THE European Court of Justice yesterday ruled Ireland contravened an EU waste water directive — signed 17 years ago — and may face a fine, after sewage that was not fully treated was released from six big towns into the sea.

EUROPE’s farmers have been asked to encourage their governments to give €1 billion in unspent farm subsidies to help food shortages in the third world.

A NUMBER of European Union countries have promised to help Ireland persuade Belarus to lift its ban on its children travelling outside the country.

THE Government is considering pulling the defence forces out of EU peacekeeping duties in a bid to win acceptance of the Lisbon treaty and end any concerns about conscription.

THE full cost of a flight will have to be shown upfront, inclusive of all taxes and extras known at the time, under a code voted through by the European Parliament yesterday.

THE future of the country’s €40 million mussel industry was at risk at a time when demand for shellfish was increasing, the European Parliament was told.

LIBERTAS leader Declan Ganley said he would need 30 MEPs in the European Parliament to make an impact, but refused to say if he would field candidates in next June’s elections.

EUROPE was today counting the cost of the failure of the WTO Doha round against a background of growing concern over the global economy.

BUSINESS and consumer confidence in the eurozone has fallen to its lowest level in five years and at the fastest pace since the 9/11 attacks in the US, with all indicators including services and retail showing a drop.

ABOUT 3,500 highly skilled immigrants and their families will shortly be given permanent residency in Ireland in an effort to keep them in the labour force.