Conflicting accounts as to the sequence of events leading up to the death of Mrs Savita Halappanavar have emerged at an inquest into her death. Claims made by Mrs Halappanavar’s husband Mr Halappanavar as to who was present and the time and place of certain events have been challenged by lawyers representing the HSE, the...
A presentation made by the U.S. Army which classified Catholics and Evangelical Christians as “extremist” religious groups alongside al Qaeda and the Ku Klux Klan has been criticised as “dishonorable” and “anti-religious” by groups representing army chaplains. The presentation detailed a number of extremist threats within the U.S. military, including white supremacist groups, street gangs,...
More US couples are cohabiting than ever, according to new figures from the National Centre for Health Statistics. According to the data, almost half of US women are choosing cohabitation rather than marriage as their “first union”. The lead author of the study, Casey Copen, said that the figures may represent a new norm for...
The representative body for the medical profession in Ireland has rejected three motions calling for the legalisation of abortion under various circumstances. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) voted against a motion supporting regulation of abortion in line with the X Case and with Government legislative plans. The motion was defeated by 42 votes to 32...
A new website which highlights the reasons why children are taken into State care by the HSE has been launched. It will be the first time that the reasons for HSE interventions will be revealed, as up until now, the in camera rule in family law cases has prevented this information from being revealed. The...
One in five teenagers is drinking at least once a week by the time they are in fifth year in school, new research suggests. “Significant bingeing” was evident at that stage, researchers said and the drinking patterns of boys and girls did not differ significantly, The Irish Independent reports. And they warned that drinking posed...
Viewing of pornography among 14 year old boys is almost universal, unpublished research by Britian’s children’s watchdog suggests. The research by the Children’s Commissioner into access to pornography found that every boy and half the girls in a year group of 14-year-olds in one school had watched pornography, The Daily Telegraph reports. The deputy children’s...
Amending the Constitution to allow same-sex couples to marry would involve the wholesale redefinition of the institution of marriage, not simply its extention, the Knights of Columbanus have said in their submission to the Constitutional Convention. In their submission they say that marriage as it is currently defined “fulfils a crucial function in contributing to...
Just over one third of Irish people attend church at least once a week. Of these, nine percent attend more than once a week, according to a new survey. The research, conducted by Behaviour and Attitudes for the Sunday Times, also showed a further 10pc said they attended Mass once every two to three weeks,...
A Department of Education survey on school patronage in 38 areas has revealed only a “limited request for change”, the Council of Education of the Catholic bishops has said. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said that the survey showed “sufficient demand for change” and the Department has recommended that schools be transferred to new patrons...
