Irish priest tackles EU over error

AN Irish priest has forced red-faced EU officials into an embarrassing apology after they omitted Christian holidays from a diary circulated to thousands of schools around Europe.

The unnamed cleric successfully complained to the EU Ombudsman, P Nikiforos Diamandouros, that the diary had contained other religious holidays such as the Jewish and Islamic New Years but had left out key Christian celebrations like Christmas and Easter.

The European Commission publishes the Europa diary every year for students in secondary schools in the EU as a tool for homework and other notes.