.Women's groups fear comments by Corrib gardaí will deter reporting of sex crimes
Maura Lane from Rathmines, Dublin, in front of a group of protesters outside the Dáil yesterday at a protest organised by the National Women's Council of Ireland against the trivialisation of rape.Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
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MARIE O'HALLORAN
WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS have expressed major concern that comments by a number of gardaí about rape are a “real setback” to advances made in the reporting of sexual crime.
They were commenting as about 100 people demonstrated outside Leinster House yesterday in protest at the comments made between officers after the arrest of two women at the Corrib gas project in Co Mayo.
The gardaí joked about raping and deporting a woman arrested at a protest against Shell’s Corrib gas pipeline last month. The comments became public after they were recorded on a confiscated video camera that was being transported in a squad car.
Chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Ellen O’Malley Dunlop said that “in the last number of years because of the hard work we’ve been doing, with the gardaí, the reporting of rape has gone up. But this kind of behaviour of the gardaí will put people off reporting. And there are really good gardaí.”
About one in 10 women who are raped report the crime but just 7 per cent of the reported cases go to court.
The Rape Crisis Centre wants to encourage gardaí with their policy to “have specialised police who will be dealing with rape in their own district so it’s not just a garda on the beat”.
Ms O’Malley Dunlop said “rape is the second most serious crime on our statute books and it is important that the attitude that you can rape a woman, or speak about raping a woman, is okay is once and for all challenged. It’s not okay to even talk about raping a man or a woman.”
Ms O’Malley Dunlop welcomed the action of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. On Thursday, Mr Callinan apologised to the community of north Mayo for the remarks. Of the five Garda members at the centre of the case, four have now been transferred from Belmullet Garda station to Castlebar where they will perform administrative duties. The fifth garda was already based in Castlebar but has now also been confined to administrative duties.
“I think that the commissioner is dealing with it in the only way he can and we welcome that,” Ms O’Malley Dunlop said.
The National Women’s Council also welcomed the commissioner’s apology and actions to deal with the case, and that the Garda Ombudsman Commission was investigating the incident. In a statement the council’s chief executive Susan McKay said “all women who come into contact with the Garda must be treated with respect. The commissioner must immediately fund training to ensure all gardaí are fully aware of the gravity of sexual violence. All gardaí must be warned that behaviour such as that displayed in Mayo will not be tolerated.”
Cuts in funding for Garda training and education should be reversed to educate gardaí “to have decent attitudes”, she said.
“An Garda Síochána are responsible for upholding the law and for protecting the public. Their behaviour must be exemplary and they must respect the people they serve. That includes women. We are half the population and we are the majority of the population at risk when it comes to crimes of sexual violence.”
Gráinne Griffin of the Dublin Shell to Sea campaign sharply criticised the behaviour of gardaí towards protesters at the Ballinaboy site. “Violence and the threat of violence have long been used in Erris to try and suppress protest,” she said and gardaí were at the site “essentially as soldiers, as private mercenaries for a private company, paid for by us – and they claim to represent us”.
The controversy and the protests have been raised in the Dáil, where it emerged that policing of the protests has cost more than €14 million to date. Some 111 complaints alleging Garda misconduct have been made by protesters, but none have been upheld
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Westport developer sues sister for defamation
Westport developer sues sister for defamation
TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2011 07:33
Westport developer sues sister for defamation
A Westport developer is suing his sister for defamation, claiming his reputation is ‘in tatters’ after she sent an objection to a development to An Bord Pleanala (ABP).
Roger McGreal claims a submission written by his sister, Ann Lynn, objecting to a proposed development in Carrabaun, Westport, was done in malice. He says it suggested he was deceitful, unprofessional and guilty of abuse of process.
In the letter to ABP, Mrs Lynn stated that documentation issued by Mr McGreal was inaccurate and misleading. Her defence said this did not mean he was corrupt or dishonest.
The case was heard in part at last week’s sitting of Castlebar Circuit Court, where details of the siblings’ family difficulties were outlined. Mr McGreal admitted that he has not spoken to his sister for 16 years and has never spoken to her husband, Kieran Lynn, a senior engineer with Mayo County Council – who Mr McGreal claims used his influence to block him from getting planning permission.
Last March, Mr and Mrs Lynn sued Mr McGreal for defamation over claims by Mr McGreal that Mr Lynn abused his power in the Council, and they were awarded €38,000 each.
The development at the centre of the case is located at Carrabaun on land owned by Mr McGreal, adjacent to his parents’ former family home. He applied for planning permission to Westport Town Council in 2008 to develop 23 units on the land but was denied. His appeal to ABP was also refused in 2009. Mrs Lynn objected to both.
The court was also told that Mr McGreal had purchased land for €1.8 million in order to develop the property. It was claimed by Mr Eoin Garavan, BL for Mrs Lynn that the action was taken against his client because Mr McGreal was furious with his sister.
