A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Man jailed for sex assaults
A Waterford man from a “dysfunctional family” has been jailed for three years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting his sleeping brother.
The 34-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and an attempted anal rape of his brother on September 5th, 2007.
Mr Justice Carney imposed three-year concurrent sentences, and registered the accused as a sex offender.
Three handguns seized in Dublin
Gardaí have seized three handguns and a quantity of "drug mixing paraphernalia" at a premises in Dublin.
Detectives from the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Organised Crime Unit, supported by members of the local Kevin Street drug unit, conducted the raid in Dolphin's Barn yesterday.
A large quantity of what is thought to be mixing agent was recovered with more than 1,000 tablets, believed to be ecstasy, with a street value of €5,000. A man (36) was arrested and detained.
Easter egg case for trial in December
A Dublin man who is accused of stealing €66,000 worth of Easter eggs is to go on trial in the Special Criminal Court in December.
Kenneth Gaffney has been put on trial twice in the Circuit Criminal Court for the offence and the High Court ordered last May that his trial should be transferred to the Special Criminal Court.
Mr Gaffney (48), Oakwood Road, Finglas, is charged with stealing a container load of Easter eggs from Dublin ferryport on January 22nd, 2002.
Prison officer on drugs charges
A Limerick Prison officer has been sent forward for trial on drugs charges.
Thomas Corry (51), Scariff, Co Clare, is facing separate charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
He appeared at Limerick District Court yesterday charged with possession of cannabis resin and cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply at Roxboro Road, Limerick, on March 15th last. Judge Tom O'Donnell remanded him on continuing bail.
Dispute ends at Dublin Port
A dispute at Dublin Port which has been going on for 15 weeks has ended following a Labour Court recommendation.
Marine Terminals Ltd agreed to recommendations on job retention and redundancies. Initial redundancies are to take place on a voluntary basis.
It was also recommended that the parties engage directly to resolving other matters, including the number of jobs to be retained.
Survivors of abuse dismayed over committee
Representatives of survivors of abuse at institutions investigated by the Ryan Commission have expressed disappointment at the composition of a new committee set up to plan a memorial for former residents of the institutions, writes Religious Affairs Correspondent Patsy McGarry.
Such a memorial was a recommendation in the Ryan report. Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe announced the committee would be chaired by Seán Benton, former chairman of the Office of Public Works, with Bernadette Fahy and Paddy Doyle representing survivors. A sum of €500,000 is being provided for the project.
Victim support groups accused Mr O’Keeffe of having “secretly appointed” a committee which included “two unelected former residents”. They expressed “shock” at the appointments.
FG accuses Minister over death reports
Fine Gael has accused the Minister for Children of reneging on a long-standing commitment to publish reports into the deaths of children in the State's care system, writes Social Affairs Correspondent Carl O'Brien.
The deaths of David Foley (17) in 2005 and Tracey Fay (18) in 2002 from drugs overdoses while in care led to reports being commissioned into the handling of the cases. Fine Gael’s Alan Shatter yesterday said plans to publish them have been delayed indefinitely.
Orders called on to clarify fund stance
The 18 religious congregations investigated by the Ryan commission have been called upon “to publicly clarify” why they have not yet made an offer to a new fund for former residents of institutions they had managed.
The Fine Gael spokesman on children, Alan Shatter, said it was “most disappointing” that religious congregations and orders who signed the 2002 indemnity agreement on compensation for victims of abuse, have “failed to offer to the Government the further expected substantial financial contribution by way of reparation promised by them subsequent to publication of the Ryan report.”
Teen’s gun, drugs case adjourned
The case of a 15-year-old schoolboy charged with possessing a semi-automatic handgun, ammunition and drugs has been adjourned to allow custodial psychological assessments.
The boy, who cannot be identified, was charged at the Children’s Court last month with possession of a Beretta pistol and five rounds of ammunition at his north Dublin home on January 29th last. He also faces charges of possessing cannabis and heroin for sale or supply on the same date. He was 14 at the time of the alleged seizures.
Judge Smyth adjourned the case until next month.
Aer Arann to look into plane incident
Aer Arann says it is conducting an investigation into an incident involving one of its aircraft at Manchester airport yesterday.
An Aer Arann ATR 72-200 aircraft with 32 people on board was being guided into the terminal when a propeller struck a docking guidance mirror. Nobody was injured and the passengers left the aircraft normally.