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Last February the Minister for Justice went ahead with his plan to close 100 Garda stations across the country, the largest of which was Stepaside, which services 10,000 residents and another 10,000 people who travel to work in the area every. The 34 Gardai who work there were redeployed to Dundrum, Cabinteely and Dun Laoighre. The closures are part of a plan to free up an extra 61,000 garda patrol hours.

Reporter, Paddy O’Gorman has been to Dundrum, Cabinteely and Dun Laoighre Garda stations to see how things are going there...

Leading the protests against the closure is Indpenendent TD for Dublin South, Shane Ross who Pat spoke to.  

It has been a busy night at the labour relations commission. In the early hours of this morning Teaching Unions were issued with new proposals to put to their members over the coming weeks. meanwhile, discussions with health sector unions are continuing.

Labour Relations Commission Chief Kieran Mulvey has said that substantial progress has been made in negotiations. and Minister Brendan Howlin described the “all night” talks as constructive.Martin Wall Industry Correspondent of the Irish Times spoke to Pat.

The Oireachtas Health Committee is hearing submissions from legal experts on the final day of its hearings into the Government's proposed heads of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill. Retired Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness and Professor William Binchy from Trinity College Dublin are among those who will appear before the Committee today.Valerie Cox reports.

Irish consumers spent over €27 million on sports drinks last year. They are endorsed by our biggest sports stars and the link between athletic excellence and the consumption of sports drinks has become fixed in the public mind.

But are they of any use and do they do what they say they do?

In this evening’s Consumer Show, Kathriona Devereux puts them to the test and she joined Pat this morning.

The inquest into the deaths of the skipper and four of the crew of the fishing trawler, Tit Bonhomme has just started at Cork City Courthouse. Five men died when the trawler hit rocks and sank at the entrance to Glandore Harbour in West Cork in January of last year. The only survivor of the tragedy is expected to give evidence at the inquest. Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent, Irish Independent is at the inquest and apoke to Pat.

It is twenty years ago since Dawson Stelfox became the first Irishman to stand on the summit of Mount Everest , the highest mountain in the world. Alone, with no footprints, no Sherpas and no guides, Stelfox leaving his supportive team behind on the mountain, guided himself to the top of the world.

The significance of the 1993 expedition, on the eve of the Peace Process was that the team was made up of cross border members and they climbed without a flag. Their challenge grabbed the attention of the nation and on this programme we followed each step of the assent..

Now Lorna Siggins and Dermot Somers, one of the expedition team have written a book recounting that climb and the Irish expedition team that made it happen, its called Everest Calling and Pat spoke to  Lorna Siggins  and Dawson Stelfox, the first Irishman on Everest.

Book

Everest Calling: The Irish Journey by Lorna Siggins with Dermot Somers, and with a selection of previously unpublished photographs by recent Everest summiteers, is published by Collins Press at €19.99.

She first came to prominence during RTE’s talent search “You’re a Star”, singer songwriter of folk music and folk inspired pop music Louise Killeen’s latest Album ‘Brilliant Tease’ has been getting good reviews at home and abroad. Louise Killeen together with James Blennerhassett on bass and Brendan Emmett on guitar performed   ‘Easy Talk’ , and 'Charming Hands'  from her  album for Pat this morning.