The application was refused in part because the road was substandard and the access to the road was not in compliance with planning regulations. The court heard that Mr MrGreal tried to buy his parents’ property, which would allow him to gain access to the road.
Mr McGreal admitted in court that he ‘did not get on’ with his father, the late John ‘Porkie’ McGreal; that he had not spoken with him for two years before his death earlier this year; and that he did not attend his funeral.
Mr Peter Tuohy, the auctioneer who was handling the sale, said that Mr McGreal’s bid of €326,000 was the highest bid by €1,000, but he was informed by Mrs Lynn that they would accept the lower bid. The sale eventually fell through and Mrs Lynn ended up buying the property.
In his evidence, Mr McGreal said that he had instructed HDS Consultancy Services from Galway to carry out a plan of the development to submit to Westport Town Council. He admitted that some documents forwarded to ABP were incorrect but denied he was trying to mislead them and said it was a human error.
He said he acted professionally at all times and felt some of the adjectives in the submission by Mrs Lynn were not flattering and were prompted by anger and malice after he raised concern about her husband’s influence on the application.
He claimed every builder in Westport had read the submission and claimed he was “sure people thought a hell of a lot less of me than before.”
The case was adjourned until tomorrow (Wednesday) to allocate a date to conclude the proceeding
TUESDAY, 17 MAY 2011 07:33
Westport developer sues sister for defamation
A Westport developer is suing his sister for defamation, claiming his reputation is ‘in tatters’ after she sent an objection to a development to An Bord Pleanala (ABP).
Roger McGreal claims a submission written by his sister, Ann Lynn, objecting to a proposed development in Carrabaun, Westport, was done in malice. He says it suggested he was deceitful, unprofessional and guilty of abuse of process.
In the letter to ABP, Mrs Lynn stated that documentation issued by Mr McGreal was inaccurate and misleading. Her defence said this did not mean he was corrupt or dishonest.
The case was heard in part at last week’s sitting of Castlebar Circuit Court, where details of the siblings’ family difficulties were outlined. Mr McGreal admitted that he has not spoken to his sister for 16 years and has never spoken to her husband, Kieran Lynn, a senior engineer with Mayo County Council – who Mr McGreal claims used his influence to block him from getting planning permission.
Last March, Mr and Mrs Lynn sued Mr McGreal for defamation over claims by Mr McGreal that Mr Lynn abused his power in the Council, and they were awarded €38,000 each.
The development at the centre of the case is located at Carrabaun on land owned by Mr McGreal, adjacent to his parents’ former family home. He applied for planning permission to Westport Town Council in 2008 to develop 23 units on the land but was denied. His appeal to ABP was also refused in 2009. Mrs Lynn objected to both.
The court was also told that Mr McGreal had purchased land for €1.8 million in order to develop the property. It was claimed by Mr Eoin Garavan, BL for Mrs Lynn that the action was taken against his client because Mr McGreal was furious with his sister.
The application was refused in part because the road was substandard and the access to the road was not in compliance with planning regulations. The court heard that Mr MrGreal tried to buy his parents’ property, which would allow him to gain access to the road.
Mr McGreal admitted in court that he ‘did not get on’ with his father, the late John ‘Porkie’ McGreal; that he had not spoken with him for two years before his death earlier this year; and that he did not attend his funeral.
Mr Peter Tuohy, the auctioneer who was handling the sale, said that Mr McGreal’s bid of €326,000 was the highest bid by €1,000, but he was informed by Mrs Lynn that they would accept the lower bid. The sale eventually fell through and Mrs Lynn ended up buying the property.
In his evidence, Mr McGreal said that he had instructed HDS Consultancy Services from Galway to carry out a plan of the development to submit to Westport Town Council. He admitted that some documents forwarded to ABP were incorrect but denied he was trying to mislead them and said it was a human error.
He said he acted professionally at all times and felt some of the adjectives in the submission by Mrs Lynn were not flattering and were prompted by anger and malice after he raised concern about her husband’s influence on the application.
He claimed every builder in Westport had read the submission and claimed he was “sure people thought a hell of a lot less of me than before.”
The case was adjourned until tomorrow (Wednesday) to allocate a date to conclude the proceeding
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Queen Elizabeth defies threats to visit Ireland
Queen Elizabeth defies threats to visit Ireland
From: AP
May 18, 201112:00AM
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrive in Ireland for the first visit by a monarch since 1911. Source: Getty Images
Second bomb found ahead of Queens visit
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Police secure the area in O'Connell Street in central Dublin ready for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II. Source: AP
THE Queen, undeterred by real and fake bombs, last night began the first visit by a British monarch to the Republic of Ireland, a four-day trip to highlight strong Anglo-Irish relations and peace in Northern Ireland.
