the news

STEP DOWN

Fine Gael's called on the Health Minister to return to the country immediately and resign from Government.

Mary Harney's under pressure after the latest delayed misdiagnosis scandal - this time surrounding x-rays at Tallaght hospital in Dublin.

One person's died and another's seriously ill after after almost 58,000 x-rays were not examined by a consultant radiologist over almost five years up to September last.

The Taoiseach's denied any Government cover-up after it emerged Minister Harney was informed of the issue last December, though it was only made public yesterday.

Fine Gael's Health Spokesperson Dr James Reilly says Mary Harney needs to return from her St. Patrick's Day celebrations in New Zealand immediately.

EYE ON THE INTERNET

Irish MEPs are calling for an EU wide public awareness campaign to highlight the issue of internet safety.

Fianna Fail MEP Pat "The Cope" Gallagher says at the moment the "Safer Internet Porgramme" that is in place does not go far enough to protect people who put personal information on the net, especially those who use social networking sites.

Facebook and Bebo and among 20 sites that are signed up to the EU's voluntary programme.

But  Pat "The Cope" says Europe needs to introduce laws to guarantee better protection for people.

7 HELD OVER CARTOONIST PLOT

Seven people are still being held by Gardaí investigating an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist.

The four men and three women - who have suspected links to Al-Qaeda - were arrested following raids in counties Waterford and Cork yesterday.

Lars Vilks was at the centre of a massive row in 2007 after his drawing of the head of the Prophet Muhammad on the body of a dog back was published in a Swedish newspaper.

Security expert Declan Power says Ireland is not immune to threats from Al-Qaeda:

"We are part of a broader family of nations - the EU. We are part of the western world - we are integral part in terms of culture and economics between the UK and the US. So of course, there are people who would seek to do damage who would pass through this jurisdiction or living in this jurisdiction and its always an issue that people like that need to be monitored"

TURKEY QUAKE CLAIMS 51

The death toll from a quake in Turkey has now risen to 51.

The 6 magnitude quake struck in Elazig province - 340 miles east of the capital Ankara.

Children are believed to be among the dead.

The tremor was followed by 30 minor aftershocks.

Rescue teams have been deployed to find survivors trapped under rubble.