EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you the five stories you need to know as you head out the door.
1. #KALYDECO: The Cystic Fibrosis drug Kalydeco is to be made available to the estimated 120 patients who have the gene mutation 551D. The drug, which had previously been deemed as too expensive, will be available from 1 March, following agreement between the HSE and the drug manufacturer.
2. #COCAINE: Ireland has one of the highest rates of cocaine use in Europe, a report published by Interpol has shown. The report has also shown that Ireland’s domestic production of herbal cannabis has increased over the last five years, and that the country may be a centre for drug distribution and an entry point for Moroccan resin into Europe.
3. #ALLOWANCES: TheJournal.ie has revealed that TDs received €7.2 million in travel and office allowances last year. Topping the list for the second year in a row was Fine Gael TD Noel Harrington, who received allowance payments which totalled €63,550. To see what each TD was given last year, we’ve put together an interactive spreadsheet which breaks down the costs.
4. #GARDA CUTS: The Garda Representative Association has said that its members will not accept any further reductions in the terms of conditions of their contracts. The announcement comes following moves by the Department of Justice to make savings of €60 million in the garda pay bill between now and 2015.
5 .#OPEN PRISONS: A total of 128 people are currently at large from Ireland’s open prisons. The 128 include 23 who had been sentenced for motoring offences and another 33 who had been imprisoned for robbery or theft. Some prisoners have been at large for over ten years.
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