Plans are now in full swing for the 2010 Cork ‘20’ International Rally to be held in October. Entry forms can be downloaded from the event website along with other details needed for competitors and spectators alike. This year's event will boast no less than six different rallies, namely the Cork '20' International Rally, the Cork '20' National Rally, the Cork '20' Historic Rally, the Cork '20' Junior Rally, the Fiesta Sport Trophy and the Citroen Racing Trophy.

The boat known as ‘Dreamer’, the fastest rigid inflatable boat (RIB) in Ireland, will be on show on Saturday 4 September as part of Cork Harbour Open Day. The RIB, which was built locally by Gale Force Ventures in Carrigaline is owned by Phillip Fitzgibbon from Kerry. Phillip currently holds the round Ireland record for the fastest time around Ireland in a RIB, a record he aims to break in the new RIB ‘Dreamer’.

Des Wixted with his two grand sons James and Harry enjoying the family fun day at Bishopstown Leisure World last weekend.
Photo: K Aherne

Edana Murphy and Aoife Ryan pictured in Dripsey National School, co. Cork on their first day in Junior Infants class.
Photo: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Phil O'Hare from Rescue Organisation Ireland, Andy Fyfe from UK WRO and Evelyn O'Sullivan from Cork Convention Bureau get in some practice at the Port of Cork for this week's World Rescue Challenge.
Photo: Gerard McCarthy

Cork Green Party Senator, Dan Boyle, has announced that the deletion of section 59b of the Mental Health Act 2001, the section that deals with the use of forced Electro Shock Therapy (EST), is now Green Party Policy. The Green Party currently has a Private Members Bill dedicated to deleting section 59b from the current legislation and Senator Boyle's announcement pushes the argument past debates about its wording to calling for its complete removal.

A spokesperson for the Cork City Drug Squad has said that this weeks' introduction of the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act could result in the resurgence of more traditional hard drugs. Five suspected heroin dealers were arrested in Cork City this week, following searches by the Drug Squad to weed out suppliers of the drug in the city.

In the wake of Ivor Callely's resignation from the Fianna Fáil party this week, Senator Dan Boyle has also called for his removal from the Seanad while Fine Gael TD Bernard Allen described it as a "dagger in the back" of politics.

A Cork businessman has questioned the government's reasoning behind a move to police the use of commercial vehicles for private use. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government this month issued a circular, which it described as "no way out of the ordinary", on the rules and regulations regarding motor tax for commercial vehicles, following what it described as "an increase in the number of vehicles switching from private motor tax classes to commercial vehicle classes".

The town mayor and foreman of Midleton have hit out against the latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) league report, which said the town was "seriously littered" and ranked it in 50th position out of 53 towns and cities surveyed. Town Foreman, Billy Buckley, told the Cork Independent that the An Taisce judges of the survey need to "get real" and realise that towns are struggling without outdoor staff, due to the local authority recruitment embargo.