In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Remand for accused killer of Kerry pair

The man charged with the murders of a father and son in Co Kerry was further remanded in custody after appearing at Listowel District Court yesterday.

Thomas Barrett (30), Cleandries, Causeway, Co Kerry, is charged with the murder of Michael Hanrahan (60) and Denis Hanrahan, (27) at their home near Moyvane on March 26th.

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A previous sitting of the court ordered that psychiatric treatment be made available to the accused, after concerns about his health were raised.

The State yesterday sought a further adjournment for preparation and service of the book of evidence in the case at Listowel District Court yesterday.

Solicitor Michael Dowling, for the accused, said he had no objection.

Judge Mary O'Halloran further remanded Barrett in custody to appear again before the court on April 22nd.

The bodies of Michael and Denis Hanrahan were found on the morning of March 27th. They had both suffered gunshot wounds, a post mortem revealed.

Motorist finds crash victim

A 20-year-old man died in Co Clare yesterday after his car apparently lost control and left the road. The crash is believed to have occurred in the early hours of the morning at Ralahine South, between Sixmilebridge and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

The man's car was discovered by a passing motorist at about 6am but the vehicle may have been at the scene for several hours.

The victim, named locally as Eamon O'Neill, Granaghan, Newmarket-on-Fergus, was the only occupant of the car and died at the scene. No other vehicle was involved.

The road reopened at 1.30pm yesterday after a full forensic examination of the scene. The car was transported to Shannon Garda station for a technical examination.

Gardaí are also investigating a fatal crash at Annagh, Birr, Co Offaly, at about 7am yesterday. A man (36) died when his car crashed at a narrow bridge. The Latvian national was pronounced dead at Tullamore General Hospital. There were no other vehicles involved.

Lucky dip for home buyers

ONE of 12 purchasers of new houses in Ballybofey, Co Donegal will win a second house in the same housing development later this year. The offer is part of a promotion to sell 12 three-bedroom semi-detached houses, priced at €195,000, at the Beeches, Navenney. Property developers, Thomas Doherty, Stranorlar, say the house will be drawn after all houses in this latest phase of the development are sold.

A spokesman for Henry Kee and Son, Auctioneers, said the scheme was in response to a slowdown in property sales. Buyers have "a 12 to one chance of winning a second house".

"That's pretty good odds," he said.

Idle CT scanner to be used soon

The HSE has responded to criticisms by doctors in North Cork of the lack of CT scanning at Mallow General Hospital by pointing out that two specialist radiographers are due to commence work there, writes Barry Roche.

Some 130 GPs had criticised the HSE for failing to appoint a radiographer to operate a new €1.5 million scanner which was installed at the hospital in 2007 but has been lying idle for the past year.

The HSE in a statement said a clinical specialist radiographer and a senior radiographer have been appointed and the service will commence on a phased basis in the coming weeks. The service will enable 10 to 15 patients per day to be scanned in Mallow.