Other home news in brief
Date set for pneumonia death inquest
A date has been set for the completion of an inquest into the death of a 22-year-old whose parents maintain was left brain damaged after receiving a three-in-one vaccine as a baby.
Alan Duffy (22), Howth Road, Clontarf, Dublin, died of pneumonia in 1995. His parents Vera and Kevin maintain the pneumonia was due to his mental handicap, which they claim was caused by a reaction to the three-in-one Pertussis vaccine which he received as an infant.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell set a date in September for the completion of the inquest.
Following a Supreme Court judgment in 2001, the coroner cannot investigate any alleged link between the 22-year-old's death and the vaccination at the inquest.
Two held after woman's death
Two men were arrested yesterday following the death of a woman in west Belfast.
The woman's body was found at Pollard Street shortly after 12.15 pm. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was working to establish the circumstances and cause of her death.
Kennedy ready for World Fleadh
Irish music stars Brian Kennedy and Frankie Gavin joined Nicola Joyce of Gráda and Michelle Lally of Hibernian Rhapsody for music and dancing in St Stephen's Green yesterday to promote the 2008 World Fleadh in Co Laois.
The fleadh will showcase a host of musicians from July 31st to August 4th, including Moya Brennan, The Wolf Tones, Mundy, Shane McGowan, The Hothouse Flowers and Sharon Shannon.
The festival will also host a country music special with Mike Denver, Rory Daniels and Ray Lynam.
French skipper pleads guilty
A fishing trawler which was taken into custody off Connemara at the weekend has been detained at Galway docks by court order, pending the appearance of its skipper before Galway Circuit Criminal Court tomorrow.
The French-registered Arin was first detained on Saturday and its skipper, Patrice Pimot, was brought before a special sitting of Galway District Court.
At the court yesterday, Mr Pimot pleaded guilty to failing to communicate with the Irish authorities his entering and leaving the exclusive fishery limits of the State between July 19th and 24th.
He also pleaded guilty to retaining on board the trawler more than 100kg of a deep-sea fish without holding a deep-sea fishing permit.
State solicitor William Kennedy said, as the skipper was pleading guilty, the State had no objection to the early release of the trawler once the charges were dealt with.
On the application of Mr Kennedy, Judge Mary Fahy granted an order detaining the skipper and the vessel until completion of the matter in the Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Pimot was released on his own bail of €100 and sent forward for trial.
Flash floods hit Tullamore
Intense downpours caused flash flooding in Tullamore, Co Offaly, yesterday, forcing traffic delays for a period.
Gardaí were required to take up point duty after what one officer described as rain of "near Biblical" proportions.
Met Éireann meteorologist Gerry Scully said extensive heavy thundery showers hit the midlands yesterday afternoon due to humid air conditions, as the east and north basked in sunshine.
Woman's murder trial set for 2009
A date has been set for the trial of a 54-year-old mother of four charged with the murder of her husband.
Ann Burke is to be tried at the Central Criminal Court on April 20th next year for the murder of Pat Burke (55).
Mrs Burke was charged in May with murdering her husband at the couple's family home in Ballybrittas, Co Laois, in August 2007.