The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, touched down at the Casement Aerodrome southwest of Dublin at 11.55am (8.55pm AEST).
She was greeted by an Irish army honour guard and eight-year-old Rachel Fox presented her with flowers.
The Queen then boarded a bomb-proof, bullet-proof Range Rover to have lunch with Irish President Mary McAleese, who lobbied for 14 years for the visit - the first by a British monarch since Irish independence in 1922.
A 33-motorcycle police escort led the way through the unusually empty streets of Dublin - cleared to ensure no anti-British extremists could launch an attack.
Hours beforehand, republican dissidents tried to undermine the visit with real and hoax bombs.
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Second bomb found ahead of Queens visit
Queen arrives in Ireland The Australian, 3 hours ago
Queen heads to Ireland as bomb defused The Australian, 4 hours ago
Explosive device on Dublin bus sparks alert The Australian, 8 hours ago
Lockdown for Queen's Ireland visit Herald Sun, 11 hours ago
London on alert after bomb threat The Australian, 16 hours ago
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Irish army experts defused one pipe-bomb on a Dublin-bound bus overnight. A second device in west Dublin was deemed a hoax late yesterday.
Irish and British officials were keen to stress that the Queen's visit to Dublin, Kildare, Tipperary and Cork would proceed as planned - accompanied by the biggest security operation in the republic's history.
"This is the start of an entirely new beginning for Ireland and Britain," said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny. "I hope the welcome she gets will be genuine and memorable for her and her party."
On her first day in Dublin, the Queen was visiting Trinity College - founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I - and laying a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance, a central Dublin memorial that honours two centuries of Ireland's rebel dead.
More than 8000 police, two-thirds of the country's police force, shut down key roads in central Dublin and erected pedestrian barricades for several kilometres. About 1000 Irish troops were being kept in reserve as potential reinforcements.
Ms McAleese said Britain and Ireland were "determined to make the future a much, much better place".
The Queen arrived a century after her grandfather, George V, visited an Ireland that was still part of the British Empire.
The royal visit will be a minefield of painful memories. The base southwest of the capital where the couple's plane landed is named after Roger Casement, an Irish nationalist executed for treason by the British in 1916.
The royals' first port of call, Aras an Uachtarain, Ms McAleese's official residence, dates back to 1751 and was used to house the viceroys who oversaw British rule in Ireland.
The Queen's arrival coincides with the 37th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings by the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force, with 34 people killed, making May 17, 1974, the deadliest day of three decades of the Troubles.
However, co-operation between London and Dublin provided the essential bedrock for the Anglo-Irish Good Friday peace accord in 1998.
IRA disarmament and a Northern Ireland coalition government of the British Protestant majority and Irish Catholic minority eventually followed.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who arrives tonight in Dublin, said the success of Northern Ireland peacemaking has allowed "the natural friendship, comradeship, shared experiences and warmth that we have for each other to really come out."
He said the Queen's tour of Ireland would "be a huge step forward for that process".
Ireland's European struggle to prevent national bankruptcy - the Irish have spent three years raising taxes and cutting spending, and six months ago received a potential E67.5 billion credit from international lenders - has found its greatest champion in Britain.
Mr Cameron's government offered a particularly low-interest loan, declared Ireland's revival a strategic British interest, and pressed other EU members to cut the Irish more slack for managing their debts.
From: AP
May 18, 201112:00AM
Image
Video
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrive in Ireland for the first visit by a monarch since 1911. Source: Getty Images
Second bomb found ahead of Queens visit
Watch
Second bomb found ahead of Queen's visit
A bomb was defused in Ireland ahead of a visit by Britain's Queen Elizabeth scheduled to start on Tuesday.
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Fullscreen.
Police secure the area in O'Connell Street in central Dublin ready for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II. Source: AP
THE Queen, undeterred by real and fake bombs, last night began the first visit by a British monarch to the Republic of Ireland, a four-day trip to highlight strong Anglo-Irish relations and peace in Northern Ireland.
The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, touched down at the Casement Aerodrome southwest of Dublin at 11.55am (8.55pm AEST).
She was greeted by an Irish army honour guard and eight-year-old Rachel Fox presented her with flowers.
The Queen then boarded a bomb-proof, bullet-proof Range Rover to have lunch with Irish President Mary McAleese, who lobbied for 14 years for the visit - the first by a British monarch since Irish independence in 1922.
A 33-motorcycle police escort led the way through the unusually empty streets of Dublin - cleared to ensure no anti-British extremists could launch an attack.
