A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
State opposes release of McCabe killers
The killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe are not entitled to early release under the terms of the Belfast Agreement and there is nothing wrong with the Government having such a policy, it has argued before the High Court.
The Minister for Justice has "a wide discretion" in deciding what prisoners may or may not be specified for early release and the Government is entitled to adopt a policy that the killers of Det Garda McCabe would not benefit from early release, Donal O'Donnell SC argued.
There was nothing wrong in the Government repeatedly outlining that policy in Dáil statements and otherwise or in adhering to that policy. The policy, Mr O'Donnell added, was well known to those involved in the killing.
Pearse McAuley and Jeremiah Sheehy had no entitlement to seek performance of any provisions of the Belfast Agreement nor could they complain about alleged non- performance of it. They were not entitled to release either under the Agreement or the Criminal Justice (Release of Prisoners) Act 1998.
Mr O'Donnell was making submissions in the continuing hearing before Mr Justice Daniel Herbert of the challenge by McAuley and Sheehy to the Government's failure to release them.
Gardaí fail to show in court
A judge yesterday struck out several cases after prosecuting gardaí failed to turn up in court. Four cases were struck out by Judge John Fitzpatrick at Letterkenny District Court following the no-show.
The cases involved allegations of speeding, driving without insurance and drunken driving.
On each of the cases, a Garda representative said they could not proceed because the officers involved were not in court. However, the court was told the defendants were present and ready to proceed.
The Garda representatives attempted to have the cases put back but Judge Fitzpatrick struck them out.
Arms sentencing adjourned
A Limerick man agreed to transport ammunition for dissident republicans because he owed money to criminals after borrowing it to buy Christmas presents for his daughter, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Alan Ryan (34), Croom, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of 149 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition in August 2005.
The court adjourned sentencing for six months and remanded Ryan on bail on condition that he undergoes monitoring for drug-taking twice a week and remains drugs free.
Det Supt Diarmuid O'Sullivan of the Special Detective Unit said Ryan owed money to criminals after borrowing it to buy Christmas presents for his daughter.
Teenagers face murder trial
Two Limerick teenagers have been sent for trial for the murder of an 18-year-old youth almost a year ago.
Richard Treacy (18), St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, and Shane Kelly (18), Oliver Plunkett Street, St Mary's Park, both Limerick, appeared yesterday at Limerick District Court.
They are charged with the murder of Darren Coughlan, Pineview Gardens, Moyross, at Old Cratloe Road, on November 4th last year.
He was viciously beaten near the Limerick Institute of Technology.