The Irish Government’s current mental-health services violate the human rights of people with intellectual disabilities, the Opposition part have claimed. Fine Gael and Labour have pledged to create modern, world-class services for the mentally ill as they launched pre-election proposals on the issue. Fine Gael’s deputy health spokesman Dan Neville said: “Our psychiatric service is out of step with international best practice and falls far short of full respect for the human rights of people with mental illness.”

Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal have recieved over 280,000 euro in funding for local groups who provide marriage, child and bereavement counselling services. It’s part of nine million euro allocated nationwide

The NI Children’s Commissioner has applied for a judicial review into proposed new legislation about physically punishing children. New laws will make it illegal for a parent/guardian to hit a child only if it results in lasting harm or marks. Commissioner Barney McNeany said the government was failing in its duties to promote and protect children’s rights.

Heroin with a potential street value of €200,000 has been seized by gardai in Dublin. A 33-year-old is being questioned by detectives following the raid on a house in Kilcronan

The average cost of a health insurance claim for a person over 60 is approximately four times higher than the average cost of claims for a person under the age of 40, according to Vhi Healthcare. Figures released by the company today show that although people of all age profiles get sick and need to make claims, medical costs are predominantly age-related, with costs for the elderly significantly more expensive for the insurer. 22% of those in the age category 18-39 claimed, while 84% of those over 60 made a claim.

More than 5,000 attacks on health workers in Northern Ireland have taken place in the last year, a doctors’ organisation has claimed. The BMA NI Council’s Dr Brian Patterson was speaking as they launched a survey to gauge the level and nature of violence against staff. “Attacks on, threats to, and verbal abuse of doctors and other health-care workers have to stop,” he said. “Urgent action is needed to halt this totally unacceptable situation.”

The number of homeless children not being cared for by any family member has risen to almost 500, according to the latest unpublished figures. The majority of 492 homeless children were in their mid-to-late teens. However, some 22 homeless children were under the age of 12, according to figures compiled by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Department of Health.

Some of the world’s top judges and magistrates are due in Northern Ireland today for an international convention on the protection of children’s rights. President Mary McAleese, the Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland Sir Brian Kerr and Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, will join 500 delegates across the world at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall for the opening ceremony of the prestigious event.

Urgent action must be taken to reduce waiting lists for psychiatric consultation which stand at more than 12 months in many areas of Ireland, it has been claimed. Dan Neville, a Fine Gael TD, called for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to be made available to mental health patients. “It is simply unacceptable that waiting lists in many areas of the country are in excess of 12 months for psychiatric consultation,” he said. “Despite this the NTPF has never been available to mental health patients and, in the area of child and adolescent psychiatry, in particular, there are waiting periods of one year or more.”

At the Rape Crisis Centre on Belfast’s Donegall Street, director Eileen Calder is running late. A counselling session has just finished. The centre’s only other full time worker, Eileen Kelly, opens the window of the counselling room and apologises for the smell of cigarette smoke: “Some women find it very difficult to talk.”