, but that he was concerned how his family would fare after their loss.

A website dedicated to providing advice and support to suicidal youth reported a four-fold increase in traffic, according to its spokesman.

The Kerry teen had suffered with cancer since 12, and had already exceeded his medics' expectations after surviving beyond Christmas.

Minister of State Kathleen Lynch said she had contacted Walsh to record an anti-suicide video which will be shown in secondary schools across the country.

She described the young lad as "articulate" and unusually "brave" for someone his age. He was a rugby fanatic who dreamed of playing with Munster.

He received a bravery award from civic authorities in Kerry last year and is believed to have raised in excess of €50,000 for cancer facilities in Dublin.

Dónal's funeral takes place in Kerry this Wednesday.

Irish professor with multiple sclerosis Marie Fleming loses landmark right-to-die case in Irish Supreme Court

Marie Fleming; partner denied
assisted suicide

A terminally ill woman with multiple sclerosis has lost her landmark case in the Supreme Court challenging Ireland's absolute ban on euthanasia.

Marie Fleming (59) fought the case up to the country's most senior legal tribunal, requesting an assurance that her partner not be prosecuted for helping her end her life.

The case was described by the Chief Justice, Susan Denham, as 'very tragic'.

However the court's answer was that the Irish constitution guarantees an absolute right to life, and that there was no legal recognition for a corresponding right to die.

Her partner, however, said that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to end Ms Fleming's life in a dramatic statement delivered moments after the justices' verdict.

"The court has ruled on Marie's future as far as they're concerned and we will now go back to Wicklow and live our lives until such a time when Marie makes up her mind that she has had enough," Tom Curran, Marie's partner, said.

"And in that case, the court will have the opportunity to decide on my future."

Ms Fleming is in the final stages of MS and can only move her head, and suffers 'choking sessions' which she fears could eventually kill her.

Although suicide was de-criminalized in Ireland in 1993, legislation still on the Statute Book makes it a criminal offence to assist or abet in another persons's suicide.

Fleming's legal counsel said that the provision was discriminatory against severely disabled people who, in effect, were not able to end their own life without others' assistance, arguing that it did not give them equal rights as able-bodied people.

The case followed from Ms Fleming's four day High Court challenge last January, which she lost when the Court ruled that it could not permit assisted suicide.

Chief Justice Denham said that nothing in the judgement could prevent future legislation legalizing assisted suicide in the Oireachtas, but until such law was enacted, the status quo would remain.

She added that an extensive debate on assisted suicide had already taken place in Ireland, and that the Dáil had framed law accordingly.

Irish government cracks down on scam motorists - stamp out loopholes to scrub penalty points

The new Irish driving licenses

Road safety authorities in Ireland have begun a major crackdown on scam motorists, by outlawing a number of key loopholes used to get off penalty points.

Ireland's penalty point system was introduced in 2002 as a further disincentive for vehicle users to rack up driving offences.

In addition to fixed charges for each offence, motorists also accumulate 'penalty points', which stay on all licences, whether full, provisional, or overseas.

If twelve such points are accumulated over a three year period, the motorists faces an automatic six month disqualification from driving -- not to mention limited employability and greatly increased insurance premiums.

Sixty nine driving offences currently incur such points, ranging from two point offences like speeding to more serious five point ones like dangerous or reckless driving.

For many years, however, motorists have been availing of a loophole in the Irish motoring code to avail themselves of a carte blanche to rack up as many points as they wish.

Once issued with penalty points, motorists would simply apply for a new driving licence using a slightly altered version of their name, according to the Irish Independent.

Favored tactics included the creation of a middle name, a change of spelling in the forename or surname, or even abbreviating the first name.

Other drivers held both national and foreign driving licences and presented only the foreign one each time points were accumulated -- leaving one licence 'full' and 'clean'.

Motorists could also simply claim that their licence had been "lost", according to Noel Brett, the new licensing authority's chief executive.

The major flaw arose because of a technical issue with the national database for Irish driving documentation, according to a truckers' website.

Ireland has recently moved to a credit card style driving licence, as used in the UK and US, which are more difficult to forge than their paper analogues.

The new licences are also recognized throughout the European Union and are similar in appearance to those issued by other member states.

The credit card sized driving permits will be warmly welcomed by most Irish young people: the fact that they will fit into a wallet will mean one less thing to carry on a night out, as alongside a national police age card, the ID remains the predominant form of identification for entry to nightclubs and other licensed premises.

Pharmacists, however, are not so happy, and have hit out at the new driving licences, saying that the smaller photo sizes will rob them of what was traditionally a key line of business for them: identification photography.

Speaking to an Irish news website, a pharmacists' union boss said that she would have "serious concerns" for how the new move would effect traders.

The scam isn't the first time Irish motor licences have been in the news in the last number of years.

