News Ireland as told by Donie on Thursday

Breast implant ‘butcher Jean-Claude Mas’ at centre of PIP silicone scandal arrested in France

  

The breast implant businessman at the centre of a worldwide health scandal was today arrested at his home in the south of France. Jean-Claude Mas, 72, was taken into custody following a police raid at the million-pound villa in Six-Fours, close to Toulon.

Detectives escorted the former butcher and wine salesman out of the house shortly after 7am.

In a synchronised raid on a property in nearby La Seyne-sur-Mer, another former director of now bankrupt Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) Claude Couty was also arrested.

Both men are now being held in custody and quizzed by detectives over the global health scare. Both face charges of manslaughter and fraud, but it is not known on which grounds today’s arrests were

Job losses in Galway Gaeltacht outweigh the numbers created 

     

A total of 178 new jobs were created in Údarás na Gaeltachta supported companies in the Galway Gaeltacht last year, according to the development agency’s End of Year Statement for 2011.

When job losses are taken into account, however, there was a net loss of 60 jobs in Údarás supported companies in the Galway Gaeltacht last year. The majority of job reductions occurred due to companies shedding small numbers of employees.

Údarás statistics show there were 2,745 full-time equivalent jobs in the Galway Gaeltacht at year-end. New jobs were created during the year in companies operating in the audio-visual and digital media, medical devices, services and manufacturing sectors.

There was also a total of 314 people employed on social employment schemes in the Galway Gaeltacht at the end of the year, on schemes managed and administered by Údarás na Gaeltachta and funded through the Department of Social Protection.

Projects in the Galway Gaeltacht with a total investment of €10 million were also approved during the year, which are expected to create 141 new jobs when up and running, and many of which will come on-stream in 2012.

Nationally, a total of 734 new jobs were created last year in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies. Total employment in Údarás client companies stood at 7,500 at 2011 year-end, 7,000 full-time and 500 part-time jobs. When job losses are taken into consideration, there was a net loss of 104 jobs overall.

Companies involved in exporting, including businesses in the medical devices, audio-visual and digital media, financial services, and specialist manufacturing sectors, increased their employment numbers during the year, with some companies announcing expansion plans and further investment in R&D.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has suggested that there was a “most encouraging trend is the slowdown in job losses” last year. The number of jobs lost over the past year is at a significantly lower level than that experienced over the last number of years, with a 40 per cent decrease in the number of jobs lost in 2011 compared to 2009.

“This is evidence that Údarás’ strategy, which over the past three years focussed on supporting existing businesses, is having a positive effect on job maintenance. The job reductions occurred mostly due to companies shedding a small number of staff in order to rationalise and reduce costs. Companies trading in the domestic market were those mainly affected,” a statement from Údarás reads.

A Man fired a shotgun at female shop worker in Balla Mayo, A court was told on Tuesday

    

A MAN has pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm after a shop assistant was shot in work last May, 

Vincent O’Donnell (47), below, appeared at the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar, Co Mayo, yesterday and pleaded guilty to discharging a shotgun at Dympna Walshe.

Mr O’Donnell, of Knockna-brone, Mayo Abbey, Claremorris, admitted causing serious harm to Ms Walshe under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The incident occurred at the Costcutters store in Balla, Co Mayo, on May 31. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Mr O’Donnell was remanded in custody. The judge directed that a probation report and a psychiatric report be prepared on the accused.

A Support call for Derry city’s Fleadh bid 

“Sligo & Ennis in the mix as well”

   

The people of Londonderry have been urged to make the most of their city’s dramatic re-entry into the race to host the All-Ireland Fleadh and ensure its troubled bid ends in success.

Music and culture lovers right across Northern Ireland were also encouraged by local politicians to get behind efforts to bring the two-week festival north of the border for the first time in 2013.

SLIGO AND ENNIS ARE ALSO BIDDING TO HOST THE FLEADH.

The seemingly doomed bid was resurrected on Tuesday night when provincial body – the Ulster Council of Comhaltas – reversed its decision not to support the city’s case. Concerns about the threat of dissident republican violence in the city was a factor in its original stance.

But following intensively lobbying – First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness both expressed their disappointment – senior officers from the Ulster Council changed their stance after an appeal by the Derry organisers.

Welcoming the city’s second chance, Stormont Junior Minister Martina Anderson said much work still had to be done to make sure Derry prevails when the national Comhaltas decides where the 2013 event will be staged.

The Foyle Sinn Fein MLA predicted the event will pump £40 million into the city’s economy and bring 300,000 additional visitors to Derry.

“I don’t think it’s good enough to put the bid on the table, we want to get this is the bag,” she said. “We’ve taken a massive step forward but we’ve one more step to go through and there’s still work to be done until that vote is taken on Saturday.

“From now to Saturday it’s all about lobbying and I hope everybody across the north gets behind the Derry bid. It’s right that the Fleadh should come north for the first time and it’s right it should come to Derry.”

Derry is playing host to the UK City of Culture in 2013 and it is understood some involved with the quintessentially Irish Fleadh had concerns about their event being linked to a British-titled programme of events.