4 METRO Monday, December 7, 2009 D Why have over 55,000 people come back to eircom? Simple theyve come back for great service and value. Take our new fixed-price bundle. You get 30 minutes of calls to any mobile network; unlimited local and national calls; and fast, reliable broadband all from a fixed monthly price of just 47. Always there to help you get better value 1800 431 432 or eircom.net/switch Subject to availability. Terms and Conditions apply. 56,265 residential and business accounts have switched back from 01.09.08 to 31.08.09. Out of package calls are rounded up to the nearest minute & cent. 12 month contract applies. See www.eircom.net for full terms and conditions. METRODigest COURTING couples in a South American city have been banned from kissing in a square that is flooded with more than 2,000 lovers every weekend. The square in Medellin, northern Colombia has become a mecca for passionate couples who have nowhere else to go. Many of them get completely carried away and lose every inhibition. It always starts with the kissing, so weve banned that first, said a spokesman for Medellins city council. THE Department of Justice has confirmed it will not renew its expensive lease on Pinebrook House on Harcourt Street in 2010. The building, which takes up the site of several four-storey houses on the prime city centre Georgian terrace, was costing the taxpayer 1.6million a year. Around 200 civil servants based there will be moved to the former Office of Public Works (OPW) building on St Stephens Green. A spokesman for Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said the move would save 8million over five years, adding it is an opportunity, to utilise State-owned property and make significant savings. Department moves to cheaper offices Caitriona Maguire, Kim Boyle, Edwina Dewort and Cristin Leavy from Dublin City South Volunteer Centre pull their socks up at a function to mark International Volunteer Day at the Guinness Storehouse Picture: Marc OSullivan SOCKS APPEAL Tradesmen to bail out flood victimsBY COLM KELPIE A HUGE fire at a glass factory in Co Fermanagh which left four employees needing treatment for smoke inhalation is to be investigated. The blaze at the Quinn Glass factory in Derrylin started in a furnace containing molten glass at temperatures of 1,600C. Fire Service area commander Eoin Doyle said: A furnace ruptured and 400 tonnes of molten glass came out like a lava flow into the factory complex... Ive been in this game for 30 years and Ive never faced anything like that. A total of 126 fire-fighters were involved in the 11 hour operation to douse the flames. Sixteen fire appliances were also deployed to the factory, part of the Quinn Group, founded by billionaire Sean Quinn. Glass factory fire was like a lava flow HUNDREDS of protesters, some in animal costumes, took to the streets in Dublin yesterday to call for harsher penalties for cruelty in the upcoming Animal Welfare Bill. Organisers said they also wanted to outlaw hare coursing in the Bill, which is being drafted by the Department of Agriculture. We have a historic opportunity to change things and I just hope the Government will do something, said John Carmody of the Animal Rights Action Network. Call for tougher cruelty laws SOME 150 tradesmen, architects and engineers have signed up to use their skills free of charge to help homeowners devastated by floods. Plumbers, plasterers, electricians, painters and decorators will all give up their time on Saturday to help with co-ordinated repair work in the midlands. Offers of help have come not only from the local area but also from across the east coast, according to organisers Onlinetradesmen.com. Ted Laverty, managing director of Onlinetradesmen.com, said he was delighted with the response. Theyve all been affected by what theyve seen. Its like a national Hurricane Katrina. Its been really heartening, he added. Athlone was among the worst hit areas in the Shannon region, with hundreds of families evacuated from their homes. It is estimated that around 200 families have had their homes damaged by the floods in the Westmeath area. Meanwhile, the Vintners Federa- tion of Ireland is to set aside funds to help pub owners whose premises were affected by the floods. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html