In short

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

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

Translation hitch delays oral hearing

Proceedings were adjourned in the opening day of the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the Galway city outer bypass, after equipment to conduct a simultaneous translation in Irish did not arrive on time, writes Denise McNamara.

Over 140 objections, mostly from landowners, have been lodged against the €320 million project which planners say will solve the city's traffic problems.

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An Bord Pleanála inspector Michael Walsh explained to the 100 people who had gathered at the Ardilaun Hotel that while the translators had turned up, the equipment had not.

Solicitor Greg Casey, who represents An Taisce and 15 local residents, said although it was his submission that had forced An Bord Pleanála to translate the environmental impact statement (EIS) into Irish, he had no objection to the hearing going ahead in English only.

However Mary Francis O'Conghaile, speaking on behalf of a number of residents in Menlo, one of the areas affected by the bypass, said this would be unfair to Irish speakers.

Mr Walsh said for legal reasons he must conduct the two-week hearing through both languages, so he would postpone proceedings for a day. The scheme crosses through several official Gaeltacht areas.

Australian crash victim laid to rest

The funeral took place in Kentstown, Co Meath, yesterday of Kiara Duncan, who was killed in a car crash in Australia last week.

Kiara was travelling in a car with four other people when it crashed through a central barrier and hit another vehicle.

Hundreds of mourners turned out for the funeral at the Church of The Assumption. Local children from Kentstown National School stood as guard of honour along some of the route.

Fr Pat Coyne and Fr Peter Farley concelebrated the funeral Mass. Fr Coyne said grief was "part and parcel of the human experience".

Kiara was a member of the Kentstown Accordion Band which stood guard outside the church and played throughout the service.

A beauty therapist, she took a year off to travel around Australia.

Man died after fall from roof

Gardaí in Cork are to prepare a file for the coroner after a 55-year-old man died following a fall from a rooftop in a tragic accident while leaving a friend's flat in the early hours of yesterday morning, writes Barry Roche.

The man had been visiting a friend in an apartment in Passage West which was accessed via a pathway on a flat roof when he slipped and fell over 12 feet, sustaining serious injuries.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident which happened at around 3.15am yesterday and his body was later removed to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Gardaí are waiting until all next of kin are notified to name the deceased. But they have confirmed that he was from Passage.

Gardaí are treating the man's death as a tragic accident and will prepare a file for an inquest.