The Front Pages
Today’s Irish Times front page features the headline ‘Aer Lingus strike vote could cause travel disruption’, as the paper suggests the airline’s cabin crew are to ballot over the implementation of the company’s €97 million cost-saving plan.
The trade union Impact, which represents cabin crews at Aer Lingus, said yesterday that it is to ballot members for industrial action over the cost-containment plan. Aer Lingus has responded by saying that it does not anticipate any disruption caused from any proposed industrial action.
The Irish Independent on the other hand, runs with their main story ’11,000 new houses built as 300,000 still lie empty’. According to a new study from NUI Maynooth, 300,000 vacant houses are currently sitting 620 ghost estates, with 120,000 existing houses unlikely to ever be sold.
New figures also show that developers started work on nearly 11,000 homes over the past 15 months. The Independent to suggest that Environment Minister John Gormley is ‘powerless’ the put a stop to the building splurge, as he could face legal consequences if he imposes a suspension on new housing construction.
Tales from the Tabs
‘Are they barking? Council blows £15,000 on adventure playground for dogs’
The Daily Mail are chomping at the bit this morning over a 30ft square area at Southern Country Park in Hertfordshire, UK – a £15,000, first of its kind, adventure play park for dogs.
According to the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, over half of UK dogs will be obese within the five years and it is thought that using taxpayers’ money to combat this development was a sound idea, as it gives pet owners an area to exercise their dogs with Crufts-style obstacles and activities.
Emma Boon of the TaxPayer’s Alliance, however, was not impressed, and even managed to sneak in a cheeky pun saying, ‘The local council must have gone barking mad to spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash on this canine attraction.
‘Of course dog owners should exercise their pets as part of looking after them but a run around the park should be sufficient.’
The Sports Pages
New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has said that striker David Ngog will stay at the Anfield side, despite numerous rumours that he could be set to leave. Ngog scored twice during Liverpool’s 2-0 crushing of Rabotnicki Skopje in last night’s UEFA Europa League Qualifier – the first time Ngog has scored more than twice since joining his Merseyside teammates (Daily Mirror).
In other Liverpool news, the side’s move for Aston Villa full-back Luke Young is over, after the English defender failed to agree personal terms with Roy Hodgson’s men. Apparently Young baulked at the prospect of taking a £10,000-a-week- pay cut (Daily Star).
New Fulham manager Mark Hughes has been linked with a flurry of players this morning, many of which have already performed for the ex-Manchester City boss. With Manchester City looking to trim their squad before submitting their 25-player season roster, Hughes could swoop for Craig Bellamy, Stephen Ireland and Roque Santa Cruz, all of whom are thought to be expendable at Eastlands (Daily Mirror).
In other Fulham news, Hughes is scrambling to replace keeper Mark Schwarzer, who is edging ever close to a move to Arsenal. If the Australian shot-stopper walks, it is thought West Ham’s England goalkeeper Robert Green could be the new boss’ main target (Daily Mail).
