Magdalene Survivors Together seeks UN forum

The Magdalene Survivors Together group has asked the United Nations to hold a one-day forum in which women who lived and worked in the laundries can tell their stories of alleged abuse in public for the first time.

The move is aimed at putting pressure on the Government to amend the terms of its compensation package, which was announced last week.

The group made the request on Friday, when it contacted the office of the chairman of the United Nations Committee against Torture (UNCAT), Felice Gaer.

Speaking to RTÉ, Steven O'Riordan of the Magdalene Survivors Together said that the group believed that the compensation on offer did not meet the women's demands for recognition of the alleged abuse and suffering which they claim to have endured in the laundries.

UNCAT chairman Felice Gaer told RTÉ that the committee has the facility to take evidence ahead of its next scheduled meeting in November when it would discuss Ireland's response to the Magdalene Laundries issue.

However, Sally Mulready, a councillor in London who works with Magdalene survivors in the UK and who is also a member of the Council of State, told RTÉ that she believed many of the women wished to accept the settlement on offer and to "get on with their lives".

She said it would be up to the women themselves if they wished to engage with the UN but she had never come across any of the women who expressed a desire to do so as a means of advancing the Magdalenes issue.

She expressed concern that if UNCAT agreed to hold this one-day forum it could cause anxiety and stress among the women who might believe that this would delay the process further, she said.

The Government last week published in full the recommendations of Mr Justice John Quirke, who was tasked with proposing an ex-gratia scheme and other supports to assist the women.

Around 600 women will be eligible to avail of lump sum payments of up to €100,000 based on the length of time they spent in the laundries.

Other supports include medical cards and other social welfare assistance.

Mr Justice Quirke declined to comment when contacted.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter last week said that by accepting the recommendations contained in Judge Quirke's report, the Government had "not only acknowledged the painful past experiences of the Magdalene women but are taking steps to address, in very real and practical ways, their present and future needs".

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Noonan warns of 'tough' Budget ahead

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has warned October's Budget will be tough, even if the Government decides to use all of the proceeds from the promissory note deal to reduce the level of cuts and tax increases.

Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, Mr Noonan said there were options as to whether the €1bn from the deal could be used.

The savings could reduce the total level of adjustments for next year from €3bn to €2bn.

He said this could mean fewer cutbacks and fewer tax increases.

Mr Noonan said the proceeds from the deal could be used to ease up on the correction process or it could be used to invest in infrastructure projects.

However, he said the ultimate target of reducing the deficit to 3% by the end of 2015 still had to be met.

Mr Noonan said he would make the decision on what to do in September.

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Former DPP warns against early banking inquiry

Former director of public prosecutions James Hamilton has said it would be "foolish" for the Government to proceed with an Oireachtas banking inquiry before criminal trials take place.

Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Mr Hamilton said evidence produced in an Oireachtas inquiry could be used by those accused of criminal offences to claim they could not get a fair trial.

"The big difficulty, of course, is that if you do have an inquiry coming closely in advance of a trial, you will very much strengthen the argument of defendants that the atmosphere is such that they cannot receive a fair trial.

"In other words, the type of application which Mr Haughey successfully made to delay his own trial from taking place many years ago now.

"If we're talking now about trials taking place next year I think it would be very foolish to embark on a major inquiry before those trials take place.

"I think it would be much more to the point if steps were taken to do everything that can be done to expedite those trials taking place and then hold the inquiry."

Responding to the revelations during the week concerning the so-called Anglo tapes, he said these also posed a challenge for any trial.

"The more material of that sort there is the easier it becomes for a defence to make an argument."

Mr Hamilton said it was an incorrect view that Ireland lags behind other jurisdictions when it comes to dealing quickly with complex anti-corruption cases.

These cases take a long time in most jurisdictions and Ireland is no different to these countries, he said.

He said that one of the challenges in bringing charges before a jury of ordinary citizens is that the DPP must select charges which can be understood by jurors.

He said that this "presents a real challenge to the prosecutor" but he said that any change to the jury system which would allow for the use of expert or specially trained jurors would require a constitutional referendum.

"We have to live with the system we have at the moment," he said.

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US 'spied on EU offices, computer systems'

The United States has bugged European Union offices and gained access to EU internal computer networks, according to secret documents cited in a German magazine.

Der Spiegel quoted from a September 2010 "top secret" US National Security Agency (NSA) document that it said fugitive former NSA contractor Edward Snowden had taken with him, and the weekly's journalists had seen in part.

The document outlines how the NSA bugged offices and spied on EU internal computer networks in Washington and at the UN, not only listening to conversations and phone calls but also gaining access to documents and emails.

The document explicitly called the EU a "target".

A spokesman for the Office of the US Director of National Intelligence had no comment on the Der Spiegel story.

Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, said that if the report was correct, it would have a "severe impact" on relations between the EU and the US.

"On behalf of the European Parliament, I demand full clarification and require further information speedily from the US authorities with regard to these allegations," he said in an emailed statement.

France has asked the United States to explain the reports, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said this afternoon.

"These acts, if confirmed, would be completely unacceptable," Mr Fabius said.

"We expect the American authorities to answer the legitimate concerns raised by these press revelations as quickly as possible."

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told Der Spiegel: "If these reports are true, it's disgusting.

"The US would be better off monitoring its secret services rather than its allies. We must get a guarantee from the very highest level now that this stops immediately."

Mr Snowden's disclosures in foreign media about US surveillance programmes have ignited a political furore in the US and abroad over the balance between privacy rights and national security.

According to Der Spiegel, the NSA also targeted telecommunications at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, home to the European Council, the collective of EU national governments.

Without citing sources, the magazine reported that more than five years ago security officers at the EU had noticed several missed calls and traced them to NSA offices within the NATO compound in Brussels.

Each EU member state has rooms in Justus Lipsius with phone and internet connections, which ministers can use.

Mr Snowden, a US citizen, fled the United States to Hong Kong in May, a few weeks before the publication in the Guardian and the Washington Post of details he provided about secret US government surveillance of internet and phone traffic.

Mr Snowden, 30, has been holed up in a Moscow airport transit area since last weekend. The government of Ecuador is reviewing his request for asylum.

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Howlin open to Oireachtas referendum re-run

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has indicated that he is open to re-running the referendum to increase the powers of Oireachtas committees as early as next year.

A previous referendum on Oireachtas inquiries was rejected by voters in 2011 by a margin of more than 100,000 votes.

Speaking to RTÉ's This Week, Mr Howlin said that any such referendum could not delay the proposed banking inquiry, legislation for which is to be enacted within weeks.

Mr Howlin said the banking inquiry would be a test for the Oireachtas to do the people's business efficiently, effectively and comprehensively.

"I wouldn't rule out revisiting that issue but I don't think we should certainly park an investigation until we craft new legislation," he said.

"The demand, the urgency, the requirement of the Irish people is to get on with the people's business now, we have a robust legislative framework in which this can be done and we should get on with it."

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Woman dies after being hit by train

A woman has been struck and fatally injured by a train in Co Dublin.

The incident happened on the line between Adamstown and Hazelhatch at around 12.20am. 

The line between Heuston Station and Hazelhatch was closed for a period but has now re-opened.

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Syrian troops launch attack on Homs

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a major offensive today against rebels in Homs, a centre of the two-year uprising.

It is Mr Assad's latest drive to secure an axis linking Damascus to the Mediterranean.

Activists said jets and mortars pounded rebel-held areas of the city which have been under siege by Mr Assad's troops for a year, and soldiers fought battles with rebel fighters in several districts.

There were no immediate details on casualties but video uploaded by activists showed heavy explosions and white clouds of smoke rising from what they said were rebel districts.

Loud, concentrated rounds of gunfire could also be heard.

Syrian state media said the army was "achieving great progress" in Khalidiyah neighbourhood.

The attack on Homs city follows steady military gains by Mr Assad's forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants, in provincial Homs villages and towns close to the Lebanese border.

Three weeks ago Hezbollah spearheaded the recapture of the border town of Qusair, a former rebel bridgehead for guns and fighters smuggled into Syria, and last week secured another border town, Tel Kalakh.

Those gains have consolidated Assad's control over a corridor of territory which runs from the capital Damascus, through Homs, to the traditional heartland of his minority Alawite sect in the mountains overlooking the Mediterranean.

They have also alarmed international supporters of the rebels, leading the United States to announce it will step up military support.

Saudi Arabia has accelerated deliveries of sophisticated weaponry, Gulf sources say.

The interventions by Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia, a staunch backer of the mainly Sunni rebels, and Shia Hezbollah highlight how the 27-month-old uprising has divided the Middle East along sectarian lines.

Gulf Arab States, Turkey and Egypt support the rebels while Shia Iran and Hezbollah are actively helping Mr Assad's military.

Mr Assad's family, which has dominated Syria for four decades, is from the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shia Islam.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that more than 100,000 people have been killed in the civil war, which has driven 1.7 million refugees abroad and displaced another four million within Syria's borders.

Hopes of holding a US and Russian-backed peace conference have faded, with rebels reluctant to negotiate while they are on the defensive militarily and tensions between the US and Russia exacerbating their deep differences over Syria.

Despite losing ground around Damascus and Homs, rebels registered a symbolic victory yesterday when they overran a major military checkpoint in Deraa, the southern city where the uprising first erupted.

Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the fall of the army post was strategically significant and could change the balance of power in Deraa, where rebels control most of the old city.

The province of Deraa, on the border with Jordan, has been a conduit for rebel arms supplies.

