The shock resignation of Michael O’Hagan from HRI comes after his courting of Chinese investors, writes Investigative Correspondent Conor Ryan

The new director of international affairs at Horse Racing Ireland has resigned after twice being sanctioned for a serious conflict of interest involving his wife’s business.

THERE are now almost 9,500 Traveller families in the country, up more than 40% since the number of families was first recorded in 2002, new figures have revealed.

ABOUT 4,000 Travellers are living in “hazardous and deplorable” conditions — half of whom are living without water, sanitary and electricity services, a new report claims.

A MEDIATOR with the Northern Ireland peace process has been engaged to assist in ending the enduring conflict between Travellers and the settled community.

Mediators could be trained to resolve Traveller feuds and family rows, it emerged today.

A new study has found that members of the Travelling community are three times more likely to commit suicide than members of the general population.

The Irish Travellers Movement has said that the recognition of travellers as an ethnic minority would lead to greater integration with the settled community.

Traditional camping sites for Travellers must be re-established across the island of Ireland as nomadism among the community will not die out, it was claimed today.

TRAVELLERS have been demonised and condemned due to the fallout from the sentencing of a Co Mayo farmer, it was claimed yesterday.

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing is to expand its British sponsorship by backing five two-year-old races, including Salisbury’s Listed Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes on September 1.

PEOPLE claiming discrimination by publicans have been left in limbo following controversial changes to the law last year.

TRAVELLERS have threatened to take the Government to the European Court of Human Rights if their accommodation crisis is not solved.

THE Government’s approach to human rights protection has been dictated by the fears of anti-abortionists, a leading human rights lawyer said yesterday.

The Irish Travellers Movement says that some members of the settled community are still racist in their attitude to travellers.

Web and applications development company, WS2 has been awarded the "IT Award of Excellence" from the Awards Committee at the Institute of Transport Management in the UK.

PUBLICANS have promised there will be no nationwide blanket ban on serving Travellers following peace talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

The Irish Traveller movement has said it is seeking government assurances that the Equal Status Act will not be changed following opposition to the legislation from publicans outside Dublin.