Hours beforehand, republican dissidents tried to undermine the visit with real and hoax bombs.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
Second bomb found ahead of Queens visit
Queen arrives in Ireland The Australian, 3 hours ago
Queen heads to Ireland as bomb defused The Australian, 4 hours ago
Explosive device on Dublin bus sparks alert The Australian, 8 hours ago
Lockdown for Queen's Ireland visit Herald Sun, 11 hours ago
London on alert after bomb threat The Australian, 16 hours ago
.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Irish army experts defused one pipe-bomb on a Dublin-bound bus overnight. A second device in west Dublin was deemed a hoax late yesterday.
Irish and British officials were keen to stress that the Queen's visit to Dublin, Kildare, Tipperary and Cork would proceed as planned - accompanied by the biggest security operation in the republic's history.
"This is the start of an entirely new beginning for Ireland and Britain," said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny. "I hope the welcome she gets will be genuine and memorable for her and her party."
On her first day in Dublin, the Queen was visiting Trinity College - founded in 1592 by Elizabeth I - and laying a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance, a central Dublin memorial that honours two centuries of Ireland's rebel dead.
More than 8000 police, two-thirds of the country's police force, shut down key roads in central Dublin and erected pedestrian barricades for several kilometres. About 1000 Irish troops were being kept in reserve as potential reinforcements.
Ms McAleese said Britain and Ireland were "determined to make the future a much, much better place".
The Queen arrived a century after her grandfather, George V, visited an Ireland that was still part of the British Empire.
The royal visit will be a minefield of painful memories. The base southwest of the capital where the couple's plane landed is named after Roger Casement, an Irish nationalist executed for treason by the British in 1916.
The royals' first port of call, Aras an Uachtarain, Ms McAleese's official residence, dates back to 1751 and was used to house the viceroys who oversaw British rule in Ireland.
The Queen's arrival coincides with the 37th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings by the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force, with 34 people killed, making May 17, 1974, the deadliest day of three decades of the Troubles.
However, co-operation between London and Dublin provided the essential bedrock for the Anglo-Irish Good Friday peace accord in 1998.
IRA disarmament and a Northern Ireland coalition government of the British Protestant majority and Irish Catholic minority eventually followed.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who arrives tonight in Dublin, said the success of Northern Ireland peacemaking has allowed "the natural friendship, comradeship, shared experiences and warmth that we have for each other to really come out."
He said the Queen's tour of Ireland would "be a huge step forward for that process".
Ireland's European struggle to prevent national bankruptcy - the Irish have spent three years raising taxes and cutting spending, and six months ago received a potential E67.5 billion credit from international lenders - has found its greatest champion in Britain.
Mr Cameron's government offered a particularly low-interest loan, declared Ireland's revival a strategic British interest, and pressed other EU members to cut the Irish more slack for managing their debts.
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Jedward welcomed home
Jedward welcomed home
Sunday 15 May 2011
Jedward were welcomed back home this afternoon by hundreds of screaming fans at Dublin Airport's Terminal 2.
1 of 1 Jedward welcomed home to Dublin They may not have won the Eurovision - but John and Edward gave Ireland back some pride by finishing eighth, the highest position for an Irish entry since 2000.
Although one of the pre-final favourites, Jedward failed to gain enough votes to mount a serious challenge as first-time winners Azerbaijan took the crown.
Check out our gallery of the boys returning home here: http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0515/jedward.html
Other favourites France and the UK also failed to make a telling impression during the vote, finishing way down the final table in 14th and 11th place.
The Grimes twins arrived back in Dublin slightly later than expected, just after midday, and seemed delighted to be greeted by around 500 screaming teenage girls.
Jedward immediately staged a spontaneous press conference at the airport, and seemed genuinely pleased with the experience of performing in front of a massive TV audience.
"We're Jedward not victims," they said in response when asked if they felt they were victims of the block voting system, a common occurrence in the contest's recent history.
The twins added that they "loved taking part in the Eurovision" and were delighted with the news that 'Lipstick' went to Number one this morning in Sweden.
Sunday 15 May 2011
Jedward were welcomed back home this afternoon by hundreds of screaming fans at Dublin Airport's Terminal 2.
1 of 1 Jedward welcomed home to Dublin They may not have won the Eurovision - but John and Edward gave Ireland back some pride by finishing eighth, the highest position for an Irish entry since 2000.
Although one of the pre-final favourites, Jedward failed to gain enough votes to mount a serious challenge as first-time winners Azerbaijan took the crown.
Check out our gallery of the boys returning home here: http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0515/jedward.html
Other favourites France and the UK also failed to make a telling impression during the vote, finishing way down the final table in 14th and 11th place.
The Grimes twins arrived back in Dublin slightly later than expected, just after midday, and seemed delighted to be greeted by around 500 screaming teenage girls.
Jedward immediately staged a spontaneous press conference at the airport, and seemed genuinely pleased with the experience of performing in front of a massive TV audience.
"We're Jedward not victims," they said in response when asked if they felt they were victims of the block voting system, a common occurrence in the contest's recent history.
