Give more. GiveGive more. GiveGive more. GiveGive more. Give This year gave gave dodgybuta Now Only Modem 493Pay Broadband. No wires, no bills, just plug in and surf from less than 1 a day. three.ie Stores & Stockists1800 944 782 Huawei E1550 for 49 is subject to availability. Less than 1 daily rate based on purchasing monthly add on at 25. Compatible with PCs (Windows 2000, XP Operating Systems) and Macs. Service limitations and terms and conditions apply. See three.ie METRO Monday, November 23, 2009 D METRODigest A STOWAWAY cat survived a trip from Egypt to the UK after it became trapped in a container ship. The hungry male ginger and white cat, named Pharaoh by his rescuers, was found in a freight depot in a container which was brought to the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk a month after it left Port Said in Egypt. He will be rehomed when he has recovered from his trip. THE public do not believe the Government or anybody else can lead Ireland out of recession. A Red C Poll published in The Sunday Business Post has revealed two-thirds of people do not have confidence in the Fianna Fil/Green Party coalition to manage the public finances. However, almost half of respondents dont believe the Fine Gael/Labour Opposition are up to it either. Public is not confident TENS of thousands of benefits recipients will have their payments delayed this week because of the national strike, it was confirmed yesterday. The one- day action by public sector workers tomorrow will shut down all social welfare offices around the country. Around 35,000 people expecting maternity, illness, jobseekers and supplementary welfare payments will be paid a day late. Benefit payment delay FUNERALS for the four young women killed in a crash on the Galway-Mayo border last week were held at the weekend. Theresa Molloy, 19, was buried in Leitir Mr yesterday, and on Saturday funerals were held for Marie Stephanie N Conghale, 19, Sarah Byrne, 20, both from Co Galway, and Sorcha Rose McLoughlin, 19, from Co Wexford. Michelle ODonnell, 21, remains in a critical condition in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. Crash victims laid to rest PRESIDENT Mary McAleese signed the legislation establishing the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) yesterday, allowing the Government to start cleaning up banks balance sheets. Government can now launch the agency that will pay 54billion to buy toxic loans off the banks. The legislation was passed ten days ago by the Dil and Mrs McAleeses office confirmed she had now signed the law. McAleese ratifies Nama DUBLIN City Council is owed more than 67million, with 17million outstanding in housing rents, 30.6million in domestic refuse charges and 20.3million owed in metered water costs. The councils financial report also shows 3.4million has been collected in clamping charges up to September and 360million was paid out in payroll costs, while 24million has been paid in consultancy fees. City Council owed 67m Severe weather leads to flooding, water Nation counts cost after flood damageHALF of all homes in Cork city are expected to remain without tap water for at least a week after massive damage was caused to the citys main pumping station. Schools in the area which are without a water supply have been told to shut down, while tankers are distributing water at emergency supply points for areas worst affected. Hundreds of people evacuated from their homes in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, and Ennis, Co Clare, have not been allowed to return to their houses. The Defence Forces have been deployed to some of the worst-hit areas to help local emer- gency services, and remain on high alert should conditions deteriorate. Fears of water pollution have seen boil no- tices in parts of Cork and in Galway. Environment minister John Gormley, who spent the last two days travelling around the worst affected areas, said the damage is being described as a once-in-800-years event. But warning that scientific studies showed heavy flooding will become more frequent here, Mr Gormley said up to 50million extra will be spent every year on protection meas- ures. The full cost of the damage over the past few days now expected to run into millions of euro would not be known until Wednesday, he said. Ireland South MEP Alan Kelly urged the government to apply for EU funding for those whose businesses and homes were de- stroyed. The EU Solidarity Fund, set up after flooding in Germany and Austria in 2002, was available for such catastrophes, Mr Kelly said. Several main roads and streets in Galway, Cork, Limerick and Clonmel, Co Tipperary, remained impassable at sections during the day. Iarnrd ireann services were disrupted on the Galway, Sligo, Rosslare and Limerick to Ennis lines. Eircom said it has restored service to more than 20,000 customers over the weekend but 4,700 more remain without a connection. BY BRIAN HUTTON Water trucks supply Cork residents with water THREE lifeboat volunteers were rescued yesterday after their vessel capsized during rough conditions in the Irish Sea. The experienced crew were on a regular training exercise south of Ravens Point, off the northern shore of Wexford harbour, when they got into difficulties. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said it lost contact with the members onboard the Wexford inshore lifeboat at about midday. Rescue services were alerted after distress flares were spotted and another lifeboat from Rosslare and an Irish Coast Guard helicopter were sent to the scene. Two crew members managed to keep a grip of the upturned lifeboat and were winched to safety, but the third volunteer was swept away and was later pulled from the sea about a mile and a half away. RNLI deputy divisional inspector Gareth Morrison said all three were taken to Waterford Regional Hospital for a medical check and are recovering well. The experienced volunteers were training in strong winds and surf, Mr Morrison said. The RNLI has commenced a full investigation into the incident, he added. Crew of lifeboat are rescued from sea DONT panic yesterdays weather will be as bad as it gets for now. There were widespread fears that wild weather in the capital heralded some of the devastation endured by Galway, Cork and Clare. But last night Met ireann claimed we are past the worst of it and Dubliners will be spared the fate of their south-western brethren. Although Dublin experienced winds of up to 87kmh, this was nothing compared to the 133kmh gusts recorded in Belmullet, Co Mayo yesterday. Dublin has skipped through the worst of it, said Met ireann forecaster Vincent OShea. A very deep depression tracked across the north Atlantic and is just off the north coast at Malin Head, and those at the depression centre will get the strongest winds, he said. Dublin is more protected on the east coast. We are past the worst of it, though thats not to say it will go calm all of a sudden. But we will see a decrease. Mr OShea added we are not out of the woods, but there will be dry weather around the country today which will give the situation a chance to subside. But, substantial rain would be back tomorrow, he warned, though nothing as bad as last week. Worst is over say weather experts index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html