The Front pages
Yesterday, the CAO’s website was hacked into. Today, third level education is again making headline news. Today’s Irish Times leads with ‘Third level funding must rise by €500m – report’. The report says that following the surge in student numbers, the current system of funding is unsustainable.
With colleges facing a 30 per cent increase in student numbers, the group of experts – led by economist Dr Colin Hunt – say that it’s essential that the money allocated needs to increase from €1.3billion to €1.8 billion by 2020.
It’s a good job we’ve got a buoyant economy with lots of spare cash swilling around in the coffers, then, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, Ivor Callely gets his regular name check – there’s been yet another complaint levelled against him, as two other Senators have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Over on the Irish Independent, the big news is that motorists are to be hit by a €900 rise in motor tax if they use their work vehicles for family or social journeys. The rules, proposed by Environment Minister John Gormley, have been branded “silly and unenforceable†by The AA and will require drivers of commercial 4x4s and small vans to declare that their vehicles are used for business only.
These drivers can either pay the increased motor tax or risk getting caught and facing fines, or even prison.
The Indo also has a picture of Sean Penn, who was photographed on Upper Mount Street, Dublin sporting eyeliner and back-combed hair and looking like a cross between Robert Smith of The Cure and Russell Brand.
The paper explains why – the 50-year-old Oscar winner is in the capital to film ‘It Must Be The Place’ about an ageing rock legend who chooses to live out his retirement in the city.
Tales from the Tabs
Actress Kelly Brook has claimed that she was axed from the panel of Britain’s Got Talent last year because she didn’t flirt enough with the show’s head honcho Simon Cowell, The Sun reports.
Kelly is currently on the cove of Playboy magazine and stars in Piranha 3d which opened in the US this week. “I’ve got big boobs and I’m halfway between an Oscar winner and a porn star,†The Sun reports her as saying.
The Sun also claims that rockers Kasabian crashed two wedding receptions at the hotel they were staying at while performing at a festival over the weekend.
The Daily Star reports that Abbey Clancy has agreed to take back her ‘love rat’ former fiancée Peter Crouch, providing he makes a concerted effort to get her pregnant.
The couple split after 19-year-old Algerian vice girl Monica Mint claimed Crouch had paid her for sex.
The Sports Pages
It’s a day when sport news made it onto the front pages after the not-exactly-surprising news that Tiger Woods and his Swedish wife Elin have announced their divorce in a joint statement.
As well as off-pitch news, there is the usual digest of news relating to on the pitch antics. The Irish Times reports that, unlike in previous seasons, frontline Irish rugby Internationals will be available to their provinces from the first or second rounds of the upcoming Magners League.
There’s also a report on yet another Premier League game where one time scored high while their opponents failed to get one in the net. Nothing quite like the three 6-0 drubbings over the weekend, but Liverpool were nonetheless overwhelmed by Manchester City in a game where Tevez scored twice in the second half and the final score was 3-0.
The Indo also report that ‘City walk all over Liverpool’, but lead with ‘Earley blow’ relating to news that Kildare are resigned to facing Down in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final without their inspirational midfielder Dermot Earley.
Despite returning to training in recent days, Earley is unlikely to be risked from the start after limping off the pitch during the quarter-final win over Meath when his troublesome knee collapsed under him.
Finally, The Sun reports that Man U chiefs will pay Sir Alex Ferguson’s £60k fines as he continues to refuse to speak to the BBC, thereby breaching the contract Premier League clubs have with the UK’s state broadcaster.