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Zuma hopes Mandela will leave hospital 'very soon'

South African President Jacob Zuma has said he hopes Nelson Mandela will be out of hospital "very soon".

Speaking at a press conference with US President Barack Obama after bilateral talks, Mr Zuma said that Mr Mandela remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

The 94-year-old anti-Apartheid leader has spent three weeks in a Pretoria hospital being treated for a lung infection.

Mr Obama is in South Africa on the second stop of a three-nation Africa tour.

He met with relatives of Mr Mandela this afternoon, but will not visit the hospital.

The meeting took place at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory at the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Since starting his Africa tour in Senegal on Thursday, Mr Obama has paid tribute to the man globally admired as a symbol of struggle against injustice and of racial reconciliation for the way he led South Africa out of centuries of white-minority rule.

The US president has called Mr Mandela a "personal hero" and is due to make a tour tomorrow of Robben Island, the former penal colony where South Africa's first democratically-elected president passed 18 of the 27 years he spent in apartheid jails.

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Gay Pride Parade takes place in Dublin

Large crowds are taking part in the annual Gay Pride Parade in Dublin city centre.

Today's parade, which is celebrating its 30th year, is the culmination of a ten-day festival.

Last year 25,000 people marched in the Dublin parade.

The theme of this year's parade is Live, Love & Be Proud.

The parade began at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square at 2pm and from there it travelled down O'Connell Street to finish at the Pride Village in Merrion Square.

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Turf cut on protected sites in west and midlands

There have been a number of incidents on bogs in the midlands and the west today, with turf cut on protected sites.

Gardaí are maintaining a presence at Monivea bog in Co. Galway where around 100 people gathered to cut turf in defiance of the EU Habitats Directive.

Machines to cut and lay out turf are continuing to operate this afternoon.

The bog is one of 53 designated Special Areas of Conservation, where turf cutting restrictions were introduced in September 2011.

Local bog owners who oppose the ban have been joined by supporters from Counties Galway, Clare and Roscommon.

Turf is being cut on plots belonging to around 80 people.

Meanwhile, gardaí have now left a bog at Kilteevan, Co Roscommon where they were denied access to turf cutting on protected sites this morning.

A spokesperson said gardaí had gathered information and their investigation would continue.

Pete Gillooly from the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association told RTÉ the local turf cutters were cutting on the site today because they had been offered no alternative sites to cut turf on despite commitments.

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Police station attacked in latest China unrest

More than 100 people, riding motorbikes and wielding knifes, have attacked a police station in China's ethnically divided western region of Xinjiang.

The attack in the remote desert city of Hotan, a heavily ethnic Uighur area, comes two days after the region's deadliest unrest in four years that resulted in the deaths of 35 people.

China called the incident a "terrorist attack".

Xinjiang is home to the mainly Muslim Uighur people who speak a Turkic language.

There has been tension in the past due to what they say are Chinese government restrictions on their culture, language and religion.

China says it grants Uighurs wide-ranging freedoms and accuses extremists of separatism.

President Xi Jinping, who took office in March, has called for the unity of all ethnic groups in China.

In the latest incident, the Global Times - owned by Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece, the People's Daily - said "troublemakers" gathered at religious venues before riding on motorcycles to attack a police station in the city's Moyu county.

Authorities are counting the number of casualties and searching for suspects, the Global Times said.

In a separate incident, some 200 people attempted to "incite trouble" at a major shopping area in Hotan, the newspaper said. It said police defused the situation.

Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the party's inner circle, pledged to step up "action to crack down upon terrorist groups and extremist organisations" at a meeting with government officials in the regional capital Urumqi, state news agency Xinhua said.

Chinese authorities have increased security in Urumqi, the Global Times said.

Photographs on Chinese microblogs showed dozens of military trucks with riot police patrolling the streets.

The increased security comes almost a week before the fourth anniversary of the July 2009 riots in Xinjiang that pitted Uighurs against ethnic Chinese, resulting in nearly 200 people being killed.

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Whiterock Orange parade passes off peacefully

The contentious Whiterock Orange parade has passed off peacefully in Belfast.

Hundreds of PSNI officers were on duty for what is often one of the marching season's most disputed events.

In keeping with a ruling by the Parades Commission, only a small number of marchers were let parade along the section of the Springfield Road close to nationalist homes.

A number of residents and community representatives held up placards, calling on the Orange Order to engage in dialogue.

But there were no violent incidents and no arrests were made.

For several months representatives from different areas of Belfast have been holding private discussions in an effort to reduce tensions at interface areas during the marching season.

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Woman loses case over nightclub fall

A woman, who sued over arm injuries suffered after a man fell on top of her while they were dancing at a Dublin nightclub, has lost her High Court action for damages.

Ciara O'Connell, 33, a sales representative, was dancing backwards to a Shakira song with a male work colleague, Noel Humphries, when the incident happened on 4 August, 2006.

Mr Justice Sean Ryan said this was an "unfortunate" accident but he could not find Ms O'Connell's injuries could be attributed to a slippery floor and he therefore could not find Copper Face Jacks nightclub was negligent.

Ms O'Connell and Mr Humphries were engaged in modern dancing "of the kind that takes place in night clubs and which is not easy to describe in terms that make sense".

The nightclub described it as "dirty dancing" after the film, he noted.

While the floor of the nightclub was under the defendant's control, the dancing activity of Ms O'Connell and Mr Humphries was not and it was possible the accident could have happened without a slippery floor or a dangerous site, he said.

Ms O'Connell and Mr Humphries were dancing backwards in close proximity in a situation that carried the risk either of them would miss a step or lose their footing and that could happen relatively easily.

She was moving in a backwards direction with Mr Humphries dancing similarly in unison with her and they were quite close together.

As they moved backwards like that, Mr Humphries fell back and on top of Ms O'Connell who hit the ground heavily and suffered the injury.

"I do not think that this was in any way reckless or dangerous dancing but it did carry with it the risk of falling," he said.

The accident was unfortunate and Ms O'Connell was unlucky to have suffered an injury but that was "just the combination of circumstances that meant Mr Humphries fell on top of her which precipitated the heavy fall resulting in her sustaining the injury that she did".

Ms O'Connell of Glenview Park, Tallaght in Dublin fractured her arm and was out of work for three months after the accident.

In her action against Breanagh Catering Ltd, trading as Copper Face Jacks, she claimed Mr Humphries slipped on the floor, which she claimed was wet, and fell onto her causing her to fall to the ground.

The defendant denied liability and also claimed Ms O'Connell was engaged in dangerous and reckless dancing with Mr Humphries.

Earlier, the judge said there was some evidence that part of the floor was wet and there was video camera evidence indicating some of the nightclub patrons were drinking while dancing.

Spillages were also possible as people carried drinks from the bar.

While satisfied the floor on which Ms O'Connell was lying was wet, it did not follow the floor area where Mr Humphries fell was wet, he said.

The issue was not if the floor was wet but if it was slippery.

The dance floor was made of pine flooring bound with hardwood - iroco - board inserts to provide contrast and pattern. An engineer who tested it after pouring water on it found the pine boards accounting for most of the dance floor were safe even when wet.

While the hardwood inserts were not porous and, if wet, would be slippery, there was no evidence the accident happened by Mr Humphries slipping on the hardwood strip, he said.

The judge stressed there was no evidence Ms O'Connell or her other work colleagues were drunk or incapable on the night of the incident.

They had gone home after work and met later about 10.30pm, he noted.

He dismissed the case and awarded costs against Ms O'Connell to the nightclub but directed it to pay Mr Humphries legal costs arising from it having joined him to the case.

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Merkel regards leaked Anglo tapes 'with contempt'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has given her first reaction to the leaked Anglo Irish Bank phone conversations, saying she regards the content of the tapes with contempt.

The Chancellor was asked for her reaction to the ongoing revelations about the bank at the end of the first day of an EU summit in Brussels.

The Irish Independent this week published transcripts of conversations from 2008 between managers at the bank, which have caused outrage at home and abroad.

The tapes include an Anglo executive singing "Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles" as a colleague joked about German money flowing into Ireland after the government's bank guarantee.

In a brief but pointed response, Ms Merkel said the recordings were damaging democracy, the social market economy and "everything we strive for".

Ms Merkel said it was already an incredible challenge for EU leaders to convince people who get up every morning to do their work, who always pay taxes, who even show solidarity with others who are weaker.

She said the recordings were therefore damaging, adding: "This is why I regard this with contempt."

A spokesman for Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the issue of the tapes was not raised at any level during last night's summit of EU leaders.

However, speaking in Brussels this morning, Mr Kenny said he agreed with the Chancellor's comments on the tapes.

He said: "These tapes are a thunderbolt. They show the contempt and the arrogance and the insolence of senior personnel working in that bank towards everybody.

"Towards governemnt, towards citizens with impact on every company community and every family in our country."

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar also said he agreed with the comments of the German Chancellor.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Varadkar said: "An awful lot has been done in the last two years to restore Ireland's reputation and what these tapes really have done is remind the world of the culture and the banking system that existed under the last Fianna Fáil government.

"That's been very difficult for people."

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said she is not surprised by the German Chancellor's reaction to the 2008 recordings.

She said the singing of the old German anthem "Deutschland über alles" was particularly offensive.

She said no one of Ms Merkel's age could not know the history and context of that song and not be offended by it.

