A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Call to save jobs in Co Wicklow firm
Fine Gael TD Billy Timmins has called on the Government to intervene to prevent job losses in Co Wicklow.
Staff at Euroconex, a credit-card clearing company based in Arklow and Loughlinstown in Co Dublin, were told last month to expect job losses because the company is under-performing.
Mr Timmins said he was informed yesterday by the company that 42 jobs would be lost between the two facilities.
He asked Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin to intervene to minimise the losses.
"These jobs are up the value chain, and it is a worrying development for the employees of this company and other such companies," Mr Timmins said. "I call on the company to outline what its commitment is to its operation in Arklow."
Mr Timmins said a declaration in 2000 by Tánaiste Mary Harney that 880 new jobs would be created in Arklow within five years now rang hollow.
"When the company set up in 2000, the Tánaiste made an announcement that within five years 880 new jobs would be created in Arklow and a further 200 in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.
However, these jobs never materialised and her pronouncements now ring hollow," Mr Timmins said.
Euroconex chief executive Billy Saunderson stood down last month. The company employs about 300 people in Co Wicklow. No company spokesman was available yesterday.
Warning over abduction threat
Gardaí in Galway have issued a warning after an attempted child abduction in the city.
They are looking for a man in his 20s who approached a number of children and tried to entice them into his car. The man said he was a friend of one of their fathers and had been asked to pick them up.
The incident happened on Friday afternoon in the city centre as the children were going home from school.
"We would ask parents to speak to their children and warn them never to get into the car of a stranger," said a Garda spokesman.
Wexford road safety plan urged
A road in Co Wexford has been described as one of the most dangerous in the country.
Local Sinn Féin councillor John Dwyer has called on Wexford County Council to start a safety campaign aimed at reducing fatalities on the road between Duncannon village and Wexford town.
Following representations from families who use the road every day, Cllr Dwyer said he had received agreement from senior officials in Wexford council to introduce reflective markers to delineate left and right turnings from the road.
Honour for science student
A transition year student at Our Lady's Secondary School, in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, has been awarded a bronze medal at the International Junior Science Olympiad in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Patrick Kerr (16), from Annaglough, Annyalla, Co Monaghan, has now been invited to participate in the selection process for the European Science Olympiad.
A reception is planned in the Border town to celebrate his achievement.