Man dies after an accident on ESB site

A man in his late 30s died on Tuesday evening after an accident while working at the west Offaly power construction site for …

A man in his late 30s died on Tuesday evening after an accident while working at the west Offaly power construction site for the new Shannonbridge ESB power station.

The deceased, Mr Owen O'Neill (37), North Gate Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath, was operating earth-moving equipment at the time. He is the second man to die at an ESB site this year.

Mr John Byrne (32), Cloonfad, Roosky, Co Roscommon died on January 16th after an accident at Castlerea, Co Roscommon.The Health and Safety Authority and the ESB are investigating both accidents.

Bomb attack on barracks foiled

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The British army yesterday launched an internal investigation to determine how bombers planted a booby-trap bomb inside the married quarters of Ballykelly army barracks in Co Derry, writes George Jackson.

The device was attached to the underside of a refuse bin. The bin was due to have been emptied by Limavady Council's collection service on Monday.

But the family who live in the house outside which the bomb was found had forgotten to leave the bin out for collection that day. The attack was claimed by the "Real IRA".

Families protest outside MI5 HQ

Families who claim that relatives were murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in collusion with security forces protested yesterday outside the headquarters of MI5.

About 80 people travelled to central London to demand that the British government reveal the truth about what happened to their relatives in Northern Ireland.

Holding posters with photographs of their murdered family members, the relatives marched past the Houses of Parliament and stood in the doorway of MI5 HQ before taking their protest to Conservative Central Office. The pickets were timed to coincide with the review of the Good Friday agreement between the British and Irish governments and political parties involved in Belfast.

Government to restructure body

The Government has decided to restructure Area Development Management, a public body responsible for €100 million in local development.

The restructuring was signalled yesterday by the Minister for Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív, after consultants to the Government expressed "significant concerns" about its cost-effectiveness and accountability.

Mr Ó Cuív said the number and complexity of local development structures had lead to confusion and difficulties for the communities they were designed to serve.

Community and local development groups funded by the State were being asked to propose "improvements" in their respective areas by mid-year, he said.

Important role of small schools

The learning experience of students at small schools is comparable to that of larger schools, a new report to be launched later today will reveal, writes John Downes. The research document, jointly undertaken by St Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra, and the Irish Primary Principal's Network will also claim that small schools are an intrinsic part of the social fabric of small communities.

Public-speaking record broken

Limerick author Anthony Galvin last night set a new world record for delivering the longest public lecture after a 62 hour extempore speech covering topics from hypnotism to haemoglobin at the Oakwood Arms Hotel, Shannon, Co Clare.