METRO Friday, October 2, 2009 D SPANISH TOURISM OFFICE 1, Westmoreland Street DUBLIN 2 Information number: 081 846 2960 Office inquiries: 01 635 0200 Fax: 01 635 0205 dublin@tourspain.es www.comunitatvalenciana.com www.costablanca.org www.spain.info Valencia Region. I give you everything. METRODigest A CITY council has launched a sex guide for the over- 50s. Older people in Manchester, England, many of them grandparents, will get dating and bedroom tips thanks to the illustrated booklet, running to more than 40 pages, from bureaucrats at the city council. Tips for more mature lovers include watching a sexy movie, reading erotic books, trying new sex positions and using Viagra to combat impotency in men. The 5,000 free copies cost taxpayers 8,000 (9,300), paid for by the NHS and Manchester City Council. SEPTEMBER was the safest month on record for Irish road users despite 13 people dying in accidents. Road safety chiefs yesterday revealed 177 people have died in collisions so far this year, 41 fewer than last year. The latest victim, a woman in her mid 30s, was killed when her car crashed into a truck on the Mallow side of Castletownroche village in Co Cork early yesterday. A six-year-old girl and the truck driver were taken to hospital. Gay Byrne, chairman of the Road Safety Authority, said driver behaviour was changing lives. While one death is one to many, what has been achieved this month and to date this year is truly amazing, he said. More importantly, its a tribute to the ordinary people of this country who have changed their behaviour. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said the work of the agencies involved, combined with the individual efforts of the public, has contributed to what could turn out to be the safest year on our roads. September was safest ever month on the roads SEVERAL hundred people queued for open interviews for part-time temporary positions over the Christmas period at Marks & Spencer yesterday. The line of job- seekers was several hundred metres long and continued to grow once interviews began early yesterday. The retailer has 588 temporary part-time positions to fill at its 20 stores around Ireland and was holding walk-in interviews in a hotel off OConnell Street yesterday, continuing today, to assess prospective candidates. The positions on offer are in a variety of areas and the company says they are open to anyone over school-leaving age. Successful candidates will be offered a two-day induction course and must be prepared to work a minimum of 16 hours a week every week between now and Christmas. Candidates also have to bring two references with them. The company said it had expected significant interest in the jobs but was surprised at the numbers that turned up. Hundreds apply for M&S temporary Christmas jobs US SECRETARY of State Hillary Clinton is to visit Northern Ireland in the next few weeks to discuss jobs and investment, Shaun Woodward yesterday said. The Northern Ireland Secretary made the announcement during his speech to the UK Labour Partys conference. Mr Woodward said the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont was the last part of the jigsaw to give the region the prosperous future it deserves. He told delegates Mrs Clinton (pictured) and her husband, former US president Bill Clinton, had been unstinting in their support for Northern Ireland, and specifically want to visit to help look at the jobs and opportunities and investment that America can bring. Hillary Clinton set for Northern visit Taxi drivers cause chaos in the cityby joanne ahernTAXI drivers caused severe traffic dis- ruption in the city centre yesterday as they took to the streets protesting over worsening working conditions. More than 100 taxi drivers were in- volved in the protest, which caused de- lays for commuters from 8am right throughout the day. Kildare Street was only open to public transport from 8.20am to 9.30am and many buses had to be diverted. Later on, the protesters moved on to OConnell Street, blocking all lanes ex- cept the bus lane, which resulted in traffic delays on surrounding streets. By evening rush hour, OConnell Street was completely closed and the protest had spread to the South Quays. AA Roadwatch controller Nicola Hud- son said: It was impossible to warn driv- ers to avoid any one area as they [the pro- testers] continued to move around. The city centre was a no go area all day. The action was taken by the Irish Taxi Council, which believes its situation has been worsened by a lack of regulation, and is seeking a response from the De- partment of Transport. But the Commission for Taxi Regula- tion said the taxi market is now liberal- ised and, therefore, there are no quantita- tive controls on the number of operators. A separate protest is planned for the East Link between 3.30 and 5.30pm today. A THREE-pronged silver bullet may sound painful, but it is actually designed to mend Irelands wounded tourism sector. Dublin Tourism has launched its Cultural Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2009 2011, which it describes as the silver bullet that can turn the tourism tide. The three-pronged plan focuses on information sharing among members, co-ordination of information on events and dissemination of information to both foreign and domestic tourists. The last point includes producing a City of Living Culture map of Dublin, highlighting cultural quarters and venues; improving on-street signage for cultural events; creating a downloadable map of cultural hotspots, and developing an insider-style news report on unique or quirky Dublin events and places for blogs, podcasts and Twitter. Dublin Tourisms Frank Magee said the plan will result in more co-ordinated, compelling and dynamic cultural tourism products. Three-pronged plan aims to mend tourism sector TODAYS TOP SHOT: Last Summer Eve by Cristi Varvari Metro readers from around the globe are invited to take part in one of the worlds largest photo competitions. This year the themes are: People, Places and Climate Change. For your chance to see your work in print around the world and win one of three trips for two to a Metro city of your choice, simply submit your photographs by Sunday october 18. Upload your photos now at www.metrophotochallenge.com/ie METRO PHOTO CHALLENGE index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html