Today's other stories in brief
Tributes paid to former Kerry judge
Tributes have been paid to former District Court Judge Humphrey Kelleher (71), who died at his home in Kenmare on Wednesday.
Born in Cork, Judge Kelleher had been the longest-serving judge in the District Court when he retired some 18 months ago. He was appointed to the bench in 1979 and in 1981 was appointed to district number 17, which covers most of Kerry.
US diver killed off Cork coast
An American man who got into difficulties while diving off the Mizen Peninsula, Co Cork, was pronounced dead on arrival at Cork University Hospital after he was airlifted there following a search.
Former US navy diver Jay Christopher Jalinas, who was in his late 40s, went missing while diving from a rigid inflatable boat 100 metres off Spanish Point near Crookhaven on the Mizen Peninsula on Wednesday.
A local man saw Mr Jalinas diving at about 3pm but he later noticed the boat unattended, at about 5pm, and raised the alarm with the Irish Coastguard Service at Valentia co-ordinating a major search operation.
Mr Jalinas was found floating in the water by the Baltimore Lifeboat shortly after 10pm. He was taken to Cork University Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
He had been living in the Goleen area with his wife.
Homes evacuated during gas leak
Several hundred people were evacuated from shops and homes following a gas leak in Navan, Co Meath yesterday. An emergency plan was put into operation in the Johnstown area on the outskirts of the town where a natural gas pipeline was ruptured on a building site at Bailis Road, just off the Navan-Dublin Road.
Unionist parties back SDLP mayor
A former Workers' Party member was last night elected lord mayor of Belfast, writes Gerry Moriarty. Pat McCarthy, now an SDLP councillor, was elected with the support of the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Party.
This was the first time that the two unionist parties joined to help elect an SDLP lord mayor of Belfast. The SDLP reciprocated by supporting DUP councillor Ruth Patterson for the post of deputy lord mayor.
Hain backs down on debates plan
Northern Secretary Peter Hain was forced to back down on a plan to hold no debates for the second week running at Stormont after the DUP threatened not to participate in a special committee formed at Stormont to prepare for devolved government.
"We have now been informed a debate will take place," the DUP said about next week's sitting.