Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG update

Higgins raring to get his teeth into his old foes in Irish Banking inquiry

  

There was no sign of eggs frying on the sun-soaked plinth of Leinster House, but temperatures were running a little high inside the building.

The Technical Group were in conclave. It should’ve been a short meeting, simply a procedural rubber-stamp of Joe Higgins’s candidacy to replace Stephen Donnelly on the banking inquiry committee, as the Socialist Party TD’s nomination was unopposed.

But Joe’s former comrade, Clare Daly, took exception to the notion that her one-time ally had been selected unanimously by the group. A bemused John Halligan asked if she was opposing the choice, but the Dublin North deputy wasn’t. However, she was objecting to the use of the ‘unanimous’ word.

A lengthy wrangle ensued but in the end – as planned all along – Joe was selected unopposed in a sort-of unanimous way.

What is it about this infernal banking inquiry which seems to spark more shemozzles than the Football Championship?

First it came to pass (eventually) that the Government announced it would hold an official inquisition into how our banking sector scampered over the cliffs like a cartoon roadrunner. It was surely a no-brainer, providing an admiring electorate with the edifying spectacle of all sorts of toppled masters of the financial and political universe being summoned to account for their movements in front of a democratically selected cross-party committee of gimlet-eyed TDs and senators.

What could possibly go wrong?

Having proved themselves in recent months to be experts at the art of porcine couture (the ability to fashion a sow’s ear out of a silk purse), the Coalition didn’t disappoint this time either. A serious outbreak of faffing about by government senators led to them losing their majority on the committee – a cock-up which the Coalition promptly compounded by drafting in two extra Fine Gael and Labour recruits to restore the status quo, thereby causing opposition uproar in the Upper House.

And this hoohah led to Independent TD Stephen Donnelly throwing a strop over the inequity of it all and throwing his hat at it, declaring the Taoiseach was “treating democracy in a cavalier manner” as he headed for the door.

In steps Joe Higgins: Out on the plinth after the Technical Group pow-wow, the newest kid on the committee block was doing his damnedest not to lick his chops in anticipation of another chance to sink his fangs into his same old foes.

“I am sure that the Taoiseach who was in charge of the country when the property bubble was being blown up, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, will be brought before the inquiry,” Joe reckoned with relish. “And that Taoiseach Cowen, who presided over the initial bailout, and I also believe that Taoiseach Kenny, who continued the bailout, should be among those who would be called.”

He was clearly raring to get started, and while he may not have the in-depth knowledge of banking arcana like financial whizz-kid Stephen Donnelly, Joe has a PhD in winding up the great and the good.

“I am prepared to sit and to quiz and question in the inquiry those individuals who were central to the political and economic events of the time, and interrogate them very strenuously,” he vowed.

However, a short time later during Leaders’ Questions, a gloomy Clare Daly was determined to rain on the committee’s parade. “It’s quite clear that the toothless banking inquiry is not going to expose anything, except maybe a few politicians to a bit of badly needed publicity,” she sniped.

“It has dawned on many citizens now that the Oireachtas inquiry into banking has about as much chance of getting to the bottom of what happened in the banking sector as Billy Bunter would have in finding out who robbed the school tuck shop. It is a joke,” she sneered.

Across the chamber the Taoiseach looked a bit weary. He must be fatigued from all his recent travelling (San Francisco, Guernsey and Lebanon) and recent U-turns (banking inquiry and discretionary medical cards). “I am glad to note the political policy regulatory structures on banking governance will be examined by the Oireachtas committee free of any direction from the Government,” he began, before being drowned out by cackles from the far side.

Finian McGrath comforted Enda. “Don’t worry – Joe will sort it out,” he assured the Taoiseach, but there was general agreement among the Opposition. But it wasn’t unanimous.

Irish Central Bank issues warning on crowd-funding (peer to peer) regulations

  

The Irish central bank has issued a warning to consumers over the unregulated status of crowd-funding and peer-to-peer lending.

The two cash-raising techniques have become increasingly widespread as small businesses find it hard to raise traditional bank finance.

  They involve businesses raising funds by amalgamating small sums invested by non-experts, often through third part platforms.

