A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Santa grotto firm seeks €5m damages
A company which promoted a children's Christmas fantasy event in Co Kildare has brought High Court proceedings seeking €5 million for the alleged negligence of a number of companies which, it claims, led to the collapse of a gangway platform at the event and exposed it to injury claims.
Santa's Kingdom Ltd, of Dun Laoghaire, has brought the action over the collapse of a grotto gangway at Punchestown, Naas, Co Kildare on December 5th, 2003. It alleges negligence and is also seeking orders indemnifying it against any claims for damages.
The company's proceedings are against SGB Scafform Ltd of St Margaret's, Co Dublin; Michael Deegan, a specialist construction manager, of Clontarf Road, Dublin; Niall Fitzsimons and Co (Cork) Limited, of Rosehill, Rostellan, Midleton, Co Cork, a firm of engineers.
Parents ordered to supervise boy
A parental supervision order has been placed on the mother and father of a 17-year-old offender.
The youth's parents have been ordered to make sure their son does not commit further offences, at the risk of being held in contempt of court and facing penalties.
It was the third time that Dublin Children's Court has made this type of order against parents.
Garda Mark O'Donovan told the court yesterday that he arrested the youth, who is originally from Romania, on Dublin's Suffolk Street on January 2nd, for handling a stolen Toshiba laptop worth €1,500.
Judge Ann Ryan noted yesterday that there was a negative pre-sentence probation report on the teenager.
Murder trial for stab accused
A man accused of murder by stabbing last year has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court.
Mantas Pauliukonis (25), a Lithuanian national with an address at Park West, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Latvian man Aleksandrs Filusins at Oaklands Avenue, Swords, on 3rd June, 2007.
Mr Pauliukonis also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Sergej Cuksejev at Taylor's Public House in Swords.
Costs award over Lynn evidence
A company which secured High Court permission to have fugitive solicitor Michael Lynn give evidence by video link in its multi-million euro lawsuit against a bank has been awarded 75 per cent of the legal costs of the application.
The High Court last July ruled Mr Lynn - who has fraudulent mortgage debts of more than €80 million and faces immediate arrest if he returns to Ireland - could give evidence by video link in the case by the Cunningham Group against First Active.
The ruling meant Mr Lynn could give evidence without facing arrest. Mr Lynn had acted for the group's founder, Brian Cunningham. Mr Lynn is due to begin giving evidence on Friday and his evidence is expected to last three days.