A group representing councils in the Republic and the North today urged Tony Blair to bin proposals to build a new generation of nuclear power plants in the UK.

OPPONENTS of genetically modified vegetation technology yesterday seized on the results of the largest field-scale crop trials ever carried out in Britain.

Agriculture ministers on both sides of the border were today urged to keep Ireland free of genetically modified crops and foods.

SELLAFIELD nuclear facility’s operators will announce losses of £3 billion today, as Ireland prepares to launch a fresh legal challenge against the controversial plant next week.

A leading campaign group has welcomed a decision to withdraw controversial GM crop trials which had been planned to take place only two miles from Europe’s biggest organic research centre.

Environment Minister Noel Dempsey has said he has received assurances from his British counterpart, Michael Meacher, that he will pass on Ireland's concerns over the new Mox facility at Sellafield to his cabinet colleagues.

A slaughterman who may have contracted foot-and-mouth disease was today awaiting the outcome of tests to see if he has the illness.

Six more cases of foot-and-mouth have been confirmed, taking the outbreak total to 335.

The British Government is resisting pressure from countryside leaders to delay elections because of the impact foot-and-mouth could have on campaigning.