A Dublin motor licence office was found to have been issuing a number of illegal licences to people who hadn't even passed a driving test in 2011.

Up to 28 foreign nationals were issued with licences they had not earned.

Terminally ill Irish teen Donal Walsh makes emotional plea to end youth suicide - VIDEO

Walsh: inspiring young man pleads with peers to
appeal for help if facing suicidal thoughts.

A terminally ill Irish teenager has made headlines and been dubbed a 'national hero' after penning an emotional plea to prevent young teens taking their own lives.

Ireland suffers from one of the highest youth suicide rates in the European Union, with a recent report published this January showing that 165 young men took their own lives last year.

Donal Walsh (16) is fighting cancer for the third time in four years, but has said that while he is sensitive to the challenges faced by those suffering from mental health problems, the ongoing youth suicide problem makes him 'angry' and despair.

The inspirational teenager has already outdone doctors' most optimistic expectations by living beyond Easter, and has said he will 'die happy' if his legacy is to make his peers think twice about suicide.

"I feel angry these people choose to take their own lives, to ruin their families and to leave behind a mess that no one can clean up," the rugby-mad teenager told the Irish Independent.

"Yet I am here with no choice, trying as best I can to prepare my family and friends for what's about to come and leave as little a mess as possible."

"I know that some of those people could be going through financial despair and have other problems in life, but I am at the depths of despair and believe me, there is a long way to go before you get to where I am. "

Walsh's exemplary bravery and remarkable positivity in the light of his tragic circumstances have landed him a series of high profile appearances on Irish television.

The Dubliner appeared on The Saturday Night programme this weekend and was on Radio Kerry today.

Muster and Irish rugby legend Paul O'Connell -- the veteran second-row who is himself an idol for many fans -- has even called Walsh his 'hero', saying that his example helped inspire Munster's victory over the weekend.

The sporting star also revealed how the pair had struck up a friendship during O'Connell's injury period, and how Walsh's startling attitude to life had encouraged him to persevere through his own difficult times.

"The last few weeks we’ve been in fairly regular contact. I really like talking to him. It’s hard to relate to some young guys, but whatever journey he’s been on, he’s quite mature and very easy to relate to," the sportsman said.

"Even when I was injured I used to enjoy shooting the breeze with him because he’d give me a massive lift. He has a great perspective on life and would give me a big lift."

Walsh said no matter what the reason behind the high level of suicides among Ireland's youth, there was always a better solution, and appealed to those going through life's trials and tribulations to take a moment to reflect on their situation before taking drastic action.

The youth also pointed out that help for those suffering from mental illness and suicidal thoughts was "everywhere", adding that even if one didn't have the 'pillars' of families and friends to fall back on, a sympathetic and non-judgemental voice was always only a phone-call away.

"For these people, no matter how bad life gets, there are no reasons bad enough to make them do this."

"If they slept on it or looked for help they could find a solution."

A recent report into youth suicide among males in Ireland concluded that despite Ireland's relatively low incidence of suicide, the figure for young males was disproportionately high, and represented one of the highest figures in Europe when weighted against other countries' averages.

"The recent spike in suicide rates among young males in both Northern Ireland and the Republic coincides with the economic downturn and increasing levels of unemployment," the publication surmised.

Drunk Irish teen charged with threatening to kill Guyanan president - 17-year-old told bodyguards he'd like to shoot Donald Ramotar

Crosson: booze fulled threatto kill Guyana's president lands
teen in legal trouble

An Irish teenager on a gap year in the small South American state of Guyana has been charged with threatening to kill the country's president.

Cillian Crosson, now seventeen years old, was a high-achieving student at his hometown of Dundalk, and has plead not guilty to the offense before a hearing of the local magistrate's court.

Prosecutors allege that the teen remarked that he would like to shoot incumbent president Donald Ramotar in the head, but lawyers for Mr Crosson have argued that the remarks were not intended seriously and were made in the course of a drunken conversation.

The Irish teen was drinking with two of the president's official bodyguards, but as they didn't carry any identification, Crosson doubted they were.

The unlucky Irish man had been drinking with the morning, according to local reports, and had even mixed rum and beer together at one stage.

The drunk defense hasn't gone down well with the Guyana court system or district prosecutor Vishnu Hunte, however: bailed for a sum of about $300, Crosson has to report to a local police station every Monday.

“The threat was directed to none other than the president of Guyana, his Excellency Donald Ramotar, by a foreign national,” Hunte said. “There is therefore a likelihood that he may flee the jurisdiction since he is not a resident of Guyana," the case's prosecutor told the media.

Fortunately for the Dundalk teen, the offence is classified as a misdemeanor in the South American state's legal system, meaning that the maximum fine which can be levied against the Irishman is approximately $1,000.

