A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Ex-personnel of Air Corps drop action
The Defence Forces welcomed a decision by former Air Corps personnel involved in search and rescue to withdraw a legal action which they had initiated, writes Lorna Siggins.
An agreed statement issued by both parties yesterday said the provision of search and rescue (SAR) by the Air Corps was discontinued in October, 2004, for "operational reasons".
It says the Defence Forces acknowledge the contribution made by those involved in the legal action to SAR, and also acknowledge that "health and safety matters" were "of concern" to the applicants, "as they are to all ranks in the Air Corps".
The former Air Corps staff "accept that these issues were appropriately addressed by the Air Corps", it concludes.
Since the withdrawal of the Air Corps from SAR three years ago, it is now solely run as a private operation under contract to the Irish Coast Guard and Maritime Administration.
Book to mark Treaty of Rome
A new book of essays to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome was launched by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, yesterday, writes John Downes.
The book, Foundations of an Ever Closer Union: An Irish perspective on the fifty years since the Treaty of Rome , contains contribu- tions from a range of Irish experts on EU issues. It is published by the Institute of Public Administration and forms part of a series of events in Ireland and the EU commemorating the 1957 treaty.
Sentence for arms offences adjourned
A Kildare man who told gardaí he was "living in fear" but would be "in even more trouble" if he revealed who he was scared of, had his sentence for possession of two sawn-off shotguns and a pistol adjourned.
Christopher Dowling (39), of Wolfhill, Athy, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawfully possessing the firearms and 159 rounds of ammunition in Ballyfermot on November 16th, 2006.
Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded him on bail until next February.
Three held after Dublin drugs seizure
Three people have been arrested after 7 kg of a substance believed to be cocaine and worth about €500,000 was seized in Drumcondra, Dublin, yesterday.
A 67-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman have been arrested and were detained at Santry Garda station last night.
A 22-year-old woman was also arrested in Rathgar and has been detained at Ballymun Garda station.
The arrest involved gardaí, Customs officers and international law enforcement authorities.
Two released after drug seizure
A 45-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman who were arrested as they left a busy park in Raheny, Dublin yesterday, were released by gardaí last night, writes John Downes.
A handgun and ammunition were seized during the arrest. The pair were stopped at about 5pm yesterday as part of an operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in St Anne's Park. A file on the case is to be prepared and sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Increase in dairy quota welcomed
A 2 per cent increase in the EU dairy quota which was announced yesterday by the European Commission has been welcomed as "a step in the right direction" by the IFA, writes Seán Mac Connell.
Richard Kennedy, chairman of the IFA's national dairy committee, said the announcement fell short of the 3 per cent the Irish Farmers' Association was seeking, but it was a step in the right direction.
Mr Kennedy said the commission had indicated that it would implement the increased level of production in April next.
"It is IFA's view that the EU should anticipate the health check to allow Irish dairy farmers an opportunity to grow production while markets are strong and crying out for product. This proposal, though conservative, goes in the right direction."
Man held over garda shooting
A fourth person arrested over the shooting of a motorcycle garda in Dublin remained in custody last night, writes Adam Harvey.
The man (27) was arrested in Clondalkin on Monday and can be held for up to 72 hours before being charged or released. Three other people arrested on Sunday and Monday have been released without charge.
They have all been questioned over the shooting of Garda Paul Sherlock (34), who was wounded in the stomach after stopping a vehicle on Ossory Road, North Strand, on September 25th last.
Files for the DPP are being prepared.
North-South talks on infrastructure
Continued reopening and improvement of cross-Border roads, as well as the upgrading of the Dublin to Belfast rail link, were discussed at a North-South Ministerial Council Meeting held in Co Meath yesterday.
The meeting between the North's Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, Minister for the Environment Arlene Foster, and the Republic's Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey was held in Trim.