A WOMAN was airlifted to hospital yesterday after her car fell 100 metres from the top of Howth Head in Co Dublin.

The Coast Guard Cliff Rescue Team and Dublin fire brigade paramedics were alerted around midday after the car, in which the woman was the sole occupant, dropped down a steep incline at the summit of the tourist spot.

The woman was removed from the car and airlifted to Tallaght Hospital. Her condition was described as stable.

Republic 'losing fuel price advantage'

The addition of four cent per litre to the cost of petrol and five cent per litre to the cost of diesel in the form of the new carbon tax means the Republic has lost its price advantage over Northern Ireland, according to the Automobile Association.

Petrol now costs an average of 122.4¢ per litre and diesel 112.4¢ per litre. In the Republic about 70 per cent of the retail price of petrol and 58 per cent of the retail price of diesel is made up of tax, including VAT, excise duty and the carbon tax.

The average price for petrol in Northern Ireland is now the same as the Republic, €1.22 per litre.

Diesel remains cheaper in the Republic because it is taxed more highly in the UK. A litre costs a Northern Irish driver €1.24 on average, roughly 10 per cent more than in the South. But that gap is narrowing -- in September 2008 diesel was 18 per cent more expensive north of the border.

Healthcare costs lead to row in UK

The high cost of medical care in Ireland has led to a political row in the UK. The British government was accused by the Conservative Party of wrongly diverting millions of pounds from the National Health Service to pay for the healthcare of pensioners in the Republic.

Under reciprocal arrangements the two countries make payments to each other to cover the cost of providing healthcare to their citizens -- including pensioners -- living in the other's country. But while the UK received just €2,890 a year per pensioner from the Irish Government, we received almost three times that amount with €8,269 per pensioner, the Conservative Party claimed.

Conservative health spokesman Andrew Lansley said British "incompetence" was costing the NHS millions of pounds. "It is inconceivable that healthcare in Ireland really costs three times as much as in the UK," he said.

The British Department of Health said that the figures reflected the average cost of healthcare in each country.

"Negotiations have been ongoing since 2007 on the amount the UK should be paying to cover the cost of healthcare for UK pensioners living in Ireland," a spokesman said.

One winner scoops €2.6m Lotto prize

THERE was one winner of last night's €2,667,621 Lotto jackpot. The numbers were 3, 7, 15, 21, 29, 38 (bonus 28).

There were no Match 5+bonus. winners. There were 69 Match 5s (€2,258 each); 141 Match 4+bonus (€276); 2,905 Match 4s (€82 ) and 3,799 Match 3+bonus (€42). There were 44,201 Match 3 winners who win a €10 scratchcard

The Lotto Plus 1 numbers were 1, 7, 9, 14, 17, 23 (bonus 3). And the Lotto Plus 2 numbers were 7, 21, 23, 25, 26, 30 (bonus 36).

Ex-rugby international Tom Gavin dies

THE death has taken place on Christmas Day of former Irish rugby international and priest Msgr Tom Gavin.

He earned two Irish caps during the 1949 rugby season and was closely associated with London Irish and Newbridge College. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Christmas calls to Childline up 13pc

Volunteers working for the ISPCC Childline service dealt with 788 telephone calls and 107 'contacts' by text or online on Christmas Day. This was a 13 per cent increase on calls received during the same 24-hour period last year.

Goose saved after his gander in lake

HARVEY the gander must have thought his goose was cooked when he got stuck in a frozen lake two days before Christmas. He was spotted 50 metres offshore as guests were having breakfast at Harvey's Point Hotel on the edge of Lough Eske near Donegal town.

Using hatchets to cut away the ice, joint hotel owner Jody Gysling and hotel helper James Begley made their way by boat to the stricken bird.

"We didn't want to lose him because he is one of a trio of geese that have been around for the past 20 years and came to be regarded as pets," said Deirdre McGloin. Harvey is reported to be none the worse for his ordeal.

Man killed after being hit by lorry

A MAN was killed when he was struck by a lorry on Christmas Eve in Co Kerry. The incident happened at Ardfert village at around 3.40pm. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Earl of Harrington leaves €2m in will

THE Earl of Harrington, a well-known horse breeder and landowner in Limerick, has left more than €2m in his will, which went to probate in Dublin last week. William Henry Leicester Stanhope of Ballingarry, Co Limerick, who died on April 12, 2009, left an estate valued at €2,026,341.

Other wills: Denis O'Connor, doctor, Munster & Leinster Bank House, Kenmare, Co Kerry, €3,196,167; David Proctor, farmer, Clonmore, Hackettstown, Co Carlow, €1,960,748; Catherine M Corballis, homemaker, Delgany, Co Wicklow, €1,568,683; Kenneth Fyffe, draper, Abbeyleix, Co Laois, €1,372,361; Patrick J McDonnell, parish priest, Parochial House, Hackettstown, Co Carlow, and late of Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, €674,370.

The value of wills include property, including the family home, and should not be regarded as cash amounts.

Sunday Independent