Fianna Fáil demands answers from David Drumm

Fianna Fáil Justice Spokesperson Niall Collins has called on he Government to consider seeking the extradition of former Anglo chief David Drumm from the US if he refuses to return to answer questions.

Mr Collins said: "The Irish people need to hear directly from Mr Drumm and get his explanation for the language and strategies detailed in these tapes.

"If he refuses to return voluntarily to Ireland to answer questions, the Government should make it clear that it will seek his extradition."

He also criticised the Government for not having a strategy to bring Mr Drumm home either voluntarily or by extradition to take part in an independent banking inquiry.

He said Fianna Fáil would have no problem taking part in an independent public inquiry and the party is concerned with the Government's intention to create a narrow focus political show trial.

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Moors murderer Brady loses jail transfer bid

Moors murderer Ian Brady is to remain a patient at a maximum security hospital after losing his legal challenge to be transferred to a jail.

The decision following a week-long public hearing means the infamous paedophile killer will stay in Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside for the foreseeable future on the grounds that he is mentally insane.

Victims' families have criticised giving Brady, 75, the opportunity to "grandstand" at the mental health tribunal, while others described the hearing as a "circus" and a "complete waste of taxpayers' money".

The tribunal was the first time Brady has been seen in public since the 1980s, when he was taken back to Saddleworth Moor in the search for the bodies of two of his victims.

It was also the first time he had spoken in public since being jailed for life at Chester Assizes in 1966.

The decision on Brady's appeal was given by the three-man panel headed by Judge Robert Atherton, who heard the tribunal at Ashworth.

He said: "The tribunal has concluded that Mr Ian Stewart Brady continues to suffer from a mental disorder which is of a nature and degree which makes it appropriate for him to continue to receive medical treatment.

"It is necessary for his health and safety and for the protection of other persons that he should receive such treatment in hospital and that appropriate medical treatment is available for him."

Brady, whose legal costs are estimated to be around €290,000 and paid by the British taxpayer as he gets legal aid, has the right to challenge the decision, which would require a further hearing at an Upper Tribunal.

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Mandela showing 'great improvement' - ex-wife

Former South African President Nelson Mandela is showing a "great improvement" in his health compared to a few days ago, his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has said.

She said: "I'm not a doctor, but I can say that from what he was a few days ago there is great improvement."

Ms Madikizela-Mandela was speaking to reporters outside Mr Mandela's former home in the Johannesburg township of Soweto.

South Africans held an all-night prayer vigil last night for the 94-year-old outside his former home.

President Jacob Zuma cancelled a scheduled trip to neighbouring Mozambique yesterday because of the gravity of Mr Mandela's condition.

An official update yesterday afternoon said Mr Mandela remained critical but was "stable".

This is Mr Mandela's fourth hospitalisation in six months.

US President Barack Obama, who is due in South Africa tonight, said his thoughts and prayers were with the Mandela family and South Africa's 53 million people.

Speaking in Senegal, Mr Obama said the former South African president was a "personal hero".

"Even if he passes on, his legacy will linger on," he said.

Mr Obama has said he was not seeking a "photo op" with the ailing statesman.

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Boy mauled by dog at Antrim school

A five-year-old boy has been taken to hospital after being mauled by a dog in Co Antrim.

The attack happened at Carniny Primary School on the outskirts of Ballymena.

The boy was taken to hospital in Belfast where his condition has been described as serious.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating.

Ballymena Borough Council confirmed the dog had been humanely destroyed.

In a statement it said: "Our thoughts are with the child and his family at this distressing time.

"A representative from Environmental Health attended the school following the incident and, having liaised with those involved, instigated appropriate actions to seize the dog.

"The dog has now been put down.

"Ballymena Borough Council is working alongside all appropriate organisations to carry out a full investigation."

It is understood the dog was being shown to pupils in the school playground this morning. Four adults were present at the time of the attack.

The boy suffered facial injuries and has been taken to the Ulster Hospital for treatment.

Raymond Ross, principal of Carniny Primary School, said staff had been left distressed by the incident.

"The dog was in a very controlled position. A number of children had the opportunity to stroke the dog and then suddenly the dog turned on the little child, as if it flicked its head to one side and caught the child in the face," he told the BBC.

A spokeswoman for the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust said the family had requested no publicity.

Meanwhile, a statement from the school said the matter was being investigated by the relevant authorities.

"We can confirm an incident took place this morning involving a pupil and a dog. The school staff have found the incident to be very distressing. Our thoughts are with the child and his family."

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Man released in Kerry murder inquiry

A 26-year-old man who was being questioned in connection with the deaths of Jolanta Lubiene and her daughter Enrika in Co Kerry has been released without charge.

A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution.

The bodies of Ms Lubiene, 27, and her eight-year-old daughter were found at their home in Killorglin on 16 June.

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Economy slips back into recession - CSO

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the economy has slipped back into recession.

Preliminary estimates show that GDP contracted by 0.6% in the first three months of the year due to falling exports and weakening consumer spending.

Revised data today showed a contraction of 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2012, while the economy also shrank by 1% in the third quarter of 2012.

A recession is normally defined as two quarters of contraction in a row.

If today's provisional figures for the first quarter are confirmed, it would be three consecutive quarters of negative growth.

Overall the economy grew by just 0.2% last year, rather than the 0.9% initially thought, and the export-led recovery stalled in the second half of 2012 due to the slowdown in much of the rest of the euro zone.

Today's quarterly national accounts also show that GNP - which excludes the earnings of multinationals - grew by 2.9% in the first quarter of the year.

Breaking down the figures, they show that personal expenditure fell by 3% on a seasonally adjusted basis between the last quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013.

Net exports also declined by over €1 billion over the three month period.

The Irish Exporters' Association (IEA) has expressed disappointment at the statistics, saying conditions will remain very difficult this year.

IEA chief executive John Whelan described the first three months of 2013 as "disastrous" for manufacturing and agri-food exports, which fell by 9% in that time.

The sharp fall in exports, caused by a contraction in Ireland's main export markets - particularly in Europe - are blamed as the main cause for the economic contraction for the first quarter of this year. 

Mr Whelan said that services exports however had continued to grow and were up by 3% - and now account for over half of all Irish exports.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said: "The worry at this particular juncture - (with) all our information coming from our main markets across Europe and in the UK - is that we're not going to have a rapid bounce back in the second half of this year. 

"So our manufacturing and agri-food guys are going to have an extremely tough second half of the year.

"And whereas we were hoping for a turnaround...economic conditions are very fragile and we're not seeing any real benefit in terms of export growth.

So, unfortunately, it looks like we will have a very difficult 2013 right through to the winter," said Mr Whelan. 

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Decision on EU car emissions deal postponed

A decision on introducing strict European Union rules on car emissions has been postponed following a meeting in Brussels.

After five years of lengthy negotiations, the EU was expected to finalise agreement on introducing a new carbon dioxide limit of 95g/km, as an average across the EU fleet, by the year 2020.

However, Ireland had come under what was described as "tremendous pressure from Germany" to prevent the passing of stricter rules on emissions.

It is understood that Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Taoiseach Enda Kenny about the matter yesterday to outline concerns that the measures were too restrictive on Germany's luxury car sector.

An EU source had urged Irish diplomats, who were chairing their last meeting of the Irish EU presidency, not to "give in" to the German pressure.

An Irish presidency source said that several countries had requested more time to consider the proposal, and this was a "relatively normal procedure".

Greenpeace Europe put a very different interpretation on the outcome, saying: "Chancellor Merkel has shown that she's not afraid to hijack democratic processes and bully other governments to pamper a few high-end car-makers."

On Monday, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan predicted that what he called "final endorsement by member states" would take place today.

Mr Hogan had said: "This agreement clearly represents a win-win for climate, consumers, innovation and jobs and provides another important step towards a competitive, low-carbon economy."

Greg Archer from the European Climate Foundation, which strongly backs the proposal, earlier said he believed Germany had exerted a lot of pressure on Portugal and the Netherlands, with Ireland coming under Germany's spotlight this week.

Mr Archer said he felt the deal could still go through, with Italy very vocal in its support, but it was currently unclear whether heavyweights, such as France and the UK, would back the Italian position.

He dismissed Irish presidency suggestions that more time might be required to consider the deal, given that a tentative agreement had been reached with the European Parliament last Monday.

Mr Archer said that delaying an agreement at this stage of negotiations was "very unusual", but that he suspected Germany hoped, if a deal could not be reached today, it could secure what is called a blocking majority later in the year given Croatia will join the EU in July and appears supportive of Germany's position.

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Mandela 'critical but stable' in Pretoria hospital

The president of South Africa has said Nelson Mandela's condition has improved overnight.

Jacob Zuma said he had been informed by the medical team that Mr Mandela remains critical but is now stable.

In a statement on the Presidential website, Mr Zuma said, "He is much better today than he was when I saw him last night. The medical team continues to do a sterling job. We must pray for Tata's health and wish him well."

President Zuma added that he was "disturbed" by rumours surrounding the former president's health and appealed for respect, privacy and dignity.

Mr Mandela's eldest daughter Makaziwe has led a group of his grandchildren to see the 94-year-old retired statesman in the Pretoria hospital.

Ms Makaziwe said after her visit that Mr Mandela was responding to touch.

"I won't lie, it doesn't look good. But as I say, if we speak to him, he responds and tries to open his eyes. He's still there. He might be waning off, but he's still there," she said.

One granddaughter, Ndileka, described him as "stable" and thanked well-wishers from around the world for their support.