The twins added that they "loved taking part in the Eurovision" and were delighted with the news that 'Lipstick' went to Number one this morning in Sweden.
UK woman named as Jennifer Mills-Westley Ms Mills-
.
854ShareFacebookTwitter.Beheaded UK woman named as Jennifer Mills-Westley Ms Mills-Westley had retired some years ago, her family said
The British woman stabbed and beheaded in a shop on the Spanish island of Tenerife has been named by her family as 60-year-old Jennifer Mills-Westley.
Her daughter Sarah said she was "full of life, generous of heart and would do anything for anyone".
She said her mother was enjoying her retirement, travelling between Tenerife and France and visiting her other daughter in Norfolk.
Spanish media said a Bulgarian man, 28, was arrested in Los Cristianos.
Witnesses said a man entered a Chinese supermarket in a shopping centre and stabbed then beheaded her, before dropping the head outside.
He appeared to choose his victim at random, according to a local official.
Ms Mills-Westley's daughter Sarah said: "Mum retired a number of years ago and was fully enjoying her retirement travelling between Tenerife and France where she spent time visiting her daughter and grandchildren, and her other daughter in Norfolk.
"She was full of life, generous of heart, would do anything for anyone.
"We now have to find a way of living without her love and light and we would ask at this difficult time for some privacy as we try to come to terms with our loss."
'Incredibly well-respected'
Ms Mills-Westley, a grandmother of five from Norwich, retired to Tenerife after working as a road safety officer at Norfolk County Council.
Leader of the council Derrick Murphy said the news was "absolutely devastating" for those who used to work with her.
"We offer our sincere and deepest sympathies to Jenny's friends and family, in particularly her two daughters and five grandchildren," he said.
"As you can imagine, the terrible news obviously has come as a great shock to us... she was an incredibly well-respected member of the staff."
Ms Mills-Westley's former neighbour, Stella Watts, said she was a "kind, lovely lady" who used to take her to hospital to visit her sick partner.
Local officials have been analysing CCTV footage of the attack which shows a man walking into the supermarket - which sells Chinese food and tourist souvenirs.
Witnesses said the man attacked the woman without saying a word.
"Apparently this gentleman without any motive or any reason... entered the shop and then cut this woman's neck and took the head in his hand outside," said local councillor Manuel Reveron.
A security guard then managed to wrestle the man to the ground, he said.
"I parked my car and saw a man running out with something bloody in his hands and a security guard chasing him," one witness was quoted as telling local radio.
Click to play
AdvertisementEyewitness Colin Kirby describes the aftermath of the attack in Tenerife
"He threw it to the ground, it almost hit me and what he had been carrying was a woman's head."
In a video posted on YouTube, Colin Kirby of Tenerifemagazine.com said security guards held down the suspect until the police arrived.
"The security and the police had to hold people off - they were queuing up - they were trying basically to kick the hell out of the guy," he said.
Christina Perez, a legal representative at a nearby court, said she and her colleagues ran indoors for safety.
Psychiatric unit
"Everybody is shocked. It's a very safe area. You can usually go anywhere you want in the day or at night. This is really not normal."
Police sources told Spanish media the suspect had a police record.
Dominica Fernandez, of the Regional Interior Ministry, said the attack appeared to be random and that the suspect was well known in the area.
Regional newspaper La Opinion said the suspect had received treatment at the psychiatric unit of a local hospital in February after being involved in previous violent incidents.
The BBC's Maddy Savage said this kind of violence was extremely rare in the Canary Islands which attract more than 10 million tourists each year.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in touch with the next of kin and are providing consular assistance.
"Consular officials in Tenerife are in contact with local authorities about this tragic incident and our condolences go out to the family at this difficult time."
854ShareFacebookTwitter.Beheaded UK woman named as Jennifer Mills-Westley Ms Mills-Westley had retired some years ago, her family said
The British woman stabbed and beheaded in a shop on the Spanish island of Tenerife has been named by her family as 60-year-old Jennifer Mills-Westley.
Her daughter Sarah said she was "full of life, generous of heart and would do anything for anyone".
She said her mother was enjoying her retirement, travelling between Tenerife and France and visiting her other daughter in Norfolk.
Spanish media said a Bulgarian man, 28, was arrested in Los Cristianos.
Witnesses said a man entered a Chinese supermarket in a shopping centre and stabbed then beheaded her, before dropping the head outside.
He appeared to choose his victim at random, according to a local official.
Ms Mills-Westley's daughter Sarah said: "Mum retired a number of years ago and was fully enjoying her retirement travelling between Tenerife and France where she spent time visiting her daughter and grandchildren, and her other daughter in Norfolk.
"She was full of life, generous of heart, would do anything for anyone.
"We now have to find a way of living without her love and light and we would ask at this difficult time for some privacy as we try to come to terms with our loss."
