A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Appeal against conviction for killing girl (14) rejected by court
A man has lost his appeal against his conviction for the killing of a 14-year-old girl in Co Sligo five years ago.
Ronald McManus, also known as Ronald Dunbar (45), was jailed for life at the Central Criminal Court in 2009 after a jury convicted him of the manslaughter of Melissa Mahon between September 14th and 30th, 2006. The trial was told he had strangled Ms Mahon and dumped her body in a river.
She had been in the care of the State, living voluntarily at a care home in Sligo. Yesterday, the three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal, comprising Ms Justice Fidelma Macken, presiding, Mr Justice Declan Budd and Mr Justice Daniel O’Keeffe, dismissed all 11 grounds of appeal.
O'Donnell for Circuit Court
Judge Tom O’Donnell of the District Court in Limerick has been nominated by the Government for appointment to the Circuit Court by the President, replacing Judge Frank O’Donnell who retired last month.
Born in 1954, Judge O’Donnell was educated at Crescent College in Limerick and at UCD, enrolling as a solicitor in 1976.
He joined the Legal Aid Panel in 1980. He was appointed as a judge of the District Court in 1988 and was assigned to Limerick in 1999. He has served on the District Court Rules Committee since 2003.
Funding to build Galway reservoir
Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has confirmed money is being made available to build a reservoir in Galway, writes John Fallon.
The news will come as a relief to thousands of householders on the west of Galway city who have had huge difficulties with their public water supply in recent years. Hundreds of thousands of litres have drained from the existing reservoir in recent years.
The contract for the work is included in the Department of Environment’s water services investment programme 2010-2012.