A round-up of other home news in brief
Families seek separate fire deaths inquiry
Family members of the two firemen killed in a fire in Bray, Co Wicklow last year yesterday reiterated their call for an independent inquiry at the joint inquest into their deaths.
Brian Murray (46), The Green, Woodbrook Glen, Bray and Mark O'Shaughnessy (26), Loreto House, Sidmonton, Bray died in a fire in a disused warehouse on September 26th, 2007.
A joint inquest at Dublin County Coroner's Court yesterday heard the Garda investigation is ongoing and coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty adjourned the inquests following an application by Garda Insp Noreen McBryan. Further tests are being carried out into the breathing apparatus used by both men.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis recorded the cause of death as "fire death" in both cases.
A spokesman for the families said they wanted an independent inquiry into the deaths and a total reform of fire services throughout the country.
He expressed particular concern about the time delay in getting to the fire on the day in question.
Robinson to give human rights talk
Former president Mary Robinson will take to the stage in Dublin next month as part of a series of talks and play readings on humanitarian affairs.
The Bearing Witness series at the Abbey and Peacock theatres commemorates the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
The former UN high commissioner for human rights and founder of the organisation Realizing Rights will discuss the future of human rights and the relevance of the universal declaration to people's lives in her talk on December 16th. The first discussion begins next Wednesday.
Conversion plan for baths refused
Plans for a €10 million conversion of the derelict Clontarf sea baths in Dublin into a luxury spa and swimming pool have been refused permission by An Bord Pleanála.
Abbeybeg Ltd, headed by former Olympic swimmer Stephen Cullen, had been granted permission for the development by Dublin City Council, but the decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by conservation group Dublin Bay Watch.
The board found the development contravened the city development plan, would compromise the recreational amenities of Clontarf promenade and would detract from the visual amenities.
MLA suspended over SF remark
DUP Assembly member Nelson McCausland was suspended from Stormont for a day yesterday after he refused to retract allegations he made in the chamber on Monday against Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
He claimed that in the early 1970s, Mr Adams set up a special unit of the IRA that was responsible for murdering alleged informers. The DUP speaker of the Assembly William Hay judged the comments unparliamentary.