The Central Bank’s warning details concerns about risks specific to lending money through crowdfunding platforms, including the risk of the investor company or indeed the platform itself failing.

It also flags “the risk of misleading or insufficient information disclosure, unfair contract terms of misleading commercial practices, and the absence of dispute resolution and redress mechanisms”.

The bank’s statement does acknowledge that crowd-funding or peer-to-peer lending “is a type of market-based finance that could help stimulate funding to small and medium sized enterprises as well as personal lending”.

Borrowing without banks – here’s how you’ve done it.

While the Central Bank told TheJournal.ie this morning that it is not hitting the ‘red alert’ button on crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending, it considers it important nonetheless that consumers know its regulatory status.

Industry response

A spokesperson for peer-to-peer platform linkedfinance.ie said that the company wanted to see the industry regulated.

“We want it regulated…we’ve engaged with the Department of Finance and the Central Bank from the start on this. We’re lobbying to get the industry regulated.”

He added that much of the transactional activity around crowd-funding took place through ordinary bank accounts, which are themselves regulated.

Gardai Commissioner O’Sullivan announces overhaul of penalty points system

  

The Garda Commissioner, Noirin O’Sullivan, has announced an overhaul of the controversial penalty points system.

The changes to the fixed charge penalty scheme are designed to strengthen oversight of how it operates and make it easier for the public to apply for cancellations.

The moves follow an examination of the system by the Garda Inspectorate, which found widespread breaches in policy.

The inspectorate’s probe came amid allegations by Garda whistleblowers regarding the cancellation of points for some motorists.

Ms O’Sullivan announced that the authority to cancel fixed charge penalty notices will now be centralised at the processing office in Thurles, Co Tipperary.

A guide explaining how the cancellation system works will be published on the force’s website, garda.ie, while a special form for cancellation requests will be made publicly available on the website, or through the Thurles office.

Regular audits will be undertaken to keep a watch on the operation of the system and a revised internal manual outlining the changes to policies and procedures will be published.

Ms O’Sullivan said: “These and other ongoing changes of the Fixed Charged Penalty System demonstrate An Garda Siochana’s commitment to improving the effectiveness and transparency of the process.

“We will continue to work with the Criminal Justice Working Group to examine how best to implement the short, medium and long-term recommendations set out in the inspectorate’s report.

SAFETY

“An Garda Siochana’s primary focus is in ensuring that the system continues its success in improving road safety and reducing road deaths,” she added.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald last night welcomed the announcement.

“They are very important steps in ensuring that we 
have an efficient fixed charge penalty system in which people can have full confidence,” she said.

Ireland to lift top rate tax for offshore oil groups to 55%

  

The Irish government is to raise the maximum amount of tax levied on offshore oil and gas production to 55 per cent but has stopped short of setting up a national oil company along the lines of Norway’s Statoil.

Amid public controversy over the potential of oil and gas deposits in Irish waters, and the amount of tax companies pay on any profits any commercial fields would generate, Pat Rabbitte, Ireland’s energy minister, said on Wednesday that the new fiscal regime would increase the state’s tax take at an earlier stage in the production process.

The arrangements mean that the overall amount of tax oil companies will pay on commercial production would rise to a maximum 55 per cent, depending on the size of the field, from 40 per cent currently. The new higher rate will apply to new licences only; existing contracts are not affected.

The changes follow a report by Wood Mackenzie commissioned by the government into the fiscal regime surrounding oil and gas exploration and production in Irish waters. The consultants compared Ireland’s fiscal arrangements with those in marginal production countries such as South Africa and Spain and recommended the changes based on the potential for commercial oil and gas discoveries.

The UK and Norway were also included in the comparisons because of the frequency with which their experiences are cited by both proponents and opponents of exploring for oil and gas in Irish waters.

Mr Rabbitte said that by acting now to clarify future licensing terms, “it is my intention to communicate a clear message in relation to the stability of Ireland’s fiscal regime for the oil and gas exploration sector”. He said that would allow them to “focus on effective and timely exploration effort”.

Oil and gas companies have been prospecting in Irish waters for more than four decades. The Wood Mackenzie report says that only four commercial gasfields have been discovered, and no commercial oilfields. One industry executive estimates that up to €4bn has been spent on exploration in the waters of the Atlantic and the Celtic Sea so far.

