Heroin addicts in Cork are not getting fast access to Methadone Treatment Programmes, which could be causing some to overdose. Cork's Methadone Treatment Programme currently has 150 members, while there are a further 14 people waiting to access the programme, according to the HSE. However, to be included on the waiting list, people must be assessed, and one city councillor says the low figures are merely due to delays in the assessment procedure.

New figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) this week confirm that the Cork Independent is not only the largest freely distributed weekly newspaper in Cork, but in Ireland, another accolade for the real capital. The ABC this week certified the Cork Independent's Letter Box Delivery throughout Cork City and County at 25,673 copies, for the period 2 January to 4 July 2010.

The sunny weather we have enjoyed over the summer is set to end this weekend. Met Eireann, the Irish Meteorological Service said that the good weather is at an end for the foreseeable future. Meteorologist, Jerry Scully claims this weekend will bring rain along the rebel county.

Despite 25 children at Crab Lane NS being infected with TB, the school will reopen as planned next Monday. Parents at the 220-pupil school were informed this week that a further two active cases of the disease were confirmed after three initial cases were diagnosed previously.

Plans by the Department of Social Protection to activate the economy through a social employment 'work for dole' scheme have been criticised in Cork. Minister for Social Protection, Eamon O Cuiv announced this week that he wanted to focus on job activation through providing social employment schemes for the unemployed.

Cork people are still willing to take part in clinical trials at the Shandon Clinic, despite last week’s incident in which three men were hospitalised during the testing of a drug for cancer patients.

Bishopstown Credit Union’s MasterCard debit card is two years old. To celebrate, shoppers in Wilton Shopping Centre were treated to some birthday cake yesterday 1 September, the official birthday of the worldwide card. Local councillor Brian Bermingham was on hand on the day to slice up the cake.

Plans are well underway for the Midleton Food and Drink Festival, taking place on Saturday 11 September. Festival Project Manager, John McCormack, grandson of the world famous Irish tenor, promises a great day out. “The Festival is a fantastic showcase for the wonderful variety of locally produced foods and crafts in East Cork,” he says. “It is now one of the premier food events in Munster.

The privatisation of Cork County Council’s bin service began yesterday, after a deal expected to net the council €10 million over the next year. Cork County Council sold its waste-collection business because it was faced with an “unsustainable financial position” arising out of falling customer numbers, the introduction of a VAT charge of 13.5 per cent and rising costs associated with a new EU landfill directive on the pre-treatment of waste.