Earlier President Zuma cancelled a visit to Mozambique following consultations with Mr Mandela's doctors.

Asked whether the seriousness of the former president's condition could force changes to the schedule of a planned visit to South Africa this weekend by US President Barack Obama, a spokesperson said it was too early to say.

Mac Maharaj pointed out that Mr Obama was also visiting two other countries, Senegal and Tanzania, starting in the Senegalese capital last night.

Mr Mandela - or Madiba, as he is affectionately known - is revered among most of South Africa's 53 million people as the architect of the 1994 transition to multi-racial democracy after apartheid.

However, his latest hospitalisation - his fourth in six months - has reinforced a realisation that the father of the "Rainbow Nation" will not be around forever.

The deterioration in Mr Mandela's health last weekend to "critical" from "serious but stable" caused a perceptible switch in the national mood, from prayers for his recovery to preparations for a fond farewell.

Well-wishers' messages, bouquets and stuffed animals have piled up outside Mr Mandela's Johannesburg home and the wall of the hospital compound where he is being treated in the heart of the capital.

Schoolchildren, prayer groups, office workers and colleagues who followed Mr Mandela in the anti-apartheid fight have trickled past the hospital day by day, passing journalists and camera crews camped outside the main gate.

Fallen notes have been collected and replaced with new ones, some written in crayon by children and others penned by adults expressing their appreciation for Madiba.

Elsewhere, Mr Obama has said his thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr Mandela and confirmed he still planned to travel to South Africa in the coming days.

He said if Mr Mandela dies, his legacy would live on for ages.

Mr Obama is in the middle of a three-country tour of Africa.

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Third Fine Gael TD will not support abortion law

Another Fine Gael TD has confirmed that he will not support the Government's Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.

Wicklow TD Billy Timmins said he could not support the bill on the basis of the inclusion of suicidal threat as a basis for a termination.

He said he was worried by the opposition of medical specialists to this aspect of the bill.

He is now the third Fine Gael TD to state he will not support the bill.

Brian Walsh and Peter Mathews have already confirmed their opposition.

The debate on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 resumed in the Dáil this morning.

Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten also expressed concern about the suicide clause saying there was no medical way to disprove suicidal ideation.

He said he is concerned that there is no timeline in the legislation, so if somebody pledges they are suicidal they could have an abortion in the late term of a pregnancy.

Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn said that as the second longest serving TD in Leinster House, he welcomed the bill.

He said that he hopes that the stream of women who are going to the UK for abortions will be reduced by this legislation.

Mr Quinn pointed out that this bill will, when enacted, still not be compulsory; people who abhor abortion will not be compelled to avail of its provisions.

Independent TD Thomas Pringle said that he recognises the bill marks progress but said we should also be legislating for women who get pregnant through rape and for foetal abnormalities.

He said that the Dáil cannot legislate for rape without a referendum but added that there is scope for legislating for foetal abnormalities without having to change the constitution.

He said that it is correct to have no time limit on the bill. If there was a timeframe, women and their babies could be legally left to die and this would contravene the protection of life, he added.

It is a flawed argument to suggest that women might fake suicidal ideation, Mr Pringle said.

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald said she recognised that this is a difficult debate for many.

She said for over 21 years the Oireachtas failed and she commended Labour and Fine Gael for introducing the legislation.

A vast number of citizens support this legislation, she argued.

Labour TD Michael McNamara welcomed the legislation, but he warned that the bill may be found to be unconstitutional.

He said that the last thing we need is for the bill to be referred to the Supreme Court and found to be unconstitutional.

Independent TD Seamus Healy welcomed the bill, but said it was limited and restrictive.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said he is not personally in favour of abortion, but he has a responsibility to legislate for citizens, and he said Sinn Féin will support the bill.

Fine Gael's Michael Creed said he agrees with proceeding with the legislative route.

Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins said he is supporting the bill, not just as a legislator but also as a husband and father.

Supporting the bill, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said developments in the past two years have convinced him that new legislation is needed in this area.

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Winning EuroMillions ticket sold in Dublin region

The National Lottery has confirmed that the Irish winner of last night's €93.9m EuroMillions jackpot has made contact.

It said that they wished to remain private and that the winning ticket was sold in the Dublin region.

The other winning ticket was bought in Belgium. The Irish winner is set to win €93,968,807.

The winning numbers were 4, 5, 13, 27, 35 and the Lucky Stars were 1, 2.

The winner will enter Ireland's Rich List at number 96.

There have been four jackpot wins since the game launched in Ireland in 2004.

Dolores McNamara holds the record for the largest win of over €115m in 2005.

Earlier, speculation suggested the winning ticket was bought in a supermarket in Sallins, Co Kildare.

However, the owner of the store later denied the ticket was purchased in his shop.

Aside from the jackpot windfall, 87,000 Irish people won prizes in last night's EuroMillions draw.

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Colm Keaveney resigns from Labour Party

Labour Party Chairman Colm Keaveney has resigned from the party.

In a statement at Leinster House, Mr Keaveney said he could no longer go along with what he said was "increasingly like a political charade".

He said Labour promises one thing, then does another and blames it on someone else.

Members, he said, must accept what they are given and the leadership will tolerate no dissent.

The East Galway TD said it was with a heavy heart that he was forced to reach the only decision he believed to be honourable, and resign as chairman and from the party itself.

He said he would continue to represent the people of his constituency and would not breach the contract they made with him just for the sake of staying in a position.

Too many at the Cabinet table are "willing to trade what they held dear for one more hour in the sun", he said.

Mr Keaveney had lost the whip after voting against the Government on education cuts.

He has been a consistent critic of the party's performance in Government.

Some recent Govt decisions 'odious'

Mr Keaveney said the final straw for him was his inability to communicate with Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn over cuts to special needs education in recent days.

He said there was little point in being chair of the Labour Party when you are ignored by Labour ministers when attempting to defend vulnerable people.

He described some recent Government decisions as "odious" and as "flying in the face of our value system".

Mr Keaveney said there would probably be a cork popped in Iveagh House (Department of Foreign Affairs) at news of his departure.

He said he would not want to be accused of interfering with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore's "project" for the Labour Party, saying that he had been a convenient excuse for too long.

Mr Keaveney said the party needed to reassess the Programme for Government and to consider whether Mr Gilmore was the best person to lead Labour into the next election.

Dowds 'disgusted' by Keaveney's decision

Labour Party TD for Dublin Mid West Robert Dowds said he was disgusted by Mr Keaveney's decision.

He accused him of cowardice and not being willing to face up to the tough decisions that had to be taken by the Government.

Mr Dowds said that when Mr Keaveney was elected Chairman of the Labour Party he put himself up as a conduit between the parliamentary party and the membership, and he had let people down by his actions.

Mr Keaveney's resignation has been welcomed by his former party colleague Emmet Stagg.

Mr Stagg said Mr Keaveney had "consistently attacked Labour" since losing the whip and had betrayed party members who had elected him as chairman.

Today's resignation marks the second time Mr Keaveney has resigned from the party.

He stood for the party in the Galway East constituency in May 2007 and failed to get elected with just over 3% of the first preference vote.

A few weeks later, he resigned in protest over Pat Rabbitte's leadership.

He rejoined the party in June 2008 and remained a member until today.

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Magdalene redress scheme to cost up to €58m

The Government has announced details of its redress fund for the former residents of Magdalene laundries.

The payments will range from €11,500 for women who spent three months or less in a laundry, to a maximum of €100,000 for those who were in a laundry for ten years or more.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said payment of these sums is not dependent on proof of hardship, injury or abuse.

Around 600 survivors are to receive forms by post to enable them to apply for redress.

The Government expects the redress scheme to cost between €34.5 million and €58 million.

Relatives of the deceased are not covered by the scheme, unless they had registered an expression of interest before 19 February 2013.

All payments will be exempt from tax and means testing.

The report is based on recommendations by Mr Justice John Quirke, who was asked by the Cabinet to devise eligibility criteria and other aspects of a non-adversarial scheme.

The former residents of the laundries will also receive a range of supports, including an enhanced medical card and pension.

Any payments already made under the Residential Redress Scheme will not be taken into account.

Last night, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the Cabinet had discussed Mr Justice Quirke's report and accepted his recommendations.

In February, Mr Justice Quirke was asked by the Government for proposals to set up a scheme to compensate the women for their experience and also to bring some "healing" to the process.

Mr Kenny apologised unreservedly on behalf of the State to the survivors of the laundries earlier this year.

The apology came after the publication of the report of the committee investigating State involvement with the laundries between 1922 and 1996.

It found that the State was directly involved in the running of the laundries, with just over one quarter of referrals made by or facilitated by the State.

Four congregations ran Magdalene Laundries: The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, the Mercy Sisters, the Sisters of Charity and the Good Shepherd Sisters.

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CPSU votes to accept Haddington Road Agreement

The Civil Public and Services Union, which represents lower paid civil servants, has voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement on public sector pay and conditions.

However, General Secretary Eoin Ronayne accused the Government of putting a gun to members' heads by passing emergency legislation to permit harsh cuts in pay and conditions.

He said members had been left with "Hobson's Choice," over the deal.

The CPSU had walked out of talks on the Croke Park II proposals, and had spearheaded opposition to the deal, which involves longer working hours as well as cuts in earnings for public servants.

Despite the CPSU executive recommending rejection of the HRA, members voted by 54.6% to 45.3% to accept the latest proposals.

The turnout was 64%.

The union had rejected the Croke Park II proposals by a margin of 86% with a turnout of 82%.

