More news in brief
More than 100 people protested against the visit of a British military vessel at Dublin Port yesterday.
The HMS Ocean, which took part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, dropped anchor in Dublin yesterday and will host a number of informal events here over the coming days.
The chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement, Richard Boyd Barrett, said the visit was "shameful" and ridiculed Irish claims on neutrality.
The protesters, who marched from Custom House Quay to Dublin Port, were kept 50 metres from the ship by between 30 and 40 gardaí. "It's an absolute shame that taxpayers' money is being spent to protect the UK military," said Mr Boyd Barrett.
Failure to break into bank
Thieves broke through the roof of a Limerick shopping centre in a failed attempt to rob a bank. Two raiders broke through the roof of the Parkway Shopping Centre shortly after midnight on Thursday. They then smashed the glass of the Bank of Ireland at the Dublin Road shopping centre, but did not succeed in getting money.
Gardaí are examining CCTV footage.
Protests at Cork power line
More than 40 landowners protested yesterday when the ESB attempted to erect a controversial power line. The incident occurred in the rural area of Coolmane, two miles from Bantry, Co Cork.
The protest is the latest escalation in a campaign by local groups against the 38kv power line which is linked to a contentious wind farm on a hillside overlooking the area.
ESB workers attempted to start work on the power line yesterday at 8am, but landowners surrounded their vehicles. Gardaí were called in.
The matter has been before the High Court and the ESB had been granted an injunction against landowners obstructing its work.
Work insurance costs falling
The amount of time spent settling a workplace compensation claim has dropped from three years to six months, with insurance costs falling by about 12 per cent a year, it has emerged.
At the launch of a new workplace safety code yesterday, Frank Cunneen, chairman of the Workplace Safety Group and a member of the Personal Injury Assessment Board, said a new culture pervaded the workplace.
He said the new code, which was voluntary, could prevent prolonged litigation between employers, workers and the insurance industry.
The code, launched by Minister of State for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen, establishes guidelines for preventing workplace accidents and for medical intervention and support.