Regional news in brief.
Man held after cocaine seized at Cork airport
Customs and excise officers have arrested a man for questioning following the discovery of more than €250,000 worth of cocaine in his luggage as he came through Cork airport.
Customs officers discovered 3kg of cocaine in the man's luggage with the assistance of a sniffer dog after the Nigerian-born man disembarked from an Amsterdam flight at 11.30am.
The man, who lives in the southeast, was detained by Customs officers who handed him to gardaí.
€6m claim for chalet damages
Monaghan County Council has been served with a claim for €6 million over the blocking of plans to build chalets on the shores of Lough Muckno on the outskirts of Castleblayney.
Harinbrook Properties Ltd, a London consortium of Irish businessmen, was given approval for a lease on the property which is owned by the council. It had planned a range of holiday facilities on the estate close to Hope Castle.
However, local opposition led to the council withdrawing the lease. The company had already moved in and work had begun.
€1.6m plan to protect Burren
Approval has been given for a €1.61 million plan to end the continuing environmental damage to the Burren and rejuvenate the area's tourism industry.
Fáilte Ireland has allocated €1.4 million to an integrated management strategy for the Burren, Co Clare. Dick Roche, Minister for the Environment, had allocated €210,000 to the scheme.
Clare County Council in partnership with Shannon Development is leading the initiative. It is a three-year project and involves improvements to the region's infrastructure; the designation and promotion of various gateway entry points to the Burren; the development of touch- screen digital information hubs at five key locations and the development of themed walking routes.
Barriers to curb Mayo landslides
Almost 500 metres of kinetic barriers are to be put in place as part a €1.21 million investment to prevent further landslides at Dooncarton Mountain in Pollathomas, Co Mayo.
The barriers represent the final phase of rehabilitation measures which have been ongoing since a landslide that caused major damage in September 2003.