Headlines
Irish Times
25 EU States agree treaty to toughen budget rules
State board members invited to waive fees
Hotel group staff urged to write positive web reviews
Irish Examiner
Man fires on gardai before killing himself
AG to receive treaty text after Cabinet meets
Munster institutes seek to become tech university
Irish Independent
Bank jobs: pressure on Noonan after payoff of €450,000
Car gunman kills himself after he shoots at Gardai
Flat searched for body-in-bag killer
We won’t need poll to back tough new EU budget rules
The Irish Sun
Killer ditched case in panic
Irish Daily Mirror
Man fires at Gardai then kills himself
Irish Daily Mail
Enda returns empty handed
Irish Daily Star
Man shoots at Gardai then kills himself
Inside the papers
State board members have been invited to waive their fees as part of a cost saving initiative, according to page one of the Irish Times. Annual fees for individuals on the estimated 120 state boards range from €6,000 to €14,000 for ordinary members and €11,000 and €29,000 for chairmen. They are also entitled to travel expenses. In a letter seen by the Leinster Leader, Minister for Puboilc Expenditure Brendan Howlin has written to personnel officers in Government departments advising that that any future or serving board members be given the opportunity to forgo their fee. The move is likely to have stemmed from the Irish Technology Leadership Group which is creating a panel of 100 Irish Executives based overseas who are willing to serve on state boards here for free between now and 2016.
David Beckham has been named the sexiest man on the planet, according to page 10 of the Irish Examiner. In a poll by Heat magazine, the soccer star beat off stars like Robert Pattinson and Johnny Depp. In second place was Ryan Gosling with Ryan Reynolds in the number 3 spot. The list was complied by readers, modelling agents and a photographer who judged the men on dress sense, sex appeal and personality.
Terry Wogan is coming to Limerick. Page 5 of the Irish Examiner tells us that Mr Wogan has turned down pomp and ceremony on his return to his home city in May as guest of honor with his wife Helen at the Mayor’s Ball. Mayor of Limerick Jim Long had decided to roll out the red carpet for the occasion and put on a Garda motorcade to whisk Mr Wogan’s limo from Shannon Airport to the city but on hearing of the plans, Sir Terry sent an email to the Mayor stating, “There’s no need for a police escort, I think I’m safe enough in Limerick.”
The front page of the Irish Times tells us that one of the country’s largest hotel chains planned a campaign involving ‘a bank’ of people aimed at generating false positive reviews on the influential Trip Advisor website. Conor Pope writes that the Carlton Hotel Group encouraged dozens of employees and other nominees to write good reviews about the group’s 10 hotels and according to correspondence seen by the paper, management wanted “a more proactive management of the reviews”. However, it’s since been stated that the actions referred to in the email by Carlton staff were never acted upon and were misinterpreted.
The girl from Ipanema has put on a few pounds, and Brazil has realised it’s itsy-bitsy, teeny weeny bikinis just do not suffice anymore, so says page 12 of the Irish Independent. A growing number of beachwear manufacturers have woken up to the country’s widening waistline and are reaching out to the ever expanding ranks of heavy women with new plus sized lines.
The front page of all the tabloids feature details of the inquest into the death of Gary Speed. His wife revealed that the night before he took his own life, she stormed out of the family home and slept in a car after fighting with the Wales manager.
It’s a story worthy of a Shakespearean romance. As they both reached out for the last box of corn flakes, their hands touched and they immediately felt a spark of electricity. That is what Tesco are hopping will happen at least when they host a speed dating event in a bid to match up like minded shoppers. According to page 3 of the Mail, the matchmaking will be done by comparing the grocery choices of participants.
Yesterday we told you about the two new coffee machines that James Reilly bought when he was appointed a Minister but today the Mirror reports on page 2 that not everyone involved in our health service is so lucky. A mum who had just given birth at St Lukes Hospital in Kilkenny over the weekend says that she was refused a cup of tea because staff cut backs meant that there was nobody there to make it.
