A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Ship's crew refuse to sail in pay dispute
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITWF) is to resume negotiations today with the Dutch owners of a cargo vessel moored in Dublin port, over the company's failure to pay wages owed to 11 Filipino crew members.
The organisation is concerned that some €10,000 in wages, which were due to be sent to the workers' families in the first week of December, have not been received by them. This leaves them without money for Christmas, the ITWF says.
The ITWF says the Dutch managers of the ship, the Elwood, claim the money has already been paid to the Philippine crewing agency who recruited the crew, and are insisting they will not pay out any further money until next Monday.
The crew members are refusing to sail the vessel until the money owed to them is paid in cash. The owners of the ship were unavailable for comment last night.
Summonses struck out in Dunnes case
The office of the director of consumer affairs said that summonses against Dunnes Stores regarding the display of prices was struck out in Dublin District Court yesterday.
In court last Tuesday, the company was told it could have the summonses issued against it by the director of consumer affairs struck out on condition it contributed a substantial sum of money to the charity Alone.
Yesterday, having received proof of payment, the court formally struck out the summonses.
Dunnes Stores had pleaded guilty to 10 counts of failing to display prices of grocery products at its George's Street, Swords and North Earl Street branches.
Dunnes Stores also pleaded guilty to a contravention of the Consumer Information Act 1978 - misleading indication of prices - when it indicated a price of €3.68 per kilo of broccoli, but charged €3.99.
Commenting on the District Court decision, the Director of Consumer Affairs, Carmel Foley, said: "Retailers must display their prices so that consumers can make informed choices on where to get the best value.
"The fact that Dunnes Stores were not convicted does not take from the message.
"My office will continue to actively enforce the legislation to ensure that consumers' rights are protected.
"In view of the Christmas season, I am delighted that Alone has benefited from the work of this office."
Witnesses sought to cyclist's crash
Gardaí at Ballyfermot in Dublin are appealing for any witnesses to a crash at Chapelizod bypass on Wednesday evening which resulted in a cyclist receiving serious head injuries.
The cyclist, a man in his 40s, was found by a passing Garda patrol lying in the bus lane (outbound) at about 6.30pm.
Witnesses are asked to contact Ballyfermot Garda station on 01-6667200.
Drunken driving case adjourned
The case against a 19-year-old charged with drunken driving in relation to an accident that left a Co Louth couple dead was adjourned at Ardee District Court yesterday.
Derek McCormack, Cappocks Green, Tierney Street, Ardee, is charged with the alleged offence at Tierney Street, Ardee, in the early hours of Saturday, December 3rd last.
The accident claimed the lives of Catherine "Kitty" Shields (58) and her partner Jim Beirne (55).
They lived together in a house on Tierney Street and were a short distance from it when they were struck by a car.
Garda Superintendent Michael Devine told Judge Flann Brennan that an adjournment was being sought.
The case was put back to the court sitting on February 23rd next.
Gardaí are still preparing the file for the DPP.