A roundup of today's other regional news in brief
Armed raiders rob Laois supermarket
Gardaí are hunting a gang of armed raiders who robbed a "significant amount of cash" from a cash machine and from tills at a supermarket yesterday.
Two armed and masked men entered the Centra store in Ballylynan, Co Laois, at about 7.20am and held up the male owner and two female assistants. "The men locked the door of the shop and tied up and threatened the staff," said Sgt Joe Culliton of Abbeyleix Garda station.
Man questioned after drug seizure
A man is being questioned by gardaí following the seizure of herbal cannabis and cocaine valued at an estimated €1.6 million.
The drugs were found in Naas, Co Kildare, at lunchtime yesterday when gardaí stopped and searched a van. It contained a large number of cardboard boxes containing 122kg of herbal cannabis and 2kg of cocaine.
A 36-year-old man, was arrested under section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act. He is being held at Naas Garda station.His arrest followed surveillance by members of the Garda National Drugs Unit and Naas detective and drug units.
Three years in jail over fatal crash
A Limerick man has been sentenced to three years in prison for dangerous driving causing the death of his friend, a back-seat passenger to whom he was giving a lift, in a crash near Listowel, Co Kerry, last year.
Daniel Copse (19), Collins Park, Abbeyfeale, was also disqualified from driving for 30 years at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee.
A jury had found him guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of Matthew O'Connor (16), of Dromtrasna Collins, Abbeyfeale, on July 24th, 2008.
This was Copse's second trial; earlier this year a jury had failed to reach a verdict.
Boxer to turn on Limerick lights
In Limerick tonight boxer Andy Lee will switch on the lights of what is expected to be the tallest Christmas tree in Ireland.
The 100ft (30.5m) "green" tree will float on the River Shannon and is made from salvaged steel from major local building projects.
The switching on of Limerick's Christmas lights coincides with Winterfest, a weekend of events taking place across the city over the next three days.
February date set for deception trial
The book of evidence was yesterday served on a Co Clare property agent charged with deception and with stealing more than €76,540.
At a Shannon District Court sitting in Ennis, Fiona Lillis (36), Lisduff, Newmarket-on- Fergus, appeared on more than 61 charges relating to dates between December 17th, 2007, and September 30th last year.
Judge Áine Ní Chondúin granted legal aid for one junior counsel to represent Ms Lillis in Ennis Circuit Court and remanded her on continuing bail.
She sent Ms Lillis forward for trial on February 10th next.