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O'Donoghue apologises to victim's parents
Wayne O'Donoghue yesterday apologised to Mark and Majella Holohan for causing the death of their son, Robert, as he was released from prison after serving three years for the manslaughter of the 11-year-old schoolboy. p

'Nothing which I may do or say will ever ease their suffering'
Statement by Wayne O'Donoghue on being released from the Midlands Prison yesterday morning: p

Fine Gael to lodge complaint on Ahern's tax status
The Fine Gael front bench has decided to lodge a formal complaint with the Standards in Public Office Commission about the Taoiseach's level of tax compliance, following the recent disclosure that he does not currently have a tax clearance certificate. p

Top drug dealer held after heroin seized
One of Dublin's most significant drugs traffickers was being questioned by gardaí last night after he was arrested trying to flee the scene of a €7 million heroin seizure. p

Other Stories

Facebook considering adding Ireland as a friend
Facebook, the rapidly growing social networking website, is considering Ireland as the location for its European hub. Executives from the company have met providers of business and technology services in Ireland in recent weeks. p
Suicide prevention funds halved
The national office responsible for tackling suicide will receive just half the funding it needs to implement a suicide prevention strategy which the Government has described as an "urgent priority". p
Taoiseach pledges Ireland will continue to give aid to Tanzania
Ireland, which is giving €170 million in overseas aid to Tanzania over the next three years, will continue to help the east African country "in whatever way it can", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday. p
Ahern defends referendum plans
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has strongly rejected Opposition calls to abandon his plans for a wide-ranging children's rights referendum this year. p
Health service posts to be strictly controlled
Critical frontline posts in the health service, such as those of doctors and nurses that are vacant since last year, cannot now be filled unless another post is done away with, it has emerged. p
Nursing unions in 'last chance' return to Labour Court over pay
Unions representing tens of thousands of nurses have said they will take their main claims for pay increases back to the Labour Court in a final push for a negotiated solution to the long-running dispute. p
Many Green councillors to back leadership's Yes campaign
A substantial number of Green Party councillors will support the call by the party leadership to back the Yes campaign at its special convention on the Lisbon Treaty in Dublin on Saturday. p
Irish diplomat appointed to key UN post
A senior Irish diplomat has been appointed as joint chair of a key working group established to devise a blueprint for the reform of the United Nations. p
Cardinal Brady tells of hope for peace after visit to Holy Land
On a miserable wet Roman night, Cardinal Seán Brady yesterday "took possession" of the Church of Saints Quiricus and Julitta in Rome, the titular church assigned to him when he was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI two months ago. p
Vocations: a year of events planned
The 'Year of Vocation' alluded to by Cardinal Brady in Rome yesterday will extend from Vocations Sunday on April 13th next to Vocations Sunday 2009, which falls on May 3rd of that year. p
POLE POSITION: electrical obstacles fail to halt building of school
The people behind Co Wicklow's newest secondary school are so keen to have the facility up and running that they are loath to let a little thing like a couple of ESB poles get in the way. p
Emergency handbook to be distributed to all households
The Government plans to distribute a new handbook on emergency planning to every household in the State by mid-March, Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea announced yesterday. p
Council not to appeal Neary case
A decision by the High Court last month to overrule a Medical Council fitness-to-practise decision in relation to two obstetricians will not be appealed to the Supreme Court. p
Irish drug regulators block European reapproval of painkiller
Drug regulators in the Republic have succeeded in blocking the reapproval of a commonly-used painkiller linked to liver failure following representations to a high-powered European Commission drug-safety body yesterday. p
Overtime issue may delay flights at Dublin
Flights in and out of Dublin may be delayed from today because of a refusal by air traffic controllers to work overtime. p
Women taxi drivers sought for new service
Women drivers are being sought to operate a new 24-hour gender-specific taxi service in Dublin. The service, Angel Cabs, is being marketed at women. p
Actor refuses invite over remarks on illegals
Actor Fionnula Flanagan has pulled out of a US-Ireland Alliance event in a row over the undocumented Irish. p
DPP drops charge in ex-rugby player's case
The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided not to proceed with a case against former Irish rugby international Eddie Halvey, who was due to face trial next month in connection with the death of a 16-year-old Co Limerick youth killed in a road traffic incident. p
Increase in medicine places, but points still necessary
College Choice/Brian Mooney: Medicine attracted 2,215 first preferences for undergraduate places and 324 for postgraduate places in 2007, representing less than 4 per cent of overall applicants. p
In Short
A roundup of today's other news stories in brief p

In the Courts

Psychiatrist found not guilty of murdering her daughter
A psychiatrist who drowned her teenage daughter in the bath to save her from what she believed would be a hopeless life of anorexia has been found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. p
Gibbs is second person acquitted under new law
Analysis: The law under which Lynn Gibbs was found not guilty dates only from 2006, writes Carol Coulter , Legal Affairs Editor p
Attempted robbery charge challenged
A Dublin man charged in connection with the attempted robbery of a cash transit van in Co Kildare last November has secured leave from the High Court to bring proceedings aimed at halting his prosecution. p
Daughter of murdered woman says she feared her father
The daughter of a man accused of murdering his wife was scared of her father, a jury at the Central Criminal Court has heard. p
Court told threats ended with arrests
There have been "no cases" of people being intimidated with baseball bats in Waterford city since the arrest of two local men accused of INLA membership, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday. p
Man remanded in custody charged with father's murder
An 18-year-old man was remanded in custody when he appeared at Ballyhaunis District Court, Co Mayo, yesterday, charged with the murder of his father. p
Farmer suing over what he says is illegal halting site
A farmer is suing Cork County Council in the High Court for damages over an alleged unlawful creation of what he claimed was a halting site next to his lands. p
Man who dealt in illicit vodka sentenced
A man who was found in a shed where counterfeit vodka was distilled and bottled "for two men with Northern accents" and "the lads" escaped a custodial prison sentence at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. p
Cattle cruelty case shocking, says judge
An animal cruelty case that came before Clones District Court yesterday was described as "shocking", "stomach-turning" and "disturbing" by Judge Sean McBride. p
Man died in hospital after choking on tissue paper
A man died at a Dublin hospital after he choked on a wad of tissue paper which was discovered lodged at the back of his throat, an inquest heard yesterday. p
In Short
A roundup of today's other court stories in brief p

In the North

Eames rejects 'untrue reports and speculation' on Troubles review group
Former Church of Ireland primate Lord Eames has urged sceptics about the Consultative Group on the Past to judge the body on its final report in the summer and not on "untrue reports and speculation". p

Mahon Tribunal

Fitzgerald denies promise to O'Callaghan
Former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald denied yesterday that he promised Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan that a cap on the size of a shopping centre development at Quarryvale would be lifted when he became manager of South Dublin County Council. p
Ex-minister did not report claim that councillors were bribed
Former minister for the environment Michael Smith said that although a Dublin councillor told him "money was changing hands" in relation to planning decisions in 1993, he did not report the matter to a Garda investigation which he himself had established. p

Regional News

Unified approach to farmers' markets urged
The proposed roll-out of a series of new farmers' markets across the country was discussed in Dublin yesterday. p
Number of overseas visitors to Republic increases by 5%
New figures show a 5 per cent increase in the number of overseas visitors to the Republic in the first 11 months of last year. p
Polish man burned for cans of beer
A Polish man who suffered serious burns in a random attack was targeted because he refused to hand over cans of beer to his attackers, it has emerged. p
In Short
A roundup of today's other regional news stories in brief p

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