Controversy over the financial returns from Irish oil and gas has been sparked by the delays that have plagued the Corrib gasfield off the northwest coast. It was discovered in 1996 but production is not expected to come onshore until 2015 after public protests against the building of pipelines led to arrests and the jailing of protesters that sparked public outrage.

Industry executives say comparisons of Ireland with Norway are inappropriate and premature. The Wood Mackenzie report said: “The essential point is that . . . offshore Ireland remains a very high risk, very high cost province for exploration.”

Fish do feel pain as well says an expert

   

Fish do have feelings and intelligence on a par with other animals and deserve better consideration of their welfare, according to a behavioural biologist at Australia’s Macquarie University.

DR Culum Brown came to the conclusion after reviewing the scientific evidence on fish capabilities.

He found that fish have good memories, lived in social communities, co-operated, and learned from one another.

They displayed behaviours normally seen in primates and were even able to build complex structures and use tools.

While their brains differed from those of other vertebrates, they contained structures that performed similar functions seen in other animals.

There was also mounting evidence that they felt pain in the same way humans do.

Brown believes fish are just as likely to be sentient as other animals.

He wrote in the journal Animal Cognition: “Although scientists cannot provide a definitive answer on the level of consciousness for any non-human vertebrate, the extensive evidence of fish behavioural and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate.

“We should therefore include fish in our ‘moral circle’ and afford them the protection they deserve.”

People rarely thought about fish other than as food or pets, said Brown.

He pointed out that fish were second only to mice in terms of the numbers used in scientific experiments.

With more than 32,000 known species, fish far outweighed the diversity of all other vertebrates combined, he added.

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Smirking Enda Kenny drives Healy-Rae mad and Michael Martin pure daft in Dail

 

Enda Kenny takes stick over the Seanad

Michael Healy-Rae kept shouting about Bobby Ewing. “It’s a Dallas moment” he shrieked. “Bizarre” said Michael. “Unprecedented.”

The Taoiseach came in for a lot of stick over his attitude to the Seanad yesterday. Outside of the Government parties, the general view in the Dáil is that Enda is still sulking.

He supported the abolition of the Upper House during last year’s referendum and the public – in Enda’s own words – disregarded his opinion and gave him “a wallop”. His response? “Fair enough, so. Suit yourselves!”

And now, he stands by with a smile while the rescued Seanad slips from shabby gentility to a state of neglect. He gave them their choice – yes or no. What more do they want?

At least that’s what the Opposition thinks. They might not be wrong. When the Dáil was putting questions to the Taoiseach on Seanad reform, a press release landed fromLabour Senator John Whelan, complaining bitterly about this week’s “appalling one and a half day sitting of the Seanad”.

Whelan said this “slack Seanad schedule” was at odds with the spirit of reform and blamed “some in Government” for their continuing efforts to “undermine” the Upper House. He wants it known that this short schedule is not the fault of Senators, who are crying out to get stuck into some hard work.

‘BAD IMPRESSION’

But the Dáil is sending no legislation through for them to discuss while Ministers – senior and junior – simply aren’t coming over to take debates.

“That’s wrong and sends out a woeful bad impression of the upper house,” fumed Whelan. So back to the Lower House, where Enda takes the questions on Seanad reform with a little smirk on his face, like he’s quite enjoying himself.

Richard Boyd-Barrett had to pull him up on the smirking. Michael Healy-Rae joined in: “It’s no laughing matter.”

In considering the issue of Seanad reform, Enda began by reading a written reply outlining all the discussions his Government was going to have about the future of the Upper House and how it might become more useful and relevant.

Following discussions with the various party leaders and political groupings in Leinster House last December, the Taoiseach said they agreed that a joint taskforce would look at the matter of electoral reform. There was a lot of talk of “timelines” and “scoping” exercises while, naturally, taking full account of the “stakeholders”.

TASKFORCE

The Fianna Fáil leader looked for further details of this task force. There were none. In fact, by the end of the session, Enda said such a force “examining some future options will not be considered within the lifetime of this Government”.

