President Michael D Higgins has intervened in the continuing row over the inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar, saying it must meet the needs of her family as well as those of the State.

President Higgins’ unprecedented comments will increase the pressure on the Government to recast the investigation in response to continuing opposition from her husband Praveen.

However, Government sources continued to insist last night that the HSE-commissioned inquiry announced this week, to be held in private, would go ahead as planned. Mr Halappanavar is seeking a sworn public inquiry.

President says Savita inquiry must satisfy her family (Paul Cullen, Kitty Holland, Mark Hennessy, Irish Times)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

Coming to  a landline near you.

Unsolicited Automated Calls Being Made About Abortion (Krank.ie)

Via: Chris Tierney and Allan Cavanagh

Thanks Neil at Krank.ie

Meanwhile: 56,000 Pro-Life Calls Made To Fine Gael TDs Since Summer (Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times)

Also: How (and why) to complain about an unwanted political Automatic Phone Call

Tim Pat Coogan with Former American Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith.

He was set to deliver a lecture at the American Irish Historical Society in New York but they were informed on Tuesday that he was not given a visa.
It is one of a number of recent visa decisions at the Dublin Embassy which have been causing concerns at senior levels of the Irish government.
Experts say it appears that seemingly arbitrary rules are being followed with no definitive explanations.

 

Tim Pat Coogan Book Tour Cancelled After Visa Refusal (Niall O’Dowd, Irish Central)

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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