A roundup of today's other home news in brief
Republic status questionable, says Bacik
Ireland may not have the status of a true republic although it has been declared thus since 1949, Labour Party senator Ivana Bacik said last night, writes Harry McGee.
Speaking in University College Cork, Ms Bacik said there is no reference to, or description of, Ireland as a republic in the Constitution.
The Republic of Ireland Act, 1948, declared “the description of the State shall be the Republic of Ireland”.
In other words, the basis for the status of the Irish Republic is statutory and not constitutional, she said.
The difference between the name of the State and its description had led to legal difficulties. Basic features of our system of constitutional governance made our status as a republic questionable, she said. The Constitution, for example, failed to ensure adequately the implementation of the separation of powers doctrine, a key tenet of any functioning republican state.
Focus says housing promise broken
The Government has yet to fulfil its promise to provide 300 houses with support to people in emergency accommodation by the end of the year, despite there being 25,000 houses and flats unused in Dublin, according to Focus Ireland founder Sr Stan Kennedy.
She urged the Government to act with greater urgency to meet its target to end long- term homelessness by the end of 2010, adding that no homes had been provided to date.
The Support to Live Independently scheme was set up in June to help people progress from homelessness to independent living in mainstream housing.
New CO2 tax to be a fuel levy – Ryan
The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has indicated a new carbon tax would take the form of a levy of five or six cent on the price of a litre of petrol or diesel.
At a Dublin seminar on the cost of carbon organised by Friends of The Earth yesterday, Eamon Ryan said he favoured a carbon tax based on the model outlined in the Commission on Taxation report. The proposal recommended a floor price of €20 a tonne of CO2, or increases of over 5 cent per litre for petrol and diesel.
Mr Ryan said a carbon tax was the best option for tackling carbon emissions.
‘No justification’ for nuclear power ban
There is no justification for the ban on nuclear power generation in Ireland, according to the former chief executive of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.
In a lecture to members of Engineers Ireland in Dublin last night, Dr Tom O’Flaherty criticised the Government’s position on nuclear energy.
As a “potentially cost- effective, low carbon” source of base load electricity, he “strongly” believed nuclear energy deserved to be “objectively assessed on its technical and economic merits”.
“To ban it by law as we now do has no logical justification,” he claimed.
Elton John show not rescheduled
Sir Elton John is "terribly disappointed" that his concert at the O2 in Dublin last month was cancelled.
The singer postponed five shows in the UK and Dublin last month when he was recovering in hospital from the flu and an E.coliinfection.
However Aiken Promotions said yesterday that it was not possible to reschedule the date due to venue availability and logistics.
Ticket holders are being offered a refund of the full face value of the tickets.
Kellogg’s recalls Pop Tarts
Cereal manufacturer Kellogg’s has confirmed it is recalling its branded Chocotastic Pop Tarts with a best-before date of June 30th, 2010.
The reason for the recall is the discovery of mould which the company said posed no risk to health.
Nevertheless the company said its standards had not been met.
Customers with concerns were advised to call the Kellogg’s free phone helpline on 00800 9090 6060.