RADIO KILKENNY
12.45 News Sept 9th
Homecoming
An estimated crowd of around 25,000 people turned out in Kilkenny last night to welcome home the victorious county senior and minor hurlers. The Kilkenny senior side made it three in a row on Sunday after a stunning 3-30 to 1-13 victory over Waterford. The team arrived back in Kilkenny in McDonagh Station before boarding an open-top coach parade through the town. Meanwhile in Waterford an estimated crowd of around 14,000 were on hand to greet the defeated senior finalists.
Church's place in schools
It is reported today that the Catholic Church is demanding control of a share of the new second-level schools planned for rapidly expanding areas. The position paper shows that Church leaders are angry over being "sidelined" by the State from the planning of new second-level schools in recent years. Dismissing suggestions that it is pulling out of education, the Church insists that parents must have the right to send their children to a Catholic secondary school, if they so wish.
Label warnings on alcohol for pregnancy
The Government has been urged to put labels on alcohol, warning of the dangers of drinking while pregnant. The Ireland East MEP Mairead McGuinness is co-hosting a special seminar on the topic in the European Parliament in Brussels today. It is to mark International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day. The MEP says 354 babies are born each year in Ireland with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Children's rights referendum
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children’s Rights will meet today to discuss the proposed Children's Rights referendum. Last week Children's Minister Barry Andrews indicated it may be possible to strengthen child protection laws without the country going to the polls. But Fine Gael says the government has not got the stomach for another referendum following the defeat of the Lisbon Treaty.
Chernobyl children
The Government says it is prepared to negotiate a long term agreement with the government of Belarus in a bid to lift the travel ban on children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Speaking after a meeting with Adi Roche of the Chernobyl Children's Project, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin says the first step will be to ensure that Ireland is exempted from the ban so that some 100 children can travel this Christmas.
Ploughing Match
A huge effort is underway to weatherproof the 600 acre site in County Kilkenny which will cater for an anticipated attendance of 150,000 for this year's National Ploughing Match. Wet weather has created problems for organiser's as it awaits an opportunity to clear the site of cereal crops. The event is taking place over three days from September 23rd.
Day Two of Pay Talks
Wages, pensions and the state of the economy will be the core subjects for day two of the national wage agreement negotiations in Dublin today. Representatives of the Government, unions and employers are attending the discussions which began yesterday and are due to last five days.
Tidy Towns
Westport in Co Mayo was last night announced as the tidiest town in Ireland for 2008. Kilkenny also picked up some titles in the competition with the well- manicured Rothe Garden in Kilkenny city picking up the Landscape award, while the Best Shop Front prize went to the Blackberry Cafe in Thomastown.