CHILDREN’S Minister Brendan Smith has been called upon to set up a whistle-blowers’ hotline for parents who are concerned about rogue childcare facilities.

TWO-thirds of Fianna Fáil’s backbenchers are unhappy with the workings of the Health Service Executive, according to a new survey.

MULTI-MILLION euro proposals by a business consortium to construct a hotel on the grounds of a public hospital were ruled out by the HSE, it emerged last night.

ALTHOUGH just a few months ago Denis O’Brien was distancing himself from speculation regarding a bid for Emap’s Irish radio operations, his emergence as the successful bidder — through his Communicorp Group — this week, has really come as no surprise to the industry.

RADIO listeners are tuning out of RTÉ in growing numbers as new figures show most of the broadcaster’s big name weekday presenters are continuing to lose audiences.

RTÉ is failing in its attempt to halt a major slide in radio listeners while its main rivals Today FM and Newstalk 106 continue to increase their audiences.

DUBLIN radio Newstalk 106 yesterday launched its new autumn schedule in advance of going countrywide, next month.

BROADCASTER Eamon Dunphy has been censured by broadcasting watchdogs for an on-air tirade against the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Well Woman Centre has called on Minister for Health Mary Harney to take immediate action to prevent what the organisation has called ‘rogue pregnancy counselling services’ from operating in the State.

Controversial broadcaster Eamon Dunphy is to leave Dublin-based radio station NewsTalk 106 just before it takes to the national stage, it was confirmed tonight.

IT is estimated that there are eight interested parties vying to buy regional radio station, Waterford Local Radio (WLR), which is valued at close to €8 million.

NEWSTALK 106, the Dublin-based radio station backed by Denis O’Brien, is to go nationwide later this year.

Chat radio station NewsTalk 106 was today given the go-ahead to bring its mix of news and current affairs to listeners around the country.

AT LEAST 15 couples are believed to have paid €2,300 each to a bogus landlord who disappeared with their cash.

The Boxing Union of Ireland have put an end to the controversy surrounding last month's Irish Lightweight title fight between Peter McDonagh and Michael Gomez by releasing both fighters' purses.

NEWSTALK 106, the loss-making Dublin radio station owned by Denis O’Brien, is the only applicant for the quasi-national speech broadcasting licence.

DENIS O’Brien’s radio firm Communicorp Group has bought two radio stations in the Ukraine.

SEANAD leader Mary O’Rourke’s comments at her recent selection celebration gave rise to a public outcry.

The transport spokespeople from Ireland's main political parties have all failed a mock driving test set up by a Dublin radio station.

A GROUP of politicians who think they’re in the driving seat are about to suffer a severe dent in the ego after resitting - and flunking - their driving tests.

The number of Irish patients seeking compensation from the US drugs company Merck over its controversial painkiller Vioxx has doubled in a week, it emerged tonight.

CONTRARY to what a famous pop song of the late 1970s might suggest, MP3s rather than video may have killed the radio star.

THE board of Dublin talk radio station NewsTalk 106 has appointed Elaine Geraghty as chief executive. Ms. Geraghty replaces Dan Healy, who tendered his resignation on June 16. The appointment will take effect from September 15.

NewsTalk 106 today announced the appointment of Elaine Geraghty as CEO.

Former Dublin Mayor and European election candidate Royston Brady is the latest addition to the line up at Dublin Talk Station NewsTalk 106.

PRESSURE was mounting on the Irish Times last night to apologise for columnist Kevin Myers’s controversial description of single parents as “mothers of bastards”.

THE multi-millionaire businessman Denis O’Brien wants the Government to allow the setting up of a second national commercial radio station.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern insisted yesterday that relations with the Progressive Democrats were excellent despite Tánaiste Mary Harney's threat to pull the plug on the Coalition if Fianna Fáil went on a spending spree.

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney ruled out coalition at any price yesterday, warning that the PDs would not participate in a spendthrift Government.

Commercial broadcasters will be able to bid for an €12.9m slice of the licence fee from today to produce culture and adult literacy programmes.

MORE people are switching off from the State broadcaster and tuning in to local and regional radio stations, new listenership figures show.

SOME of Ireland’s biggest names in the entertainment industry are lining up for a battle to win a licence to run a rock music station in Dublin.

Radio station NewsTalk 106 has appointed John Keogh as its news director.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) announced today that their conference this year is to be held on April 1 and 2 at the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney.

THE leading independent local radio stations are continuing to make ground at the expense of RTÉ, but the national broadcaster still dominates the airways.

SCOTTISH Radio Holdings has had its €26 million bid for FM104 cleared by the Competition Authority, with stringent conditions attached.

The Competition Authority has reportedly launched an investigation into Denis O’Brien’s acquisition of a controlling stake in the Dublin radio station NewsTalk 106.

A NEW radio station targeting the youth market in the south east has teamed up with fellow stations in Dublin and Cork to ensure it reaches the broadest market.

THE Government was told yesterday it could have a National Stadium for as little as €235 million of taxpayers’ money, under a plan put forward by the rugby and football authorities.

COMPETITION between RTÉ and Today FM for key drivetime audiences is hotting up, according to the latest JNLR radio listenership figures published yesterday.