Recognition for local company

Local firm Bellurgan Precision has received another feather in its cap when it was recognised as excellent supplier by Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology.

The family-run precision engineering firm was invited by Medtronic to their Operational HQ in Minneapolis, Minnesota to attend a Top 100 Global Supplier Recognition Conference recently.

Bellurgan Precision was one of twelve companies recognised by Medtronic with a Supplier Excellent Award at the event which was attended by almost 400 representatives from 103 companies. Medtronic have more than 53,000 suppliers worldwide.

Bellurgan Precision have supplied Medtronic for nearly 20 years and has a long history of engineering collaboration with them over this time. The company, which was founded by Barney Carroll, now supplies Medtronic with core parts that go into their critical ventilator suite of products that keeps patients stable in intensive care settings around the globe. RETIRED consultant surgeon Michael Shine, jailed last month for indecently assaulting two patients in the 1970s, has been granted bail pending an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Shine (85), of Wellington Road in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to eight counts of indecently assaulting six patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and at his private clinic, both in Drogheda, Co Louth, on dates between 1964 and 1991.

A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty of indecently assaulting two 15-year-old boys in the 1970s, the trial judge directed a not guilty verdict in respect of one complainant and the jury acquitted him on the remaining counts.

On November 2, he was given consecutive 10 month sentences in respect of each victim totalling 20 months imprisonment. The maximum sentence for the offence at the time was two years.

Shine, whose health was described as “perilous” on a previous occasion, has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Granting bail pending his appeal in the three-judge court, Mr Justice Alan Mahon said Shine’s lawyers had drafted 17 grounds of appeal against conviction and sentence, two of which,

Mr Justice Mahon, who sat with Mr Justice John Edwards and Mr Justice John Hedigan, said the court would grant bail on a number of conditions.

Shine was required to reside at his home address, appear at each court date, sign on once a week at a local garda station, undertake not to apply for a passport, and expeditiously prosecute his appeal.