Mr Eoin Ronayne said the result could not be seen as an endorsement of Haddington Road but rather as a result forced by Government through what he called intimidation and fear.

He said the passing of emergency legislation, with what he called draconian ministerial powers to change the conditions of government employees, had left members with a gun to their heads.

The CPSU executive will meet tomorrow to consider how to campaign against politicians who had voted for the FEMPI emergency legislation.

Meanwhile, plasterers' union OPATSI has voted to accept Haddington Road with 75% of members in favour.

The Irish Medical Organisation has also voted to accept the deal.

So far the Unite trade union is the only union to formally reject the deal in a ballot.

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Farmer jailed for life for murder of student

A 33-year-old Co Clare man has been jailed for life for the murder of a 21-year-old student in 2011.

A jury at the Central Criminal Court found Joe Heffernan of Cappagh Beg, Barefield, Ennis guilty of murder by majority verdict after more than six hours of deliberation.

Eoin Ryan's body was found in a barrel on Heffernan's farm at Cappagh Beg on 7 June 2011.

He was beaten to death in what was described as an extraordinary case of overkill and an assault of astonishing and unusual severity.

Prosecutors said the victim was gay and Heffernan killed him because of his abhorrence at the possibility he too might be gay or have engaged in a homosexual act.

In a 999 call, Heffernan had said: "He made a pass at me. I'm no queer. He is the devil. I'm not going to prison."

His defence team asked the jury for a manslaughter verdict.

Senior Counsel Patrick Gageby said either a mental disorder or intoxication had caused him to see the devil.

After six hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of murder by an 11 to one majority.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Ryan's brother Daniel said Eoin was the baby of the family and was cherished.

His thirst for knowledge had filled their home with hundreds of books.

He had just finished his exams, had completed an internship at the EU parliament and was planning to do a Masters.

He said: "No human being deserves to die in the lonely, terrifying and violent fashion, least of all someone as peaceful and gentle as our Eoin.

"It is every family's nightmare to lose someone they love in such horrendous circumstances; we now live that nightmare every day.

"Our world ended on June 7th 2011. Each morning is begun with a jolt of pain as the memory of what happened to Eoin returns to us.

"Days are to be endured and not enjoyed. We battle every day with questions that will never be answered and torment that will not cease.

"Our hopes for Eoin were destroyed in minutes by the barbaric actions of another, just kilometres from our home.

"The savagery of what happened to Eoin that night is something we can never, ever come to terms with. Eoin's life was brutally ended that night and so many more were destroyed forever.

"We cannot articulate how much Eoin is missed. We are a family of four now and share a pain that few could understand.

"We would give anything to have Eoin back for mere minutes to hug him and tell him we love him just once more.

"Eoin deserved a long, full and happy life and there is simply no punishment sufficient enough to lessen any of the hurt inflicted on us."

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US court delivers landmark gay marriage rulings

The US Supreme Court has handed a significant victory to gay rights advocates by recognising that married gay men and women are eligible for federal benefits and paving the way for same-sex marriage in California.

The court, however, fell short of a landmark ruling endorsing a fundamental right for gay people to marry.

The two cases, both decided on 5-4 votes, concerned the constitutionality of a key part of a federal law, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), that denied benefits to same-sex married couples and a California state law enacted in 2008, called Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage.

Gay marriage advocates celebrated outside the courthouse. An enormous cheer went up as word arrived that DOMA had been struck down.

The court struck down the federal law as a violation of the US constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law.

However, it ducked a ruling on Proposition 8 by finding that supporters of the law did not have standing to appeal a federal district court ruling that struck the law down.

While the ruling on DOMA was clear-cut, questions remained about what exactly the Proposition 8 ruling will mean on the ground.

There is likely to be more litigation over whether the district court ruling applies state-wide.

In the DOMA case, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority that the federal law, as passed by Congress in 1996, violated the US Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.

"The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and to injure those whom the state, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity," Justice Kennedy wrote.

Justice Kennedy, often the court's swing vote in close decisions, also said the law imposes "a stigma upon all who enter into same-sex marriages made lawful by the unquestioned authority of the states".

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Antonin Scalia both wrote dissenting opinions.

Justice Roberts himself wrote the Proposition 8 opinion, ruling along procedural lines with the court split in an unusual way.

Twelve of the 50 states and the District of Columbia recognise gay marriage; more than 30 states prohibit it, and others have laws somewhere in-between.

Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act limited the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman for the purposes of federal benefits.

By striking down Section 3, the court cleared the way to more than 1,100 federal benefits, rights and burdens linked to marriage status.

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Gunmen kill nine tourists in Pakistan

Gunmen stormed a hotel in a remote part of northern Pakistan and killed nine foreign tourists and a Pakistani guide near the foot of one of the world's tallest mountains.

Five Ukrainians, three Chinese, a Russian and their guide were killed in the attack.

The attack took place in a remote resort area near the base camp for the 8,125-metre snow-covered Nanga Parbat peak.

A Pakistani militant group known as Jundullah claimed responsibility for the attack.

The same group has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on members of Pakistan's Shia Muslim minority in northern Pakistan.

The group carried out an ambush in February 2012 when gunmen shot 18 bus passengers by the roadside.

The gunmen fled after the attack on the hotel, which took place at about 1am.

A senior government official said a large number of security personnel had been sent to the area.

Gilgit-Baltistan, which borders China and Kashmir, had been considered one of the more secure areas of Pakistan.

It has witnessed a spate of attacks by militants targeting members of Pakistan's Shia minority in recent years.

It was the first time foreign tourists had been attacked in the province, which is famous for its natural beauty.

Pakistan receives few foreign tourists, but a trickle of visitors is tempted by the spectacular mountain scenery in its northern areas, where the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalaya mountain ranges converge.

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Man held following double murder in Killorglin

A man has been arrested by Gardaí investigating the death of Jolanta Lubiene and her daughter Enrika.

The man in his 40s was arrested this morning and is being held at Killarney Garda Station.

It is understood he is being detained on suspicion of withholding information.

Jolanta Lubiene, 27, and her daughter Enrika, 8,  were found dead on 16 June in their home in Killorglin, Co Kerry.

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Interim solution needed in Roscommon - Lynch

Minister of State Kathleen Lynch has said that the Government may have to put an immediate interim solution in place to address concerns about Roscommon's psychiatric unit.

Speaking to RTÉ's This Week programme, the minister of state at the Department of Health said Professor Harry Kennedy in the Central Mental Hospital has also agreed to help with advice on reconfiguring Roscommon services, and she called on staff to cooperate with the roll out of the vision of change policy.

Ms Lynch said there were sufficient resources and staffing in place but there were difficulties with the re-location and re-allocation of staff.

The minister added that there were too many psychiatric beds in the Galway-Roscommon area.

She said difficulties had arisen as a result of closing down larger, older psychiatric services.

The minister's comments come following a number of incidents at the psychiatric unit in Roscommon County Hospital, including the death of a 38-year-old mother of twins and a series of assaults.

Roscommon TD Denis Naughton has called for an independent audit of all psychiatric services in Roscommon and Galway.

Deputy Naughton said an independent audit should be published so people can see exactly what's going on in psychiatric hospitals.

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Abortion referendum ruled out by Minister Hayes

A Government Minister has ruled out the possibility of holding a referendum on the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013.

Minister of State for Finance, Brian Hayes said he did not think Article 27 would be used to hold a referendum on the bill.

However, chairman of the Labour party, Colm Keaveney has confirmed to RTÉ News that he is seeking to invoke the constitutional provision to force a referendum on the legislation.

In a statement Deputy Keaveney said "this is not a parliamentary procedure, it is a constitutional matter."

Mr Keaveney, who sits as an Independent TD having lost the Labour party whip, said "for government to heavy arm backbenchers not to sign a petition would be a step too far."

A report in today's Sunday Independent suggested a coalition of TDs and senators were attempting to invoke Article 27 of the constitution which allows the President to decline to sign a bill into law until it is approved by referendum if he is petitioned by a third of the Dáil and a majority of the Seanad.

It would require 55 TDs and 30 senators to petition the President.

Even if the required numbers backed the move it would still fall to the President to decide whether to exercise the constitutional power to require a referendum.

On RTÉ's The Week in Politics Minister Hayes said he did not believe Article 27 of the constitution will be used to force a vote on the issue.

"I am aware of the article," he said. "I don't think it is going to happen…We've already had this debate. We've had the referendum.

People have already rejected previous governments' contentions that the X Case ruling should not apply."

He acknowledged that some people in the Fine Gael party continue to have issues in relation to the proposed legislation, but added that "very extensive dialogue" is ongoing.

Mr Hayes predicted the vast majority of his parliamentary party will back the legislation and that if there are defections, the numbers would be quite small.

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty ruled out any support from his party for such a move as it had a clear policy and mandate to support legislation for the X Case.

"Why would we support an attempt to frustrate that?" he asked.

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Man shot in the face in Limerick City

Gardaí in Limerick are appealing for information following a shooting incident overnight.

A 21-year-old man was shot in the face at Hyde Road, Ballinacurra Weston shortly after midnight.

He was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital where his injuries are described as non life-threatening.

A 19-year-old suspect was arrested in a follow-up operation and is being held at Roxboro Road Garda Station.

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

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US whistleblower believed to have landed in Russia

Former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, who leaked details of secret surveillance operations in the UK and US, is believed to have arrived in Russia.

