METRO FREE Monday, November 23, 2009 www.nationalcraftsfair.ie see page 9 WIN A CRAFTS HAMPER WORTH 1,000! PUBLIC sector workers in areas hit by severe flooding have agreed not to strike as they deal with the devastation. The storms have seen hundreds evacuated from their homes in the south and west and 18,000 Cork city residents left without tap water for a week. Members of Siptu, Impact and the TEEU de- ferred their planned industrial action in Galway, Cork and Clare tomorrow, to work on recovery efforts after days of crippling floods. Siptus Gene Mealy said: We will be monitor- ing the situation and our members will always respond wherever there are lives at risk or urgent humanitarian issues to be addressed. Environment Minister John Gormley said it would not be possible to gauge the full scale or cost of the damage until the middle of the week. I think its fair to say what we are experiencing at the moment is unprecedented, he said. Mr Gormley and Taoiseach Brian Cowen thanked council workers who agreed not to take part in the national strike because of the crisis. Speaking after a meeting of the States Emer- gency Response Co-ordination Committee, Mr Cowen warned high tides and further heavy rain- fall were being forecast for today and tomorrow. Mr Cowen said the main concern was to help people evacuated from their homes and to main- tain water supplies. In the UK, the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the countrys history has devastated the north, in- cluding the picturesque Lake District. Tragedy struck when policeman Bill Barker died when a bridge in Cumbria collapsed as he directed traffic not to cross it. BY ROSS McDONAGH Strike called off in flooded areas Lucan twins John and Edward Grimes were finally booted off the X Factor last night, after outraging critics, the talent shows judges and many viewers with their enormous popularity among the public. The twins, known as Jedward, were voted off after a ropey rendition of Boyzones No Matter What. Full story: Page 11 JEDWARD BOW OUT OF x FACTOR HELP METRO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER TODAY INSIDE TODAY Ian Brown: Page 12 The record shows he took the blows and did it his way Interview: Page 14 D4 child: Ross OCarroll-Kelly on human rights PLUS Whats on TV tonight Pages 14-15 Counting the cost: Pages 4 & 5 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html