Ireland must decouple economic growth from waste generation, the director general of the EPA, Dr Mary Kelly, told a local authority conference yesterday, writes Tim O'Brien.
Opening the conference on the effectiveness of waste prevention strategies, Dr Kelly said business and households had shown an appetite for recycling, but the next step would be to focus on the prevention of waste and the severing of the perception that economic expansion must result in extra waste.
The EPA is currently funding 14 local authorities which are working within their own organisations and with community groups and businesses to reduce waste.
The cost of the 30-month programme is €1.7 million.
Woman died due to hospital bug
A mother of three who went into hospital suffering from a chest infection contracted two separate superbugs which caused her to deteriorate so much that she died from pneumonia, an inquest in Cork heard yesterday.
No postmortem was carried out on Eileen O'Sullivan (58) from Courtown Drive, Knocknaheeny, Cork, but following detailed evidence from the doctor who treated her, Cork city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of death due to healthcare-acquired infection at the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital.
Man arrested over Finglas killing
Gardaí investigating the death of a man who was shot while he sat in his car in Finglas, north Dublin last September arrested a 25-year-old man yesterday in connection with the case, writes John Downes.
Derek Duffy (37) was shot a number of times in the head at about 4am as he sat in the passenger seat of his black Audi A4 car at Casement Park in Finglas on September 23rd.
Locals had tried in vain to rescue him from his burning car after an attempt was made to set the vehicle alight, following what appeared to have been a "gangland" style attack.
A Garda spokesman said yesterday the 25-year-old man was arrested yesterday morning.
He was being detained yesterday at Finglas Garda station under the provisions of section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Warrant to be issued for teenager
A warrant is to be issued for the arrest of a recovering teenage heroin addict facing more than 30 charges, mostly for burglaries, including an attempted break-in at the Irish headquarters of the Jesuit Order.
The 17-year-old boy is facing 33 charges at the Dublin Children's Court for offences committed over the last year.
Among these he faces one charge for possessing a "knuckle-duster" and a flick-knife.
In December the teenager had been remanded on bail until yesterday to allow time for an updated pre-sentence probation report on him to be furnished to the court.
His solicitor John Quinn told Judge Ann Ryan that the teenager had made contact with him to say that he was outside of Dublin and had found difficulty in obtaining transport to get to court.
However, he would be able to get to court today, Mr Quinn said.
Judge Ryan issued a bench warrant for the teenager's arrest but put a stay on its execution by gardaí until today.
Another charge for trespassing with intent to commit a burglary has been brought after he was caught prowling at the Jesuit Order's headquarters, in Eglington Road, in Donnybrook, Dublin, on May 7th last.
Pleading for a final chance the teenager had previously told Judge Ryan that he was battling a heroin addiction problem and had spent two years living rough on the streets of Dublin.
