Ireland’s first floating hotel could launch before the end of the year after planning permission was granted for the permanent mooring of a river cruiser at Cork’s Penrose Quay.

Plans for Ireland’s first floating hotel may have to be put on hold after an objection was lodged against planning permission for a river cruiser on Cork’s River Lee.

It is a great achievement for Ireland that hepatitis C has virtually been eradicated in people who have haemophilia, according to Health Minister Simon Harris.

Motorsport: Losing time off the start line of last night’s opening stage of Rally Sweden, round two of the World Rally Championship, the Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Citroen D3 WRC) are outside the top 10 but still only 2.6 seconds off the lead after the completion of the Super Special at Karlstad. Meeke was very relaxed at the stage finish and was looking forward to today’s nine stages.

A potentially live-saving liver cancer drug that costs €560 per tablet will be made available to more than 100 seriously ill patients six months after doctors treating the disease asked the Government to fund it.

Three hundred and fifty people seriously ill with hepatitis C need early access to new therapies that could save their lives, according to the Irish Haemophilia Society (IHS).

Although Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (pictured) is officially listed to drive his usual Mitsubishi EvoIX at Sunday’s Sligo Rally, the 22-year-old will make his debut in the Ford Fiesta WRC his brother Sam drove to victory in the Rally of the Lakes last May.

Two rally champions have strongly advised transition year students: “It’s not cool to travel at high speeds.”

Through five decades, Kenny McKinstry has been involved in Irish rallying, initially as a competitor but more recently in the hire and preparation of Subaru WRCs.

There was a dramatic finish to the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally in Clonakilty, with Carrigaline’s Brian O’Mahony and Mayo co-driver John Higgins (Subaru WRC) coming through to take the honours.

A mother who went into politics in a bid to improve the life of her young child got the news she desperately wanted yesterday — that a cystic fibrosis wonder drug will be available to patients in Ireland from next month.

Organisers are stepping up their promotion of the Willie Loughman Memorial Forestry Rally.

The annual awards usually throw up a few surprises but there was an air of predictability at yesterday’s Dunlop Ireland Champions of Motorsport Awards ceremony at the Hilton Dublin Airport Hotel.

Galway’s Dean Raftery and Monaghan’s Daniel McKenna and Stephen Wright have been shortlisted for the 2012 Billy Coleman Award with a top prize of €50,000.

Rally Italia Sardegna, the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship, continues today against the backdrop of the withdrawals of two manufacturers and a change in driver line-up.

The quest for supremacy in the Dunlop National Rally Championship reaches its conclusion tomorrow on the nine stages of the Donegal Harvest Rally, which is based in Donegal town.

Brian O’Mahony in his Subaru WRC S11 moved into top position in the Dunlop National Rally Championship standings today after his victory at the Clare Stages Rally.

Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice has promised to intensify his attempt to win the series that moves to the penultimate stage at Sunday’s Auburn Lodge Clare Rally in Ennis.

Brian O’Mahony kept his Dunlop National Rally Championship dreams alive today with a victory at the Stonethrowers Rally in Tipperary.

THE triple title challenge for the Dunlop National Rally Championship involving Kerry’s Thomas Fitzmaurice, Monaghan’s Niall Maguire and Cork’s Brian O’Mahony enters a key phase on Sunday at the Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally.

These are difficult times for all involved in Irish motorsport and while Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally is going ahead as planned, a number of the top crews have withdrawn as a mark of respect following the fatalities at last week’s Cavan Rally.

Macra na Feirme and KW Forage Systems are inviting young farmers to compete in their joint annual silage competition.

Garry Jennings (Subaru 555), current leader of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, could take a major step towards the title in tomorrow’s Mallow-based Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally.

Having punched in the third fastest time on yesterday’s opening stage of the Tour de Corse, round four of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Craig Breen suffered disappointment when his Sainteloc-run Peugeot 207 S2000 broke a driveshaft on the second stage as he lost touch with the leaders.

Remarkably, for the fifth time in recent years, the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally, the third round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, ended in a tie-break.

There is no real explanation why the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry is one of the most hotly contested events in Irish rallying. On four occasions in recent times the rally has ended in a tie-break situation and three have involved current leader of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Niall Maguire.

Already shaping up to be a good contest between the Subaru S11 quartet of Dunlop regulars Kevin Barrett and Niall Maguire and newcomers, Thomas Fitzmaurice and Brian O’Mahony, the Dunlop National Rally Championship continues on Sunday with the Claremorris based McWilliam Park Hotel/Fleet Transport Magazine Mayo Rally.

The revamped Dunlop National Rally Championship begins on Sunday with the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally and a capacity entry for the nine stages around Rathdowney.

UNDER pressure throughout the event, Waterford’s, Craig Breen (Ford Fiesta) and his Welsh co-driver, Gareth Roberts were crowned the FIA WRC Academy Champions after clinching the title with victory in Rally GB, the final round of the series to claim the top prize worth €500,000.

THE Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (MINI WRC) begins today’s second leg of Rally GB, the final round of the World Rally Championship, in fifth place following a solid run through yesterday’s opening three stages.

THE Bantry-based Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally brings the Dunlop National Rally Championship to a fitting finale on Sunday with a cracking entry featuring no fewer than seven World Rally Cars in a quality line-up.

A PLANNED split from Motorsport Ireland by Irish karting has been put on hold. Discussions between both parties could lead to a solution that will bring this spectrum of the sport back on track and remain within the remit of Motorsport Ireland (MI).

A PLANNED split from Motorsport Ireland by Irish karting has been put on hold. Discussions between both parties could lead to a solution that will bring this spectrum of the sport back on track and remain within the remit of Motorsport Ireland (MI).

BRIDGING a 25-year gap, Midleton’s Daragh O’Riordan (29) became the first Cork driver since Billy Coleman to win the Silver Springs Moran Hotel/Orchard Motorsport Cork “20 International Rally.

THE Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship could be decided in tomorrow’s Omagh-based Bushwhacker Rally, the penultimate round of both the Irish series and the Hankook Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

LEADERSHIP distinction awards were presented to 54 Macra members during the Bank of Ireland-sponsored county officer training.

HEALTH Minister Dr James Reilly will open a new haemophilia centre at Cork University Hospital today — five years after a study found that services at the hospital for people with bleeding disorders were “grossly inadequate”.

MORE than 1,000 women in Ireland have been diagnosed with a variety of bleeding disorders including mild haemophilia but many more suffering from the same health problem are going undetected.

WORLD CHAMPIONS Aidan Murphy and Eamon Bowen Jnr shared the limelight at the weekend, winning their opening rounds of the Pat Barry Cup and the Mick Crowley Cup respectively.

Many business groups gave a qualified welcome to the measures outlined in yesterdays’ Budget but some elements were cause for concern

“HER smile lit up a room. She was love personified. She radiated love in all directions. She made us better people.”

WELSH ace Mel Evans (Subaru WRC) has already made Irish rallying history by becoming the first ever overseas driver to win the national rally series.