THE Board of Tallaght Hospital has decided to proceed to tender for a colocated private hospital in Tallaght after a special meeting yesterday morning.

Tallaght hospital is one of eight public hospitals on which the HSE wants private co-located hospitals built in order to implement a government plan to free up 1,000 public hospital beds.

Dr Fergus O'Ferrall, a board member and director of the Adelaide Hospital Society, said, "The board was left with no other option".

Man injured in Wexford assault

A 33-YEAR-OLDman is in a critical condition in hospital in Wexford after a serious assault in the George Street area of the town yesterday morning.

The incident occurred around 2.25am and it is understood the victim has very serious head injuries.

A 20-year-old man was arrested.

Escaped prisoner may be in Spain

GARDAI believe a dangerous prisoner who was mistakenly released from Mountjoy Prison last Wednesday may be in Alicante, Spain.

Mark Kenny, 35, from Ballyfermot in Dublin was serving six years for armed robbery. He was not due for release until 2010 but was freed after another prisoner of the same name in the prison was granted temporary release. Staff mixed up the two Mark Kennys and the wrong one was set free.

A close relative of Kenny is resident in Alicante and gardai suspect the prisoner took advantage of the stroke of luck and fled the country.

950-mile cycling tour for autism

THREE Athlone men are to cycle 950 miles around Ireland in eight days to raise money for Autism Ireland. Starting on Saturday, Gerard Tiernan, 27, his brother John, 31, and brother-inlaw Tommy Hewitt, 29, begin a tour of covering more than 13 counties.