'Incredibly well-respected'
Ms Mills-Westley, a grandmother of five from Norwich, retired to Tenerife after working as a road safety officer at Norfolk County Council.
Leader of the council Derrick Murphy said the news was "absolutely devastating" for those who used to work with her.
"We offer our sincere and deepest sympathies to Jenny's friends and family, in particularly her two daughters and five grandchildren," he said.
"As you can imagine, the terrible news obviously has come as a great shock to us... she was an incredibly well-respected member of the staff."
Ms Mills-Westley's former neighbour, Stella Watts, said she was a "kind, lovely lady" who used to take her to hospital to visit her sick partner.
Local officials have been analysing CCTV footage of the attack which shows a man walking into the supermarket - which sells Chinese food and tourist souvenirs.
Witnesses said the man attacked the woman without saying a word.
"Apparently this gentleman without any motive or any reason... entered the shop and then cut this woman's neck and took the head in his hand outside," said local councillor Manuel Reveron.
A security guard then managed to wrestle the man to the ground, he said.
"I parked my car and saw a man running out with something bloody in his hands and a security guard chasing him," one witness was quoted as telling local radio.
Click to play
AdvertisementEyewitness Colin Kirby describes the aftermath of the attack in Tenerife
"He threw it to the ground, it almost hit me and what he had been carrying was a woman's head."
In a video posted on YouTube, Colin Kirby of Tenerifemagazine.com said security guards held down the suspect until the police arrived.
"The security and the police had to hold people off - they were queuing up - they were trying basically to kick the hell out of the guy," he said.
Christina Perez, a legal representative at a nearby court, said she and her colleagues ran indoors for safety.
Psychiatric unit
"Everybody is shocked. It's a very safe area. You can usually go anywhere you want in the day or at night. This is really not normal."
Police sources told Spanish media the suspect had a police record.
Dominica Fernandez, of the Regional Interior Ministry, said the attack appeared to be random and that the suspect was well known in the area.
Regional newspaper La Opinion said the suspect had received treatment at the psychiatric unit of a local hospital in February after being involved in previous violent incidents.
The BBC's Maddy Savage said this kind of violence was extremely rare in the Canary Islands which attract more than 10 million tourists each year.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in touch with the next of kin and are providing consular assistance.
"Consular officials in Tenerife are in contact with local authorities about this tragic incident and our condolences go out to the family at this difficult time."
Friday, 22 April 2011
House of Prayer makes a €1.7m profit in 2010
House of Prayer makes a €1.7m profit in 2010
Monday, 24 January 2011 20:19
House of Prayer makes a €1.7m profit in 2010
Anton McNulty
THE controversial House of Prayer in Achill made a €1.7 million profit at the end of last year despite falling numbers visiting the centre and allegations of financial irregularities in recent years.
The House of Prayer was founded by religious visionary Christina Gallagher in 1993 who claimed to have the stigmata and receives regular messages direct from the Virgin Mary. Accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office show that the House of Prayer had profits of €1.72m at the end of last year.
In 2006, the Revenue Commissioners stripped the House of Prayer of its charitable status and since then it has had to treat its donations as income. Accounts show that the House of Prayer increased its income in 2010 by 18.7 per cent to €626,282. Donations made up €297,000 of that figure but the mainstay of its income came from the sale of goods and merchandise such as religious snow globes and plastic religious figurines.
The company made €285,000 from the sale of such items, up from €186,000, while café sales and accommodation accounted for another €30,000 of the centre’s income. The wage bill for the House of Prayer was reduced from €273,241 to €267,783 following the cut in employee numbers from 12 to eight in 2010.
Since it opened has attracted thousands of pilgrims from across the world but it has been highly controversial with reports that donations to the centre were funding a ‘lavish’ lifestyle for Christina Gallagher and her family.
A number of former followers claimed that their live savings were taken from them and in 2008, the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary distanced the Catholic Church from its operation.
The House of Prayer has been a huge boost to hotels and B&B’s especially in the Achill Sound region where it is based. However, in recent years there has been a significant fall in the number of pilgrims travelling to the House of Prayer in the large numbers it once enjoyed
Monday, 24 January 2011 20:19
House of Prayer makes a €1.7m profit in 2010
Anton McNulty
THE controversial House of Prayer in Achill made a €1.7 million profit at the end of last year despite falling numbers visiting the centre and allegations of financial irregularities in recent years.
The House of Prayer was founded by religious visionary Christina Gallagher in 1993 who claimed to have the stigmata and receives regular messages direct from the Virgin Mary. Accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office show that the House of Prayer had profits of €1.72m at the end of last year.
