A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Pardon sought for executed deserting Irish
The campaign to grant a pardon to the 26 Irish-born British soldiers executed during the first World War is to be raised in Edinburgh today by the Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, when he addresses the British Irish Interparliamentary Body, writes Renagh Holohan.
Senators Brian Hayes (FG) and Paschal Mooney (FF) have tabled questions seeking a statement. Senator Hayes said last night that 306 British soldiers were shot at dawn for desertion or failure to follow orders. Most were suffering from a mental illness because of conditions in the trenches and the offences for which they were shot were removed from the statute books in 1925.
"The British government is currently proposing an amnesty for IRA terrorists who have committed atrocious crimes but will not give it to these men who were volunteers, not conscripts, in their own army," Mr Hayes said.
"It is absolute hypocrisy while talking about a pardon for IRA terrorists not to grant a pardon to these men."
Other questions to Mr Hain include discussions with the Irish Government about the possible introduction of identity cards in Britain, plans for a smoking ban in public places in Northern Ireland and whether a timetable exists for lifting the suspension of the devolved institutions in the North.
The gathering of backbenchers from both houses of the Irish and British parliaments as well as parliamentarians from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands meets twice annually.
Limerick Fine Gael candidates chosen
Former Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan and councillor Kieran O'Donnell will contest the next
general election for Fine Gael in the Limerick East constituency.
Both candidates secured party nominations last night in the Fine Gael selection convention attended by up to 1,000 members of the party at the Greenhills Hotel in Limerick.
Bible 'readathon' to aid quake victims
A 24-hour Bible "readathon" is to be held in the village of Shankill, Co Dublin, this week to raise funds for earthquake victims in Pakistan and Kashmir.
Three local parishes in the area, one Catholic and two Church of Ireland, have come together to organise the mammoth reading session to raise funds for the earthquake victims.
The reading will begin at 3pm on December 2nd in St Anne's Resource Centre, Shankill, and continue until 3pm on Saturday.
Statue raised to Bard of Thomond
A statue has been unveiled in Limerick to celebrate the city's most famous poet, the Bard of Thomond, Michael Hogan.
The life-size statue in bronze was unveiled to members of the public in the courtyard in front of King John's Castle on historic King's Island.
It celebrates the life of Limerick's most famous poet, who died in 1899 and is perhaps best known for his 400-line epic poem - Drunken Thady and the Bishop's Lady.
Sculpted by Jim Connolly, the statue was donated to the people of Limerick by philanthropic US businessman Peter Hogan, a descendant.