An award of €900,000 was made yesterday to the family of a 42-year-old man fatally injured while training for a charity cycle in Kerry in aid of people with Down Syndrome.

A senior HSE director is insisting the executive did not ask for proof that a child still had Down Syndrome in the course of a medical card review.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has come under further criticism by the opposition who accused her of causing confusion among disabled people over what they would be entitled to under Budget 2009.