In 2006, the Revenue Commissioners stripped the House of Prayer of its charitable status and since then it has had to treat its donations as income. Accounts show that the House of Prayer increased its income in 2010 by 18.7 per cent to €626,282. Donations made up €297,000 of that figure but the mainstay of its income came from the sale of goods and merchandise such as religious snow globes and plastic religious figurines.
The company made €285,000 from the sale of such items, up from €186,000, while café sales and accommodation accounted for another €30,000 of the centre’s income. The wage bill for the House of Prayer was reduced from €273,241 to €267,783 following the cut in employee numbers from 12 to eight in 2010.
Since it opened has attracted thousands of pilgrims from across the world but it has been highly controversial with reports that donations to the centre were funding a ‘lavish’ lifestyle for Christina Gallagher and her family.
A number of former followers claimed that their live savings were taken from them and in 2008, the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary distanced the Catholic Church from its operation.
The House of Prayer has been a huge boost to hotels and B&B’s especially in the Achill Sound region where it is based. However, in recent years there has been a significant fall in the number of pilgrims travelling to the House of Prayer in the large numbers it once enjoyed
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Revealed: secret deals for Lowry and Healy-Rae
Revealed: secret deals for Lowry and Healy-Rae
.New TD won't give up seat dad got him on state board
Michael Lowry's appointments
Transparency in public appointments
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By Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent
Saturday April 09 2011
CONTROVERSIAL TD Michael Lowry and former Independent deputy Jackie Healy-Rae were each given three positions on state boards to hand out to supporters as part of a secret deal struck with Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen.
The Irish Independent has learned the six posts -- worth tens of thousands of euro a year in payments and expenses -- were a key part of the deals reached with Mr Lowry and Mr Healy-Rae to ensure their support for the Fianna Fail-Green Party coalition.
The full details were not known to other members of the Cabinet outside of Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen.
The revelations come in the wake of the publication of the Moriarty Tribunal report, which led Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin to furiously try and distance his party from the dealings it had with Mr Lowry.
Mr Healy-Rae's son Michael -- who has assumed his father's Dail seat -- was appointed to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) during the last Government, a position he still holds. He denies his appointment was part of a deal and said he sought the job himself.
There are no rules barring TDs from sitting on state boards; and his position on the board, which the new TD said he would not give up, is worth an annual fee of €5,985 plus expenses.
The deal, the contents of which were always closely guarded, was made after the 2007 General Election and was reaffirmed by Mr Cowen when he became Taoiseach in 2008.
It also contained projects for Mr Lowry and Mr Healy-Rae's constituencies of Tipperary North and Kerry South.
Mr Lowry last night said he filled three positions during the lifetime of the Government, all with people from Tipperary.
Mr Healy-Rae claimed he could not remember the contents of his deal or if he got state positions.
However, sources said he was consistently "hassling" to get his appointment passed, particularly that of his son Michael.
His daughter, Rosemary Healy-Rae, was also given a post during the last Government.
Mary Hanafin, then Social and Family Affairs Minister, said she put Michael Healy-Rae on the CIB board on the orders of Mr Cowen, but was unaware if it was part of a deal.
"The Taoiseach asked me at the time to do it," Ms Hanafin told the Irish Independent. "I'm not aware if it was part of any deal."
Mr Lowry's appointments were:
Sean Fogarty, who was given a position with the Equality Authority, which is based in Roscrea in Mr Lowry's constituency.
Thurles-based Billy O'Dwyer, who was given a place on the Irish Greyhound Board.
Valerie O'Reilly, who does PR work for Mr Lowry, was given a post with the National Transport Authority.
Mr Lowry defended the appointments and said all were doing a good job.
"The feedback on the appointments that I have made has been exceptionally good," he said. "All of them are very competent and able people. As part of my agreement with the Government, I had three appointments to state boards. It was part of the deal and that was it."
Sources also said Mr Healy-Rae got Killarney-based engineer Colm Lonergan on the board of the National Roads Authority. Mr Lonergan refused to comment last night.
Barrister Rosemary Healy-Rae was appointed to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal by then-Justice Minister Brian Lenihan in 2007, and was reappointed for another three years by Dermot Ahern last December.
She is considered well-qualified for the post and there is some confusion over her appointment, with numerous people saying she would have been given the position anyway.
Well-placed sources from the FF-Green coalition said Mr Healy-Rae wanted "his daughter plus two" other state board positions.
Mr Lenihan said he had high regard for Ms Healy-Rae and said it wasn't conveyed to him that it was part of a deal.
"I was doing it anyway," Mr Lenihan said last night.
"I've known her for a long number of years and she is a very able person."
Another source said: "Jackie was the one who was always giving grief about the board appointments, not Lowry. He hassled and hassled and hassled about that, Jackie, and about Michael being appointed to something."
Jackie Healy-Rae, who is considering a run for the Presidency, last night said he couldn't remember the contents of the deal. "I really don't know at this stage," he said. "I don't, I swear to God. Between what I looked for and what I got, that's where I'd be getting confused."
