SAOIRSE32

By Lesley-Anne Henry
Belfast Telegraph
Wednesday 7, May 2008 - 10:27]

Evidence from an FBI agent who infiltrated the Real IRA will be admitted to the Omagh civil action, a High Court judge has ruled.

Mr Justice Morgan told the landmark civil hearing against five men believed to have been behind the 1998 bombing that evidence from the US trucker-turned-spy, David Rupert, could be heard in court.

Mr Rupert testified during Michael McKevitt’s criminal trial in Dublin in 2003 and his evidence was considered key in securing McKevitt’s 20-year prison term.

This time round however, the FBI has forbidden Rupert from giving new evidence in person or via videolink because of ill health and increased concerns over his safety following the shooting of IRA informant Denis Donaldson.

In a judgment presented during the civil action, Mr Morgan told the court he had studied the Civil Evidence Order (Northern Ireland 1997) and would allow the evidence which includes seven statements, 2,300 pages of email correspondence and other documents between Rupert and his handlers, transcripts of his evidence at the Supreme Court in Dublin as well corroborative statements from Gardai. He said the defendants’ lawyers could make representations as to what weight he should put on it.

The evidence is expected to be heard when trial proceedings move to Dublin for four days next week. Lawyers for McKevitt and a second defendant, Colm Murphy, had argued against admitting Rupert’s evidence without cross-examination of the witness claiming it was unfair.

However Judge Morgan added: “I immediately recognise that there is force in the submission advanced on behalf of these defendants that I will not have the opportunity to assess the demeanour of Mr Rupert in the witness box and that the transcript may be an unsatisfactory substitute for that.”

Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy, Seamus McKenna and Seamus Daly, all deny any part in the bombing. Also during yesterday’s brief hearing, barrister Brett Lockhart for the prosecution made an application to have evidence from Liam Campbell disclosed. On the first day of the civil trial, Campbell was described in court as a senior Real IRA officer.

The hearing has been adjourned until Thursday when Mr Morgan is expected to rule on the disclosure of Security Services documents.

BBC
7 May 2008

Outgoing Irish finance minister Brian Cowen has formally taken over from Bertie Ahern as taoiseach.

Brian Cowen is not expected to have much of a political honeymoon

The 48-year-old was elected in the Irish Parliament and won by 88 votes to 76. He was given a standing ovation by party colleagues in the Dáil.

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny said Mr Cowen had assumed position as captain of the team of Ireland and he urged him to use his position wisely.

Mr Ahern handed in his seal of office to President McAleese on Tuesday.

As prime minister, Mr Cowen succeeds Mr Ahern as Fianna Fáil leader and head of the coalition government.

His first electoral test is just weeks away, with a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty which reforms the EU.

Focus on finances

The Republic of Ireland is the only country holding a referendum on the issue.

All the main political parties with the exception of Sinn Fein are urging a yes vote, but the polls show growing support for those opposed, especially in the farming community.

Mr Ahern, 56, was taoiseach since June 1997 and has been a member of the Dáil or Irish Parliament for 31 years.

He announced on 2 April that he would be stepping down, amid mounting pressure as a public inquiry investigating planning corruption in the 1990s questioned him about his personal finances.

Mr Ahern said he had not done anything wrong, but was quitting because he did not want the constant focus on his finances to affect his Fianna Fáil party.

By Elaine Keogh
Independent.ie
Tuesday May 06 2008

THE number of visitors to the Battle of the Boyne site is expected to increase fivefold after the new visitors’ centre is officially opened today by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the North’s First Minister Ian Paisley.

The site on the banks of the Boyne river, near Drogheda, was developed under the auspices of the Good Friday Agreement, with the Government providing €30m in funding.

There were around 20,000 official visitors to the site last year; this is now expected to rise to 100,000, most of whom will probably also visit another attraction in the region.

The new centre has as its focal point the refurbished Oldbridge Hall, the former home of the Coddington family. The large estate house overlooks the site of the 1690 battle. The site is within the zone of the Bru na Boinneworld heritage site.

An Bord Pleanala is expected to give a decision this week on plans for 745 houses near Oldbridge. The proposed housing estate is earmarked for a 27-hectare site and was approved by Meath county council last year.

The developers are Niall Mellon and Pat O’Reilly, who recently contributed to the development of a 2.5km walkway along the Boyne river from the Bridge of Peace in Drogheda to Rathmullen.