A round up of today's other stories in brief
Farmers sign up to rare toad protection plan
Some 30 farmers in Co Kerry have signed up for a toad-in-the-hole scheme aimed at reinstating once thriving populations of the rare natterjack species, Ireland's only toad, in the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas, writes Anne Lucey.
The farmers in the toad protection scheme are being paid to dig out ponds and maintain them over a five- year period to ensure the survival of the distinctive yellow-striped amphibian distinguished from his fellow frog in that he runs rather than hops.
According to the National Parks and Wildlife Service locally, the farmers have been generally receptive to the scheme which will see them earning per hectare €1,000 for the first two ponds and about €200 for a third pond. Minister for the Environment John Gormley will this morning dig the first sod in the first toad pond near Boolteens on the Dingle Peninsula.
Music academy contracts signed
Building contracts have been signed for a €20 million Irish world academy of music and dance at the University of Limerick. The building has been designed to combine the elements of teaching and performance by French architect Daniel Cordier, who was appointed following an international design competition in 2004.
Dr Micheál Ó Súilleabháin, professor of music at the university and founder/ director of the Irish World Academy, said he was "particularly delighted" the building was being constructed by Michael McNamara Co, whose origins are in Co Clare.
The building will accommodate two performance workshop theatres, the Tower Theatre and the Sionna Theatre. It will also feature a green room for performers, performance control rooms, recording spaces, a researchers' area for 40 students, music performance practice rooms and dance performance studios. Work will commence immediately and is expected to be completed by November 2009.
Court reserves judgment
A judge has accused a middle-aged woman of carrying out a "character assassination" on a prominent Limerick businessman who was her employer for almost 20 years.
Judge James O'Donohue described claims that auctioneer John Shaw, vice-president of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, had twice raped his former bookkeeper as "grave allegations" which were totally unsubstantiated.
He made his comments yesterday as he reserved judgment following an appeal by Annette Egan, Carey's Road, Limerick, of a ruling by an Employment Appeals Tribunal that she was not unfairly dismissed by Mr Shaw in September 2005.
Cancer group to meet Harney
Campaigners for the retention of breast cancer and other facilities at Kerry General Hospital are to meet Minister for Health Mary Harney. The groups, which include women's organisations as well as a community action group from west Kerry, have collected 21,000 signatures and have received a commitment from Kerry councillors to travel to Dublin for the appointment in early July.
According to representatives this will be one of the last opportunities to campaign for the retention of services at the hospital and as many people as possible are being encouraged to travel to Dublin on July 10th when a petition will be presented.
Councillors at the annual general meeting of Kerry County Council unanimously agreed to support them.