More news in brief.
HSE inquiry as woman falls from balcony
The Health Service Executive (West) has opened an investigation into an incident yesterday in which a woman fell from the third-storey balcony of a Limerick hospital and landed on a balcony below.
The incident occurred early yesterday at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle, Limerick, where the woman was being treated.
It is understood that while the patient has a history of psychiatric illness, she was not being treated in the hospital's single-storey psychiatric facility but was instead being cared for in a medical ward.
The woman, who is in her 30s and believed to be a Dutch national, was being monitored by security staff at the time but managed to make her way to the third-storey balcony.
She fell to the balcony a floor below and was immediately rushed to the hospital's A&E department for treatment.
Her injuries are not believed to be serious.
Child labour post for MEP
Irish MEP Liam Aylward has been appointed by the European Parliament to report on how the EU can combat child labour around the world.
An estimated 200 million children could be described as "child labourers", according to the EU.
Mr Aylward's report is expected to concentrate on how the EU, the largest donor of humanitarian aid, can use its aid to prevent the use of child labour.
Conference on diabetes rise
World experts in the field of diabetes gathered in Dublin at the weekend to discuss the epidemic the disease has become.
Prof John Nolan, a consultant at St James's Hospital and executive chair of the conference, criticised services for diabetes patients in the Republic.
He said frontline resources for diabetes care in the State were far below the standards in other European countries and there were inadequate resources for patient education and support.
"As a country, we spend most of our resources on the late complications of diabetes that could have been prevented," he said. "Clearly, we could do better."
Appeal on missing man
Gardaí from Ballina Garda station are seeking assistance in tracing Ciarán Davidson (30), who is missing from his home at Abbey View, Crossmolina, Co Mayo since February 15th last.
Mr Davidson was last seen on Lord Edward Street, Ballina.
He is described as being 6ft, of thin build with brown hair and when last seen he was wearing blue denims and a blue and green sweatshirt. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballina station n 096-20560
Satellite aid on school places
The Department of Education is to use new satellite technology to help it ascertain where schools will need to be built in future to meet local needs.
It is predicted that the schoolgoing population will increase by some 100,000 over the coming years, raising the primary school population to well over 500,000.
Last September a lack of school places in north Dublin meant some children could not start school immediately when the new term began.
The department is today advertising in national newspapers for tenders to supply a geographical information system (GIS) which will allow the forward planning section of the Department of Education and Science to use an up-to-date technical solution to help in planning the location of schools in the future.
Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin said the department was identifying the areas where significant additional school accommodation would be needed for 2009 and onwards.