Micheál Martin nearly had a seizure. “U-turn!” he cried. “In 45 minutes he’s just said the exact opposite.” The Ceann Comhairle had to tell him to stop jumping up and down. Enda just smiled.

Irish services sector shows strong growth in all areas

   

 Sector records show 18th straight month of growth just below December’s seven-year high

Investec PMI of activity in the services sector, which covers businesses from banks to hotels, came in at 61.5 in January.

Ireland’s services sector began the year on a solid footing with strong exports keeping its growth rate near the seven-year high recorded in December, a survey showed this morning.

The Investec Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) of activity in the services sector, which covers businesses from banks to hotels and accounts for 70 per cent of economic output, came in at 61.5 in January, far above the 50 line that divides expansions in activity from contractions.

It was the sector’s 18th straight month of growth and was only a touch lower than December’s 61.8 – the highest reading since February 2007.

It was also far above the euro zone average of 54.0, itself the strongest month the 18-member bloc has posted since mid-2011.

“With order books and payrolls on the rise and the expectations component standing at its joint-highest level since October 2006, it is clear that the outlook for the services sector in Ireland remains very encouraging indeed,” said Investec Ireland chief economist Philip O’Sullivan.

In one encouraging sign, the subindex for new export business among firms rose to 64.9 from 62.6, the 30th straight month of growth and the highest since this subindex began.

Ireland’s usually robust export sector has been struggling due to the mixed picture in Europe and the expiry of patents among the large cluster of drugs companies located in the country. But the government expects exports to rebound this year and grow by 1.9 per cent.

A very casual approach to our regulations is adding to Ireland’s obesity crisis

 

World Health Organisation finds Irish fast food consumption growing at sharp pace

A casual approach to regulating the “invisible hand” of the fast food industry could be contributing to Ireland’s growing obesity crisis, a new report from the World Health Organisation has warned.

A casual approach to regulating the “invisible hand” of the fast food industry could be contributing to Ireland’s growing obesity crisis, a new report from the World Health Organisation has warned.

The research tracked purchases of fast food products across 25 of the world’s richest countries between 1999 and 2008 and found that they increased in all 25 over the period, with the Republic of Ireland recording one of the highest rates of increase.

The document, written by teams based in Ireland and the US, says governments in the world’s wealthiest countries could slow – and possibly even reverse – a growing epidemic of obesity in by taking measures to counter fast food consumption.The report is the first to look at the effects of deregulation in the economy, including the agricultural and food sectors and the resulting increase in fast food transactions on obesity over time.

Rather than looking at the density of fast food outlets or self-reported fast food consumption as past research has done, the authors instead relied on data on the number of fast food transactions per capita in 25 high-income countries, including Ireland, and compared them with figures on body mass index (BMI) in the same countries over the same time period.

They found that as the average number of annual fast food transactions per capita increased, the average also BMI rose.

The sharpest increases in transactions were recorded in Canada which saw an annual increase of 16.6 fast food purchases per capita, followed byAustralia - where a 14.7 increase was recorded – and Ireland where an average increase of 12.3 transactions was recorded.

The research said that each additional fast food meal consumes saw the average BMI increase by 0.03 points. Between 1999 and 2008, the average BMI in the 25 wealthy countries studied went from 25.8 to 26.4. Anything over 25 is considered overweight.

The lowest increases in fast food transactions were in countries with more stringent market regulation such as Italy (1.5), the Netherlands (1.8), Greece (1.9) and Belgium (2.1).

“Unless governments take steps to regulate their economies, the invisible hand of the market will continue to promote obesity worldwide with disastrous consequences for future public health and economic productivity,” said lead author Dr Roberto De Vogli of the department of public health sciences at the University of California, Davis.

“This study shows how important public policies are for addressing the epidemic of obesity,” said Dr Francesco Branca, director of the department of nutrition for health and development at the World Health Organisation.

The report suggests that governments introduce economic incentives for growers to sell healthy and fresh foods and disincentives for industries selling heavily-processed foods and soft drinks with a high sugar content.

It also says zoning polices to control the number and type of food outlets in any one area could be trialled, as well as tighter regulation of the advertising of certain foods to children.

