The Taoiseach is adamant a deal on Irish bank debt will be implemented despite an apparent rowback by 3 of the most powerful European countries.
Finance Ministers from Germany, Finland and the Netherlands issued a statement saying the bailout fund should not apply to legacy debt.
That would prevent Ireland accessing the ESM for the money to bailout Anglo or billions used to recapitalise other banks here.
But Enda Kenny has told the Dáil that the decisions reached by European leaders last June stands over anything said by Finance Ministers now.
“Those two decisions stand – those two decisions will be implemented” he said.
“They are the decisions without any equivocation of the heads of government of the meeting of the 29th of June”.
“During the course of any negotiations – as you’re well aware – statements can be made from different perspectives” he added.
The Environment Minister is under fire after giving assurances to some of his constituents in Co. Kilkenny that a Traveller family would not be housed in their locality.
A spokesperson for Phil Hogan has told the Irish Daily Mail that a letter on the matter was sent from his constituency office signed on his behalf by a secretary.
Mary-Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin wants a Dáil statement from Minister Hogan.
But her attempts to raise it on the order of business were ruled out of order.
“Minister Hogan needs to be informed that discrimination is unlawful – including discrimination against members of the travelling community” she said.
“I want to ask Ceann Comhairle, the Taoiseach – to give a commitment that the Minister will come before the Dail and make a statement on this matter”.
“It’s a headline banner news story, in a national newspaper” she added.
Police in Melbourne say they have grave concerns for Jill Meagher who has been missing since the early hours of Saturday morning.
They are now looking to make contact with a number of people identified on CCTV footage outside a shop which she passed on her way home.
In particular they want to talk to man dressed in a blue hoodie who was seen talking to Jill at 1:43 am.
Detective Inspector John Potter, from Victoria Police says they are keeping an open mind
“(We’ve) ruled no one out – but I will say we have no suspects at this time” he said.
“I’m not going to go into specifics about Mr. Meagher, but I will say Mr. Meagher is not being treated in any way as a suspect” he added.
Just 400 out of some 9,000 people who started the JobBridge scheme have gotten a job with the company they interned with.
That is according to Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy who is accusing the government of over-stating the success of the scheme.
The programme sees unemployed people take up internships while earning an extra €50 on top of their dole payments.
Paul Murphy says that the govenrment figure of a 38% success rate is false as there is such a high drop out rate.
“Rather than it being 38% of the full number of people who stared, it’s 38% of those who finished JobBridge” he said.
“The figure the government actually gave was 797 people…when they finished JobBridge ended up in full-time employment”.
“Of that 797 people, a minority – slightly less then 40% – got jobs with the companies they were doing internships with” he added.
The mental health of women in rural areas is deteriorating according to a new survey.
The Newstalk/ICA study finds that finances are the biggest worry while nearly 22% of women have taken medication relating to their mental health.
Newstalk’s Jack Quann has more.
