A round up of today's other stories in brief...
Bank robber held two staff captive
An armed robber who wore a red dress and a wig when he held two bank staff captive has been remanded in custody pending sentence for his role in a €700,000 bank robbery.
Danny Hamill (49) of Clanmaurice Road, Donnycarney, Dublin and an accomplice were caught by gardaí in the car park minutes after they left the AIB branch in Crumlin on June 3rd, 2006.
Hamill, originally from Co Armagh, pointed a loaded pistol at a garda after ignoring him shouting out "armed gardaí, halt and put your arms up in the air, armed gardaí".
His six previous convictions, included robbery and assault causing actual bodily harm to a garda, were both dealt with in the Special Criminal Court and resulted in prison terms of five and two years respectively.
Judge Tony Hunt noted a positive governor's report that was before the court and adjourned sentencing to next week because he said he needed time to consider the case.
Irish Steel site to be examined
Minister for the Environment John Gormley has engaged a firm of consultants to carry out an independent assessment of site conditions at the former Irish Steel plant on Haulbowline amid fears over hazardous wastes found there, writes Barry Roche.
Mr Gormley said consultants White Young Green would begin a rigorous assessment of the site next week following "extensive unauthorised works by subcontractors of Hammond Lane Metal Company Ltd".
This assessment would involve analysis of soil, slag, dust, surface and ground water samples for all likely contaminants including heavy metals such as chromium, said Mr Gormley, who reiterated his commitment to dealing with the legacy issue of waste at the site.
Action at Dublin airport averted
Threatened industrial action which could have caused severe disruption or even the closure of Dublin airport for periods from next week has been averted following a deal brokered by the Labour Relations Commission yesterday, writes Martin Wall.
Siptu had planned to take industrial action - including mandatory meetings for staff, overtime bans and a work-to-rule - from next week as part of a row with the Dublin Airport Authority over pensions.
Cystic fibrosis sufferer mourned
A priest at the funeral of a 15-year-old cystic fibrosis sufferer yesterday told mourners to value their health, as "it is precious", writes Kathryn Hayes.
Siobhán Ryan from Pallasgreen in Co Limerick lost her battle for life just hours after being told she was next in line to receive a life-saving lung transplant.
A Government jet was on standby to take the teenager for the emergency operation in the UK when she died last Tuesday at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Hundreds of mourners packed Nicker Church in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick yesterday to honour a 15-year-old girl described as an "inspiration to all".
During his homily parish priest Fr James Holloway told mourners to make the most of life and not to take their good health for granted.
"We should all be grateful we have the health we have, as poor Siobhán didn't have it.
"She had a short life, but not a useless one and we can learn that lesson."