Unreal picture shows red Squirrels taking a SELFIE with abandoned camera

  Limelight huggers: The red squirrels loved the camera

The native squirrels have been in decline in Britain after struggling to compete for food – but now they are on the rise again

This is the moment a cheeky squirrel posed for a selfie when a photographer turned his back on his camera.

And its companion obviously thought it could do a better job of taking the picture, because it got behind the lens too.

Photography teacher Peter Smith was doing a photoshoot in Formby, Merseyside, to add to his portfolio of wildlife shots when the cheeky creatures gave him a surprise.

Mr Smith had only turned his back for a second when the furry squirrel jumped in front of the lens and enjoyed its brief minute of fame.

Alan Wright, of the Wildlife Trust, said it was good to draw attention to the plight of the red squirrel, which has been in serious decline in Britain since the introduction of the grey squirrel, as they compete for food and habitat.

He added: “We have a stronghold of these mammals on the Sefton Coast where they are showing signs of recovery after losing large numbers to a deadly virus.

“The exciting news is that this native squirrel is battling back and now spreading eastwards into areas of West Lancashire and Greater Manchester.”

Bumblebees can fly in air thinner than a top of Mount Everest

     

With their big bodies and tiny wings, bumblebees may not seem like impressive fliers. But now researchers report that these flying insects are masters of high-elevation flight, and can theoretically fly higher than Mount Everest.

At higher altitudes, the air is “thinner,” meaning it is less dense and contains less oxygen. For humans, this makes it harder to breathe, especially when paired with the physical exertion of climbing a mountain. But Michael Dillon, an ecologist and co-author of the paper, told Smithsonian that humans get off easy:

“For flying insects, it’s even worse. The air density is reduced, so it’s hard to actually produce forces by flapping your wings. There’s just fewer molecules in the air to push against.”

Plus flying insects require more oxygen, relative to their body size, than any other species. Add cold temperatures into the mix, and it’s no surprise that most insects are rarely found flying in altitudes above 13,000 feet (4,000 m).

Bumblebees Flying High

Bumblebees are the exception. These big-bodied bugs have been found buzzing between wildflowers above 18,000 feet (5,600 m). Dillon and his colleagues wanted to see just how high these bumbling fliers could go, so they captured six alpine bumblebees and brought them into the lab.

The scientists put the bees in flight simulation chambers—clear plexiglas boxes measuring about 12 inches (30 cm) on a side. Starting at 10,700 feet (3,250 m) the researchers tested to see if the bees were able to fly to the top half of the box. Then they used a hand pump to decrease the barometric pressure in the chamber, simulating an increase in altitude. All the bees were able to take off at altitudes up to 26,000 feet (8,000 m). The winningest bee reached an impressive 30,000 feet (9,125 m)—higher, even, than Mount Everest.

On the Wing

To find out how the bumblebees did it, researchers recorded and analyzed digital videos of the flights. They noted that the bees didn’t flap their wings any faster as the simulated altitude increased. Instead, they increased their “stroke amplitude”—reaching a little farther with each beat of the wing. As Dillon told Smithsonian,

“They beat their wings through a wider arc so that each time they move their wings through that arc they’re actually pushing their wings against more molecules than they would otherwise.”

This trick explains, at least in part, why these lumbering bees can fly so high, according to the paper published in Biology Letters.  

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Taoiseach Enda Kenny ‘rattled’ by the 25,000 protesters turnout

   

Senator Ronan Mullen has said the Taoiseach is “rattled” by the turnout at an anti-abortion rally in Dublin on Saturday.
His comments come after Enda Kenny revealed that he has been branded “worse than Herod” by campaigners over the Government’s move to legislate for limited abortion.

Gardaí say that around 25,000 people attended Saturday’s ‘Vigil for Life’ rally, where protesters left a voice-mail for the Taoiseach asking him to keep his pro-life promise.

“I think the Taoiseach is rattled, to be frank, that 25,000 people showed up on a cold January afternoon in Dublin,” he said.

“He heard reasonable people, like from the middle ground of Irish society, like Mickey Harte, say very clearly: ‘This isn’t about medical treatment for women to save their lives, we’re all in favour of that, this is about the targeting of innocent, unborn children’.”

