METRO Thursday, October 22, 2009 D METRODigest A MAN wanted by Interpol has been found at a maximum-security prison in Nebraska in the US not as an inmate but working there as a guard. Czech- born Michal Preclik was arrested at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, where he had been promoted to corporal, after officials discovered he was wanted on suspicion of drug and fraud crimes. Preclik was granted legal residency in return for his help in the prosecution of a man for transporting and harbouring illegal immigrants. He later married an American in 2005. MINISTER for Health Mary Harney has given her backing to Noel Dempseys plan to reduce the drink-driving limit in an effort to save lives on Irelands roads. The transport minister is facing a major revolt against the plan from Fianna Fil backbenchers, who argue that it will damage rural pubs and communities. Several FF TDs are reported to have spoken out against the measure during a heated parliamentary party in Leinster House. However, speaking in Dublin yesterday, Ms Harney said the Government had already made a decision in relation to the matter and everybody would have to support Mr Dempseys efforts to cut road deaths. Harney backs drink-driving limit plan AN OIREACHTAS committee has called for the introduction of a national identity card as part of measures to combat social welfare fraud. The Committee on Social and Family Affairs yesterday published a report recommending a number of measures to crack down on fraudulent claims. It says it is concerned that fraud-detection resources may be inadequate as many staff have been moved to other areas to help process the huge rise in unemployment claims. The committee has identified several areas still susceptible to abuse, particularly the one-parent family allowance and job seekers allowance. Anti-fraud mechanisms have saved around 250million so far this year. Call for ID cards to stop welfare fraud THE population of the island of Ireland is projected to top 6.3million next year, coming close to the post-famine figure of 6.5million for the first time since 1851. The latest figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency estimate the regions population will top the 1.8million mark in 2010, while data from the Central Statistics Office estimates the current population in the Republic at 4.5million. Despite falling immigration because of the economic downturn, baby booms in the Republic and the North last year contributed to a natural population growth. The highest number of live births 75,065 since 1896 was recorded here in 2008. Islands population to top 6.3m in 2010 Charitys bid for internet panic button BY ROSS McDONAGHSOCIAL networking sites should have a panic button for children who feel at risk, according to Barnardos. This was just one of the recommenda- tions put forward by the childrens char- ity in a report launched yesterday by Minister for Children, Barry Andrews. The report, entitled Three Hazards Child Protection in the Electronic Age highlighted three of the main hazards facing young people in the age of the computer and the internet: privacy and protection; the security of data; and the ever increasing market for child pornog- raphy. Mr Andrews said he expected the re- port to play a major part in the formation of Government policy in this area. The development of new age media brings many benefits in terms of social networking, accessibility and education- al opportunity, he said. However, new media represents a very powerful medium for the proliferation of material and data that gives rise to child protection concerns. There is a responsi- bility on content providers, service pro- viders, parents, Government and wider society to protect children in the digital age. The report recommended that urgent consideration be given to the develop- ment of a commercially viable Age Veri- fication and Identity Management pro- gramme for children. It outlined a number of amendments that need to be made to the Data Protec- tion Act, including making it a criminal offence for anyone to represent them- selves as a child when contacting chil- dren through electronic means and mak- ing it an offence for an organisation to display personal data belonging to a child. Barnardos also called for an online panic button which would give immedi- ate access to agencies such as Child Line, Parent Line, Hotline, or An Garda Sochna, and for the establishment of a dedicated Paedophile Investigation Unit within the Garda. It also calls for legislation to enable Garda to block internet content that in- volves the abuse of children. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html