A round-up of today's other news in brief...
Nine million cigarettes seized in Dublin
Customs officers seized almost nine million contraband cigarettes in south county Dublin yesterday.
A Revenue spokesman said a container with 8.74 million John Player Blue brand cigarettes arrived into Dublin by ship from China.
In an operation codenamed "Sizzlers", the container was the subject of a surveillance operation as it moved towards a warehouse, understood to be in the Tallaght area. Officers intervened and several persons at the premises were formally interviewed.
The potential loss of revenue to the exchequer, had the cigarettes been successfully smuggled onto the domestic market, is almost €3 million.
Hector 'grills' former taoiseach
A commercially-arranged interview between former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and comedian Hector Ó hEochagáin attracted an attendance of over 400 people in Dublin yesterday.
The light-hearted interview between Mr Ahern and the TV personality was the centrepiece of a "Christmas Long Lunch" in the Mansion House. The event, which cost €200 plus Vat, was sold out.
The subject matter was mixed, but sport featured heavily as did Mr Ahern's broken leg.
Women stored guns and drugs
A "naive young woman" who was storing pipe bombs, a shotgun, ammunition and drugs for criminals has had her sentence adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Laura Creighton (22), Barry Park, Finglas, pleaded guilty to possession of two home- made bombs, a double- barrelled sawn-off shotgun and 26 rounds of 9mm ammunition in January.
She also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine valued at €8,000 and cannabis valued at €2,000.
Judge Frank O'Donnell remanded her in continuing custody and adjourned sentencing until early next year to allow a probation report to be prepared.
He said he found it hard to understand how someone who had never come to Garda attention before could come before the court on such serious charges.
Teenager for trial for having heroin
A teenage boy arrested in connection with an €80,000 heroin seizure in September was served with a book of evidence yesterday and sent forward for trial.
The 16-year-old youth had been charged at the Children's Court with possessing the drugs and possession with intent to supply, at Charlemont Street, Dublin, on September 9th.
Following his first court appearance in September, he was further charged with possessing drugs valued in excess of €13,000.
Judge Bryan Smyth sent the case forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in the new year.
Woman defrauded shop of 9,885
A Tallaght woman has received 200 hours of community service for defrauding almost €10,000 from her local ticket shop at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court .
A routine accounts inspection by Ticketron's head office traced a shortfall in its Tallaght branch earnings to senior staff member Donna Joyce (31), Glenshane Crescent, who stole €9,885 from January 2004 to October 2004.
Man (19) killed in three-car crash in Galway
The young man who died in a traffic crash in Galway yesterday has been named locally as Patrick Browne (19), a Fás trainee, from Dangan Court, Newcastle.
Mr Browne was killed in an early morning collision which has left another man fighting for his life.
The three-car crash happened close to the Bohermore roundabout on Seán Mulvoy Road at 8.45am. Mr Browne was the driver of one of the cars while another driver was seriously injured.
Man convicted of having cocaine
A Fingal man has been convicted of conspiracy to possess cocaine worth about €600,000 two years ago. David Timmons (25), Chapel Gate, Balbriggan, was remanded in custody by Judge Patricia Ryan for sentencing later at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Burglary charges are dropped
Two men charged with burglary at the home of murdered English builder Tommy Thompson have had all charges against them struck out of court.
Armin Weiderhold (33) and Joachim Pohl (25), both German nationals, were charged with burglary at the home of Mr Thompson in Portlaoise in April 2007.
Mr Weiderhold, Ford Court, Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford, and Mr Pohl, Linton Place, Kilkenny, appeared yesterday before Portlaoise District Court. Insp Martin Cashin, Portlaoise, told Judge Gerard Haughton that the State was not going to proceed.
The body of Mr Thompson, a father of five, was found outside Portlaoise in January.