Ireland to ‘stick by’ bank pledge

   

Euro area finance ministers are gathering in Brussels to begin talks on how to channel firewall funds directly to banks.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said that Ireland is “sticking by the commitments made on 29th June” ahead of a meeting of euro-group finance ministers this evening in Brussels.

At a European Summit on June 29th last, it was agreed to break the link between sovereign and bank debt.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Mr Noonan acknowledged that there was “a variety of views” regarding the workings of the ESM among member states.

“There are a variety of views but we’re sticking by the commitments made on the June 29th”, he said.

“We’ll be arguing what we understood the situation of the 29th of June. Banks that were still functioning – lending trading banks – would be eligible even though insolvent banks on wind downs mightn’t be,” he said.

There are divisions among euro zone countries about the funds application to Ireland’s previously recapitalised banks.

Finance ministers from the countries which share the single currency are set to discuss the workings of the euro zone’s new permanent bailout fund, the ESM this evening.

Ireland is hoping that AIB and Bank of Ireland will be eligible for recapitalisation from the fund, though the issue of retrospective capitalisation is a contentious one.

The discussions surrounding the ESM are separate to the government’s negotiations with the European Central Bank about recasting of the promissory notes it used to recapitalise Anglo Irish Bank.

The appointment of a new chair of the euro group is also expected to be announced today. Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem is widely expected to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, who has held the position since 2005.

Twenty Government ministers will travel to Brussels over the next three days to present to European Parliament committees as part of the Irish presidency of the European Council.

They will deliver 27 presentations to the various European Parliament committees outlining Ireland’s priorities for the presidency.

Since the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament has gained additional co-decisionmaking powers. Hence gaining support from the parliament is a key function of Ireland’s presidency of the European Council as it strives to progress various pieces of legislation.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar will be the first when he presents to the European Parliament committee on transport at 4pm today. Tomorrow and Wednesday there will be a full schedule of presentations.

They include Minister for Finance Michael Noonan’s presentation to the parliamentary committee on economic and financial affairs tomorrow with Minister of State at the Department of Finance Brian Hayes in the Irish chair. European Parliament committees are composed of MEPs from across the political spectrum.

With officials declaring the worst of the region’s three-year market emergency over, finance ministers are debating whether the ESM should take over earlier bank bailouts that were routed through governments and what to do with so-called legacy assets.

A European Union aide who briefed reporters defined those as loans already on a bank’s balance sheet that could cause problems in the future.

“It’s really about signalling,” said Nicolas Veron, senior economist at the Brussels-based Bruegel research group.

“The only thing that really has an impact on markets is when the word unlimited is uttered by somebody in charge, so in the end it’s not a question of how high the big number should be.”

The actual amount of ESM funds available for direct aid to banks may be less than €100 billion because the fund needs to fulfil its main mission of lending to governments that lose market access, Mr Veron said.

Bank aid may also require additional set-asides for the ESM to maintain a high credit rating.

Borrowing costs in bailed-out and debt-laden euro nations have plummeted since the European Central Bank pledged to commit to backing their bond markets.

Spain’s 10-year yield has declined more than 200 basis points. The cost of insuring Ireland against default has dropped 84 per cent since July 2011. Creditor nations such as Germany, the Netherlands and Finland have sought to limit the ESM’s availability to nations struggling to shore up their financial sectors.

Finnish prime minister Jyrki Katainen said last week that bank shareholders and bondholders should bear the brunt of future rescues, bringing in taxpayer money to clean up troubled financial businesses only as a last resort.

Ministers also face whether to convert past bank bailouts such as those they routed through the Spanish, Irish and Greek governments.

Exploration Company reports ‘significant’ gold results in Wicklow

  

IMC Exploration Group has today announced “significant” gold results from its Wexford licence area. 
This follows on from positive test results in December showing some of the highest recorded gold grades ever found in Ireland. 
These additional assay results are from follow up sampling on the company’s Wexford licence PL 2551.

Following the recent announcement from Drillhole 12-2551-04 in Wexford where a core interval from 11.50 to 13.00m has yielded 354g/t gold (=11.38oz/t gold), three distinct gold zones, two at shallow depths and a third at a deeper level, have now been identified in this drillhole.