The 30-year-old whistleblower who has been charged by the United States with theft, espionage and theft of government property - was reported to have boarded a flight from Hong Kong after White House officials requested his extradition.

There is speculation he may fly on to another country, with some reports suggesting he could travel to Cuba and then on to Caracas, Venezuela.

The Hong Kong government said in a statement that Mr Snowden left "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel."

He was allowed to leave despite the extradition request because documents provided by the US did not "fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law," it added.

WikiLeaks, the whistleblowing organisation, confirmed Mr Snowden had "left Hong Kong legally."

A statement released on its website said: "He is bound for a democratic nation via a safe route for the purposes of asylum, and is being escorted by diplomats and legal advisers from WikiLeaks.

"Mr Snowden requested that WikiLeaks use its legal expertise and experience to secure his safety. Once Mr Snowden arrives at his final destination his request will be formally processed."

Last night WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange - himself holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to the US - called for countries to step forward to offer asylum to Mr Snowden.

Former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, legal director of WikiLeaks and lawyer for Mr Assange, said: "The WikiLeaks legal team and I are interested in preserving Mr Snowden's rights and protecting him as a person.

"What is being done to Mr Snowden and to Mr Julian Assange - for making or facilitating disclosures in the public interest - is an assault against the people."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he is unaware of the US whistleblower's location or plans.

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Death toll rises to 560 after monsoon in India

Flash floods and landslides triggered by early monsoon rains have killed at least 560 people in northern India.

It has left tens of thousands missing, the death toll is expected to rise.

Houses and small apartment blocks on the banks of the Ganges, India's longest river and sacred to Hindus, have toppled into the rushing, swollen waters and been swept away with cars and trucks.

Thousands of military servicemen are involved in rescue operations.

Air force helicopters are plucking survivors, many of them Hindu pilgrims and tourists, from the foothills of the Himalayas.

About 33,000 people had been rescued so far this week, according to the home ministry.

Railways were running special trains from the devastated areas to take people home.

The rains had eased today but more rain is expected early next week.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has offered 200,000 rupees ($3,400) to each of the families of those who have lost their lives and 50,000 rupees ($840) to the injured from his national relief fund.

He also pledged money to people who have lost their homes.

Mr Singh promised 10 billion rupees ($167 million) to Uttarakhand, home to the gods in Hindu mythology and the hardest-hit state, for disaster relief.

So far, the rains have not hit the summer sowing season in northern India, as planting of rice, sugar, cotton and other agricultural produce is not yet in full swing.

Heavy rain early in the June-September season makes planting easier, but if flooding persists, stagnant water can delay sowing or damage early rice shoots.

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EU Finance ministers fail to reach bank agreement

EU Finance Ministers have failed to reach agreement on how to wind up failed banks.

The meeting aimed at resolving differences on the issue among member states began early yesterday in Luxembourg.

It was adjourned in the early hours of this morning without accord.

The issues discussed all relate to the eurozone financial crisis, one being how to wind-up failed banks and also how to impose losses on investors and bondholders rather than taxpayers.

While it is accepted that savers with less than €100,000 on deposit should be protected, disagreement remains about what happens to deposits above that amount.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, who said another meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday.

He said he believed that ministers would find common ground but that further negotiations would be required with the European Parliament.

It was not possible for them to agree on whether any new rules would be applied uniformly across the EU, or if individual countries could decide how they were applied.

Non-eurozone countries, like Sweden and Denmark, were demanding a great degree of flexibility in applying any new rules.

Mr Noonan said he adjourned the talks early this morning as his EU colleagues were running out of time.

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Stormont minister injured at Orange Order parade

The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman is investigating claims by Sinn Féin that one of its Stormont ministers, Carál Ní Chuilín was hit and injured by a police Land Rover during an Orange Order parade in Belfast last night.

Sinn Féin claim the Culture Minister was struck as she came to the aid of her party colleague, MLA Gerry Kelly.

In a statement, Mr Kelly said he tried to stop a PSNI Land Rover to speak to officers who had arrested a 16-year-old boy.

He claimed the officer drove off - with Mr Kelly clinging to the vehicle.

Both representatives were at a protest by nationalist residents opposed to the annual Orange Order Tour of the North parade.

In a statement, Mr Kelly claimed the PSNI actions were reckless and dangerous.

He said: "The driver moved the Land Rover into me, forcing to hold on to a security grille on the vehicle when they drove off at speed, taking me with them for a considerable distance.

"The group of people who had gathered tried to stop the jeep for my safety and Carál Ní Chuilin was injured in the process and has since been taken to hospital.

"These actions were dangerous, reckless and provocative. This is no way to deal with anyone, let alone elected representatives seeking to restore calm to an area in an already tense situation."

Up to 1,000 people took part in the Orange Order parade through north Belfast.

Two people were arrested during the disturbances in the Peters Hill area which police described as minor.

In a statement the PSNI said the incident had been referred to the ombudsman's office.

"The incident involving Mr Gerry Kelly and Ms Caral Ni Chuilin at Peters Hill tonight has been referred to the office of the Police Ombudsman and they are investigating," a spokesman said.

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50 years since JFK visit to be marked in Wexford

The Emigrant Flame is being lit at a ceremony in Mr Kennedy's ancestral home of New Ross Former US President John F Kennedy visited with his wife 50 years ago this week New Ross gets ready for arrival of crowds Many of the Kennedy's descendants will be attending the event

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US files espionage charges against Snowden

The United States has filed espionage charges against Edward Snowden, a former US National Security Agency contractor who admitted revealing secret surveillance programmes to media outlets, according to a court document made public.

The charges are the US government's first step in what could be a long legal battle to return Mr Snowden from Hong Kong.

Mr Snowden is believed to be in hiding, and authorities want to try him in a US court.

A Hong Kong newspaper said he was under police protection, but the territory's authorities declined to comment.

Mr Snowden was charged with theft of government property and unauthorised communication of national defence information.

He is also charged with willful communication of classified communications intelligence to an unauthorised person, said the criminal complaint, which was dated 14 June.

The latter two offences fall under the US Espionage Act and carry penalties of fines and up to 10 years in prison.

Two US sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US was preparing to seek Mr Snowden's extradition from Hong Kong, which is part of China but has wide-ranging autonomy, including an independent judiciary.

The Washington Post, which first reported the criminal complaint said the US had asked Hong Kong to detain Snowden on a provisional arrest warrant.

Hong Kong's Chinese-language Apple Daily quoted police sources as saying that anti-terrorism officers had contacted MR Snowden, arranged a safe house for him and provided protection.

The report said the police had checked his documents but had not discussed other matters or taken any statements.

Hong Kong Police Commissioner Andy Tsang declined to comment other than to say Hong Kong would deal with the case in accordance with the law.

Mr Snowden earlier this month admitted leaking secrets about classified US surveillance programmes, creating a public uproar.

Supporters say he is a whistleblower, while critics call him a criminal and perhaps even a traitor.

He disclosed documents detailing US telephone and Internet surveillance efforts to the Washington Post and Britain's Guardian newspaper.

The criminal complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, where Mr Snowden's former employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, is located.

That judicial district has seen a number of high-profile prosecutions, including the spy case against former FBI agent Robert Hanssen and the case of al Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui.

Both were convicted.

Under a US programme called Prism the NSA has access to vast amounts of internet data.

Documents leaked by Mr Snowden revealed that access extends to  emails, chat rooms and video from large companies such as Facebook and Google.

The documents also showed that the government had worked through the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to gather so-called metadata .

Phone information such as the time, duration and telephone numbers called has also been accessed.

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Rescue after yacht capsizes in Dún Laoghaire race

A man has been airlifted from an overturned yacht in Dún Laoghaire harbour.

The trimaran with eight people on board overturned in rough seas in the harbour.

The Spindrift vessel was taking part in the 'Route des Princes' international round-Europe race.

The vessel capsized shortly after the start of the race at 3pm.

One crew member was airlifted from the yacht and has been taken to Tallaght hospital, the rest of the team have been brought ashore.

The injured party has a suspected back injury.

Weather conditions on the water when the capsize occured were 20 knots with strong gusts.

Race organisers have cancelled today's leg of the race and the process of recovering the upturned 70ft trimaran is under way.

The Route de Princes race left Valencia earlier this month and stopped in Lisbon before arriving in Dún Laoghaire this week.

The Spindrift racing yacht is steered by French sailor, Yann Guichard.

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Companies blamed over hazardous smog in Singapore

Indonesia is blaming eight companies, including Singapore's Sinar Mas and Asia Pacific Resources International (APRIL), for fires raging on its island of Sumatra that have sent hazardous levels of smog to neighbouring Singapore.

Senior presidential aide Kuntoro Mangkusubroto said: "The majority of hotspots in Riau (province) are inside APRIL and Sinar Mas concessions".

The environment minister said not all eight companies were Singapore based, but declined to name the rest of them.

Military planes have water-bombed the forest fires that have worsened and blanketed neighbouring Singapore in record levels of hazardous smog for a third straight day in one of Southeast Asia's worst air-pollution crises.

As Singaporeans donned face masks and pulled children from playgrounds and Malaysia closed schools in the south, the deliberately-lit fires grew bigger in some areas.

Whipped up by winds, the blazes added to fears over health problems and diplomatic tension in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, three of Southeast Asia's biggest economies.

Singapore's government has warned the haze could last weeks.

Illegal burning of forests and other land on Indonesia's Sumatra island typically take place in the June to September dry season to clear space for palm oil plantations. But this year's fires are unusually widespread and the hazy smog is the worst in Singapore's history.

