A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Council meets over threat to Arklow Rock
A special meeting of Wicklow County Council will be held at 11am today to discuss residents' concerns about the future of Arklow Rock.
According to Cllr Tommy Cullen, building materials supplier Roadstone Ltd is planning to destroy about 21 to 24 metres of the rock for quarrying.
The issue was first raised by concerned residents of Arklow at a meeting last week, following which, Mr Murphy says, the company confirmed plans to carry out the work within three to four weeks.
Arklow Rock is located in the townland of Rock Big on land belonging to Roadstone. It is considered to be one of the town's main features and is recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Proposals to recognise the rock as a Special Area of Conservation and Natural Heritage are currently being discussed.
"Roadstone believe they can do this without going through the planning process," says Cllr Cullen. "But you cannot simply destroy a site like this at the height of the holiday season . . . It's completely out of the blue and the town is outraged that something like this could happen."
A proposal by Green Party Cllr Deirdre de Burca to seek a High Court injunction to prevent the destruction of Arklow Rock until the planning permission issue is clarified will be discussed at the meeting.
Roadstone Ltd declined to comment on its plans for the Arklow Rock.
Jury to deliberate in murder trial
The jury at the trial of three Brazilian men accused of beating to death a fellow countryman in a drink-fuelled row is due to resume its deliberations this morning after it failed to reach a verdict.
The three accused men, Alessandro De Almeida Mata (27), Ruanbeg Close, Kildare, Jose Claudio Batista (30), and Adriano Martins Costa (26), Greencove Apartments, Newbridge, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Paulo Cesar Siqueria (39), Ruanbeg Close, Kildare, on June 4th, 2005.
Mr Siqueria died after receiving more than 50 injuries, five of which were inflicted by a wooden stake.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, the jury was sent to a hotel for the night shortly after 7pm. It began its deliberations about 2.40pm.
In his charge to the jury Mr Justice Barry White said he would accept verdicts of either guilty of murder, not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty in the case of each of the accused.
Their decision, he said, must be unanimous.
Murder of youth a 'sectarian killing'
The murder of Ballymena, Co Antrim schoolboy Michael McIlveen was a sectarian killing, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday.
The claim was made by a Crown lawyer during a bail application by one of a number of youths accused of murdering the 15-year-old last May.
Christine Smith said it was originally thought the boy had only suffered a hand injury when he made his way home after being assaulted by a 30-strong group of youths. But he died the next day in Antrim Area Hospital after being on a life-support machine.
Ms Smith said witnesses had told police Michael McIlveen and two friends were chased by the crowd, one of whom shouted: "Fenian bastard". One youth had a baseball bat, which he used to batter the teenager. Others were kicking him as he lay on the ground.
"This attack is believed by police to have been an organised and determined incident based on a sectarian motive and was reckless as to whether death was the final outcome."
Lord Justice Sheil said he was minded to grant bail and adjourned the application to see if a suitable address could be found well away from Ballymena.