With an EU court threat hanging over its head, Ireland has one month to decide how much its wild birds are worth
Ireland has received a severe reprimand from the EU Commission for its lacklustre approach to caring for important species of birds that are protected under the EU Wild Birds Directive. The move could result in Ireland's being taken to court by the EU for its failure to respect EU law.
WE ARE most disturbed at the consequences (or lack of them) of the 'finding of a heroin cache at the offices of a magazine called "Phoenix". This magazine, produced by a number of ex-students and styling itself "For Men Who Dare", was set up some time ago by a Mr John Mulcahy, a former journalist, as a work experience proogramme for his otherwise unemployable son, Nicholas.
The Forgotton Victims
JIM MITCHELL decided to award the rights to Ireland's first broadcasting satellite to a private firm rather than to RTE. Fair enough. We would like to suggest, however, that there was a far worthier candidate for the satellite than James Stafford of Atlantic. Chris Carey, bossman of Radio Nova is not only a man of enormous culture and civilisation, a scholar and a patron of the arts, he also has more than a passing affinity with outer space.
A Sense Of Community
THE PEOPLE WHO RUN UCD earlier this year took a cleaning contract away from one company and gave it to another, causing a number of existing cleaners to lose work. The cleaners objected to this and went on strike.
WHILE RESEARCHING our cover story we were led to make compariisons between the pension rights of various employments.
THOSE WHO seek an insight into the acceptance of Section 31 out in RTE might have a look at the March 18 issue of Fortnight. There, one of RTE's most respected and responsible prooducers, Peter Feeney, published a letter which defined the limits of what is "politically acceptable" in RTE.
Apartheid: AT 11AM ON THURSDAY August 22, people were walkking in and out of Gardiner Street employment exchange to get their dole money. About twelve people who looked as if they were going to go in stopped at the gate and waited. Another eight stood about twenty yards from the gate.
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs has remained conspicuously silent about a number of aspects of the abortive trip to South Africa by the Dunnes Stores strikers.
The Boys of Wexford
THERE WERE THIRTY eight members of the Wexxford Labour Party present at the first meeting after the local elections to discuss the upcoming Mayoral election. The usual congratulations were expressed and each of the three Corporation memmbers, Senator Brendan Howlin, Peter Roche and newcomer Helen Corish made short speeches. The meeting took place in the Corish Memorial Hall.