News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

What's going on around Ireland

[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

The catering unit at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise is under threat and patients could soon be forced to subsist on nothing but frozen meals, if a proposed HSE cost-cutting exercise is passed to outsource catering from as far away as Mullingar.

While the HSE has yet to finalize its plans, it has last week been confirmed to the Leinster Express that the authority are considering reducing the catering service at the hospital and transporting food at the weekends from Mullingar.

[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM

A local community’s plan to convert a derelict site into a People’s Park is set to become a reality after Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, sanctioned the

Leitrim Development Company to approve funding of up to $228,089 towards the first phase of the project.

The funding will be used to secure the site and begin the hard landscaping of the park, led by the newly-formed limited company, Drumshanbo Town Enhancements.

[Source: Leitrim Observer]

LIMERICK

There is widespread relief in Pallaskenry that the Garda (police) station in the village will remain open.

Chief Supt. David Sheahan has given a firm commitment to double this service “over the next couple of weeks.”

Speaking to the Limerick Leader following the packed meeting which took place in Pallaskenry Community Centre, Chief Supt. Sheahan said: “It has never been a consideration of mine to close Pallaskenry Garda station.”

“We currently have a Garda working on a part-time basis and I am going to double that in the short-term. In the coming weeks, I am hoping to have a second Garda working back to back.”

[Source: Limerick Leader]

LONGFORD

A young man with Longford links died after falling from an eight-story balcony in Spain on July 1.
Daniel Kenny (24) from Athlone was a grandson of May Kenny, Killashee Street, who formerly ran the successful Kenny’s Garage with her husband, Dan, who passed away a number of years ago.

Daniel was the son of Donal Kenny, who himself runs the Auto Parts and Tyres company in Golden Island, Athlone.

It is understood that the young man fell from a balcony outside his room in the hotel in which he was staying in the Santa Ponsa area of Majorca.

[Source: Longford Leader]

LOUTH

The global company PayPal welcomed nearly 60 employees to the newly opened site.

Louise Phelan, vice president of global operations for PayPal in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said “I am delighted to welcome our first employees to Dundalk. Today 60 people started working here and by the end of this year we will have over 200 people in Dundalk with 1,000 by 2015.”

[Source: Dundalk Democrat]

MAYO

A young Newport man was brought to a remote bog, stripped naked and thrown into the bog by two former friends who claimed he had raped a mutual friend of theirs a few days previously.

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Nster.com