A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Orde and SF clash over PSNI criticism
The PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and Sinn Féin have clashed over republican criticism of the police service, writes Dan Keenan.
Sir Hugh criticised what he said were inaccurate and unfounded remarks made against the PSNI by republicans following the murder of former republican Frank McGreevy last month.
Sir Hugh rejected claims that his officers had failed to react to intelligence about the killing. He told a meeting in public of the policing board: "If we had intelligence, we would've acted on it."
Without specifically mentioning Sinn Féin, he went on to tell the board that general criticism of the PSNI was damaging.
He said the PSNI was "not immune to criticism", but added: "Broad statements saying my force is not up to it merits a response from me as I believe my force is up to it," he said.
"It is important that criticism is constructive," he continued, adding that reduction in crime could only come about as a result of an inclusive effort from all in society.
"My difficulty is, and the perception of many of my officers is that some of the criticism that we have received from a small number of politicians and commentators in the media are aimed directly at the police. [ It] does not seem to be rooted in a desire to solve overall issues and the problems we are facing I don't think it can continue." However, Sinn Féin board member Alex Maskey angrily denounced Sir Hugh's comments and called for a retraction.
"I am very, very angry to have had to listen to those remarks," he said.
Man found dead in his apartment
A 51-year-old man believed to have been dead for three weeks was found in his apartment yesterday morning.
Gerard Norris, with an address of Millersrest Apartments, Castlebridge, just outside Wexford town, was located in his single-bedroom apartment, having not been seen in the village for some time.
The emergency services along with local gardaí attended the scene after which the body was removed to Wexford General Hospital.
A spokesman for the Garda said that it is believed that the man, who is a native of Waterford, may have been dead for up to three weeks.
The Garda said that there was nothing suspicious regarding the death. However, a post-mortem examination will be carried out at Waterford Regional Hospital this morning.
Locals say the man had been living in the apartment for some time, but kept very much to himself.
Pilot project boost for red squirrels
Efforts to save Ireland's red squirrel population have been boosted by the success of a new pilot project. A community of the endangered species, threatened by the spread of the North American grey squirrel, has been successfully settled in Co Mayo.
Experts who last year placed five red squirrels in Belleek Woods outside Ballina, where there is no competition from greys, have confirmed the new arrivals have now started to breed.
The Republic's National Parks and Wildlife Service, which started the project in 2007, will work with the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland to protect the red squirrel population.
A survey carried out in 2007 showed that the grey squirrel is now found in 26 of Ireland's 32 counties. Mayo is one of the last grey squirrel-free zones.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley visited the wildlife project yesterday and praised its success. "The red squirrel is one of Ireland's most endangered mammals," he said. "It is declining at about 1 per cent per annum, so I am particularly pleased to see how well this pilot project is working."
Transferring red squirrels to safe areas is one of the actions being investigated to secure the future of the species in Ireland.