.New TD won't give up seat dad got him on state board
Michael Lowry's appointments
Transparency in public appointments
Also in National News
Brother tells of despair as mechanic's killer is jailed
Bertie gets burned in bank share meltdown
'Negligent' former bank chief barred from management of any company
New Tesco outlets to create 172 jobs in next few weeks
Cancer device and microchip crowned 2011's best inventions
National News Home
Ads by Google
Dublin Coupons
1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-70% Off Dublin's best!
www.Citydeal.ie/Dublin
Dublin 1-Day Coupons
Up to 90% Off the Best Stuff to do! Restaurants, Spas, Events and More.
www.LivingSocial.com/Dublin
Vodafone iPhone Sim Offer
SmartPhone Users - Switch before 31 May & Get Free Vodafone Calls!
Vodafone.ie/Sim-Card
Telecoms Optimisation
Call our team today to see if we make you savings on your bill
www.leyton.com/ie
Magnet Broadband
24 Mb Ireland's fastest broadband Buy online and get a discount of 5%
www.magnet.ie
By Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent
Saturday April 09 2011
CONTROVERSIAL TD Michael Lowry and former Independent deputy Jackie Healy-Rae were each given three positions on state boards to hand out to supporters as part of a secret deal struck with Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen.
The Irish Independent has learned the six posts -- worth tens of thousands of euro a year in payments and expenses -- were a key part of the deals reached with Mr Lowry and Mr Healy-Rae to ensure their support for the Fianna Fail-Green Party coalition.
The full details were not known to other members of the Cabinet outside of Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen.
The revelations come in the wake of the publication of the Moriarty Tribunal report, which led Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin to furiously try and distance his party from the dealings it had with Mr Lowry.
Mr Healy-Rae's son Michael -- who has assumed his father's Dail seat -- was appointed to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) during the last Government, a position he still holds. He denies his appointment was part of a deal and said he sought the job himself.
There are no rules barring TDs from sitting on state boards; and his position on the board, which the new TD said he would not give up, is worth an annual fee of €5,985 plus expenses.
The deal, the contents of which were always closely guarded, was made after the 2007 General Election and was reaffirmed by Mr Cowen when he became Taoiseach in 2008.
It also contained projects for Mr Lowry and Mr Healy-Rae's constituencies of Tipperary North and Kerry South.
Mr Lowry last night said he filled three positions during the lifetime of the Government, all with people from Tipperary.
Mr Healy-Rae claimed he could not remember the contents of his deal or if he got state positions.
However, sources said he was consistently "hassling" to get his appointment passed, particularly that of his son Michael.
His daughter, Rosemary Healy-Rae, was also given a post during the last Government.
Mary Hanafin, then Social and Family Affairs Minister, said she put Michael Healy-Rae on the CIB board on the orders of Mr Cowen, but was unaware if it was part of a deal.
"The Taoiseach asked me at the time to do it," Ms Hanafin told the Irish Independent. "I'm not aware if it was part of any deal."
Mr Lowry's appointments were:
Sean Fogarty, who was given a position with the Equality Authority, which is based in Roscrea in Mr Lowry's constituency.
Thurles-based Billy O'Dwyer, who was given a place on the Irish Greyhound Board.
Valerie O'Reilly, who does PR work for Mr Lowry, was given a post with the National Transport Authority.
Mr Lowry defended the appointments and said all were doing a good job.
"The feedback on the appointments that I have made has been exceptionally good," he said. "All of them are very competent and able people. As part of my agreement with the Government, I had three appointments to state boards. It was part of the deal and that was it."
Sources also said Mr Healy-Rae got Killarney-based engineer Colm Lonergan on the board of the National Roads Authority. Mr Lonergan refused to comment last night.
Barrister Rosemary Healy-Rae was appointed to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal by then-Justice Minister Brian Lenihan in 2007, and was reappointed for another three years by Dermot Ahern last December.
She is considered well-qualified for the post and there is some confusion over her appointment, with numerous people saying she would have been given the position anyway.
Well-placed sources from the FF-Green coalition said Mr Healy-Rae wanted "his daughter plus two" other state board positions.
Mr Lenihan said he had high regard for Ms Healy-Rae and said it wasn't conveyed to him that it was part of a deal.
"I was doing it anyway," Mr Lenihan said last night.
"I've known her for a long number of years and she is a very able person."
Another source said: "Jackie was the one who was always giving grief about the board appointments, not Lowry. He hassled and hassled and hassled about that, Jackie, and about Michael being appointed to something."
Jackie Healy-Rae, who is considering a run for the Presidency, last night said he couldn't remember the contents of the deal. "I really don't know at this stage," he said. "I don't, I swear to God. Between what I looked for and what I got, that's where I'd be getting confused."
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