Last night a Sinn Féin selection convention in Navan selected Meath councillor Mr Joe Reilly to run for the party in the coming by-election in the county.
Two more candidates have put their names forward to contest the North Kildare by-election next year. Cllr J.J. Power, brother of Minister of State and Kildare South TD Mr Seán Power, has been nominated by the Green Party. He was re-elected to Kildare County Council in June, regaining a seat he lost five years ago.
Former European Parliament election candidate Seanan Ó Coistin has also announced he will run as an Independent candidate, but needs the support of 30 voters to get on the ballot paper.
Labour Cllr Mr Paddy McNamara, Independent Cllr Ms Catherine Murphy and PD Senator Ms Kate Walsh, have launched their campaigns. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have yet to hold their selection conventions.
€150,000 worth of diamonds recovered
Gardaí in Dublin have recovered a quantity of diamonds worth about €150,000 which are thought to have been taken during a robbery in the city yesterday evening. As part of Operation Crossover, a van was searched on Hartstown Road, Dublin 15, at around 6.45 p.m. and as well as the diamonds, gardaí also recovered a quantity of mace and a baseball bat.
A man in his 40s was arrested and taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station where he is being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Creggan police station not busy
The Pat Finucane Centre has formally applied to the Guinness Book of Records to have Rosemount PSNI station in Derry identified as the least used police station in the world. It made the application after PSNI Chief Supt Richard Russell confirmed that on average 12 members of the public visit the station each year, while the annual cost of running the station is £275,000.
Mr Paul O'Connor of the centre in Derry said: "Of those dozen visits I reckon that six of them were people demanding to have the watchtower in the station knocked down."
The PSNI said had no comment to make.
PSNI investigates telephone scams
The PSNI is investigating telephone scams, one of which is costing its victims up to £50 per minute. In one of the scams, a missed call comes up on the victim's mobile and if that number is called, calls are charged at £50 per minute.
In the land-line scam, a recorded message instructs the receiver that they have just won a holiday and to press 9 for further details.
This connects the line to a premium call number costing £20 per minute. Even if the call is terminated at that stage, a minimum of five minutes is charged.
Wife on murder attempt charge
A 61-year-old woman was charged yesterday with attempting to murder her husband in their home at Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, earlier this week. Ms Matilda Tracey Murphy, McNeice Fold, North Road, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody.
Her husband, Mr John Murphy (43), was found on Monday with stab wounds to his chest and abdomen and later had emergency surgery in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Vomiting bug in Dublin hospital
Patients in a number of wards at Dublin's St Vincent's Hospital are being treated for the winter vomiting bug, the Eastern Regional Health Authority confirmed yesterday.
It asked that anyone who may have contracted the condition not to attend A&E because of the risk of passing it on to others.