A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Irish fathers make appeal to UN
A lobby group has made a submission to the United Nations claiming that fathers are treated as secondary to mothers in Ireland, especially following separation or divorce.
Equality for Fathers has made a submission to the UN's Universal Periodic Review on Ireland's human rights record, which will be discussed at a meeting of the review working group next October.
Yesterday was the last day for submissions.
It states that the children of separated parents are discriminated against in not having their right respected to have both parents act jointly on their behalf.
Mayor seeks closure of Smithfield fair
Lord Mayor of Dublin Gerry Breen has written to the Ministers for Enterprise, Justice and Agriculture to seek new legislation for the permanent closure of the Smithfield horse fair.
Two men were shot and another was injured with a slash hook during fighting at the fair earlier this month.
The fair’s closure has been blocked by a market right asserted by horse traders to hold sales on the land.
Mr Breen, who is a Fine Gael city councillor, has written to the new Ministers, Richard Bruton, Alan Shatter and Simon Coveney, to ask "on behalf of the people of Dublin" that they enact legislation to stop the monthly fair.
Break-in at national school in Galway 'wanton vandalism'
Several thousands of euro in damage has been caused to a north Co Galway national school following a break-in over the weekend,
writes Lorna Siggins.
The incident at Cregmore National School near Claregalway occurred early on Saturday morning, and it is believed a hurley was used to gain access.
Gardaí are studying the events recorded on closed-circuit television at the school. A youth wearing a padded coat with a fur collar broke the glass of an external door and made several attempts to break the glass frontage of four new classrooms for children with special needs.
Principal Joe Kennelly said the staff, parents and pupils were devastated. He believed the motive was not robbery, as very little was taken, but “wanton vandalism”.
Last April a lorry jack-knifed outside the school and collided with 11 parked cars. Five people were hurt.