RADIO KILKENNY
6 o'clock news Sept 1st
Wettest summer on record
Figures revealed today that Ireland has endured its wettest summer for 50 years. Weather experts said last month Dublin experienced the heaviest rainfalls in the 171 years since records began. According to Met Éireann more than twice the average amount of rain was recorded in some parts. Low pressure from the Atlantic was blamed for exceptionally heavy rainfalls which led to flooding in many areas. Carlow bore the brunt of the wet weather with a rainfall total 218% of its normal figures. While Wexford had 209% of its usual rain.
Class sizes too big
As students around Kilkenny went back to school today, the Irish National Teacher's Organisation has said class sizes in primary schools are still far too big. This criticism comes in the wake of statistics from the Department of Education. Figures show that the numbers of large classes in primary schools has dropped. One in five children are now in classes of more than 30 pupils.
This comes as the Education Minister announced that 7,000 new school places will be provided this year under the Government’s fast-track building scheme. Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe said 26 major school construction projects will be rolled out at a total cost of around €100m.
Meanwhile in third level education, More than 50 students stormed the gates of the Department of Education in Dublin this afternoon, in protest against any reintroduction of third level fees. The students ran past security and into the grounds of the building to highlight their anger. Gardaí swiftly moved the protesters outside the building, but students have said they will camp outside Leinster House tomorrow night to continue their protest. The Union of Students in Ireland said the protesters were forced to take action after the Minister for Education ignored their request to meet them.
Hurricane Gustav
Hurricane Gustav has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm as it nears the Louisiana coast. But the US National Hurricane Center insists it remains an 'extremely serious' threat with rain and storm force winds. Nearly 2m people fled the state of Louisiana ahead of what was then a Category 3 hurricane.
EU divided over Russia
EU leaders have warned that relations with Russia are at a crossroads because of the Georgia conflict. European heads of state and government went into an emergency summit on the Georgia crisis divided. Eastern European nations and Britain are pushing for a tough line against Moscow, while Germany and France are leading nations opposed to any move that would provoke the Kremlin. Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin are in Brussels for the summit.
Fatality on M1
A woman has died following a road crash on the M1 motorway in Co Meath. The 36-year-old sustained serious injuries when her car hit a pole on the northbound lane of the motorway. It happened just before 9am outside the City North Hotel at Gormanston. She was removed to Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda where she later died.
E-flow flowing
Traffic is moving freely on the M50 today, on the first weekday of barrier-free tolling. The new e-flow scheme came into effect on Saturday morning and there have been no major difficulties so far.
Bodies found in mansion
Police have found a third body at a mansion in Shropshire, England, which was destroyed by fire last week. Yesterday, tests confirmed that one of the dead was Jill Foster, the wife of businessman, Christopher Foster. A post mortem examination established that she had been shot in the head. The body of a man was found close by. It has not yet been identified but 50-year-old Christopher Foster is still missing. It is thought the body found last night may be that of the couple's 15-year-old daughter, Kirstie. Police say they are now treating the case as a murder inquiry.
Cappoquin causes upset
Cappoquin chickens in Waterford is understood to have gone into liquidation. It is one of the country's largest poultry producers and employs 150 people. Chicken growers held a rally in Cappoquin, Co Waterford this afternoon to highlight the threat posed to the Irish chicken industry from cheap imports, which do not satisfy the same high standards as Irish chicken. Producers from around the country joined workers and the local community to send a strong message that the poultry industry worth €200m to the economy must be maintained. Speaking at the rally this afternoon, IFA President Padraig Walshe launched an attack on supermarkets for using discounted chicken as an enticement for shoppers. IFA has raised the practice of substantial transformation, which allows imported meat to be re-labelled as a product of Ireland. The Chairman of the IFA Poultry Committee Ned Morrissey said “imports of questionable traceability have been very damaging to the industry in Ireland. He also said the livelihoods of growers depended on an injection of capital to secure the future of the plant in Cappoquin. Producers who are owed €1m are waiting to hear what plans the liquidator has for the company.
Stuck in the mud
Hundreds of cars were stuck in the mud at the Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois. Heavy rain over night left the fields where cars were parked very wet. Tractors are being used to tow out some vehicles. Traffic in and around Stradbally was extremely heavy with the Abbeyleix road particularly bad. Meanwhile GardaÍ were cracking down on drink driving as revellers headed home after the weekend. There have been a number of arrests this morning following on from six others over the weekend.