A round-up to today's other stories in brief
SF resignation from Dublin City Council
A Sinn Féin Dublin city councillor, Andrew O'Connell, has resigned with immediate effect, citing family and job pressure.
Expressing regret that he had to stand down, Mr O'Connell last night said he had become a father and had moved to Newbridge, Co Kildare, since the local elections. He will be replaced by Criona Ní Dálaigh, who works as the constituency officer for Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD.
Despite rumours emanating from other parties, a Sinn Féin spokesman officially rejected allegations that Mr O'Connell had been removed by Sinn Féin's headquarters.
Man in custody pending sentence
A man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter has been remanded in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court pending sentence.
Gavin Ward (22), Balcurris Road, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to the unlawful killing of Christopher Doyle on February 9th, 2004.
Judge Michael White adjourned sentencing to a later date when evidence will also be heard.
Man loses murder conviction appeal
A Dublin man who stabbed a neighbour to death after trying to steal his car lost his appeal against his conviction for murder yesterday.
The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal by Darren Rogers (22), Elmdale Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, against his conviction in February last year at the Central Criminal Court of the murder of Thomas Farrell, Cherry Orchard Avenue, Ballyfermot, on November 27th, 2003.
Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, presiding at the three-judge court, said the court was satisfied that the conviction was safe.
Man electrocuted on building site
A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard that a safety team member who was due to fix a mechanism that could have prevented an accident was electrocuted by overhead power lines at a construction site.
Michael O'Connell was electrocuted while working for Ascon Ltd on the construction of the Southeastern Motorway at Sandyford, Dublin, after an excavator he was using to assist him in putting railings in place to barricade a deep excavation site touched overhead wires.
Ascon, of Kill, Co Kildare and Rps Mcos Ltd, based in Blessington House, Belgard Square, Tallaght, designers and project supervisor of the site, has denied nine charges of breaches of health and safety at Sandyford.
John O'Sullivan, a director, pleaded not guilty on behalf of Ascon Ltd, and Michael Noonan, technical director, pleaded not guilty on behalf of Rps Mcos, to the charges.
The trial continues before Judge Joseph Matthews and a jury.
New HIV advisory group
A leading Irish expert on viral infections is to chair a new technical advisory group for HIV/Aids and other communicable diseases being launched by Minister of State for Development Co-operation Conor Lenihan in Dublin tonight. Prof William Hall of University College Dublin is regarded as one of the world's leading experts in the area of viral infections. He heads the National Virus Reference Laboratory.
Picket at Donegal firm suspended
A picket at Clubman Omega in Buncrana, Co Donegal, by 67 former workers over redundancy pay, was suspended yesterday at the final hour. The female workers had turned up as planned outside the Lisfannon premises for the industrial action which was due to begin at 8.30am.
Siptu Donegal branch organiser Seán Reilly said: "Both parties have agreed to meet to discuss the matter and on that basis, the industrial action has been suspended."
Appeal for stolen donkeys in Mayo
The owner of five donkeys, worth about €7,000 in total, which were stolen from a field in Co Mayo over the weekend, has appealed for their safe return.
Gardaí yesterday asked the public to keep an eye out for the donkeys, particularly at fairs and marts. John Gavin, Tooreen, discovered the animals were missing at about 11am on Sunday.
Armed men rob bank in Galway
Gardaí in Galway are appealing for witnesses to a bank robbery in Eyre Square yesterday during which two motorcyclists armed with knives escaped with cash.
The raiders, who spoke with Dublin accents, entered the National Irish Bank at 10.40am. The two men threatened the bank staff and demanded cash.
They took about €3,000 in cash and made their escape on a yellow Honda 600 motorbike which was later found abandoned at the Mervue Business Park on the east side of the city.
Witnesses should contact gardaí on 091-538000.
Kilkenny ring road work resumes
Work is to resume on a €14 million project to extend Kilkenny city's ring road after a three-month impasse between the local authority and the contractor.
In a statement released yesterday, Kilkenny County Council said "following intensive discussions over recent weeks, the contractor has undertaken to complete the works within the contract period".