EU foreign ministers urged speedier reform of treaty

SATURDAY/SUNDAY

EU FOREIGN ministers meeting in Tralee, Co Kerry, at the weekend indicated their frustration at the slowness of the EU treaty reform negotiations. The informal meeting sent a strong message that it expected the Dublin summit in October to move the process into a higher gear.

The ministers did not agree a position on the bombing of Iraq but did arrive at a consensus on post election Bosnia and relaunched EU involvement in the Middle East peace process.

The RUC came under attack from a number of Orangemen when it moved in to end a stand off in the village of Dunloy, Co Antrim, on Sunday night.

Seventeen young men appeared at a special sitting of Limerick District Court on Sunday after a riot developed in O'Connell Street at about 2 a.m. The court was told the riot had started when people from Killaloe, Co Clare, were attacked by people from the city. Garda reinforcements were summoned from Bruft, Newcastlewest and Shannon.

Weekend reports said that a new biography of Lady Lavery, wife of the artist Sir John Lavery, would contain evidence suggesting she was involved in a secret and passionate affair with Kevin O'Higgins, Cumann na nGaedheal's Minister for Justice and External Affairs.

MONDAY

A poll conducted for The Irish Times found that two out of three voters in Northern Ireland believed the multi party talks at Stormont would fail to agree on a political settlement. It said 57 per cent wanted to see more active involvement by the British and Irish governments in the search for an agreement.

The multi party talks reopened after the summer break, with the DUP trying to have the fringe loyalist parties barred from the talks because of the threats to the life of loyalist Mr Billy Wright. The UUP and the SDLP, it emerged, are to meet to try inject momentum into the talks.

The National Economic and Social Forum, in a report found that any new national wage agreement would have to include an anti poverty strategy and tax reforms aimed at tackling unemployment, if the economic boom was to be sustained.

A package for ending the strike at Dunnes Stores was agreed between management and unions. The unions said they would put the package to their members for a vote.

TUESDAY

Northern Ireland politicians reacted with surprise at the expression of optimism by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, in Washington, about the prospects of an IRA ceasefire. Sources said they had no knowledge of any developments which would lead them to believe a ceasefire was imminent.

The Irish Times published the second half of its poll, showing that the DUP, UUP and Sinn Fein had all lost support since the June Forum elections. The SDLP was found to be the most popular party in Northern Ireland.

The poll also found a rise in support for party leaders Mr John Hume, Mr David Ervine and Mr Gary McMichael. Mr Gerry Adams was the least popular political leader in Northern Ireland.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, announced that he was to conduct a review of the incidence of BSE in Irish cattle as four new cases of the disease were confirmed. The latest discoveries brought the total this year to 32.

The appointment of a new editor of the Sunday Tribune was confirmed. Mr Malt Cooper (30), finance and associate editor of the Irish Independent, takes up his new position next week.

The number of students entering the national Catholic seminary at, Maynooth to study for the priesthood was down for the third consecutive year, it was reported. Just, 18 students are to enter the seminary this autumn.

THURSDAY

A Government survey, details of which were published in The Irish Times, indicated a massive level of fraud among social welfare recipients. More than 30 per cent of Live Register recipients covered in the survey were found either not to be living at the addresses shown on their claims or to be working full time.

The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, said fraud control measures aimed at combating "collusion" between employers and social welfare recipients working in the "black" economy would be stepped up.

The annual report of the Revenue Commissioners showed net receipts for 1995 exceeded expectations. PAYE workers paid £3.5 billion in tax and PRSI, up £255 million on 1994. VAT netted almost £2.9 million for the Exchequer, an increase of £291 million. Total revenue collected amounted to £14.3 billion. After repayments, net receipts amounted to £10.8 billion, an increase of £475 million in 1994.

The country's largest trade union, SIPTU, voted "reluctantly" to sanction talks on a new national agreement to succeed the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. However, delegates at a meeting said no new programme would be agreed if the Government failed to guarantee significant tax cuts for the low paid, and to enforce the rights of workers to trade union recognition. The largest public service union, Impact, also endorsed talks on a new agreement.

The President, Mrs Robinson, made reconciliation the theme of her 14th visit to Belfast, during which, for the first time in public, she shook the hand of Mr Gerry Adams.

In an address to the Consultative Conference of European Methodist Churches, in Stranmillis College, the President praised the work of the church, which "places great emphasis on reaching out and on the language of reconciliation. The emphasis on fairness and balance is central to the Methodist approach."

The Fine GAA TD for Louth, Mr Brendan McGahon, came fifth out of six candidates in a selection convention for the next general election. After the vote, Mr McGahon said: "There are nails in my political coffin tonight but the lid is not yet closed."