METRO Friday, October 30, 2009 D Helping you build a better life Department of Social and Family Affairs OPENING OF NEW OFFICE A new Social Welfare Services Centre will open in Swords on Monday 2 November 2009. This office will provide a claim acceptance and information service for customers residing in the Swords and Donabate postal areas. The opening hours will be 9.30am (10.30am on Thursdays) to 4.00pm from Monday to Friday. The office will be located at: 29 North Street, (Ground floor) Swords Co Dublin Telephone 01-7043942/43/47/49 Fax No. 01-8075428 METRODigest A DRUG addict who broke into Harcourt Street Garda Headquarters and stole an inspectors uniform has had his sentenced for trespass and theft adjourned to give him a chance to prove hes trying to turn his life around. Myles Howe, 36, from Coombe, Dublin 8 claimed he was strung out on heroin at the time and he pleaded guilty to stealing Inspector Gerard OBriens tunic, trousers, belt, gloves, caps, waterproof jacket and laptop, which he sold for three bags of heroin. Howe also pleaded guilty to raiding a 61-year-old widows flat on Patrick Street while she was out in August 2007 and stealing 2,855 cash and 1,000 worth of jewellery. TWO prison officers and one inmate were taken to hospital yesterday after a stabbing in Mountjoy Prison. One inmate attacked another with an improvised weapon in the recreational hall of the Dublin jails A wing, leaving him with three puncture wounds to the back. Two staff were also injured one in the hand and the other in the stomach after intervening. The three were taken to hospital, where their injuries are not serious. Meanwhile, six inmates face disciplinary action after a disturbance in Castlerea Prison, Co Roscommon on Tuesday when they smashed television sets and broke glass. Three were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Fine Gaels Charlie Flanagan said the Mountjoy stabbing was inevitable given the prisons overcrowded and dangerous conditions and called on Justice Minister Dermot Ahern for a segregation unit, increase CCTV coverage and introduce alternatives to jail for minor offences. Three injured in inevitable stabbing at Mountjoy FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday said the Government will engage intensively with trade unions this week to try to find a way through the current economic difficulties. Mr Lenihan was speaking as the public sector unions prepared to go into talks on a one-day work stoppage over Government plans to cut the public sector pay bill by 1.3billion next year. The Minister said the simple stark reality is that the Government dont have the money to fund what the unions expect. He warned that if the unions deny that reality and strike, it will damage the economy further as well as the people of the country. Public sector trade unions decided on Wednesday night that the 24-hour strike should go ahead, subject to a ballot of members. Members of Impact have already voted in favour of the strike which will likely affect schools, hospitals and public services in general on November 24. THE Government has revealed it aims to cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions by ten per cent in just one year to help meet tough EU targets. With just over a month to go until a crucial UN climate change conference in Denmark in December, a new website 1010.ie has also been unveiled advising people how to cut their carbon footprint. The EU has already agreed to reduce emissions by a fifth by 2020 and up to 95 per cent by 2050. Environment Minister John Gormley claimed the level of change needed to meet the radical targets was almost inconceivable. The sort of change that is required now is I think for most people incomprehensible, he said. It would mean huge reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors. Be it in the areas of transport, agriculture. These are going to be very onerous targets indeed, but also very necessary. Plan to cut greenhouse gases 10% in just one year Lenihan warns that strike will damage economy GARDA at Donnybrook are appealing for a man to contact them whom they believe may have vital information in relation to a year-old serious sexual assault investigation in Ranelagh. The victim had walked from South King Street in the city centre when she was assaulted in the Elm Park area of Ranelagh about 2.30am on October 26, 2008. Speaking yesterday, Superintendent Finbarr OBrien said: We are very keen to speak with this man, we have made exhaustive enquiries to date in relation to this very serious sexual assault but have failed to identify this witness. He added that good quality images of the man are on www.garda.ie. Someone out there must know him, Supt OBrien said. Identity of witness to sex assault sought New South Wales police CCTV still of a man they are seeking to identify in relation to the attack Picture: PA Irish man is critical after attack in OzBy jeaNaNNe Craig AN IRISH backpacker was fighting for his life last night after being attacked in Australia. Gearid Walsh sustained severe head injuries in the late-night assault at a takeaway in the Sydney suburb of Coogee. The 23-year-old was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition on a life-support machine. Detectives believe Mr Walsh had been out drinking at hotels in the area before getting involved in an argument with a man at a local food shop. He was punched and fell to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement. Mr Walshs mother has flown out to be by her sons bedside at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. It is understood the victim arrived in Australia one month ago on a working visa and had been spending time with his brother and sister, who also live in the country. This is a sad incident for the family, Detective Inspector Paul Simpkins of New South Wales police force said. Gearids mother arrived from Ireland on Wednesday night. This is the last rea- son she would want to come to Australia. The Department of Foreign Affairs is offering consular assistance to the family, who are believed to be from the Water- ford/Wexford area. Meanwhile, police have released video footage of a man they want to interview in relation to the assault. We would like to speak to the person in this CCTV footage as we believe he can provide us with information as to what happened, Mr Simpkins added. Last August, Cork man David Keohane was left in a coma after being attacked while walking home from a party in the beachside suburb. Fighting for his life: gearid Walsh index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html