STAFF who raised concerns about the ill-treatment of patients at a private nursing home — which has since lost its licence — were constructively dismissed, trade union SIPTU has claimed.

A LONG-AWAITED healthcare project with its roots in 1996 was finalised yesterday by Health Minister Mary Harney when she officially opened the amalgamated hospital services in Clonmel.

An explorer who made history by leading the first Irish expedition to the South Pole today described his barren ice-capped surroundings as heaven.

EXTRA security staff have been drafted into a hospital following the second fire in 24 hours in the same section of the unit, a blaze which gardaí describe as “highly suspicious”.