A roundup of today's other home news in brief
HSE accused over shortage of junior doctors
The Health Service Executive has been accused of not making proper contingency plans for the worsening shortage of junior doctors, Eithne Donnellan reports.
The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine (IAEM), which represents consultants working in hospital emergency departments, warned a month ago that shortages of junior doctors may soon result in a number of hospitals having to close their emergency departments or limit their opening hours.
It has also warned there will be more significant staffing difficulties in July when junior doctors change jobs. Notwithstanding this, it says, appropriate contingency planning is not taking place.
“The IAEM regards it as imperative that the necessary arrangements be immediately put in place to ensure that the current standard of care provision is not replaced by hastily conceived, chaotic ‘reconfiguration’ which will place patients’ lives at risk,” it said.
4x4 stolen at lights as owner steps out
A 4x4 was stolen from a woman in rush-hour traffic while she was stopped at a red light.
The woman was stopped on the northbound side of O’Connell Bridge, intending to turn right on to Eden Quay, when she got out to close an opened door at about 5.45pm last Friday, a Garda spokesman said yesterday.
A man then got into the blue 09D Hyundai Santa Fe and drove away at speed, he added. During the incident the woman was knocked to the ground.
Gardaí in Store Street station are looking for witnesses, particularly the male driver of what is described as a silver Toyota Corolla/Avensis Verso taxi.
It is believed the taxi was carrying a female passenger at the time and was also driving northbound on O’Connell Bridge.
'Potential' in transfer of equality
There is “real potential” in the transfer of responsibility for equality issues from the Department of Justice to the renamed Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, chairwoman of the Equality and Rights Alliance campaign group Joanna McMinn has said.
Ahead of a meeting yesterday with Green Party Minister of State for Equality, Mary White, Ms McMinn said: “This potential should not be squandered by simply applying a sticking-plaster to the current equality, human rights and anti-poverty infrastructure.”
Auctioned ship sails for Gaza relief
A ship abandoned at Dundalk last year today sets sail with a new name and a mission to bring humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip.
The MV Linda was seized last year by order of the High Court following an application by International Transport Federation inspector and Siptu official, Ken Fleming.
The ship is being renamed the Rachel Corrie in honour of the US peace activist who was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza in 2003.
The vessel was bought by the Free Gaza Campaign for €70,000. The proceeds were used to pay arrears owed to the mainly Ukrainian crew.