A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Council approves ferry service loan
Kerry County Council yesterday approved a €50,000 bond investment in the Cork-Swansea ferry service, writes Anne Lucey.
Some 80,000 visitors and 31,000 cars were brought into the region by the reinstated ferry service in the 2010 tourist season, councillors heard.
The bond - essentially a loan - in Fastnet Line of Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, is repayable in four years. Cork county and city councils and the Port of Cork are committing to €100,000 funding along with Enterprise Ireland and Finance Wales.
Military exercise in Donegal
A military training operation gets under way in Co Donegal today.
Up to 150 soldiers from the 104th Infantry Battalion at Finner Camp will travel to Fort Dunree in Inishowen to take part in combat training as they prepare to travel for UN duties in South Lebanon in June. Two Army helicopters and 15 Army vehicles will take part.
Comdt Barry O'Riordain said: "This will be a large exercise which will see a fleet of Army vehicles travel across Donegal from Finner Camp in Bundoran to Fort Dunree in Inishowen."
Man sentenced for stealing staff purses in banks and shops
A 23-year-old Limerick man with 70 previous convictions targeted staff areas in banks and other business premises to rob purses and wallets. Dean Price, Broad Street, Limerick, pleaded guilty in Galway District Court yesterday to stealing a purse at AIB, Lynch's Castle, Galway, on January 12th last. He also pleaded guilty to stealing another purse in the staff area at Carl Scarpa, Shop Street, on the same date.
Price pleaded guilty to attempted theft from other staff areas at two other banks in the city and from various shops in Galway. Judge Mary Fahy sentenced Price to eight months in prison and imposed a nine-month sentence for one attempted theft, which she suspended for two years.