A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Former Cork All-Ireland star avoids jail
Former Cork hurler and footballer Teddy McCarthy yesterday avoided a prison stay when he successfully appealed a sentence imposed for refusing to give a blood or urine sample to gardaí when stopped on suspicion of drink-driving.
Mr McCarthy, the only man to win All-Ireland hurling and football medals in the same year on the field of play, was sentenced to two months in jail and fined €1,000 by Judge Michael Pattwell at Cobh District Court in September.
Mr McCarthy, Woodbrook, Castlejane, Glanmire, denied the charge and said he hadn't been drinking on the night, but Judge Pattwell convicted him of refusing to give a blood or urine sample.
Yesterday, Mr McCarthy appealed the severity of the penalty at Midleton Circuit Court and Judge Patrick Moran removed the two-month prison term, replacing it with a €750 fine and disqualifying Mr McCarthy from driving for two years.
Defence barrister Dermot Sheehan said his client was willing to give an Intoxilyzer sample, but didn't realise he couldn't do so in Cobh. "He thought perhaps he could be brought to Mayfield where he could give a breath sample."
Roadside car sales banned
The roadside advertising of cars for sale is to be prohibited by Mayo County Council. The council said there had been a "significant increase" in the number of people putting cars on the roadside to advertise their sale. This was "an illegal and highly dangerous practice".
Any vehicle found for sale on the roadside will be affixed with a sticker instructing its removal within 24 hours. If it is not removed, the vehicle will be impounded and stored for six weeks, before being disposed of.
Owners seeking the return of vehicles will have to pay removal costs of €200 and storage costs of €25 per day.
Man (42) jailed for sex assault
A Galway man has been jailed for three years for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in her bedroom.
The 42-year-old spent four months in Castlerea prison before this offence, for sexually assaulting two females in their beds during a house party.
To protect his victim's identity, he cannot be named.
Defence counsel Martin Giblen SC stressed in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that the man had been drunk at the time and that "all his problems are rooted in a very serious drink problem". Judge Patrick McCartan replied: "It seems to me he has more problems than drink problems."
Passengers down at Kerry Airport
Passenger traffic at Kerry Airport dropped slightly last year after Ryanair pulled the link to Liverpool, the 2007 annual report reveals.
There were almost 388,000 passengers last year, compared to almost 393,000 in 2006.