- NEWS
Martin wades into abortion debateAs the Dáil committee hearings continue on the abortion bill, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has waded into the debate saying it is important that Christian believers "be, and seen to be, on the side of life, especially when life is most vulnerable".
Payment cuts see families pay rent shortfallLimits on rent supplement payments set by the Government are forcing thousands of families to make undeclared top-up payments to landlords to secure places to live.
- WORLD
Anger as North Korea launches another missileNorth Korea fired a short-range missile from its east coast, a day after launching three more of these missiles, a South Korean news agency said.
How Star Trek predicted the futureWHEN Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first dreamed up the concept of a television show based in the unexplored universe of Outer Space in 1964, the world was a very different place.
- BUSINESS
Warnings over future of eurozoneThe eurozone is heading towards a break up unless there are moves towards much closer political and fiscal union, according to chief economist with State Street Global Advisers, Chris Probyn.
Bruton defends corporate tax rateIreland will be able to maintain its current corporation tax code in the face of international pressure to prevent multinational corporations avoid paying their fare share of tax, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton said yesterday.
- SPORT
Mayo’s statement of intentGalway 0-11 Mayo 4-16 Five minutes to go in Salthill yesterday and James Horan was still cajoling his men to sew it into Galway.
Wilkinson inspires Toulon to gloryASM Clermont Auvergne 15 Toulon 16 Not for the first time this season, a matchday performance and the result have made a mockery of the statistics.
- LIFESTYLE
What Lenny did nextLENNY Abrahamson has directed three feature films: Adam & Paul, Garage and What Richard Did.
Clothes maketh you madTrying on clothes, said Ewart, produced "sensations which bring deep peace and perfect contentment" to the female mind.
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Breaking stories
Garda vetting unit set to receive 25 extra staff
By Cormac O'KeeffeIrish Examiner Reporter
The Garda unit charged with vetting employees to work with children and vulnerable adults is to get 25 extra staff, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has announced.
The Garda Central Vetting Unit has been struggling to cope with the demand for clearance among prospective employees. Last year it dealt with some 350,000 applications, claiming a processing time of eight weeks.The work of the unit it set to be considerably expanded under new legislation as more types of activity are brought within its remit.
Mr Shatter said that following discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, 25 staff are to be re-deployed from the Department of Agriculture to the Garda Central Vetting Unit.
“The unit, which will become the National Vetting Bureau following commencement of section 28 of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act, will have a substantially expanded role under new legislation,” said the minister.
“It is very important to ensure adequate staffing to meet these new demands.”
He said the staff will be located in Tipperary town.
Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer said additional staff would ensure the “timely vetting” of applications.
“For too long we have heard of delays in processing applications, which have caused delays in people taking up employment and in volunteering across the country,” said Mr Buttimer.