Six State ports are to receive €13 million in funding under the National Development Plan, according to the Minister for the Marine, Mr Dermot Ahern.
The Minister has allocated €4.81 million for new projects at Waterford and at Drogheda, Co Louth, while he has also approved additional funding of over €8 million to complete projects at Galway, Dundalk, Dublin and Cork. The funding underlines the Government's "commitment to investing in our commercial seaports", the Minister said yesterday.
Coillte urged to reinvest in forestry
Environmentalists are calling on Coillte Teoranta, which holds its a.g.m tomorrow to reinvest in Irish forestry from its windfall income from the sale of land for wind turbines and other developments writes Frank McDonald.
Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) claimed yesterday the loss of EU grants totalling €47 million "has let Coillte loose on a 'fire sale' agenda . . . in order to prop up (its) cash flows." "The land Coillte is now selling for development was given to it by the State in 1988 to ensure that our woodlands were run commercially, not to enable them to sell the family silver to service bank loans," FIE said.
Greens to oppose Duchas decision
The Green Party has accused the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, of putting heritage at risk by abolishing Dúchas, the Heritage Service, and said it would be opposing this proposal in the Dáil.
The party's environment spokesman, Mr Ciarán Cuffe TD, said the proposed changes "will stifle any opposition to development and threaten our heritage" by allowing developers and road builders to "run a coach and horses through heritage legislation".
Radio station may take strike action
Staff at radio station Shannon Side, Northern Sound say they will be taking industrial action from Friday next if redundancy notices served on two shop stewards are not withdrawn immediately. The station has offices in Cavan, Monaghan and Longford.
The two SIPTU members were served redundancy notices after a meeting between the union and the station's management.
Teacher accused of assault gets bail
A 60-year-old Co Galway school teacher charged with the alleged sexual assault of five female school children, was remanded on continuing bail when he appeared before Galway District Court yesterday.
The man, who may not be identified to protect the identity of the alleged victims, faces 53 charges of sexual assault, which allegedly occurred on various dates between 1998 and 2000. Insp Tony O'Donnell said the book of evidence was not yet ready.
Judge John Garavan remanded the accused on continuing bail, on his own surety of €5,000.