A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Man charged with running two brothels
A man has appeared in court charged with running two brothels in Dublin.
Peter Thompson (56), Dorset Street, Dublin, faces four counts of keeping brothels at Mary Street and Dorset Street in May 2004.
In Dublin District Court yesterday, Det Sgt Paul Molloy said there was no objection to bail.
Judge William Early set bail in his own bond of €500 and remanded him to appear in court on February 16th.
Woman still in custody in Sligo
A 24-year-old woman being questioned by gardaí about the murder of Sam Smith (23) in Sligo was still in custody last night after being arrested on Tuesday.
Detectives believe she may have vital information about the chief suspect in last week's murder on the Cranmore estate in Sligo town. Mr Smith was shot when he answered the door of his sister's home to a lone gunman.
Abuse hearings in Dublin next week
The first public hearings this year of the investigation committee of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is scheduled to take place in Dublin next Tuesday, writes Patsy McGarry.
Under investigation will be industrial schools at St Joseph's, Dundalk, St Joseph's, Clifden, and St Joseph's, Tralee. The Sisters of Mercy, who managed the Dundalk and Clifden schools and the Christian Brothers, managers at the Tralee school, will give information.
After the public hearings the committee will then move into private session, probably from Thursday, at the commission's offices in St Stephen's Green House.
30 charges of sexual assault
A man has been sent for trial on charges of sexually abusing a girl over eight years. The Dublin man (50), who cannot be named, faces 30 charges of sexual assault in the 1980s.
In Dublin District Court yesterday, Judge James Scally sent him for trial on continuing bail to the next sittings of the Circuit Criminal Court.
Racial abuse of hospital staff
A drunk man who racially abused staff in St James's Hospital will have to pay €300 to charity to avoid a conviction, Kilmainham District Court has heard.
Anthony Robinson (23) Ballyogan Crescent, Sandyford, pleaded guilty to public drunkenness and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at the hospital last month.
Judge Ann Watkin remanded Robinson on continuing bail for a month for payment of the donation.
Rehabilitation facilities criticised
Labour Party's Joe Costello has said that inadequate facilities for rehabilitating sex offenders at the Midlands Prison means "that paedophiles and rapists may be released into the community without adequate treatment".
There had been a "very good" programme at the Curragh Prison before it was closed down, and the Minister for Justice failed to replace it, he said. He was responding to criticisms of the facilities in the Midlands Prison by Prisons Inspector Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen in his recent report.
A Department of Justice spokesman said Michael McDowell would introduce a proposal aimed at getting offenders to participate in rehabilitation programmes as part of the Criminal Justice Bill.