Martin McGuinness raised the possibility of a Cardinal Sean Brady prosecution
The deputy first minister raised the possibility of prosecuting Cardinal Sean Brady, it has emerged. Martin McGuinness did raised this at a 3rd May executive meeting amid revelations the cardinal failed to report child sex abuse to police almost 40 years ago.
He formally asked Justice Minister David Ford to consult the police to see if a prosecution was possible under the Criminal Law Act (NI) 1967.
It makes it an offence to withhold information about a crime.
The meeting took place two days after the BBC’s This World Programme revealed fresh details about Cardinal Brady’s role in the Brendan Smyth affair and his part in the failure to inform the police or parents about the abuse by the paedophile priest.
In public, Mr McGuinness has been an outspoken critic of the Roman Catholic primate of all Ireland, saying he should consider his position.
But it has now emerged he raised the subject at executive level.
According to one well-placed source: “He formally asked David Ford as justice minister… to consult with the PSNI and if necessary its RUC predecessor to see if prosecution was possible in this case.”
It is understood the justice minister agreed to pass on the executive’s concerns to the chief constable and the relevant Dublin authorities, but stressed it was an operational matter for the police.
Sources have also told the BBC that an executive press release on the matter was not issued as parties could not agree to the wording.
It is understood Sinn Fein wanted to confine the wording to child sex abuse but the SDLP, Alliance and DUP insisted on a reference to all crime.
“In the end they abandoned it,” the source said.
A spokesman for the executive had no comment as its business is private.
New study say’s ‘Dieting is safe for pregnant women’
Doctors usually advise women against dieting during pregnancy. But, a new review of research in the ‘British Medical Journal’ now claims that it’s absolutely safe and doesn’t carry risks for the baby.
In the review, researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, looked at the findings from 44 previous studies which involved more than 7,000 women to come to their conclusion.
The researchers compared diet, exercise or a combination of the two. Dietary advice was based on limiting the calorie intake , having a balanced diet and eating foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses. The researchers then examined how much weight women gained during their pregnancies and if there’re complications . While each approach reduced a woman’s weight gain ,diet had the greatest effect with an average reduction of 4 kg . With exercise, the average reduction in weight gain was just 0.7 kg. A combination of diet and exercise led to an average reduction of 1 kg , ‘BBC’ reported.
Women following a calorie-controlled diet were less likely to develop each of the complications considered. Dr Shakila Thangaratinam , who led the study, said: “Obesity during pregnancy puts women and their babies are at high risk of complications. Weight control is difficult but this study shows that by advising women on weight management methods, especially diet, we can reduce weight gain during pregnancy . It also has potential to reduce the risk of a number of pregnancy complications.”
German couple killed in a motorcycle and car collision in Co Mayo
A German couple was killed yesterday in north Mayo when their motorcycle collided with a car driven by a local family doctor.
The impact occurred about 12.20pm at a spot known locally as Massey’s Bend, Lacken Cross, on the Killala to Ballycastle road.
The male biker died at the scene. His pillion passenger died in an ambulance en route to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar.
Both victims are believed to be in their early 50s.
The driver of the car was Killala-based GP Dr Declan Clinton.
Dr Clinton was admitted to Mayo General Hospital but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The R3I4 road was closed following the crash as gardaí began forensic examinations of the scene.
Local man David Massey said that three ambulances, a fire brigade and gardaí attended at the scene and were helped out by locals.
Mr Massey said there had been a double fatality at the bend about 15 years ago but remedial works had been carried out on the stretch of road since then.
Lamenting the double tragedy, Jarlath Munnelly, a member of Mayo County Council, said last evening that the community was shocked by the deaths of the two tourists.
He also expressed sympathy with Dr Clinton and his family for the injuries and the trauma he had suffered.
Commenting on the spot where the collision occurred, Mr Munnelly said the bend had been regarded as a “blackspot” but had been improved recently, with the installation of signposting and rumble strips.
Saturated fat taken over years decreases our memory
Over time, saturated fat can decrease memory and overall cognitive function in women, according to a new US study.
On the other hand, mono-saturated fat consumption improves memory and cognitive brain function.
Data of 6,000 women over 65 years old from the Woman’s Health Study was analysed.
The team found that the total amount of fat intake had no significant effects on cognitive brain function. Whereas the type of fat consumed did according to researchers form the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
After four years of testing, women who consumed high levels of saturated fats rather than low levels had worse cognitive scores and memory recall.
Saturated fats can be found in animal fat products, such as butter and red meat.
Avocados and olive oil are good sources of mono-unsaturated fats. Women who ate these ‘good’ fats had higher overall memory and cognition.
Replacing saturated fats with mono-unsaturated fats is a simple way to prevent memory decline and can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease, the researchers said.
This study was published in an online issue of Annals of Neurology, the journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society.
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