Crosson still faces a further court appearance this May, but his family say they are confident that the charge will be dropped.

Fianna Fáil edging closer to power as latest poll confirms rise

Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin

The Fianna Fáil party is continuing its edge back to mainstream acceptability after latest Red C polling figures showed that the party commands a 26% share of the national first preference margin, just two points behind Fine Gael at 28%.

The poll is the third such set of findings this month that show what few would have forecast at the dreary culmination of Brian Cowen's disastrous tenure in office: that come the next General Election in 2016, voters may be prepared to put the Republican Party back in power.

In fact that dramatic turnaround of luck may take shape even  sooner than that, with local government elections set to take place next year.

Party insiders say that the local government votes are anticipated as a useful yardstick measure as to how the party will shape up at national level if initiatives designed at re-establishing contact with disaffected local communities continue to bear political fruit.

Last weekend's encouraging statistics came as definitive proof for party sympathizers and detractors alike that Fianna Fáil's political recovery is well and truly underway: "the Fianna Fáil recovery is now unchallengeable," the editor of one of Ireland's news publication was quoted as saying over the weekend.

And while the pollsters' findings will come as cheery news for veteran party leader Michael Martin, they will make altogether more unsettling reading for Fine Gael chief Enda Kenny, whose party backbenchers are apparently growing increasingly concerned over what appears to be a sustained dip in political fortunes for the main coalition power.

Kenny's image as a suave operator piloting Ireland through choppy economic waters is taking a major dent as Ireland's economic woes continue practically unabated, while macro economic issues such as endemic youth emigration remain largely unsolved.

The Fine Gael doyen's appearance on the cover of Time Magazine's Europe Edition - in an article describing what was enthusiastically dubbed the 'Celtic Comeback' - may well have marked the zenith of his popularity, although the government's management of The Gathering tourism project, to take place this year, may yet draw plaudits if it proves a success.

What remains beyond doubt, however, is that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael remain practically neck to neck in the upcoming battle for Irish votes, and the next election is liable to swing either way decades before even the most cautious political forecasters would have foreseen it.

A previous poll, conducted by rival agency Millward Brown, had put the party ahead of Fine Gael, but when undecided voters were excluded in the Red C methodology, that narrow margin seems to have evaporated.

The poll's findings also make dismal reading for Labour supporters -- the smaller fraction of the current coalition whose input has generally been viewed as ineffective and outshone by Fine Gael.

The party has occupied some of the more lackluster performing parts of the Irish cabinet since coming to power: Eamonn Gilmore as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs has been timid, while education chief Ruairí Quinn has been forced to renege on a key fees pledge to key Irish third level education afloat.

The party captured just 13% of general preference in the Sunday Independent poll - lagging behind the Independents catch-all at 16% and Sinn Féin at 20%.

UK rushes to scoop up Irish teachers as jobs run thin at home

Irish teaching grads
"struggle to keep the heating one"
as UK entices.

UK recruiters are reportedly stepping up efforts to head-hunt out of work Irish teachers, as jobs continue to run thin on the ground at home.

The teachers - many of whom have been unemployed for months - have been enticed by equal or more lucrative pay packets than what they would receive in Ireland.

Hourglass Recruitment was one of the headline recruiters at the much anticipated Jobs Expo held last weekend, reportedly offering as many as 1,000 teaching posts to eager job-seekers.

The recruitment agency's director told the Irish Independent that the group still planned to recruit as many as 100 Irish teachers in each of the major scientific school subjects: biology, physics, and chemistry.

The director said that many of the Irish his firm had convinced to make the hop across the Irish Sea would rather have stayed at home, but were unable to find gainful employment "for neither love nor money."

The agency heavily recruits from Ireland, among other anglophone countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

However the ongoing recession and joblessness of many Irish teaching graduates makes it especially fertile ground for recruiting the disillusioned, despairing, and depressed alumini of Ireland's teaching colleges.

"As each year goes by, these people [the teachers] become more deskilled and lacking in confidence," he said.

One Cork-based former primary school teacher, who identified herself only as Marie, explained the difficulties that many of her colleagues are encountering in finding employment.

"It's quite common for recent H.Dips [an Irish teaching qualification] to land temporary contracts, or even take positions as teaching assistants, but making the next step into finding a permanent job that pays enough to keep the heating on seems to be an impossible challenge," she said.

"At least four of my friends have already emigrated to various parts of the UK: Manchester, Birmingham, London, and even Glasgow."

"It's not something any of us would have planned to do, but it's better than drawing the dole, or scrounging off our parents."

Ireland's emigration dilemma has risen sharply since the worst of the economic turmoil took hold.

Last year's figures from the Central Statistics Office, the latest data available, showed that almost 90,000 had left Ireland's shores - many of them young people forced to emigrate for lack of work.