"Since the fires are happening mostly on plantation lands, we believe there are plantation companies involved. The president has already put together a team to investigate who owns the plantations," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency.

Indonesia has earmarked around 200 billion rupiah (€15m) to handle the disaster. Seven military aircraft were deployed for water bombings and rain seeding.

Hospitals in Dumai and Bengkalis in Indonesia's Riau province recorded increases in cases of asthma, lung, eye and skin problems, said health official Arifin Zainal. Free face masks were being distributed and authorities advised residents to stay indoors with their windows shut.

The Dumai airport remained closed for a third day.

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EU agrees ban on menthol cigarettes

EU health ministers have agreed a ban on menthol cigarettes as part of a strategy aimed at preventing young people from becoming addicted to tobacco.

The decision was taken at a meeting in Luxembourg, which was chaired by Minister for Health James Reilly.

Mr Reilly said ministers had to ensure more people did not become enslaved by tobacco.

He said he believed it was as "an important step" as it would help stop "the next generation from ever getting hooked".

EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs Tonio Borg also said ministers had taken "an important first step".

He thanked Mr Reilly for his "charm and acumen" over the Irish presidency of the EU.

Commissioner Borg said if everything worked out in a "clockwork fashion", the implementation of the directive would be within three-and-a-half years.

He said he looked forward to engaging with the European Parliament on the matter.

Last year, the European Commission published its proposed Tobacco Directive, which it said aimed to prevent young people from starting a smoking habit that kills 700,000 people every year in the EU.

The main strategy was to ban cigarettes, such as slims and menthols, which are deemed to be either attractive to young people or make it easier for them to start smoking.

However, proposals by the European Commission for a ban on slim cigarettes were not passed.

Countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic had opposed the plan.

They argued that the move would make tens of thousands of tobacco producers unemployed and only boost the smuggling trade.

However, there was no opposition to increasing the size of the warning on the packets themselves.

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HIQA reports highlight risk of hospital infections

New hospital hygiene reports have criticised conditions at Sligo Regional, South Tipperary General, the South Infirmary in Cork and the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.

The reports have been published by the Health Information and Quality Authority.

Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin in Dublin received a largely positive report after its inspection.

However, after an unannounced inspection of South Tipperary General, HIQA inspectors warned that the risk of hospital infections was not being managed.

Emergency department curtain rails were heavily soiled with black dust.

Grit and pieces of waste paper were found on the floor of a maternity ward storage room for baby feeds.

Sligo Regional Hospital and the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital in Cork were criticised for poor hand hygiene practices.

During an unannounced inspection at the Rotunda Maternity Hospital in Dublin, inspectors found unsecured chemical storage, clinical waste and sterile equipment.

But there is praise for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, where the paediatric intensive care unit and patient equipment were found to be exceptionally clean.

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12.3% of mortgages in arrears - Central Bank

The number of mortgages in arrears for 90 days or more has risen by 0.4% to 95,554, according to the latest figures from the Central Bank.

More than 12% of residential mortgages for principle dwellings were in arrears for more than three months by the end of March - 3,205 more than the figure recorded at the end of December 2012.

Meanwhile, the number of mortgages in arrears for 180 days or more was up 4.8% in the first three months of 2013 when compared with October to December of last year.

The number of accounts in arrears for over 720 days was up 12% during the same period.

However, the number of mortgages in arrears of fewer than 90 days was down slightly, falling 0.7% to 46,564 accounts.

More than 79,760 accounts were also classified as restructured by the end of March, with indications that 76% of those were deemed to be meeting their new arrangements.

By the end of March, there were 29,369 buy-to-let mortgages in arrears for 90 days or more, representing 19.7% of all such accounts.

This is an increase of more than 1,000 mortgages compared to the last three months of 2012.

Fianna Fáil's Willie O'Dea said it was "ironic" that new figures on mortgages in arrears should be published at the same time as news of a new code of conduct that will make it much easier for the banks to carry out repossessions.

The Free Legal Aid Centre has said homeowners in mortgage arrears are at the mercy of lenders when it comes to sorting out their debts.

FLAC director general Noeline Blackwell said banks "almost have a free hand" when determining how to recover debt owed to them by householders.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, she said banks are choosing to do what they like and they will continue to do so as there is no obligation on them to do otherwise. 

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Tribunal hears unprecedented attack on PSNI

The Garda Commissioner's legal team has launched an unprecedented attack on the PSNI at the Smithwick Tribunal.

Diarmuid McGuinness accused the PSNI of failing the families of two murdered RUC officers, their colleagues in the Garda Síochána and the tribunal itself.

In his closing submission, Mr McGuinness launched his blistering attack on the conduct of the PSNI and their failure to cooperate on sharing intelligence.

Today is the last day of hearings at the tribunal, which is investigating allegations of collusion between gardaí and the IRA in the murder of two RUC officers in March 1989.

Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan died in an IRA ambush just minutes after leaving a meeting in Dundalk Garda Station.

Three former garda sergeants, Owen Corrigan, Leo Colton and Finbarr Hickey, have all appeared before the tribunal.

They all rejected the allegation they colluded with the IRA in the murders.

Counsel for the Garda Commissioner said the tribunal chairman had been presented with "a Niagara of intelligence which is said to exist" with Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris swearing it all to be accurate.

However, he said the intelligence had been withheld from the tribunal without justification or cause.

"It is wholly exceptional and wholly inexplicable that they have not shared this intelligence," Mr McGuinness said.

"It beggars belief", he added, how the judge was to decide on this intelligence and also on the whole issue of collusion.

Counsel for the Garda Commissioner urged the judge to "ransack the dictionary for the harshest possible words to use in relation to them in frustrating the work of the tribunal".

In his submissions earlier, Mark Robinson, counsel for the PSNI, acknowledged that there would be some criticism of the fact that they had brought forward this intelligence but had not been able to elaborate in more detail. There were still those intent on killing and the information came from operations that were designed to save lives and as such it was difficult for the PSNI to produce the information.

Mr Robinson said if Mr Corrigan's claims were true that he had the best sources within PIRA, how did he not know about the ambush being planned to kill Chief Supt Breen and Supt Buchanan.

He also questioned the completeness of the internal garda investigations into allegations of collusion between the gardaí and PIRA.

Counsel for Mr Corrigan, Jim O'Callaghan, argued that there was no evidence to support the claim that his client was involved in collusion.

He said that Supt Buchanan crossed into the Republic at least 39 times between August 1988 and his death in March 1989.

Concerns had been expressed about the frequency of his visits and regretfully he said the IRA victim was "careless".

It was his client's view that he was the victim of a conspiracy set up to deflect attention from cases of collusion in Northern Ireland, such as the murder of solicitor Pat Fincuane.

Neil Raferty, counsel for former British agent Peter Keeley who also uses the name Kevin Fulton, also made a submission.

His client worked undercover for the British security forces in the IRA and has been described as a "liar", "conman" and "fantasist" by several previous witnesses.

In his submission today, Mr Raferty said Mr Keeley had come before the tribunal to give evidence of what he knew.

Former Det Sgt Corrigan, he said, was a "disgrace to the uniform", was corrupt and did collude with the IRA.

The solicitor for the Breen family, John McBurney, praised the work of the tribunal in trying to establish the truth.

However, some obstacles had proved to be immovable or impenetrable, he said, despite the best efforts of the tribunal.

The tribunal was set up in 2005 and began its investigations the following year.

In June 2011, Judge Peter Smithwick started hearing evidence in public.

The tribunal has sat for over 130 days and heard from around 200 witnesses.

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GRA & INMO accept Haddington Road Agreement

Members of the Garda Representative Association and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation have voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement.

Following a nationwide ballot the INMO voted to accept the proposals by a margin of 71% in favour and 29% against.

Earlier the GRA announced its members had voted to accept the agreement with 84% voting in favour and 16% against.

The Central Executive Committee of the GRA had recommended its members accept the agreement.

GRA General Secretary PJ Stone said: "Our duty is to ensure our members are not subjected to further pay cuts or the erosion of pay for working unsocial hours - and the agreement worked through the LRC has maintained each member's earnings in exchange for 30 extra hours work."

SIPTU and the INTO have already voted to back the Haddington Road Agreement on public sector pay and conditions but Unite members rejected the plan.

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Wicklow Co Council pleads guilty in Bray fire case

Wicklow County Council has pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety laws in relation to a fire in which two firefighters died almost six years ago.

Brian Murray and Mark O'Shaughnessy died fighting a blaze at a derelict factory in Bray on 26 September 2007.

The local authority had denied four charges of breaching health and safety laws, but the plea was changed this morning after an eight-day trial.

A representative of the council was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to ensure the safety of employees, failing to update a safety statement and failing to provide adequate training.

The first charge was amended to exclude a claim that the safety breaches had caused the deaths of the two men.

Another charge of failing to have a risk assessment in place was dropped.

Senior counsel Aileen Donnelly said Wicklow County Council expressed its sincere regret for the breaches.

The trial heard that six firefighters were sent to the incident, but there should have been twice that number.

One firefighter said it was like working on a time bomb and the scene looked like a plane crash.

Others said it was like working in an incinerator, as the intense heat had set their gloves on fire.

There was also harrowing evidence from those who found their colleagues.

Several times during their evidence men broke down in the witness box as they described crawling through the fire to find the bodies of their colleagues inside.

