METRO Tuesday, November 24, 2009 D metrocompetition Terms & Conditions: The competition closes at midnight Friday 27th of November and the winners will be chosen at random from the entries received. Entrants must be over 18 years old. Usual Metro rules apply. The Editors decision is final. SP. Opera Telecom, Hospitality House, Cumberland Street South, D2. Customer Service number 0818286606 Metro Readers, this is your chance to win a Crafts Hamper to the value of 1,000 courtesy of the National Crafts & Design Fair. The fair, which is the largest of its type in the country takes place in the Main Hall Complex of the RDS from the 2nd to the 6th of December. Whether you are a confirmed shopaholic or completely phobic about shopping its a great chance to browse and enjoy the unique work of more than 500 designers, artists, and crafts people and is a heaven sent opportunity to buy all your Christmas gifts in a single shopping session! There will be a diverse range of goods on sale, everything from art to chocolates to jewellery to high fashion, as well as our Spectacular Christmas 2nd - 6th December Food Emporium. Text NCF followed by your answer A, B or C and your name to 53131 (texts cost 30c +standard network charge) or email your answer, your name and contact details to: ireland.comps@metroireland.ie WIN A CRAFTS HAMPER WORTH 1,000! www.nationalcraftsfair.ie The National Crafts & Design Fair takes place in the a) RDS b) DSR c) SRD To be in with a chance to win just answer the following question. 2nd -6th December Main Hall Complex, RDS, Dublin 4 METRODigest ARE you dreading your in-laws coming over for Christmas? If so, help may be at hand. A hotel chain is offering a special mother-in-law rate over the festive period to help reduce family stress levels. Holiday Inn is discounting rooms by 25 per cent for mothers-in-law staying at any of their 194 hotels between December 23 and 29. Family expert Kirsten Gronning said: Christmas can be an extremely stressful period, with incidents of arguments increasing five-fold. A NEW report reveals 55 per cent of Christmas shoppers will spend less than they did last year. However, the latest EBS Consumer Savings Sentiment Research also revealed that 36 per cent of people will spend about the same. As one might have expected, the level of spending this Christmas is likely to be down on last year, with those most affected aged 35 to 49, said EBSs Aidan Power, adding that 80 per cent of the population have become far more cautious about spending because of the impact of the recession. Christmas shoppers will spend less A CAREER criminal who pointed a loaded gun at garda as they carried out a drugs search has been jailed for eight years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Ian Dutton, 46, of Greenford Lawns, Clondalkin, was convicted of possessing a Glock semi-automatic pistol and ammunition in suspicious circumstances and without a certificate on October 4, 2005, and obstructing a garda who tried to fingerprint him. Dutton, who has 38 previous convictions, claimed he had been stitched up and was being harassed. Eight years for pointing gun at garda FOR THE YOUTH: Rugby star and Unicef Ireland Ambassador Donncha OCallaghan along with Saoirse and Tiarnan Gordon, both ten, yesterday launched Unicef Irelands Christmas partnership with Kildare Village Picture: Jason Clarke Ireland drops out of investor top 20By ROSS McDONAGH IRELAND has dropped out of the top 20 most attractive countries for in- vestment. The Global Venture Capital and Pri- vate Equity Country Attractiveness Index ranks Ireland 21st, down from its 2006 position of 16. Poor access to credit, the low-risk appetite of investors and the predomi- nance of sectors which venture capi- talists and investors find less attrac- tive such as retail, leisure and construction were listed as contrib- uting factors to the fall in rank. The report also lists the threats to Irish recovery which are damaging our attractiveness internationally, includ- ing the depth of the recession by com- parison to other countries, the surge in company failures and the fall-off in volume of mergers and acquisitions. However, the report highlights a number of opportunities for Ireland to regain its global ranking, including focusing on high potential and smart economy businesses such as new in- novative green technologies; the ex- istence of a strong, highly attractive medical device and pharmaceutical industry; as well as a drop in the price of shares and doing business. The US is at the top of the index, followed by Canada, the UK, Aus- tralia and Hong Kong, while Singa- pore, Japan, Switzerland, the Nether- lands and Germany round off the top ten. Alice Brannigan, three, at the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Childrens launch of their Christmas appeal. People are urged to donate funds to help children in need santas lIttle helper 100,000 to seek Christmas help MORE than 100,000 people are expected to seek the help of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) between now and Christmas a 25 per cent increase on last year. The withdrawal of the social welfare Christmas bonus, expected cuts in the forthcoming budget and the recent flooding are putting increasing demands on the societys services, SVP national president Mairead Bushnell said. SVP is seeing an increase in the number of people seeking food this year, for the first time in 20 to 25 years, Ms Bushnell said at the launch of its annual appeal, including SVP Week, which runs from December 6 to 13. Its services currently cost more than 1million per week and last year the society spent 27m on direct assistance including 9.4m on financial support, 6.1m on food, 3.8m on education support and 3.8m on help with energy bills. A CHILD was last night fighting for life in intensive care and on ventilation after contracting pneumonia from an outbreak of measles. The Health Service Executive (HSE) urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against the disease following a surge in reported cases. Medics raised concerns that the outbreak, which started in August, could spread among youngsters who have not being protected. The majority of cases have occurred among children from the Traveller community. Child critical after contracting measles A YOUTH who blinded a nurse in one eye by throwing a egg at her from a passing car has been given community service in lieu of three years jail. David Morgan, 18, from Bray, Co Wicklow, was out egging with his friends on the Bray Road in March 2008 when he hit Ann Dooley as she was out for a walk. In court, Ms Dooley rejected 10,000 Morgan offered calling it an insult. As well as medical expenses of 12,000, she claims she has lost 1.5million in earnings because she is unable to return to work as a nurse. Egger who blinded nurse evades jail index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html