More news in brief.
Ryanair offers free flights to Munster fans
Ryanair has offered free flights to Munster rugby fans whose flights to Bristol were cancelled and then rescheduled at a higher price.
The fans had booked a flight for the European Cup final in January but the flight was rescheduled to the afternoon which didn't give them enough time to get to the match. They then discovered their original flight had been rescheduled but would cost more.
Speaking on Newstalk FM yesterday, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said it was the result of a technical rescheduling mix-up. "I would have no difficulty if any passenger wants to write in to me and tell me they were on the original flight that was re-accommodated and that they had to book somewhere else," he said. "I would happily give them a free flight going to Bristol that day." He said the affected passengers should write to him before the end of this week.
Woman dies after car and bus crash
A woman died last night when her car was in a collision with a Bus Éireann bus in Killarney, Co Kerry. The incident happened at around 8.25pm at Brennan's Glen on the Killarney to Farranfore Road.
The woman, who was in her fifties, was the sole occupant of the car. The bus had no passengers. The road was closed last night as traffic collision investigators examined the scene.
Gardaí at Killarney have asked witnesses or anyone with information about the collision to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 - 71160.
Rail commuters stranded
Hundreds of rail commuters were stranded at Pearse, Tara Street and Connolly stations yesterday evening due a points fault. The fault arose at 5.20pm at Pearse, during the busiest period of the evening. It caused delays of about 40 minutes in both directions, between Connolly and Pearse Street stations.
Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said that normal services resumed at about 6.10pm.
There was also severe traffic congestion on the M50 yesterday evening after a truck broke down near the M50/M1 roundabout. The northbound truck carrying a load of sand broke down at 4.45pm. It was removed within an hour but long traffic jams had built up at that stage.
Paisley to stand down in June
DUP leader-elect Peter Robinson is expected to be sworn in as Northern Ireland first minister at a special sitting of the Assembly on June 5th, writes Frank Millar, London Editor.
Party sources indicated last night that the Rev Ian Paisley is expected to stand down as party leader and First Minister after completing a number of engagements in the earlier part of that week, including one with Scottish first minister Alex Salmond.
Under the Assembly's rules Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will also have to vacate his post and be re-nominated and re-elected alongside Mr Robinson.
Men killed in car crash named
Two men killed in a road crash in Co Offaly on Sunday were named yesterday. James (Jim) Blanc (53) of Emmett Street, Mountmellick, Co Laois and Adam Zygadlo (21) were killed when the car they were travelling in collided with another car at Annamoe, Portarlington, shortly before 2pm. It is understood that Mr Blanc was the driver of the car while Mr Zygadlo was a back-seat passenger. The bodies of the men were removed to Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. Five other people were injured in the collision.
Separately, two men were seriously injured in an accident in Dublin on Sunday night. The men were knocked down by a car at about 11.30pm near Findlaters Pub on Dorset Street in Dublin city centre. The men were in a serious condition in Beaumont Hospital last night.
Redmond trial continues
The £10,000 corruption trial of George Redmond has continued with legal issues in the absence of the jury on day nine of the hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Redmond (83) of College Gate, Castleknock, a former assistant city and county manager, has pleaded not guilty to two charges arising out of a compulsory purchase order on 167 acres of land at Buzzardstown and Coolmine, in northwest Co Dublin.
He denies receiving Ir£10,000 from the late Fianna Fáil councillor, Patrick Dunne, as an inducement in respect of the compulsory purchase order.
Youth on release attacks shop owner
A youth who headbutted a shop owner a day after he had been released on a suspended sentence has been further remanded in custody but with consent to bail.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty at the Children's Court last week to attacking the shop owner, at the Sallynoggin Road in Sallynoggin, Dublin, on October 9th. Judge Patrick McMahon had remanded him in custody on Friday last after hearing the attack happened a day after the boy had been given a suspended sentence. He yesterday further remanded the teenager in custody with consent to bail with a €200 cash independent surety.
Major blow for Galway Aiport as UK airlinwe Flybe ends services
Galway Airport has suffered a major blow, with UK airline Flybe ending services with immediate effect.
The airline, which operated flights to Birmingham, Southampton and Belfast, blamed poor passenger numbers for its decision to withdraw from Galway. The airline, which was founded as Jersey European Airways in 1979 before undergoing a number of rebrandings, operated a 70-seater aircraft on the route.
Joe Walsh, managing director of Galway Airport, said the airline was not getting enough passengers in Galway.
"We will now look at developing new routes and new operators," he said. The withdrawal by Flybe means that Aer Arann is the only airline operating scheduled flights from Galway.