Other stories in brief.
20 jobs lost at Denny plant in Tralee
About 20 workers at the Denny bacon factory in Tralee are to lose their jobs as part of a restructuring programme at the Kerry Group-owned plant.
The job losses come as the town is experiencing one of its highest levels of unemployment in recent years. More than 3,000 people are unemployed in Tralee.
Kerry Group corporate affairs director Frank Hayes said the group was committed to Kerry and would continue to employ more than 1,000 people in the county.
Negotiations on voluntary redundancies took place between management and Siptu with the aim of securing the long-term future of the plant and the remaining 97 jobs.
Siptu's Ted Kenny said no new industry had come to Kerry in the past five to six years.
Sligo man loses court challenge
A Co Sligo man has lost a High Court bid to prevent his trial for allegedly biting a garda after he had been arrested and placed in the back of a squad car.
Seán Harte, Garavogue Villas, Sligo, had sought an order to restrain his prosecution on a charge of assault causing harm to Garda Patrick Wynn at Stephen Street, Sligo, on November 30th, 2002.
It was claimed the failure by the Garda to preserve certain CCTV images from the bar where Mr Harte was arrested meant he could not get a fair trial.
In the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill refused to grant an order prohibiting the trial. The judge said it was a "remote" possibility that the CCTV images from outside the pub could have shown what had occurred in the Garda car.
Councillor refuses to fly Ryanair
A member of a Clare County Council delegation travelling to Madrid has refused to fly with Ryanair even though it would have cost less.
A council party of 12 will today fly from Shannon to Madrid for a five-day "educational field trip" of the Spanish capital. However, academic Dr Anne Clune is to take two flights to get to Madrid as she refuses to fly with Ryanair over its non-recognition of unions.
Instead of flying directly from Shannon to Madrid, Dr Clune will fly from Shannon to Dublin to get a connecting flight to Madrid.
A former president of the Irish Federation of University Teachers and an active trade unionist, Dr Clune said: "I'm always prepared to be inconvenienced for what principles I have."
Dr Clune said she was willing to pay the additional money herself but the council was looking after the costs.
A council spokeswoman said the entire trip was costing €8,290 and Dr Clune opting not to go with Ryanair had resulted "in a slight difference in the cost".
Seven councillors are going on the trip, which will take in many of Madrid's cultural landmarks.
Protest over British ship
Anti-War Ireland plans to picket a British royal navy vessel HMS Severn, which is due to dock in Cork city today. Citing British involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Cork branch of Anti-War Ireland will be mounting a picket against the presence of the ship at North Custom House Quay in Cork city.