Discharging the jury, Judge Desmond Hogan said it had been a harrowing case for the families of the two men and for the witnesses.

He said the matter had now come to an end. A sentence hearing will be held on 30 July.

Afterwards, a spokesperson for the firefighters, John Kidd, said he hoped lessons would be learned from this.

Local councillor and campaigner John Brady questioned why the county council had let the trial progress for a week before changing its plea.

He said during the trial the families had to re-live the terrible day six years ago.

A spokesperson for the council said it acknowledged there were breaches in a number of systems of work in the operation of fire services between 2005 and 2007.

County Manager Eddie Sheehy expressed sincere regret for those breaches, but said it was important to note that the amended charges reflected the fact that the deaths of the men were not as a result of those breaches.

He again extended "deepest sympathy" to the families of the two men.

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Abortion legislation will provide clarity - Reilly

The Dáil has begun debating the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill.

The bill provides a legal framework for abortions in Ireland where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the woman.

Minister for Health James Reilly said he believed the legislation would provide legal clarity for women using the health services, and for medical professionals.

He characterised the legislation as not a change in the law, but a clarification of it.

He told the Dáil the current situation, where there was no legal framework, was dangerous for women who might be denied treatment to which they are entitled, and for the unborn.

He said with no clarity, there could be a "chilling effect" for medical practitioners in providing treatment to save a woman's life

While on the other hand there were no limits on doctors carrying out abortions if they believed there was a threat of suicide, he added.

Mr Reilly said the bill was about clarifying the law for women so they are in no doubt about what is legally available for them, and for medical practitioners to remove any doubt that could cause delay in taking life or death decisions.

If the legislation was abused, he said, he has the power to suspend its operation in the relevant institution and he would not be afraid to exercise that power.

Fianna Fáil's Billy Kelleher said he realises the problems some people have with the issue, but he supports the bill.

After opening statements on behalf of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, the debate will adjourn until next week.

Fianna Fáil party whip Seán Ó Fearghail has said it is "almost inevitable" that there will be a Dáil vote on the bill, possibly as early as next Thursday.

Mr Ó Fearghail, who opposes the bill, said that it is highly likely the required amount of TDs needed to call a vote, which is ten, will be forthcoming between Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, independent and Government deputies who are against the bill.

Fine Gael imposes whip on TDs and Senators in debate

Three Fine Gael members of the Oireachtas have indicated they will vote against the bill.

Fine Gael is imposing the whip on TDs and Senators and Taoiseach Enda Kenny reiterated last night there would be no free vote.

At a parliamentary party meeting last night, Deputy Peter Mathews failed to garner support to allow Fine Gael members a free vote.

He and fellow Fine Gael TD Brian Walsh have indicated they will vote against the bill.

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has also said she could not support it while the suicide clause remains.

Fianna Fáil is allowing a free vote.

Sinn Féin, which has said it is broadly supportive of the proposed legislation, has said it will vote collectively.

However, Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóbín said last week that he will vote against the bill.

The Government has said it will not impose time constraints on parliamentary debate.

It wants the bill enacted before the Dáil summer recess next month.

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Duty rosters of GUH sought by nursing board

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland has requested Galway University Hospital to provide the duty rosters for nursing and midwifery staff at the hospital during the care of Savita Halappanavar.

The rosters are being sought because the Health Service Executive's report is anonymous and the board wants to identify the staff concerned.

The board said that after it reviews the coroner's report in the case and the HSE Clinical Review report, a report will be prepared for the Board of the NMBI for consideration.

Minister for Health James Reilly last week referred the HSE Clinical Review to the board after expressing serious concerns about what it revealed.

The Medical Council, which polices standards among doctors, has said that the HSE's report into the death of Ms Halappanavar is being given attention "as a matter of priority".

Galway University Hospital says it will be co-operating fully with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland's requests for information.

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SIPTU votes to back Haddington Road Agreement

SIPTU has voted to back the Haddington Road Agreement on public sector pay and conditions.

Members of the country's largest trade unions voted 76% to 24% in favour of the proposals.

SIPTU Vice-President Patricia King said the union welcomed the result of the ballot and hoped to move on "to implementing the reform process." 

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Gilmore accused of 'manipulation' over EU budget

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has been accused of a "rather objectionable manipulation" in his negotiations with the European Parliament on the next EU budget.

The criticism was levelled by German MEP Reimer Böge, who resigned from his position as a budget negotiator for the centre-right European People's Party in protest at the deal.

He said he could not recommend to the parliament that it approve the package, which was signed off last night by Mr Gilmore, on behalf of EU governments, and Alain Lamassoure, lead negotiator for the European Parliament.

EU ministers are due to consider the compromise text on the €960bn budget at a meeting on Tuesday, while MEPs are set to vote on the plan at their next plenary in Strasbourg.

The agreement has received a cool, if not hostile reaction, from other MEPs today.

The president of the Socialists and Democrats group, Hannes Swoboda, called on EU ministers to postpone their consideration of the budget next Tuesday, saying: "We deeply regret that the council did not make a more substantial move towards the European Parliament's demands for EU citizens."

He added: "We will not take a rushed decision without due consideration ... I cannot be blackmailed."

The head of the Liberals and Democrats, Guy Verhofstadt, also criticised the plan saying: "The greatest concern and the most unacceptable is the denial of democracy which the council has demonstrated against parliament's legitimacy."

He demanded the talks be re-opened next year after the European Parliament elections: "We demand a real revision, obliging the council to return to the negotiating table with our newly elected colleagues next year."

Irish MEP Marian Harkin said the tentative deal reached last night had "unravelled".

She claimed the entire process had been very difficult due to a "marked reluctance by the Irish presidency to accept the full co-decision powers of the parliament."

She added: "When we voted for the Lisbon Treaty we voted to give parliament an equal say in the budget negotiations yet this has not been respected by the Irish presidency."

Another Irish MEP, Nessa Childers, predicted MEPs will veto the EU budget, if the Irish presidency does not respect their democratic mandate.

She asserted: "The budgetary demands of the parliament are very reasonable.

"In order to finance EU priorities for growth and job creation - including the fight against youth unemployment - we want more flexibility in the use of EU funds, a review after the 2014 European elections and an overhaul of the way the EU budget is financed."

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Noonan not worried by Schaueble comments on ESM

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said he is not concerned by comments made by Germany's finance minister that there is "little leeway" for the eurozone's bailout fund to be used to deal with legacy bank debt.

Wolfgang Schaeuble was speaking in Luxembourg, where eurozone finance ministers are considering the rules by which the European Stability Mechanism will take a stake in troubled banks.

Asked by German journalists about Ireland's campaign on legacy debt, Mr Schaeuble cautioned that the ESM was "very limited" and there was "little leeway" for legacy debt.

Mr Noonan said the comments "sounded kind of optimistic" to him because Mr Schaeuble did not rule out the concept.

He added: "If there's leeway, there's leeway. And we've always argued that Ireland was an exceptional case.

"We're not arguing in this case for all our colleagues in the eurozone. We're arguing the case for Ireland."

Mr Noonan said: "I agree with Wolfgang [that] the scope is narrow, because there aren't other countries that were refused to do something, as a policy issue, which is now being advocated.

He said: "And we're saying, in effect, that we were forced into a position by the ECB - where we were not allowed to bail-in senior bondholders.

"If the ESM rules, which are now emerging, were in place two years ago to recapitalise the banks, the ESM would have assisted in recapitalisation. And that's our case for retrospective application."

Ministers discuss ESM strategy

The finance ministers are trying to decide on when and how the ESM can invest in a bank to save it from failure.

Eurozone leaders want the ESM to be able to become a shareholder in a failing systemically important bank.

The move could prevent the expense of saving the bank falling on just one government that may already be struggling with huge debts.

At the meeting, the last under the Irish presidency of the European Council, ministers will also set guidelines for how much a government would have to contribute to such a bank rescue.

It would also set guidelines to which banks would be eligible and who would lose money in the process.

Finance ministers are also expected to approve a seven-year extension to both Ireland's and Portugal's bailout loans and formally endorse Latvia joining the eurozone in January.

Taoiseach to discuss banking union with Merkel

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he will discuss progress towards an EU banking union with Chancellor Angela Merkel at a meeting of the centre right group of European leaders in Vienna.

France and Germany have signalled that want to delay a decision on whether or not the EU's permanent bailout fund can be used to directly recapitalise banks.

The Government regards that option as a key method of breaking the link between sovereign and bank debt, a position taken by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels a year ago.

Arriving in Vienna, Mr Kenny said: "Clearly that decision was made last year, that hasn't changed, it's necessary now to be seen to be implementing it.

"Everybody understands that this is a fundamentally important part of the financing of the European Union. We need to be able to send out a signal about the credibility of the [European] Council in terms of following through and implementing the decisions that have been taken."

The main elements of a banking union consist of a new supervisory role for the ECB, the question of directly recapitalising banks using the ECB, the creation of a harmonised system of winding up troubled banks, or recovering their salvageable assets, and a new harmonised method across the 27 EU member states of creating a fund, initially raised by the financial industry, to backstop stricken banks.

The latter element is reflected in a European Commission directive currently being negotiated under the Irish presidency.

A recent position paper by France and Germany suggested that clarification on direct recapitalisation of banks should not be reached until the other elements are in place, which suggests that it will be autumn at the earliest that clarity will be reached.

Last December, EU leaders mandated finance ministers to clarify the methodology of direct recapitalisation of banks by the end of June.

The Franco-German position suggests that deadline will now be missed.

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