Dr Glenn Millar, Managing Director of IMC Exploration, commented: “The Board of IMC is very encouraged by these additional significant results from PL Area 2551 and is presently engaged in the next phase of follow-up drilling. 
“IMC has made remarkable progress over the last number of months and is convinced that this further drilling will comprehensively define this valuable gold resource.”

Childrens asthma hospital admissions falls after smoking ban, A study shows

  

Admissions fell by 12.3% in first year and more than 3% in each of the next two years, according to analysis of NHS figures

The number of children admitted to hospital after serious asthma attacks has fallen steeply in England since smoking was banned in public places such as bars, restaurants and offices.

Hospitals recorded 6,802 fewer cases of childhood asthma in the first three years of the ban, which was introduced in England in July 2007, according to NHS figures.

Researchers said the fall came as more people imposed smoke-free homes in the wake of the legislation.

Before the change in law, hospital admissions for the condition were rising 2.2% year on year. In the first year after the ban admissions fell by 12.3%, and there were further falls of more than 3% in each of the following two years.

A previous study showed a similar fall in Scotland where the ban was brought in a year earlier.

The findings allay concerns voiced before the change in the law that a wide-ranging ban in public places might drive up smoking in the home, where children are vulnerable to secondhand smoke.

The fumes from smoking can exacerbate asthma by inflaming the airways, and can trigger the condition in susceptible children. Asthma affects one in 11 children in the UK.

“The smoking ban has been an unqualified public health success. There is a whole array of benefits,” said Christopher Millett, of Imperial College in London, whose study on the NHS figures appears in the Pediatricsjournal.

Millett drew on NHS figures known as hospital episodes statistics from April 2002 to November 2010. The reductions in childhood asthma admissions were similar for both boys and girls aged 14 and under, regardless of whether they came from poor or wealthy areas of cities or rural areas.

Emily Humphreys, head of policy and public affairs at Asthma UK, said: “It’s great to see growing evidence of the positive impact of smoke-free legislation. This is something we campaigned for, so it is particularly encouraging that there has been a fall in children’s hospital admissions for asthma since its introduction.

“We have long known that smoking and secondhand smoke are harmful: they not only trigger asthma attacks which put children in hospital but can even cause them to develop the condition. We’ve seen the benefits of reducing secondhand smoke exposure; now we need to do more to prevent children and young people from taking up smoking by introducing plain packaging for tobacco.”

Studies have highlighted other health benefits as people have either cut down on smoking or inhaled less secondhand smoke. In 2010,researchers at Bath University reported a 2.4% fall in emergency admissions in England for heart attacks in the wake of the smoking ban. The fall equated to 1,200 fewer cases in the first year after the ban was introduced.

Penguin-cam reveals shrimp-like feeding spree

        

A penguin’s-eye view showed the creatures capturing shrimp-like krill at the rate of up to two a second

Their comedy walk is sure to raise a smile but video cameras strapped to the backs of penguins reveal a very different impression.

While they may make slow, shuffling process on land, the flipper-winged birds are lightning fast and agile in the water.

The penguin’s-eye view showed the creatures capturing shrimp-like krill at the rate of up to two a second. Rapid, darting head movements were used to snatch krill and small fish out of the water.

Over a filming period of 78 to 89 minutes, the penguins caught 244 krill and 33 fish.

Scientists studied 15 Adelie penguins in Lutzow-Holm Bay, Antarctica, which were fitted with accelerometers and miniature video cameras.

Penguins were often seen attacking krill head-on. Three birds had a field day after encountering a dense swarm of the crustaceans and devouring as many as two a second.

Other shots showed penguins searching underneath sea ice for Pagothenia fish, and launching attacks from below. The fish were captured with a stretch of the neck.

“Escape behaviour of the fish was not evident in most cases, suggesting an excellent stealth approach by penguins,” the Japanese scientists, led by Dr Yuuki Watanabe, from the National Institute of Polar Research in Tokyo, wrote in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Two birds were also filmed searching along the sea bed, one capturing at least four fish.

One penguin discovered a school of fish and ate 14 in just 20 seconds.