Five prisoners were still at large last night after failing to return to jail following temporary release for Christmas.
Some 107 prisoners were granted temporary release for the festive season. The vast majority returned in the days after Christmas but eight were still at large earlier this month. Two prisoners have since returned to the low-security prisons at Loughan House and Shelton Abbey, and last Friday a female prisoner returned to the Dóchas Centre.
Civic reception planned for Oasis
Mayo County Council is to accord rock stars Liam and Noel Gallagher of the group Oasis a civic reception.
The move was proposed by Councillor Michelle Mulherrin (Fine Gael).
Weapons find in west Dublin
Gardaí in west Dublin seized seven firearms during a planned search in Clondalkin last night. Officers found five shotguns and two rifles during the search near Palmerstown Wood. No arrests have been made.
Redundancies exempt from levy
Most people who receive redundancy packages will not be expected to pay an income levy, the Department of Finance has confirmed. The Revenue Commissioners will not be seeking to apply the levy tax to the gross value of lump sum redundancy payments.
Man held over destroyed lorries
A man in his 20s was detained by gardaí in Monaghan last night after three lorries valued at €100,000 were set on fire at the weekend in Monaghan town. The man is expected to appear at Monaghan District Court today.
Minister in planning row
The refusal by the North’s planning service to grant permission for the construction of what would be one of the highest buildings in Ireland has been criticised by Environment Minister Sammy Wilson (DUP). The Aurora building was intended to be 37 storeys.Mr Wilson said: “At a time when the economy needs a boost, my view is we should be using the planning service to give it that boost.”
Farmers lobby MEPs over ban
Irish farmers have been lobbying Irish MEPs to oppose a move this week in the European Parliament to ban 22 chemicals used on Irish farms. They say the herbicides and pesticides are necessary to control blight and fungicides.
Fall in livestock slaughtering
There has been a dramatic fall in the number of animals being slaughtered here for export, according to figures published by Bord Bia.
The number of cattle slaughtered here last year dropped by 7 per cent.
NI youth cleared of killing
One of the remaining five young Ballymena men accused of murdering schoolboy Mickey-Bo McIlveen was yesterday cleared of the 15-year-old’s killing at Antrim Crown Court.
Four others still face the charge of murdering the schoolboy who died in hospital on May 8th, 2006, the day after he was attacked.
Investigation into prison death
Authorities in the North are investigating the death of a prisoner in his cell at Magilligan Prison, Co Derry, at the weekend. Prison authorities are understood to be examining whether the death of Richard Gilmore (25) was drug-related.