December 2004 in Britain and Ireland

16 December 2004

Newcastle United go into the last 32 of the UEFA Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sporting Clube de Portugal. (BBC)
The Scottish Parliament votes to condemn "any cuts and mergers" that may result from a major restructuring announced by British Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon today in the House of Commons. (BBC)
The Irish Government passes legislation through the Dáil, to legalise automatic pension deductions from pensioners in publicly funded nursing homes. Those who previously had deductions illegally taken will be compensated by up to €2,000, though this will not necessarily result in full remuneration for some. The Health (Amendment) (No 2) Bill should now be approved by the Seanad. (RTÉ) (RTÉ)
The Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern is to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Brussels today on the fringes of a European Union summit. The main issue will be the governments' next move to try to resolve the stalemate in the Northern Ireland peace process over photographic evidence of Provisional Irish Republican Army decommissioning. (Irish Times - eircom.net)
The British the Law Lords, rule that the suspension of habeas corpus for foreign nationals detained under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 is illegal, being incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. (BBC)
British Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon announces a major restructuring of the Army, which will see four battalions cut and regiments merged. (BBC)